Smuggler Carbon GX Mechanical
A 29″ carbon frame full suspension trail bike with high-end components.
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Manufacturer Price
$5,999Weight | 31.1 lbs |
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Frame | Carbon |
Suspension | Full, 130 / 140mm |
Fork | Fox Performance Float 34 |
Shock | Fox Float X Performance |
Wheels | 29″ Aluminum |
Drivetrain | 1 × 12 |
Groupset | GX Eagle, NX Eagle |
Brakes | Hydraulic Disc |
Seatpost | Dropper |
For This Bike
Based on build material and quality level of the frame, fork, wheelset, groupset, suspension system, and more.
Compare the full Smuggler model range
View Comparison5'0" – 5'7"
5'4" – 6'0"
5'8" – 6'3"
6'0" – 6'7"
6'2" – 6'10"
🐐 Estimated
None yet.
Do you have this bike? Help other riders make a decision about which size will work for them by sharing your own size and fit notes.
Dec 2023 · Jamie Darlow
Transition has a new version of the Smuggler out, a bike that really should have been called the Spur LT. Or perhaps the Spur Lunch Ride. Transition reckons it’s made a bike to sit neatly underneath the hard charging Sentinel enduro bike in its range, but really it’s much closer in ride feel and pace to the brilliant Spur, the best down-country mountain bike to date. Transition Smuggler need to know 130mm trail bike, with an option to boost it to 140 via a shock spacer 140mm fork, 29er wheels and carbon and alloy frame options Internal routing, headtube cable entry, chainstay protector, proportional chainstays New aggressive geometry, and increased progression through the shock Alloy build is £4,499 with SRAM NX, up to £8,999 for XO SRAM AXS Perhaps it’s not such a stretch from the Smuggler’s roots then, a bike that really launched the downcountry revolution for us. When I first tried it back in 2014 it was a game changer for me, with short 115mm suspension AND slack geometry, a combination that had never been tried before. “I love that bike Muldoon,” I remember telling bike test taoiseach Muldoon. It was a glimpse into the future, before the Smuggler quietly dropped out of the range. The world wasn’t ready. Later the wonderful Transition Spur appeared and repeated the experiment, only better. Transition kept the travel short (120mm travel but we measured it at 116mm, just like the old Smuggler), the geometry relaxed even further, and we saw a lightweight chassis and flex stay suspension that wouldn’t have felt out of place on an XC race bike. The latest version of the Smuggler is like a beefed up Spur then, it gets 130mm travel and a bigger 140mm fork with 34mm stanchions so it can handle the descents with more aplomb. But the frame looks remarkably similar. You can also step up the travel on the Smuggler to 140mm and further differentiate it. There’s a 5mm reducer built into the Fox Float X shock to adjust the stroke length, keep the eye-to-eye length the same and thus keep the bike’s geometry unchanged. Smuggler frame and suspension The SRAM GX AXS-equipped bike I tested uses a carbon fibre frame, but there are alloy options that add around 1,500g to the weight and lop plenty off the price. The Smuggler still uses the same four-bar GiddyUp suspension design it always has, and there’s still a Horst-link pivot on the chainstay meaning it hasn’t nabbed the flex stay design from the Spur. I’m actually quite surprised about that, given how well the Spur’s suspension worked, and how reliable flexstay suspension as a whole now is. Just look at Merida’s One-Sixty enduro bike if you want proof of that. There’s internal cable routing, which slides in right at the front on the head tube, and it snakes its way through the bike via tube-in-tube routing. Unfortunately it doesn’t work very well, at least on my demo bike, which produced a deafening rattle. I …Continue reading »
• The Smuggler climbs brilliantly, it’s lightweight and taut on the descents and bags of fun.
• Easy to manual, wheelie and ride full stop.
• There’s no internal frame storage or geometry adjustments to be had.
• The internal cable routing is noisy.
Nov 2023 · Dario DiGiulio
The new Smuggler hits the sweet spot when it comes to travel, geometry, and capability.
Lively, energetic, and composed ride quality
Comfortable to ride, easy to get up to speed on
Impressively capable in serious terrain for such a sporty feeling bike
Premature bearing wear, dirt can get in around bottom bracket area
Suspension may be too active on climbs for some
Not the best value compared to equivalent bikes
Oct 2023 · Logan Watts
In our detailed Transition Smuggler review, Logan shares why the long-awaited sequel was the only full-suspension bike on his radar for 2023
Ridiculously confident and fun going downhill
Corners better than any full-suspension bike I’ve ridden, with surprisingly nimble handling, traction to back it up, and well-balanced steering
Longer chainstay length, front-center, and wheelbase make it a super stable bike with excellent traction, both climbing and descending
Feels lively and poised while climbing dynamic and technical sungletrack
The ability to upgrade the bike’s travel to 140/150mm is nice
Linear frame aesthetic is better looking than previous curvy design, and Orchid color is hard to beat
Can feel slightly sluggish on slow climbs, particularly on gravel
Bottom of shock linkage can collect mud and grit
Non-drive side pivot bearing is prone to early wear
Requires careful attention to shock and fork tuning (not really a downside, but something to be mindful of)
Awkward cable housing entry/exit at head tube doesn’t jive well with a handlebar bag and rear brake/derailleur routing is tricky
Mar 2023 · Tim Wild
Tim Wild gets a sneak ride on the new Transition Smuggler before its UK release. Snozberry Spectacular! Due for UK release in early April.
Feb 2023
The 2023 Transition Smuggler rises from the ashes as a 130/140mm travel 29" trail bike with aggressive geometry in carbon and alloy options
Frame | Smuggler Carbon 130mm BB Standard: BSA, 73mm, Threaded Tire Clearance: 2.5" Colors: Orchid; Espresso |
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Fork | Fox Float 34 Grip Performance, (140mm) Travel: 140mm Spring Type: Air |
Shock | Fox Float X Performance, (210x50mm) Travel: 130mm Spring Type: Air |
Bottom Bracket | 73mm BSA Threaded |
Headset | FSA NO.42/48/ACB |
Stem | RaceFace Aeffect R (40mm) |
Handlebar | RaceFace Chester 35, SM(780x20) MD/LG/XL/XXL(780x35) |
Saddle | SDG Bel Air V3 |
Seatpost | OneUp Dropper Post, SM(150mm) MD(180mm) LG/XL/XXL(210mm) Type: Dropper |
Grips | ODI Elite Flow |
Rear Derailleur | SRAM GX Eagle |
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Crank | SRAM Stylo 6K DUB, (170mm x 32t) |
Shifters | SRAM NX Eagle MMX |
Cassette | SRAM XG 1275 (10-52t) |
Chain | SRAM GX Eagle |
Brakes | SRAM Code R Type: Hydraulic Disc |
Rims | WTB ST i30 |
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Spokes | Pillar Double Butted |
Front Hub | Novatech D791SB/D902SB |
Rear Hub | Novatech D791SB/D902SB |
Tires | Front: Maxxis Assegai EXO+ (2.5), Rear: Maxxis Dissector 3C EXO+ (2.4) |
Disc Rotors | SRAM Centerline (200/180mm) |
Last updated May 4