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First Look at Transition’s New Giddy Up Platform and First Review of the New Smuggler 29er

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2015 Transition 27.5 Patrol Test Mule_0

On my return home trip from Whistler, I had the opportunity to stop by Transition HQ and take a quick peek at the new line of bikes they intended to debut at Eurobike. In development for two years, the new models mark a departure from the more free ride oriented fare the company has become associated with.

With the new range, they’ve debuted a new-to-them suspension platform they call Giddy Up, because of the improvement it offers in pedaling performance when compared to the older models. The platform is featured on their four newest models – a 29er, two 650b models, and a yet to be released 26″ variant.

When I arrived, the only production models had already been packed and shipped across the Atlantic, but I was able to get a closer look at the two test mules still at the office, and chat with the crew about the development process.

2015 Transition 27.5 Patrol Test Mule_2

These cable routing ports are of Transition’s own design and keep the cable routing tidy and rattle free.

2015 Transition 27.5 Patrol Test Mule_1

Out back, it #LookslikeaSession. At least sort of, which is because the small outfit from the Pacific North West is taking advantage of a patent heretofore owned by a company that shall not be named, which recently expired.

With design input from the engineering team who created the Switch Link system, Transition has retuned the suspension kinematics in order to improve pedaling characteristics, without sacrificing small bump sensitivity, or fun.

2015 Transition 27.5 Patrol Test Mule_5

All four frames are front derailluer compatible (the mount is located near the main pivot about the BB), but in the future, their more “Enduro” models may drop that feature. They’ve found that much of the gravity oriented market has gone almost exclusively to 1x drivetrains, although 2x setups still remain popular on XC sleds.

2015 Transition 27.5 Patrol Test Mule_3

To keep required upkeep to a minimum and stiffness high, they’ve gone with an expanding collet on the main pivot, and clevis pivots on the rocker link.

2015 Transition 27.5 Patrol Test Mule_4

While the stays on this model, the 155mm Patrol, are middle of the road for added stability when racing, the company also has a shorter travel 125mm, the Scout, which could be considered the modern successor of the beloved Bottle Rocket.

2015 Transition 27.5 Patrol Test Mule_6

Unfortunately, an adorable shop/trail dog is not included with the purchase of each new bike.

2015 Transition 29er XC Scout Test Mule_4

Even with photos of these prototypes, a dealer catalog leaked online, and the new line up about to be launched in a few days, it is incredibly rare for a company to let a media hack ride a bike unattended by a gaggle of product managers, marketing coordinators, and engineers. Yet, that is exactly what Transition let me do. After helping me setup up the suspension and controls, they gave me rough directions to the trail head, a map, and sent me on my way – completely unguided.

While I would have preferred to take out one of the 27.5″ models, the Patrol pictured above was only available in size gigantic, so I hopped on the sole full suspension 29er in their line up. It’s a short travel bike with only 115mm of rear travel, that they’ve paired with a 130mm fork up front, for a slack 67.5 degree head angle, and aggressive ride characteristics.

2015 Transition 29er XC Scout Test Mule_2

Front and rear, Transition has made the switch to RockShox suspension across the board. On most frames, the rule of thumb for setting sag is around 20-25%, depending on the suspension platform and preferred ride characteristics.

Darrin Seeds, the industrial designer/in house tester/and all around shredder, recommended setting the sag around 40%. This seemed excessive, particularly because of my previous experiences with owning several Transition frames.

In previous years, the simple single pivot suspension design employed by Transition had a falling rate, which had a tendency to blow through its travel on bigger hits. In order to alleviate the problem on my own bike, I installed a Fox Float Air Volume Spacer in my shock. The other issue with the single pivots was that they pedaled poorly, and even the more “XC” oriented models like the Bandit required assistance from a pedal platform to feel lively up hill.

2015 Transition 29er XC Scout Test Mule_0

During my ride in Bellingham on the Galbraith trail network, I ran into a local guy who was kind enough to show me around the maze of single track which criss crosses the mountain. Our ride was decidedly XC oriented at first, with lots of tight technical twisties, and fun undulating ribbons of trail.

Despite the hefty amount of sag, the Smuggler pedaled decidedly better than any Transition I’ve ever ridden. I was surprised that I never once felt the need to reach down and flick the go switch, but there was a learning curve associated with the big wheels, tight turns, and slack head tube angle. I’ve owned and ridden several Transitions in the past, and part of the reason I love the brand is how fun the bikes are, but it took me almost an hour of riding to master riding the Smuggler.

For the sake of full disclosure though, I do spend most of my time on bikes with smaller wheels, and my trails back home are more wide open. When the trail did open up, and we found some built up berms and doubles, the 29er felt at home pumping the backside of berms and squaring up berms.

While some riders will lament the new look, Transition’s new line up is a huge step forward for the little company. With the new suspension platform, they’ve made huge gains in pedaling performance and suspension sensitivity, without sacrificing the most important characteristic – fun. If you’re a long time fan of the brand, but you’ve been dabbling with other companies in search of something that pedaled better, you should definitely consider checking out the new line up.

Transition is here at Interbike with the new models, so stay tuned for a more detailed look at all the new bikes.

 

 

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hellbelly
hellbelly
9 years ago

What it really looks like is the original Turner 4-bar/Horst-link. A great proven design that many other will now be putting their stamp on.

Rich
Rich
9 years ago

It looks more like a Slash than a Session… But what the hell, if it rides well, it rides well.

satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
9 years ago

not a slash. a pitch. that scout’s gonna be fun. have had 2 Tr.s in the past. great company and true, all their bikes are all about fun.

Nick
Nick
9 years ago

That “leaked document” states specifically “no front derailluer support”. Has something changed?

Either way, this or Banshee’s Phantom are on my shortlist for next frame. Love short travel 29ers–even in XC mode, I’m always amazed at what my no talent self can do with them, so I’m very interested in ‘short’ travel, and slacker angles can do for my riding.

craigsj
craigsj
9 years ago

Wouldn’t gains in pedaling performance and suspension sensitivity contribute to “fun” inherently? Why is it so important to say that suspension improvements don’t make the bike worse? Is a bike that pedals well AND is fun to ride a new invention?

I think more interesting is what differentiates this bike, and brand, from others. Other bikes are fun too and other brands have solved these problems already. Good pedaling is not new.

Eric
Eric
9 years ago

I love the change of attitude. For years Transition and others have proclaimed the faux-bar suspension to be awesome and perfect. A patent from the big S expires and bam, turns out Horst-link was the shit after all. Just shows how this industry is driven by marketing lies and hype…

Roy
Roy
9 years ago

Sure looks like an ICT bike… With Ellsworth just being bought by a aerospace powerhouse there could be trouble on the horizon for Transition if they are infringing. The Horst patents may be dying one by one, but the ICT are much younger.

edd
edd
9 years ago

More superficially… that raw finish on the bike looks HOT!

Rodeoj
Rodeoj
9 years ago

Its a horst link, which is going to be light years better than their, oh wait, I mean the catalogue frames they’ve been marketing. At least now, their frames won’t exactly match that of Airbourne, and others that full stop shop from Eastern manufacture catalogues.

Mindless
Mindless
9 years ago

@Rodeoj Actually it means that catalog manufacturers went FSR/Horst/whatever. Which is good, it is a good design, no need to reinvent everything for suspension.

Al Boneta
Al Boneta
9 years ago

Saying these are catalog frames is not a responsible statement. I’ll reserve my judgement until after I ride one. If it works for Lars N Bars, then it would well enough for every armchair engineer on this website.

jeff
jeff
9 years ago

yay! for keeping a 26 in the line up

kickstand
kickstand
9 years ago

ummm @rodeoj, you realize airborne copied transition, not the other way around right?

rupert3k
rupert3k
9 years ago

I concur hellbelly.
My first suspension bike was a Mongoose Amplifier AKA AMP Research B4 & of course the Horst link was huge in Mountain Bike Action back in the day.
There was even a AMP B4 in a suitcase that fitted into some special Mercedes as I recall so you could say “Oh I just so happen to have a Horst link full suspension bike from Laguna Beach California in my Merc where the spare wheel should be, let’s carve down this very mild single track with our amazing 2.5″ travel bike!!”
At the time I was a bike messenger & it was really costly to put it together.
It took me about 2 years at a cost of just under 8k (we paid triple here back then) and when it was finished I only had it for about 8 weeks before the manager of a suburban bike shop pinched it when I visited their shop one day.
They were out the back of the shop stripping it laughing while I was spinning out, anyway there was a court case & compensation trickled in over the years, I gave up riding for a while..
Now I’m loving three 2013 Specialized 29’ers Carve SL, Stumpjumper & FSR & the Horst link lives on!

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