|
|
Average Rating
|
4.49/5
|
|
# of Reviews
|
68
|
|
MSRP
|
$ 2300.00
|
|
Weight
|
|
|
More Products from Giant
Submit a Review
|
|
|
Description:Giant's Reign 2 boasts 150mm of fully active rear suspension and 140mm in front to blast through rock gardens and everything else you want to attempt. Plus, the bike's lightweight aluminum frame surges forward, free of pedal-bob, for incredible pedaling power on the climbs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Centennial, CO, US
Date Reviewed: June 23, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | Arapahoe Cyclery | | Strengths: | Plush feel, good fit | | Weaknesses: | Tires can lock against the frame in heavy mud, gears slip, and the chain can come off durring descents | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | The geometry of this bike is great, it feels stable and the bike looks good. I was debating between this bike and a Fezzari (a company from Utah). I went with the giant because of the marzcchi fork opposed to a rockshox fork and the added comfort of local bike shop. The bikes cost the same but the Fezzari has better components. After reading the owners manual, I found that although the Giant is advertised as an all mountain bike the front fork says specificaly not to use on all mountain terrain so the fork turned out not to be the deciding point I thought it was. It's still a good bike but I think the Fezzari would have been a better value. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
SuperflySTG
a Cross Country Rider
from St. George, Utah- USA
Date Reviewed: June 8, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Anything on the Boulder Mountain | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | Sunset Cycles | | Strengths: | The suspension is outstanding. I love the ability to lock out the front and put the back on pp and the bike is solid for peddling hard. Then if you want to start using the six inches of drop just flip a switch and 5-6 foot drops will feel like nothing. | | Weaknesses: | My bike weighs 33lbs with everything I have on it. Maybe just a touch heavy. Well worth it in the long ride.
| | Similar Products Used: | Gary Fisher, Rocky Mountain | | Bike Setup: | No upgrades. I didn't feel the need. Just straight from the bike shop. | | Bottom Line: | This is the real deal. The price is really good for the quality of bike. It looks like a warrior- just mean looking and ready to chew up anything in it's path.
I use the bike around town and on the trails and it's one of those bike that are good for anything you have planned.
The day I bought it I ran to the LBS to pick it up- and then road it 16 miles before going home. The next day I followed it up with 22 miles some road, dirt, sand, rocks and some big air!
If your sitting on the fence about this bike- don't! It's a winner. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
G Man
a Weekend Warrior
from Ventura, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: May 20, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Sisar/ Gridley | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Strengths: | Incredible suspension and the light weight for a 6 inch travel bike. | | Weaknesses: | Handlebars a little too narrow. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized, Santa Cruz, Cannondale, Trek, GT and Giant. | | Bike Setup: | Upgraded handlebar, seat and seat post. Everything else stock. | | Bottom Line: | Climbing machine and a downhill bomber. A bike that I can ride all day in comfort. This bike just kicks ass. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Erich
a Racer
from Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | captain jacks or ski resorts | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2200.00 | | Purchased At: | Bought everything separate, built it up custom to me | | Strengths: | Bike is strong, extremely good at any type of riding, and very durable. I've taken it on some mean trails, jumps, and drops and it just wants MORE. | | Weaknesses: | Heavy as hell. I have some really light parts on this thing and it still weighs in at 34 lbs. I have two more upgrades to drop weight but it won't be very noticable.
Also, the rear suspension bolts get loose quickly. I tighten them before every ride and it seems they always get loose. Loctite helps. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized XC Comp. Test ridden- Specialized Enduro SL, Specialized SX Trail 2, Specialized Pitch | | Bike Setup: | 06 Reign 2 frame, Fox RP3, 07 RS Lyrik soloair, 7's, x.0 shifters, x.9 mid r. derail, rhyno lite rims, other good parts I chose and bought for this bike | | Bottom Line: | I race Super D here in CO. I used to ride a hardtail. It limited my riding speed because I just couldn't go faster than my dying wrists and legs allowed me to. With the coming of this bike, my hardtail is very lonely. I have a great setup for any ride, light as possible with high quality components. I have a set of race tires (minion and the captain) that have unbeatable traction in any conditions. I rode this in Moab for about 100 miles on Slickrock, Porcupine Rim, and Amasa Back. I traded to ride my buddy's hardtail for a bit on Slickrock. It was absolute HELL. To switch from the Reign to that was just impossible. The Reign, you just don't feel the trail I did all kinds of jumps and drops on Porc. Rim and I never knew it until my buddy would yell in pain as he landed hard. Look back, what, that was a drop?!
This bike can climb too. Put the shock in PP and not much energy is lost to bobbing. If you can balance the bike properly it won't bob at all.
I have had some sketchy issues with handling. At speeds turning can take a lot of skill as it unpredictably can over or understeer.
It is extremely stable in jumps and drops, you would be surprised. The fork doesn't dive and it is easy to balance the bike in midair.
On techy trails you just have to lean back a bit and tell the bike where to go. It does the rest. Literally, you don't really have to worry about the jumping around or getting trown off balance.
Overall I just bought the bike on a whim and boy am I glad I did! Best investment I've made recently, except maybe the fork :) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris
a Weekend Warrior
from Victoria, B.C
Date Reviewed: May 10, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | The Hartland | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$399.00 | | Purchased At: | Wheelworld.com | | Strengths: | - Maestro Suspension design and Fox RP3 (with pro pedal) virtually eliminates pedal bob.
- Strong frame, taken it off 8ft drops!!!
- Great control, nimble quick.
- Pretty light weight in my opinion.
- Excellent Giant Warranty!!! | | Weaknesses: | - 1 1/8" Headtube, wish it was oversized.
- A low seat will graze back tire landing a big drop, no big deal. | | Bike Setup: | 06' Giant Reign 2, 06' Boxxer Ride (U-turn) | | Bottom Line: | This frame is amazing. Words cannot describe. Truly all-mountain, you can climb like a goat and descend like a champ. I've setup mine more for aggressive Freeride, light DH. When RP3 is set in plush mode, it does exactly that, PLUSH 6" of pure travel. When set in ProPedal mode, it gets down to business and stiffens up, almost like a hardtail. I've done 4 hr road rides with this thing, AND gone nuts on the trails. I couldn't have asked for a better do-all bike. I cannot stress how good the Maestro design is. Giant is a solid company, not the mention the largest bike manufacturer in the world. You get good deals with their bikes with good specs, and you get a damn good warranty. Break a frame? They'll send you a new one, or a free upgrade to a better frame if they stopped making yours.
CHECK THIS MOVIE OUT:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VHHk3nP3wc
It will show you the Maestro Suspension design IN ACTION. It definitely illustrates how it reduces pedal bob. The rear wheel and triangle is fully active, however the frame remains still, giving you a smooth, pedal efficient ride.
Go and get one, or at least test ride one to see what I mean. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jacko
a Weekend Warrior
from Plymouth, England
Date Reviewed: May 9, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Strengths: | Frame, build and design, the suspension technology works really well to give plush travel but no bob when climbing. | | Weaknesses: | I had my shock bushes wear out after about a year. i found the original stem too long. the hutchinsom bulldog tyre that came as stock were poo! | | Similar Products Used: | stumpjumper 04 an 06, coiler 06, fuel EX8 07, Ransom 40. | | Bike Setup: | 06 Reign 2, Mavic CrossMax Xl's with Maxxis Highrollers (tubeless, 2.35 60a rear, 2.5 62a front), DMR conrod stem(65mm), Specialised alias seat, raceface bashring, DMR chain reator (MKII), gusset slim-jim's, cheap lock-on grips! Soon to have Marzocchi AM 1's. | | Bottom Line: | Awesome bike! when i was looking at new bikes, i saw the spec for the reign, n decided it was too expensive, too much travel, too heavy etc. The bike shop had a test bike which they pursuaded me to to take out, and i bought mine the same day! The Maestro technology works brilliantly. The bike climbs easilly with no bob from pedalling, whilst still having active suspension, and descends beautifully!
A perfect all round bike for someone who wants to ride all day, but be able to give every downhill their all. I use mine for everythign from XC club rides, through playing on the street, to sessioning the DH trails with the daft lads...! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CHRIS
a Weekend Warrior
from Manchganistan, NH
Date Reviewed: March 25, 2008 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Strengths: | Just FYI, it's the 2008 Size Medium Model.
Front forks, rear shock, solid frame | | Weaknesses: | No weaknesses realized yet | | Similar Products Used: | '06 Rocky Mountain Slayer 50, '07 Trek Fuel EX, '01 Specialized Big Hit, '03 Specialized P3. Those were all tested, but it's replacing my current '96 Proflex 756 with horrible RS Judy XCs and no-name coil over rear suspension with '96 xt components | | Bike Setup: | Stock '08 Reign 2 riddin' by a washed up mid-20s MTB'er breaking the tape at 5'10" and snapping the scale at 185lbs. | | Bottom Line: | I researched for about 6 months basically every brand I could find info on, with my preference for the bigger brand names. My style of riding can best be described as mostly XC but with a strong propensity for hitting jumps and drops that would give a XC only bike hell.
For the money, I felt the Giant accomplishes everything I want a bike to do. The suspension can be locked out on the fly, and even when it isn't, it rides with less peddle-bob than my '96 Proflex and the 'Flex is supposed to be more XC oriented than the Reign. However, I think I could hands down outride the 'Flex on XC trails with the Reign, nevermind factoring in my inclination to hit trail jumps, drops and stunts. It's amazing how far the MTB tech has come in 12 years!!
The 'Flex saw some pretty good abuse during it's hay-day: I snapped the handlebars off a jump, snapped the crank off another jump, warped a second crank, and snapped the rear triangle off the bike as well (was given a new frame off warranty, thanks proflex!)
I'll probably delete this post and update it after a few months of hard riding to re-evaluate the bike, but I anticipate that it will stand up to some decent abuse, otherwise I never would have plunked down my hard earned cash for this trail-spanking chick magnet of a MTB. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chad Howard
a Weekend Warrior
from West Coast Carolinian
Date Reviewed: February 28, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Poplar Tent (Beech Springs) | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1500.00 | | Purchased At: | Spirited Cyclist | | Strengths: | The Maestro is insane! Solid welds and frame design w/ the Aluxx design.Fox is plush and floats very nice. Marzocchi, the bomb! (no pun intended) | | Weaknesses: | Seat is a little hard. Currently on the hunt for a new saddle. (Personal preference) | | Similar Products Used: | Haro Expert, Cannondale Prophet w/ fox, Trek EX7&9.5, GF King Fisher & HiFi. | | Bike Setup: | Fox RP2,Marzocchi Bomber 600TST2, Hayes Stroker Ryde Hydros,SRAMX7-Rear, LXfront,SPD's RaceFaceCranks,Handlebars,Stem and seatpost.WTB Speed V seat, ODI Lock Grips and Nevegals 2.35s with Laser Discs. All stock except grips. | | Bottom Line: | Well, I researched for over 8 months and did my homework. So here it is. I'm 5'11 and a "huskie" 230 ;). My local trail here was perfect for the first test ride, drops, techy roots, boulders, steep ledgy 20 ft descents, quick single track tech, and my favorite... JUMPS!!I read that it would take anything. So, that's what I gave it! Can you believe it laughed at me??? And said that's all you have??? I felt like I needed Whistler or something. Dropped a small 4 footer and landed on a cloud. Had the Maestro rear dialed in at about 150 w/the FOX RP2, might stiffin it up a little for larger drops. This thing ate rock gardens for appetizers. The Kenda Nevegals aren't called sticky for no reason. Loose muddy dirt was not a problem. I flew over small boulders with ease. I think I heard the Bomber ask me "is there anything larger around here, I'm getting bored." This thing just wanted more!!! In about 40mins. my confidence level and riding level that I had been bottled up for so long was quickly released. In fact it doubled with aggressivness. I needed a good solid bike that would let me dish it out and the 6' travel REIGN2 did it! Being a dude that's not small, climbing and I don't get along but when they say no bob with the Maestro, they are not lying. Took hits very well and it I climbed stuff that my HT wouldn't be able to touch. The weight (27lb. Trek HT-> Giant Reign 2 31lbs) and frame set up enabled me to climb very very well and I HATE climbing. The Hayes stopped on a dime. I LOVE MY HAYES!!
In summary I have been riding for 8 years and was ready for a full suspension. I wanted to invest in a something that I could test ride before I purchased it. My expectations for the last 8 months of what I read about the Reign did more than live up to the expectations, it's surpassed them. This bike is for the one that really wants to step up his riding with a chunk of travel. I highly recommend this bike to any aggressive all mountain rider. Jumps, Drops, Climbs like a monster but without the weight. Just a sick bike,and it's mine! For the money and the style of riding I do, like Toyoto says I couldn't ask for anything more! Those Chili's are Habeneros!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
JUI CHI
a Downhiller
from Taipei
Date Reviewed: February 5, 2008 | | Favoriate Trail: | Holly Valley trail | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | Taipei | | Strengths: | framset is great. | | Weaknesses: | part is weaker than expect, especially the wheel. | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bottom Line: | Product has the basic quality, but the service of Giant in Taiwan is pretty low end and out of date. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Supa
a Cross Country Rider
from Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: October 29, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Da Don and Durham | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | Fall bike sale | | Strengths: | Great suspension design and excellent parts on it. | | Weaknesses: | Hayes 9 disc's suck
Seatpost creaks after a couple rides
The stock fork wouldnt use the last 1" of travel.
barely enough room for a water bottle (got mine to fit better with some material removal from the waterbottle cage) But still a way too tight fit.
Weight is on the heavy side but the 08's are a pound+ lighter. | | Bike Setup: | 06 bike with AM SL 05 fork and XTR parts. 30 lbs with 2.5's | | Bottom Line: | Great bike as everyone that rides it ends up loving it as most of my friends that rode it plan on buying a Reign or Trance now.
Toss the Manitpoo fork for a Fox or Marz 150mm fork and you cant go wrong!
Gave it 5 for value only cause I got it alot cheaper then most stores were selling it even on sale. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Andrew
a Weekend Warrior
from Brisbane Australia
Date Reviewed: October 27, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Chocolate Buddha | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Purchased At: | Tom wallace cycles | | Strengths: | versatile and worth upgrading. Strong and flex free frame with great geometry. Great value. | | Weaknesses: | Upper swingarm bearings are probably a bit under sized and were not good quality. Paint is really soft. Bit heavy. | | Similar Products Used: | Giant VT, Gt STS 1000 | | Bike Setup: | Its really a Reign 3 but I originally speced it like a Reign 2 05 using the best stuff off my VT plus Nixon platinum forks. Now its got 07 Fox Float RLC forks , RP23 shock and XT cranks. Enduro bearings replaced stock suspension bearings | | Bottom Line: | The only mechanical issues Ive had is the Raceface Evolve cranks would never stay tight and the upper swing-arm bearings disintegrated (at about 14 months) leaving the outer bearing race stuck in the frame. Luckily my local bike shop was able to remove the remnants and replace them with Enduro bearing kit. I would highly recommend replacing the stock suspension bearings A.S.A.P. on 05/06 Trance and Reign frames as there quite a few cases of total bearing destruction. The Enduro bearing kit was cheaper than the Giant genuine replacement parts and so far are holding up well.
This bike has really opened a new world for me. I never did jumps and drops before I owned a Reign. Amazingly it climbs OK and totally rips on flowing single track. The suspension eats four inch logs but still allows me to claw my up rutted climbs. The only downside is when the trails get really twisty, with sudden ups and downs, I really struggle to keep up momentum and will often stall out. I dont think there is anything wrong with the static geometry, its just sudden shifts in weight make the bike rock between the back and front long travel suspension which changes geometry drastically . This causes the bike to over or under steer and front wheel to lift on up hill switch backs. To be fair this is only a problem on really tight tracks. I guess what Im saying is its not a XC bike. Having said that, its not a free ride bike either, but its great for everything in-between.
Anyway, to sum things up, this bike has taken me down every thing Ive had the balls to try and every where Ive wanedt to go. Ive been so impressed with this bike Im taking delivery of a new 08 Reign 0 in two weeks!!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Pawel
a Cross Country Rider
from Lodz, Poland
Date Reviewed: August 5, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2065.00 | | Purchased At: | Dynamo Lodz | | Strengths: | A suspension design that works - RockShox TORA up front is a great fork, feels very active and allows for sprints or climbing out of the saddle (motion control with lockout and pre-set floodgate). Maestro suspension with FOX float R2 with pre-set propedal platform does not bob under power and does not jam when rear brake is applied. It remains active if there is any "ground input" and eats up anything it encounters along its path. Although it's fairly easy to bottom it out on bigger jumps (1 meter?). Both for and shock are very easy to set up and require no maintenance (so far).
Solid parts specs - all of the supplied stuff gives a feeling of a well thought-out bike.
Predictable handling - the best example: take hands off bars, take heavy backpack off, take jacket off, put jacket into backpack, put backpack on back, put hands on bars again - the bike will keep in a straight line even if the ground gets rough. And it flies well too.
Nice wheelset - WTB rims allow for fast tube changes, you can take the tire off with your little finger.
Cool brakes - Juicy 3's may be the cheapest of hydraulic Avids but they work very nice. | | Weaknesses: | Wooden saddle - this is the only part that should't have been even put near this bike. It's like a wooden plank. And if you sit upright like on the Reign it will just make your a$$ sore and make you wish you stayed at home.
Tyres made of gelly - KENDA Blue Groove and Nevegal are supposed to be used for downhill but I can't really think how the would be useful. They slide in the mud, they slip on the rocks and can be tricky in fast corners. On hardpack or tarmac they need a nuclear powerplant to propel them. After 200km the tread on them was already in shreds.
Race Face crankset - My RF Ride XC has a bent middle ring which makes the chain rub the front derailer cage. Ver annoying. | | Similar Products Used: | Just tested friends' fullys. Apart from that it was hardtails all the way. | | Bike Setup: | Stock except for f'izi:k GOBI saddle and SRAM X-9 rear derailer. Expecting further changes real soon (Nobby Nic tyres, some carbon piping). | | Bottom Line: | I love the bike although it sometimes makes me suffer (tire drag). A good purchase for someone who wants something more than XC all their life. It will keep reminding you of all the good epic mountain rides you did on it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trevor
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland Oregon
Date Reviewed: July 18, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1000.00 | | Purchased At: | used craiglist | | Strengths: | The whole package is great. good climber and great on downhills | | Weaknesses: | Hutchinson tires are fine for hardpack but awful in soft or wet conditions. Front forks don't firm up very well, so there is some back bob during climbing. | | Similar Products Used: | First Mountain bike in a long time. | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | Really fun climbing and decending. Not to happy with the front forks when climbing. There is alot of bobbing. The rear works really well climbing without a lockout or pro-pedal. just firmed up the shock to alittle bit above the 0.5" sag. But it is a fast bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tyler schott
a Racer
from Fort Collins, CO US
Date Reviewed: July 9, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2300.00 | | Purchased At: | Full Cycle | | Strengths: | the bike is killer on the downhill and on tight technical climbs, decent components | | Weaknesses: | fork | | Similar Products Used: | specialized stumpjumper, giant trance | | Bike Setup: | 2x9 with ethirteen bashgaurd, x9 rear der, nixon elite fork, rp3 shock, hayes 9 hydraulic brakes | | Bottom Line: | if your the type of rider who wants big travel and quality components without a super high cost then giant is the way to go, the reign may be a bit heavy but that is virtually unnoticeable witht the maestro suspension | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George Brown
a Weekend Warrior
from Simi Valley, California USA
Date Reviewed: May 4, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Lang Ranch | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$1600.00 | | Purchased At: | Newbury Park BS | | Strengths: | Heavy, but very supple and agile. Best ride i've ridden. My Yetti Koko and NRS are my lightweight racers, but my '06 Reign rules the downhill. It is so much more fun! You can fly over the roughest terrain with easy. Tricky ST with rocks is NO PROBLEM. Stock parts work very well. Thanks Giant! The Spec Enduro SL was in my sights, but the Reign2 was more bike for the money. | | Weaknesses: | Weight, but it's not that bad. Only 32lbs? The bike does climb VERY WELL. | | Similar Products Used: | Yeti Koko, Giant NRS 1 upgraded. | | Bike Setup: | Bone stock. | | Bottom Line: | The best bike for the money for what it does best, ride up well and bomb down best!!! Can't wait to do JPL El Prieto on my new rocket! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
CRAIG DAY
a Weekend Warrior
from SOUTH AFRICA
Date Reviewed: March 20, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | wolrds view XC | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Maverick Cycles SA | | Strengths: | Awesome hill climber and bush basher. Best ridden with the SPV Manitou rear shock. Gives a good XC ride with 6 inch give. | | Weaknesses: | A bit heavy stock but after some upgrades it's quite light! | | Similar Products Used: | Maverick ML8 and 7.5 | | Bike Setup: | SRAM Chain crossstep and 990 Cassette with XT shifters rear and front mech XT White spoke Spinergy wheelset,Easton monkey lite SL DH bars. Formula discs and my best white spank Grips | | Bottom Line: | Once you ride this bike you always think of buying a better bike BUT when you start looking you never find one better than the Reign. Just lighten it up and you'll have an allrounder with plenty of GO GO GO! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dylan
a Weekend Warrior
from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Date Reviewed: March 9, 2007 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2100.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | Plush, fast, not too heavy, climbs well, descends better. Good spec for the price | | Weaknesses: | Difficult to achieve cable routing that doesn't rub, paint job not super tough. Like my clicks a bit more positive than the X7 shifters give (have 9.0SL gripshift on my other bike and XT triggers on my _other_ other bike). | | Similar Products Used: | Test ridden stumpy 120, owned race XC hardtail. | | Bike Setup: | 2007 Reign 1 stock Australian spec (Fox 32 Float RL, RP2, DT wheels, SRAM X9 rear/LX front, X7 shifters, Juicy 3 6" brakes, Raceface Evolve XC finishing kit). Swapped M520 clipless to MSHBKS sealed bearing flat pedals. Plan to switch to 7" rotor on the front. | | Bottom Line: | This bike has made me a much better rider - faster, better skills, more confident, and I'm having more fun on the rocky technical trails around home than I used to.
One of the most telling things I can say is that as a keen rock climber who climbed at least twice a week last aussie summer, I have only touched rock once since I bought my Reign in October - I'm just having too much fun on the bike! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michal
a
from Chelm, Poland
Date Reviewed: December 30, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1100.00 | | Purchased At: | Montauk Bike Shop | | Strengths: | Excelent for climbing, no bobs, accelerates great, not to heavy, good brakes | | Weaknesses: | Hutchinson tires suck- whenever it rainse or is muddy they loose grip, | | Similar Products Used: | giant trance, NRS, | | Bike Setup: | Crank Brother's Mallets, Rohloff chain (Shimanos's torn after 1,5K km), slime in tubs | | Bottom Line: | I adore this bike, it allows me to ride wherever I want to, and as fast as I want to. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ron
a
from Highlands,NJ,US
Date Reviewed: December 27, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Strengths: | Well to start the frame is really sturdy. The suspension is also great. On the climbs, if I'm seated with propedal switched on, there's no bob. It also accelerates extremely well; noticed this on the first test ride. I think this can be attributed also to the suspension..., and the geometry. | | Weaknesses: | The paint chips easily but that doesn't really bother me all that much. Also, as everyone here has already said, the tires the bike came with were horrible. Hutchinson should simply stop making them, terrible. Weight maybe, but that doesn't really bother me. | | Similar Products Used: | This is my first mountain bike since I was 13 so no. | | Bike Setup: | Currently: Zoke Z1SL, hussefelt stem (burly), Nevengal tires, Fox RP3 rear shock (came stock), easton EA 70 bars, rest is stock | | Bottom Line: | This is a great ride. It climbs really well and the downhills are a real thrill. The bike just keeps up foward momentum. I 've noticed I'm riding faster than most riders on lesser rides while passing them with what looks like considerably less effort.
It's also is a bit heavy, but if you don't mind weight and want travel for drops and smoothness on the downhill it works. Word to the wise, go with wider bars they improve steering greatly.
Just keep in mind this review is for an 06 Reign 2 with different fork and some other things replaced. The Z1 made the bike track even better. With good tires the Reign comes alive. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jakecub Burnsery
a Cross Country Rider
from Melbourne, Victoria, AUS
Date Reviewed: December 17, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | canada | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1999.00 | | Purchased At: | Gold Cross | | Strengths: | awsome suspention all round, nice mediumish light frame and good tyres | | Weaknesses: | Gear changer broke within a few days (after my 1st stack) | | Similar Products Used: | GT i5, Giant stp2 | | Bottom Line: | Great bike love it and will keep suping it up until its the best in the world and if you are looking for a bike this is a great Buy! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
oli
a Weekend Warrior
from carlisle uk
Date Reviewed: December 15, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | ae forest | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | palace cycles | | Strengths: | weight,,no pedal bob | | Weaknesses: | poxy paint
cheap spokes
lots of bushes that arnet covered under the warrenty | | Similar Products Used: | orange 5,yeti 575,scott genius | | Bike Setup: | bonty x lite wheels
kenda nevegal and bluegroove
goodrige hoses
wider bars,sdg belair lizardskin lockons other than that pretty much stock | | Bottom Line: | great bike goes up nealy as good as it comes down
but constantly broken
replaced rear bushes lots had fork resealed twice replaced bottom bracket
every thing seems to break on it it could just be me who knows | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
barry
a Cross Country Rider
from toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date Reviewed: September 24, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2000.00 | | Purchased At: | Cyclepath | | Strengths: | Rides great. Climbs like a goat and you don't really feel the added wieght. | | Weaknesses: | The stock tires suck. I had the same issue with my NRS. Giant needs to stop specing the Hutchinson tires. They have no grip at all, it really is a let down. I switched mine out after the first ride | | Bike Setup: | Stock with the exception of a set of Kenda Stick-e's/ | | Bottom Line: | I love this bike. Rode the bent rim trail today and the improvement over my NRS was amazing. I'm riding it as a XC bike over really rocky terrain mostly and I love it. You don't really feel the added weight and it climbs as well if not better than my NRS. The suspension set up gives a lot more feedback than I thought it would, you can feel what's going on under you.
The only let down I have found so far was the OE tires. Don't even take the bike out with them, change them out before you leave. If you can negotiate a new set as they are landfill. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Thomas
a Weekend Warrior
from Portland, Oregon
Date Reviewed: September 7, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Gales Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | LBS | | Strengths: | The 05 Reign is a fully capable all mountain machine. Hayes 9 brakes perform well on this platform, Nixon Elite (w/extra firm spring)is plush, burly - burly - burly while climbing like a champ | | Weaknesses: | Needs the 8" front rotor, Bulldogs are suspect at best, not a downhill bike :) | | Similar Products Used: | none | | Bike Setup: | Stock except for 8" front rotor, 2.3 Continental Gravity tires and an extra-firm shock upgrade on the Nixon | | Bottom Line: | An awesome trail bike for doing ANYTHING other than dedicated downhill/freeride. I will not out grow this bike for my everyday rider here in Oregon. It has opened up so much more terrain and confidence in my riding and allows me to hammer up as well as bomb down. It survived, kind-of, three days at Whistler, but was most certainly at the end of it's rope. Logical up grades are the larger front rotor, a pushed RP3(or 23), and a Gravity Dropper. Upgrading the basics when they wear out. Sweet, Sweet bike and I couldn't be happier with my purchase. My LBS has been awesome as well. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
david
a Weekend Warrior
from teesdale, victoria, geelong
Date Reviewed: August 31, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | you yangs | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$2400.00 | | Purchased At: | degrandi | | Strengths: | good grip and suspension control,
excelent brake modulation,
good gearing for climbing and decending,
remote fork lock-out helps climbing in the middle of a ride,
solid construction | | Weaknesses: | name brand bikes are expencive
The front and rear gear levers opperate in the dirrection. (eg. the big lever shifts down on the right/rear but it shifts up on the left/front). This occasionaaly results in wrong shifts in the heat of battle.
The rear derailer hangs low and is prone to being jammed with sticks that flip up. This is common to all fully suspended bikes with gears on the rear axle. | | Similar Products Used: | stinky 06, reign 3, faith 2, GT i5, Aluminium hard tail | | Bike Setup: | stock except MSHBKS pedals and NINJA VEE RUBBER tyres | | Bottom Line: | An excelent bike for riding up hills and having fun on the way down.
Forget the clip-on pedals unless you want a lot of injuries going downhill. I have not slipped off the MSHBKS yet.
The vee tyres have good grip on soft surfaces but vibrate a little on hard surfaces.
Cables rubbing through the paint can be prevented using transparent tape or the transparent stickers Giant suplies.
I chose this bike instead of the others because;
the hard-tails had no grip as they bounced from bump to bump,
the GT I5 did not appear robust enough for downhill,
the Faith was too heavy,
the Reign 3 brakes felt terrable and upgrading them brought the price close to the reign 2 without getting the other good bits,
the Stinky was a very close call but the suspension gave less control. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bass
a Weekend Warrior
from Fremont, CA
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Wilder Ranch | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$1650.00 | | Purchased At: | Fast Bicycles, San Jose | | Strengths: | Fast acceleration, no bobs in climbing, comfortable ride on tough terrain. | | Weaknesses: | A bit too heavy. Bad traction in mud with stock tires. | | Similar Products Used: | K2, Yeti | | Bike Setup: | Stock - except for pedals and tires | | Bottom Line: | My only purpose of buying this bike is for steep climbing
which I do 3 times a week. I have been doing this for years
with my hard tail. The climb is 2,000 feet elevation gain
in about 2.5 miles. This trail is pretty much in my back yard.
The only concern before I made my decision on a Reign 2 was its weight. It is 8 pounds heavier than my hard tail. Climbing
2,000 feet in 2.5 miles pushes my limit. I wasn't sure I can make it with this bike. But after reading so many reviews I decide to give it a try.
No question about it, the Reign 2 climbs as good as a hard tail. You simply don't feel the additional weight. Coming down the hill with a 2,000 feet decend in 10 minutes is no longer a threat to me. It is just pure fun. The brake is powerful and cornering is tight. This trail is full of dirt and loose gravels, but I can always control my turns without skidding.
The only problem is with the stock tires in the winter when it is muddy or wet. The Hutchinson Bulldog has no traction
at all which greatly affect my climbs. After replacing them with Continental Vertical Pro's I no longer have this problem. So this is an easy solution.
The shock and fork absorb bumps in high speed decends thru dry stream beds very well too. I used to reduce to a much lower speed when crossing them with my hard tail, but now I can almost fly thru.
I already wore out 2 sets of brake pads in 10 months.
I thought about getting an NRS which I know is the best climber. But if you also want to be rewarded with the fun of
decend, Reign 2 is the one. Oh, and it does not bob at all. I have seen other riders bobbing like hell in front of me.
If you are also looking for pure breed of the best climber and downhill like me, you should try this. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Terrell Thruston
a Weekend Warrior
from Roseville
Date Reviewed: August 25, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Foresthill Divide Loop | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1800.00 | | Purchased At: | Auburn Bike Works | | Strengths: | Suspension travel, no pedal bob, good all around ride. Great climbing, excellent for attacking the downhills. | | Weaknesses: | Stock Race Face bottom bracket stinks. Sorry grips. Cable routings need some work. | | Bike Setup: | Stock except, Easton Monkey Lite XC HR bar, 8 inch from rotor | | Bottom Line: | I bought this bike because i wanted a bike i could ride all day long, go anywhere and do anything. This is a great all mountain bike. Excellent climbing, great descents. it shines on technical stuff. I enjoy it on all day epic rides, or quick weekday rides. I am a 195lb rider and the stock Nixon spring was too soft so upgraded to the stiff spring - well worth the effort. Also swapped out to an 8" from rotor, well worth it for a heavier rider. It doesn't come with the best components, but good value for the money. I truly love this bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Manny Wheaton
a Cross Country Rider
from Boise
Date Reviewed: July 13, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Connie | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$1300.00 | | Purchased At: | Bob bikes Boise | | Strengths: | A lot of travel and no bob. | | Weaknesses: | A little heavy but I can lose this on my butt. | | Similar Products Used: | Santa Cruz Blur, Rocky Mtn. Element, K2 rzr back | | Bike Setup: | LX low end components | | Bottom Line: | Can't find a better deal out there for what you get here. This is a $3k bike in a $1k deal. Anyone whom doesn't check this bike out is making a mistake. I bought a Blur for much more and this rides as good or better. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ted Radford
a Weekend Warrior
from Perth, Western Australia
Date Reviewed: July 3, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | John Forrest, Green Mount 20 km circuit | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | |
|
|
