Well, I think the time has come to retire my almost 6 year old Giant Reign. Bought it in the summer of 2016 when my old Nukeproof got stolen. I wanted to upgrade last year but as things were with stock I gave it miss, plus I wasn’t riding that much.

So, onto the search for a new bike. Things have moved on quite a lot from the Reign. I ride a large, 459mm reach, I’m 6ft 1″. It feels a little on the small side sometimes, but overall it fits me well. However I do feel I’d like longer reach, by at least 30-40mm. Steeper seat tube angles tighten that up a bit. I’m also considering 29″er. And lastly, potentially less travel, maybe 140/150mm but no less. But something that will take a beating. So, here a little shortlist.

NP Mega
YT Jeffsy
Trek Slash/Fuel
Giant Trance/Reign

Ideally I’d like to throw my leg over a few for sizing, but I know stock is still very limited. Recently missed out on a Mega Comp 290 in my size.

Just looking for the usual comments from here on options. Giant Reign making its way to the classifieds soon.

I have an Bird Aether 7 but not enough travel for you so Id recommend the bikes below

Airdrop edit V4
Bird AM9

Yea, I did looke at the Airdrop a while back. Look a nice package. Not too keen on the Birds, they look a bit messy, welds etc. I know that’s a poor reason to not give one a look…..

In classic ‘recommend what you own’ style, a vote for a Jeffsy here.

Mines a 2019, 29, XXL size (I’m 6ft 3in) with a *cough* few upgrades…

160mm mezzer pro up front
CC coil out back
Bar, brakes, drivetrain…

Only issues I’ve had, have been the BB – came with a 30mm crank E13 BB, the solid oil CC replacement lasted a bit longer, and it’s now awaiting me to fit a Hope PF41 BB with a 24mm Shimano crank set. I think the current ones come with dub cranks so should be more reliable.

It was the most agile 29er I tried, and it’s still a fantastic machine. I only really need a 200mm dropper for it.

That Jeffsy looks gorgeous! Would love to get a better look at one. That’s the issue with a direct brand. They do have a good spec in stock in both XL and XXL.

I was lucky to get to one of their demo days at FOD.

If you’re anywhere near Kent you’re more than welcome to have a look, no crank/BB fitted at the moment though 😁

YT also have their shop in Surrey which they do demos from.

I know you were talking about this the other day, but I didn’t think you’d actually do it 😀

My pal was looking for a single do-it-all bike last year and ended up getting the Stumpy Evo – like Andy’s got. Makes a lot of sense as they can go very slack but are still very versatile.

Bit Marmite looks-wise though.

I know you were talking about this the other day, but I didn’t think you’d actually do it

Yea, I do actually really like the Stumpy Evo, but can’t find one anywhere in stock.

I’m in no great rush but I’ve commited myself now!

for a modern enduro bike, then i would be all over the Trek Slash.

My jeffsy is pretty much an Enduro-light bike, 150/160 travel, coil and 37mm stanchion forks but still nice enough to pedal all day.

Depends how much travel you want but a 150mm travel modern 29er is so capable these days it’s all most will need. It’s overkill for most of my local stuff but perfect for the several weeks of the year I spend in the lakes/peaks/Scotland etc.

I was very restrained and didn’t pull the trigger on one of those rigid On One Whippets that were in the PX Jan sale for £900 until last weekend.

Recommend what you own, Cotic.

Mine’s a stretched Flaremax but I’d suggest the Rocketmax in L/XL – demo to see which.

I went from a giant reign for 10 years, to orange segment for 2.

I’ve been on a Geometron G13 for 4 years and counting now 🙂

I couldn’t afford a Geometron new. With a load of waiting it came up second hand.

If you decide you want a particular bike, it might be worth waiting for the one you want rather than settling.

Depends how much travel you want but a 150mm travel modern 29er is so capable these days it’s all most will need. It’s overkill for most of my local stuff but perfect for the several weeks of the year I spend in the lakes/peaks/Scotland etc.

Sounds just about what I’m after. Jack of all trades, master of none. And to add to that, I’m a distinctly average rider. I won’t get anywhere near it’s limitations.

as geometry has improved and wheels got bigger the need for 150+mm of travel is really redundant my 120/100 is faster than my old 160 Spesh enduro 650b or my 0ld 200mm travel 26″ DH bikes.

Cotic, and perhaps the Stumpy are a little out of my price range. £3.5k is about my limit, maybe a tad more. Absolutely no idea what to sell the Reign for though.

Privateer 141 ?

Vitus Sommet sounds decent from the reviews and superb VFM. They come into stock every so often.

An Escarpe CRX would be a cracking bike, fox factory suspension on a carbon frame for £3500 is amazing.

I had the previous alloy Escarpe before my Jeffsy.

I rode a large Jeffsy 29 (current model) for a few years and really liked it. I had a Fox 38 on the front and a coil shock and it did everything I waned it to do really well. Great bike and great value (well not so much once I had upgraded all the parts but that was unnecessary). I had a 650B Capra before that and the Jeffsy outperformed it pretty much everywhere.

I am 5 ft 10 and found the reach and other angles just right. At your height you could perhaps go XL.

I am now on a large Deviate Highlander and its even better – primarily at descending. Its the 150mm version with a 170mm fork but that’s perfect for where I live and what I typically ride.

Jeffsy was my first 29er and I wouldn’t go back now.

I’m not really into the aesthetics of the Bird bikes (or red parts), but a riding buddy has an AM9 in the raw alu colour with red Lyriks and coil shock and it looks great.

Shame you’re a bit tall for the lovely looking Cotic RocketMax on their outlet page – it’s still longer reach then your Giant

An Escarpe CRX would be a cracking bike, fox factory suspension on a carbon frame for £3500 is amazing.

Yea, that’s amazing value. Didn’t think of Vitus. I know someone who works for CRC at home, will pick their brains on current lead times.

Lemme know if you want to try a large Occam.

(Timperley)
( where I live rather than where you’d try it, obvs)

I typed out a long reply and it’s gone without posting 🤦‍♂️

Essentially I like my recently bought Transition Sentinel alloy. Custom bits – mixture of what I had plus a few purchases. It’s a lot more playful than I thought a 150mm travel 29er would be. Pops and manuals the front up easily and jumps off stuff well. Would recommend.

Other than that I think:

Bird AM9
YT Jeffsy
Canyon Spectral
Trek Remedy

All fall into the long travel trail / enduro lite sort of category.

Orbea Occam? Seem to be able to get stock at the moment. Nice looking bike and fits the type you are looking for on the nose.

Starling Murmur, trail version.

https://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_id=10933&category_id=402

Recommend your own bike time as ever.😉

Sonder Evol 29.

I know the Ripmo AF is meant to be good –
I considered it – but couldn’t get my head round what it looks like.

https://www.sunsetmtb.co.uk/shop/index.php?product_id=10933&category_id=402

Thanks for all the replies so far, lots to think about.

And lots of bikes I hadn’t thought of. I think the greatest challenge will be getting rid of my Reign.

My contact at CRC tells me the most Vitus bikes are still 12+ weeks away so that likely rules that out.

I could be tempted by your old Reign depending on your location and price. PM me if you make a decision.

I think the greatest challenge will be getting rid of my Reign.

Stealth adds normally work pretty well 😉

@TheBrick sent you a PM. Best get some fresh photos prepared.

When I was looking for a bike at the end of 2019, one of the things I wanted aesthetically, was a straight line from top tube, through the seat stays but I’m also a value man, so my head mostly rules my heart… I ended up buying a Bird Aether 7 because no matter how hard I looked, the spec on everything else was either full or dotted with parts I would have to upgrade.

So I compromised on the looks and I’ve learned to love it. In raw aluminium with mainly black parts and little red touches it, it makes me want to ride every time I walk past it 🙂

Plus, as I’m sure you know, they really are a great company to deal with.

And 150/130 of quality suspension, even with training wheels (I’m a short arse) has been plenty, even for Dyfi Bike Park.

I’ve limited time on it due to lockdowns, but with a similar brief I went for a Ripmo AF, and I really like it.
I’ve ridden it back to back with a buddy’s AM9 and it feels a bit more poppy and nimble, but they were set up very differently. Also liked it a bit more than a similarly sized Jeffsy.
It was between that and a Sentinel for me, but the availability and relative cost of the Sentinel were too much of an issue for me. Also looked at a Privateer 161 but it seemed a bit too full on race for me.

I’m not besotted with the look of the AF, but it’s definitely grown on me, and I still think it’s relatively better looking than a Bird 😀 (I’ve got one of those as a shorter travel bike, and I love how it rides though!)

I just got a transition sentinel as my my main all round bike. It is amazing! Been on a cotic rocketmax and a commencal meta am recently. The sentinel just does it all betterer!
I guess the spec won’t be amazing compared to direct sales models though.
I’ve a friend on a bird am9, I’m not a fan of the look of the bike but it definitely rides real good

Thanks for replies, again.

I think Transition are out of my price range, much like the higher end brands, their base models are poorly specced, despite the excellent frames.

My benchmark isn’t that high, an old Pike RC from 2016, a CC DB Inline coil rear, Stans flow rims, and SLX 4 pots, are what I have on the Reign.

I dare say you’ll struggle to beat a giant for value for money and a great suspension design, if you have the reign, then maybe the Trance X is a good bet, basically a burlier trance, which come in a few models, geometry wise, maybe not as much reach as you’re after though, but you’d probably need to get down a dealer to get that feel for it.

What is your budget and preferences though, is it a new buy or have you a budget to buy second hand, there’s a few decent mid range bikes that are pretty much alike to the bigger high end ones, brands like Norco, Cube, etc do well built ranges that have good VFM as well.

Budget is around £3.5k, give or take a few hundred quid if I think it’s worth it. Looked at the Trance again, not sure I could stretch to a decent spec Trance X. Going to try and get to a few shops over the coming weeks and try what is out there.