Giant Reign Review
- Price Range: £2,599.00- £7,499.00
- Discipline: Enduro MTB
- Usage: Riding challenging terrain
- Carbon and Aluminium options available
- Race proven geometry
- DVO Suspension on some models
- No 29er option
- 12 speed Eagle not on all models
- Entry level model has no piggy back shock
2020 Update
Giant have expanded the Reign range to include 29ers for 2020. The Reign 29 has a new frame and offers a different enduro flavour to the 27.5” wheeled bikes which has the same great frame as last years bikes. Look out for our full review of the new bikes coming soon.
16th December 2019
Overview
Giant have refined their well respected and established Reign for 2019. This purebred enduro race bike from Giant includes 3 aluminium, and 2 carbon framed models in the range. All with 27.5 wheels, 160mm of rear travel and 170/180mm forks. We are now accustomed to modern long, low and slack geometry with hard-hitting enduro bikes. The 2019 Reign does not disappoint.
The Reign has been a staple on the race circuit for over 10 years with the Maestro suspension being refined the whole time. The bike now has better all-round ability than ever before, featuring SRAM eagle 12-speed groupsets on all but one model, and a lighter, stiffer carbon fibre rocker. There are five models in the 2019 range. The entry-level Reign 2 is by no means a slouch, and race ready from the box. Each bikes components and performance increases as you go up the range to the Reign Advanced 0, featuring custom-tuned DVO suspension and Carbon fibre mainframe.
Giant keep the same geometry as last year’s model with a 64.5° head angle and a 72.5° seat tube angle. Short 435mm chainstays with a 499mm reach on the large. The pumped-up SX model is half a degree slacker with its longer 180mm travel fork.
The Maestro suspension linkage now has a carbon fibre rocker on all bikes. This linkage is renowned for being fully active and independent of pedalling and braking forces. The rear shock is now a trunnion mount, this allows for a longer stroke and a tweak in the leverage ratio that boots support through the travel. The two carbon fibre models keep an aluminium rear end, understandable considering this is where the frame gets a lot of abuse from rock strikes. The front triangle is made with Giants high-performance advanced grade composite. Assembled and moulded as one continuous piece that gives a very high stiffness to weight ratio. Finishing touches like a downtube protector, chain and bash guard, along with space for a bottle cage and internal routing.
Before the Enduro World Series existed, the Giant Reign was an all-mountain, do-everything sort of bike. In many ways it retains that identity. But at its core, the Reign has become a purebred racing machine. - Bikemag.com
Lean, green, riding machines. Giant goes for DVO. And DVO goes for Giant. It’s a classic mountain bike love story -Bikemag.com
170mm up front and 160mm of rear wheel travel, a good balance of big hit ability without carrying too much bike and weight back to the top of the next descent. The chunky SX model has a 180mm fork for taking on steeper descents and rowdy terrain. The two Advanced carbon framed models along with the SX feature custom-tuned forks and shocks from DVO. The Giant Factory Off-Road Team use DVO suspension for XC, Enduro and DH competition. The highly adjustable shocks and forks have been custom tuned for giant and the Reign’s frame and Maestro linkage.
The SX and Advanced 0 feature coil shocks from DVO. The leverage ratio on the Reign allows the bike to be used with either a coil or air shock. Opening the benefits of coil shocks with their small bump sensitivity and increased traction. The Reign 1 and 2 have the excellent Rock Shox Lyric and Yari, with Super deluxe or deluxe in the rear.
There's a silky smoothness to the way the chain interacts with the cassette and chainring that makes it all feel like one cohesive system, rather than an amalgamation of components -Pinkbike.com
The Entry level Reign 2 runs the ultra-reliable and well-respected Shimano Deore 11 speed drivetrain with a large 42 tooth cassette, 30 tooth chainring and Shimano Deore brakes. All other models have powerful 4-piston Code brakes with SRAM Eagle 12 speed drivetrains from NX and GX with 32 tooth chainrings. The top of the line Advanced 0 features SRAM Eagle X01 with a 34 tooth chainring and powerful SRAM Code RSC brakes.
Great to see Giants own dropper seatposts on all models from Giant, with Rock Shox reverb on the top of the line Advanced 0. All bikes have short stems and wide bars as you would expect from a top class enduro bike as well as 200mm front / 180mm rear brake rotors for superior stopping power.
The Reign runs exclusively on playful 27.5” wheels and will arrive with you already set up for the advantages of tubeless riding. Giant’s own wheelsets on all bikes with wide 30mm internal width rims. Giant’s own hubs use the same precise and fluid internals as DT Swiss hubs. Carbon rims on the Advanced 0 solidify its place at the top of this range of bikes.
Some manufacturers might save cost with lighter and less performance orientated tyres but Giant does not mess around. A classic combination of the Maxxis Minion DHF front and DHR rear all in the new Wide Trail option to provide optimal grip with wider rims.
The latest Wide Trail models increase tread block spacing and lay down more rubber. The EXO casing hits the sweet spot, being reasonably lightweight, yet tough enough for most UK trails –MBR
Ideal for enduro racing the Giant Reign is also a great mountain bike for aggressive trail riding. From challenging trail centre loops to bike park uplifts the Reign offers a confident, fun ride when the going gets tough. Lightweight and efficient enough for all-day-long rides the Reign really comes alive when the trails get gnarly.
Each bike is competition ready. As you move up through the range the components get slicker and more efficient, the DVO suspension custom tuned for the Reign shows into the carbon fibre advanced models ready to take on some of the hardest enduro trails in the world.
