Show and tell me about your 2008 Reigns

Thinking of getting hold of one of these, but there’s very few reviews or feedback available on the web.

I seem to remember a UK mag saying the head angle was a bit steep – or was that the old frame? Info I’ve found seems to suggest the head angle has been slackened a degree for ’09 anyway.

That may not be a big issue for me, as I would be putting a 36 Talas on it – so I imagine it might steer quick on singletrack at 130mm but slacken out nicely for downhill and technical riding at 160mm.

Anyone got experience of adding a big fork? Is the Maestro suspension as amazing on this as it is on the Anthem and Trance? How does the bike compare to others you’ve owned and ridden?

my mates got one,he put lyriks and a pushed vanilla shock on it,your right about slackening it and he likes it is all i can tell you though i’m afraid

Test rode a Reign 0 last year to compare with a Trek and SC BLT2. Reign was good, but just not as good as the SC which I bought. Comments on the Reign:
* riding position is very upright
* hated the grabby Hayes brakes
* boring paint job
* seems well built
* good finishing kit for price – X0 rear mech etc
* better than the Trek Fuel EX

Thanks for that guys.

I’d be losing the brakes (and almost all the components) anyway.

Funny you say the riding position is very upright, the bike looks ridiculously compact in some pics – but more normal in others. I thought it might be that the pictures are getting a bit squashed horizontally on my laptop!

Giants can be a bit upright though can’t they. My 4in Trance is more upright than my mate’s Fuel EX.

The Reign 1 that I’m looking at does have a bit of a dull paintjob, but might look better in flesh than in pics.

Hopefully I’ll get to swing my leg over one this week anyway.

THe reigns are lovely frames,the reason the mags gave it poor marks for the steep head angle is that Giants always underfork their bikes.

I mean a spindly 140mm spindly fox 32 is no good for a 6 inch Am bike, and que steep angles as a result. Theey do the same to the trance and trance X range.

Put some fox 36’s, lyrics, marz 55 and it transorms it to the perfect do it all bike, with perfect head angle.

Agree Nasher, they even flogged an ’07 Reign with a 130mm Tora IIRC. Madness.

Have you got one then? I already have a 36 Talas and think it might be happier on the Reign than on my 575.

Big fan of the Anthem and Trance and I’m hoping the Reign has the same taut but bottomless suspension feel.

Well, I’ve taken the plunge and ordered one.

Should arrive by end of week.

My wife didn’t take it well, considering I only bought a Trance just before Xmas. She thinks I’ve got a problem.

It’s not a problem that a new bike won’t cure though.

Yes I have had a few Giant trance and reigns in my hire fleet, and I did have the 07 reign with the tora, swapped immediately for a 160mm marzocchi tho.

Enjoy your new machine!