Publication-Bicycling Magazine

Date-April 2005

Title-Giant Reign 1 $3300-Freeride travel with all-mountain manners

Findings:

• "When ranking bikes that climb well up steep singletrack, 6-inch front-and-rear-travel rigs are usually at the bottom. Yet we climbed said singletrack with aplomb on Giant's new Reign 1."
• "The Maestro suspension and Manitou's SPV technology combine to give efficient pedaling, along with tons of traction and comfort." Manitou's Nixon fork, an air-sprung, 4.3-pound single-crown with 5.7 inches of travel, SPV damping and Manitou's new Infinite Travel adjustment also helped-IT lets you drop the fork anywhere in its travel on the fly with a push of the lever. While climbing, we set the fork to 3 inches for sharp pedaling."
• "When it was time to rip, we extended to full travel and bombed, taking hits of all sizes equally well. However, the rear end did get a little choppy when we pedaled hard or braked through rough sections. The suspension pushes through the travel a little too easily for all-out freeriding, but for all-mountain riding, the Reign felt bottomless. The handling is also a bit more XC than freeride, due in part to the sharp, 69.5-degree head angle, but its not afraid of speed or steeps."
• "As the costliest of the three-bike Reign line, the 1 is stuffed with sweet parts. As the price drops (to $2000 or $1600), components weigh more, but all Reigns use the same frame and shock, so the rear suspension is the same no matter what you spend."
• "BUY IT IF: You want big travel without the usual uphill blues."
• "FORGET IT IF: You fall squarely into one category, such as "racer" or "freerider"