Transition bikes has two new carbon hardtails for that all-around trail riding we used to simply call mountain biking. No matter which wheelsize you prefer, Transition has you covered. For the best balance of rollover and snappy handling, the 27.5″ Throttle could be the weapon of choice, or go for the 29″ Vanquish if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool wagon wheel fan. Either way, Transition says both share DNA from their GiddyUp full-suspension bikes to take on everything from technical trail rides to all-day adventures, but in lighter & more affordable hardtails…
The new carbon hardtail Throttle & Vanquish take the essence of Transition’s 27.5 Scout & 29er Smuggler and recast them in a lighter, simpler setup that will get you up the climbs fast and down the technical descents with confidence. The bikes share almost all of the same characteristics (outside of wheelsize), but it’s the little details that define the Throttle as more of a playful bike for aggressive trails, and the Vanquish as more backcountry adventure bike.
Throttle 27.5
Transition infused the 27.5″ Throttle with a bit of the heart of a dirt jumper. Paired with a 140mm travel fork, up to 2.6″ tires, and a slack 66° head angle, it really wants to get thrown off every feature along the trail. It is still a carbon hardtail though, so you get efficient power transfer to take on the climbs as much as the downhills, and a light 1400g claimed weight making it a lot less to haul around than the latest crop of steel trail hardtails.
The Throttle keeps a low standover and four sizes S-XL size to fit a wide range of riders. The Boost-spaced bike sticks with a threaded bottom bracket, ISCG mounts, Transition’s universal replaceable derailleur hanger, a tapered fork, and front triangle internal routing, including for a stealth dropper post. Available as either a $1700 frameset or a $3700 complete build with SRAM GX1, the Throttle comes in Race Raw carbon or Hot Mustard yellow.
Vanquish 29
The 29″ Vanquish on the other hand gets paired with 120mm forks for a more all-day trail ride. Its 67.5° headtube still offers some slack & stable descending prowess, paired with the better rollover ad inertia of its larger wheels. Transition says this is as close to XC as they get, building a bike that still places ‘fun’ at the top of their priority list in frame design. Developed out of the 29er full-suspension backcountry adventure Smuggler, the new Vanquish is said to be the fastest bike Transition has ever made.
The Vanquish essentially hits the same 1400g frameset target weight, swapping in slightly narrower 2.4″ max tires and the larger wheels together with slightly slimmed down tubing. The carbon 29er hardtail shares the Boost spacing, threaded BB, and semi-internal routing of the smaller wheeled bike, but this time is only available in a three size M-XL range to comfortably balance standover and maintain consistent handling. Pricing is also the same at $1700 for the frameset or $3700 for the GX complete bike, here in Race Raw carbon or Habanero Orange, well orange.
