It should come as no surprise that the Trance X Advanced E+ 1 shares a lot of design cues with the analog Trance X Advanced. Both get full carbon frames with two geometry settings and 29in wheels, and both use Giant’s signature Maestro suspension design. So how does it perform and is it one of the best electric bikes on offer?

Need to know:

• Flip-chips in the upper suspension link offer high and low geometry setting
• Full carbon frame and 29in carbon rims give an impressive 23.79kg (52.45lb) bike weight
• Fox LiveValve suspension, reads what is happening at the fork and auto adjusts the shock
• Shimano 4-piston XT brakes with 220mm rotors provide stacks of stopping power

The key difference then, is that the E+ 1 has a Yamaha manufactured Giant SyncDrive Pro2 motor and an 800Wh removable battery. Given the size of the downtube, you’d be hard pressed to say the battery is hidden, but other nice features like the cables running through the lower link make for an altogether sleek design. No easy feat, given the additional wiring required for Fox’s LiveValve suspension technology.

Another key differentiator then is geometry, specifically the chainstay length. We measured it at 474mm, almost 36mm longer than the analog version and 30mm longer than the Whyte E-160, the 29er with the shortest rear end in this test. And combined with the relatively short front centre, the Trance X Advanced E+ 1 has a more forward weight distribution and a less dynamic ride than any of its rivals.

Suspension

Giant pairs a 150mm travel Fox 36 Performance Elite LiveValve fork with the new Float X LiveValve shock to deliver 2mm more than the claimed 140mm travel. That puts frame travel similar to the Trek and Specialized, even if the Giant feels way less capable. How much of that has to do with LiveValve biassing the suspension towards the firmer end of the spectrum is hard to say.

But what we can say with certainty, is that the Giant would benefit from a 160mm travel fork, as the extra height in the front end would help shift rider weight off the fork.

Components

With a relatively tall 485mm seat tube we couldn’t get the maximum saddle height low enough with the stock Tranz-X Rad+ post, even though it features 170-200mm adjustable drop. So the size L really needs the 140-170mm post from the next size down. That or Giant needs to find a way to improve seat post insertion depth.

Giant’s e-TRX Carbon wheels reduce inertia, which is noticeable on tighter more stop-start trails, and the 30mm rims are not so stiff as to make the ride overly twitchy or harsh.

Performance

If we had to describe the riding position on the Giant in three words they would be; over the front. Thankfully we are not limited to soundbites so we can dig a little deeper.

The combination of the long 474mm chainstays, steeper geometry and longish stem dictates the more forward weight distribution and riding position. Factor in the higher placement of the 800Wh battery than on, say, the Specialized Tubo Levo Comp or Whyte E-160 RSX, and getting the front end up on the Giant requires a herculean effort.

This also dictates the suspension set-up. To help combat the nose down riding position, we ran the Fox 36 fork firmer to get the front end to sit higher in its 150mm travel, and the LiveValve shock a little softer to enhance the overall rearward weight shift that we desperately craved. Arguably not an ideal suspicion set up, but with LiveValve we still had support when needed for hard pedalling, while retaining a decent suspension response for ironing out chatter.

With the ultra long chainstays, forward weight bias and powerful Yamaha motor, we expected the Giant to absolutely crush our hill climb challenge. It wasn’t to be, as halfway up the climb we’d already reached the 51t cog on the Shimano 11- speed XT drivetrain which made keeping the cranks spinning increasingly difficult.

And the reason is obvious. Giant fits a 36t chainring to the Trance X Advanced E+ 1 which means the lowest gear simply isn’t low enough for steep, techy climbs. Yes, it suits the Giant’s high mileage fast paced approach to riding but the gearing, geometry and fit limit the possibilities of what’s an otherwise good package.

This bike was reviewed as part of our 2023 eMTB of the year group test. The winner of the best shop-bought bike category was the Specialized Turbo Levo Comp. 

Looking for alternatives? Check out our guide to the best electric mountain bikes, all tried, tested and reviewed by our experts. Or if you don’t want to splurge too much cash, our list of the best budget eMTBs will see you right.