Reign 1

[PLUGGA]

Hey Burners! So i'm doing some research for a computer illiterate mate of mine. 2013 Reign 1.....yay or nay?? He's a very capable rider who goes big on everything, so is going to need the travel and toughness. Its specced super well for the $2,500 he can get for. Just a bit of ride feedback would be appreciated. Cheers!!

 

[Danny B]

Hey Burners! So i'm doing some research for a computer illiterate mate of mine. 2013 Reign 1.....yay or nay?? He's a very capable rider who goes big on everything, so is going to need the travel and toughness. Its specced super well for the $2,500 he can get for. Just a bit of ride feedback would be appreciated. Cheers!!

Its probably the best AM bike for the dollars. Only downside to that bike is that it is spec'd with mid range components with the added annoyance of a "overdrive 2" steerer which is specific to Giant (ie. you need to buy a Giant stem or buy a new fork and headset) and if you want to swap out your forks you'll have to sell them to someone else with a 2012+ Giant. The SLX groupset is pretty decent - the RD has a clutch like XT& XTR which massively reduces chain slap and drivetrain noise; and is spec'd the mrp chainguide which works well and a dropper post. The lowpoint IMO are the SLX shifters - the throw on the front shifter is massive and feels quite slow and unresponsive when changing between rings - I have them on my bike and its what I most want to swap out.

If your buddy wants a bike that will work well enough straight out of the box then I'd say go for it. If he's fussy and likes to customise his bikes he might be better served by a similarily priced offering by other brands like Lapierre, Trek or Specialized.

EDIT: Also bare in mind that its spec'd with a Float 32, if he really does go big a lot he'll probably want something with a more beefy 36 or 34 fork (such as the Specialized Enduro).

 

[Reigner]

Yep they are defo great value for money. Ive got 2 years out of my 2011 Reign 2 (which is obviously has lesser quality components) and I'm only now throwing some aftermarket parts at it (except for ditching the Nevagals ages ago). Having looked at the specs list for the 2013 Reign 1, $2500 is a bargain! The only concern is, as Danny noted, whether the suspension is up to what your mate is intending to put it through.