Giant says its latest Trance X Advanced E+ has been built from a high-performance grade raw carbon material with an impressive stiffness-to-weight ratio.

To achieve the desired performance balance, the front triangle is said to be layered up and moulded as one single section of carbon in a process called Modified Monocoque Construction. The rear end is also made from carbon fibre, as is the Maestro suspension upper-rocker link.

The Maestro suspension – as used on most of Giant’s full-suspension bikes, and the Trance X Advanced E+ – has 140mm of travel. It has two co-rotating links to give virtual pivot placement that creates “the most active, efficient and independent suspension system on the trail,” according to Giant.

• Further reading: The ultimate guide to mountain bike rear-suspension systems

The suspension system is similar in theory and practice to other twin-link systems on the market, including Dave Weagle’s DW-Link, Santa Cruz’s VPP and Intense’s JS Tuned system. Pivot placement enables the brand to tune attributes such as anti-squat, progression, leverage rate and anti-rise.

In the case of the new Trance X Advanced E+, Giant doesn’t divulge any details on the system’s specific kinematics, however.

2022 Giant Trance X Advanced E+ motor, control and battery details

At the heart of the new bike is Yamaha’s SyncDrive Pro motor that now delivers up to 85Nm of torque – an increase from 80Nm – and weighs 2.7kg, lighter than the outgoing version. Visibly, the motor is more compact than the older version, and Giant claims it has reduced noise levels.

The motor is paired with a 625Wh battery pack, but it’s also compatible with Giant’s EnergyPak Plus, a 250Wh range-extender external battery.

The bike is coupled with a new handlebar remote that has three buttons, called RideControl Ergo 3, that can be mounted on either the left- or right-hand side of the bars, and can be paired with a second remote with user-programmable controls in the RideControl smartphone app.

Giant Bicycles

The app connects to the bike wirelessly and permits the connected smartphone to function as a live ride data display, and can perform system updates.

The main on/off button – called RideControl Go – is integrated into the bike’s top tube and can also be used to change the assistance levels.

2022 Giant Trance X Advanced E+ geometry

Giant Bicycles

The 2022 Giant Trance X Advanced E+ geometry has been given a welcome longer, lower and slacker makeover.

Its geometry is also adjustable between a high and low position, thanks to a flip chip located in the lower shock mount. This changes bottom bracket height­­, head tube angle and seat tube angle.

Headline figures include a 65.8-degree head angle, a 76-degree seat tube angle and reach numbers that span from 439mm for the size small up to 517mm for the extra-large bike.

2022 Giant Trance X Advnced E+ geometry chart

Size	Small	Medium	Large	Extra-large
Seat tube length (mm) low/high	400/400	425/425	450/450	475/475
Seat tube angle (degrees) low/high	77.2/78	76/76.7	76/76.7	76/76.7
Top tube length (mm) low/high	577/575	607/605	637/635	667/665
Head angle (degrees) low/high	65.7/66.5	65.8/66.5	65.8/66.5	65.8/66.5
Wheelbase (mm) low/high	1220/1221	1239/1237	1268/1269	1300/1301
Chainstay length (mm) low/high	473	473	473	473
Stack (mm) low/high	606/601	611/605	621/614	630/624
Reach (mm) low/high	439/447	457/462	482/489	510/517

While the figures aren’t as extreme as some bikes on the market, they do represent a significant leap forwards for Giant’s trail-oriented electric mountain bike, and we suspect they’ll open up a world of performance potential for Trance X Advanced E+ riders.

2022 Giant Trance X Advanced E+ models, specifications and prices

Headlining the range is the 2022 Giant Trance X Advanced E+ 0, decked out with Fox’s Live Valve 36 fork and Float X Factory shock, and Shimano’s XT M8100 drivetrain and brakes, which costs £7,999 / $9,300 / AU$12,799.

Giant Bicycles

Is Fox’s Live Valve pointless on an electric mountain bike?

While adding Fox’s Live Valve to any bike is a tech lover’s dream come true, the exact benefits of an electric mountain bike’s suspension locking itself out to improve pedalling efficiency are a little lost on me.

The need for a super-efficient suspension platform is mitigated by the addition of a motor with 85Nm of torque. Why, exactly, further steps need to be taken isn’t quite clear.

That said, Fox’s Live Valve works well, as technical editor-in-chief Rob Weaver found out on the standard-powered Giant Trance X Advanced Pro 29 0, so it shouldn’t hinder performance, even if the enhancements are marginal.

What alternatives are there to the 2022 Giant Trance X Advanced E+ electric mountain bike?

With 140mm of rear-wheel travel, the Trance X Advanced E+ is at the lower end of the ebike travel spectrum.

Ian Linton / Immediate Media

The closest we’ve recently tested is the 2022 Specialized Turbo Levo, with 150mm of squish, but it’s fitted with a Fox 38, instead of the Fox 36 on the Trance.

Geometry figures also don’t match up perfectly, and arguably – despite the Turbo Levo being described as a trail bike – it packs a heftier punch than the Trance X E+. Canyon’s Spectral:ON CF is close on geometry figures and travel, but has slightly more squish at 150mm.

Ian Linton / Immediate Media

Don’t get hung up on travel figures though – the Trance X E+ looks as though it should be up there with the best of the current crop of trail electric mountain bikes.

Giant Trance X Advanced E+ 0

Giant Bicycles

• Frame: Advanced-grade composite frame, 140mm Maestro suspension
• Fork: Fox 36 Factory Live Valve, 150mm travel
• Shock: Fox Float X Factory Live Valve
• Motor: Yamaha SyncDrive Pro, 85Nm
• Battery: EnergyPak Smart 625Wh
• Drivetrain: Shimano XT M8100 12-speed
• Finishing kit: Giant Contact SL
• Wheels/tyres: Giant e-TRX/Maxxis Assegai EXO 3C MaxxTerra 29×2.6in (f), Maxxis Dissector EXO+ 3C 29×2.6in (r)
• Price: £7,999 / $9,300 / AU$12,799

Giant Trance X Advanced E+ 1

Giant Bicycles

• Frame: Advanced-grade composite frame, 140mm Maestro suspension
• Fork: Fox 36 Factory Live Valve, 150mm travel
• Shock: Fox Float X Live Valve
• Motor: Yamaha SyncDrive Pro, 85Nm
• Battery: EnergyPak Smart 625Wh
• Drivetrain: Shimano XT M8100 12-speed
• Finishing kit: Giant Contact
• Wheels/tyres: Giant AM/Maxxis Assegai EXO 3C MaxxTerra 29×2.6in (f), Maxxis Dissector EXO+ 3C 29×2.6in (r)
• Price: £6,999 / AU$10,799

Giant Trance X Advanced E+ 2

Giant Bicycles

• Frame: Advanced-grade composite frame, 140mm Maestro suspension
• Fork: Fox 36 Performance, 150mm travel
• Shock: Fox DPS Performance
• Motor: Yamaha SyncDrive Pro, 85Nm
• Battery: EnergyPak Smart 625Wh
• Drivetrain: Shimano XT M8100 12-speed
• Finishing kit: Giant Contact
• Wheels/tyres: Giant AM/Maxxis Assegai EXO 3C MaxxTerra 29×2.6in (f), Maxxis Dissector EXO+ 3C 29×2.6in (r)
• Price: £5,999 / $6,800

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