reign or heckler
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G
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·The Reign pedals a good bit better than the heckler, it also does not lock up under braking. Both handle very well and are fun to ride, but when things are close I would go with the bike that has superior suspension technology. If you were comparing a Reign with a Nomad it would be more of a toss up, but the Bullit and Heckler just aren't as nice to climb on, or to descend in through the braking bumps
the only advantage of the Heckler is
almost no frame/ pivot maintenance. In all other ways, the Reign is far superior. So, if you don't mind checking a few pivots every now and then, the decision is easy. Also, pivot maintenance on the Reign can be done with regular hand tools- no special pivot tools needed (as on VPP SC bikes). Go for a test ride- you will know...
almost no frame/ pivot maintenance. In all other ways, the Reign is far superior. So, if you don't mind checking a few pivots every now and then, the decision is easy. Also, pivot maintenance on the Reign can be done with regular hand tools- no special pivot tools needed (as on VPP SC bikes). Go for a test ride- you will know...
that's my thread!
I went through the heckler vs reign posting thing on both this forum and the SC one. I owned a heckler at that stage but had the opportunity to get a good deal on a Reign. The heckler is awesome. But... the reign is better in almost every way! Lighter, plusher, way stiffer (the rear end of my heckler was a noodle laterally!) and the suspension - no comparison. Climbing, they both almost don't need stable platform shocks but the key difference is that the reign still responds to bumps while under chain tension whereas the heckler didn't. Descending the Reign is also better, really smooths the trail out - it's like you're floating by comparison. The Heckler takes the big hits but in all honesty, not too much of anything else. The biggest difference tho is that the maestro design seems to roll over square edged bumps without loosing momentum whereas the heckler SP tended to get "hooked up".
The only thing that i'm still figuring out is that the reign sometimes can have a tendency to blow through all it's travel unless you have the shock settings just right whereas the heckler was a bit less fiddly - just get on and ride. But I had a no brainer DHX5 coil on the heckler as opposed to a pretty crappy RP2 air shock on the reign - a new shock or some fancy valving would probably fix that. Also the reign sizing was not quite right for me, I had a 19" heckler (large i think) which was bang on. The medium reign was going to be too small so i got the large and it's a big bike! So not quite as nimble as the heckler, bit more of a bus! But I guess that means it's stable as!
Unless you ride in mud all year round and are concerned with bearing maintenance, or think that the SC heckler will make you cool because you're riding a SC, I'd go the reign.
If it was a decision between a reign and a nomad or Blur LT, it'd be a lot closer.
Finally, you can't beat Giant for value for money.
I went through the heckler vs reign posting thing on both this forum and the SC one. I owned a heckler at that stage but had the opportunity to get a good deal on a Reign. The heckler is awesome. But... the reign is better in almost every way! Lighter, plusher, way stiffer (the rear end of my heckler was a noodle laterally!) and the suspension - no comparison. Climbing, they both almost don't need stable platform shocks but the key difference is that the reign still responds to bumps while under chain tension whereas the heckler didn't. Descending the Reign is also better, really smooths the trail out - it's like you're floating by comparison. The Heckler takes the big hits but in all honesty, not too much of anything else. The biggest difference tho is that the maestro design seems to roll over square edged bumps without loosing momentum whereas the heckler SP tended to get "hooked up".
The only thing that i'm still figuring out is that the reign sometimes can have a tendency to blow through all it's travel unless you have the shock settings just right whereas the heckler was a bit less fiddly - just get on and ride. But I had a no brainer DHX5 coil on the heckler as opposed to a pretty crappy RP2 air shock on the reign - a new shock or some fancy valving would probably fix that. Also the reign sizing was not quite right for me, I had a 19" heckler (large i think) which was bang on. The medium reign was going to be too small so i got the large and it's a big bike! So not quite as nimble as the heckler, bit more of a bus! But I guess that means it's stable as!
Unless you ride in mud all year round and are concerned with bearing maintenance, or think that the SC heckler will make you cool because you're riding a SC, I'd go the reign.
If it was a decision between a reign and a nomad or Blur LT, it'd be a lot closer.
Finally, you can't beat Giant for value for money.
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