Giant Reign 0 - Previewed

Mar 7, 2011 at 14:29

Giant's six inch travel Reign 0 makes its mark in a category of overachievers - will the bike's many updates for 2011 put it ahead of the competition? Check out our preview of what the Reign 0 brings to the table.

The six inch travel bike has quickly become the go-to steed for many riders, and not only for when terrain gets challenging. Today's long travel trail bikes are able to offer more traction and comfort, better pedaling and faster descending than most top end cross-country bikes from a few short years ago. Given what a properly setup model can accomplish, they truly do embody the 'do everything, go anywhere' mentality that so many of us are looking for in a bike. For that very reason manufacturers have made an incredible effort to have their bikes 'do everything' better than the competition. Luckily, we can reap the benefits. Giant's Reign 0 model is a great example of this evolution. Using a refined version of their Maestro suspension that sheds weight over previous iterations, along with a frame that sees major changes to both tubing and geometry, it aims to keep pace with the front runners in what is the most competitive mountain bike category in ages.



While the 6" travel Reign has been a staple in Giant's lineup for many seasons now, 2011 sees it receive some important changes - both in frame construction and geometry - that will go a long way to making the Reign platform a contender in a hotly contested class of bikes. The most obvious modifications between the 2010 model and this 2011 bike focuses on improving chassis stiffness, shedding grams, and aesthetics - points that are surely at the top of the list for every designer. To that end, tube shaping has seen a radical change from the round versions of last year. Both the top and down tubes use unique shapes, created by the massive forces of fluid forming, that resemble a large rectangle with angled sides. Their respective shapes change from front to back, with the Megadrive down tube flaring out to the same width at the front as the bike's tapered head tube - another addition for 2011. The formed top tube slopes drastically in the name of stand over clearance as it nears the seat tube, as well as featuring routing for the telescoping post the comes stock on the bike. Like many others, Giant has chosen to use a PressFit bottom bracket shell that eliminates the threads found in a traditional shell, as well as incorporating a 6" post mount attachment for the rear brake directly into the swingarm. It is also worth noting that not only is the frame available separately for you to build up how you best see fit, but it is also the very same frame used on the $2,300 USD Reign 2. Those who are not looking to drop the $4,850 on the top tier Reign 0 can still benefit from the frame upgrades.


Watch the Reign 0 come to life at the Jamaican Fat Tire Festival:


On top of all that, the Maestro suspension's linkage has also been trimmed down from last year, as well as using a noticeably different shape, in an effort to shed grams while gaining strength. These are no doubt small changes, but they speak volumes to the competitive mindset that Giant designers must use when planning their next bike. Highlighting that sort of thinking is the bike's use of its lower shock mounting that also doubles as the main pivot point for the lower linkage, meaning that one set of hardware is doing the job of two - smart thinking.

Even more important than the frame updates, but perhaps not as noticeable without comparing this and last year's Reign side-by-side, is the change in geometry. As our ideas of what a 6" bike is capable of evolve, so must the geometry. The 2011 Reign sees its front end raked out by an extra half degree, giving it a shred-friendly head angle of 67.5 degrees - slack enough to get rowdy without feeling like you're about to be high sided over the next corner. Climbing isn't forgotten about though, a travel adjust fork is used up front that can be lowered from 150mm to 120mm, thereby steepening up the steering by roughly a full degree.


What is Maestro Suspension? The Reign's six inches of travel are controlled by Giant's Maestro Suspension, consisting of two short links and a triangulated rear end, although that simple description may be selling the design a bit short. What those two stout links do is create a floating pivot in what Giant feels is the ideal placement, a spot that just happens to be in a location where it would be impossible to use without it floating in space - well aft of the seat tube and relatively high. This design allowed Giant's engineers to dial in the exact axle path and suspension characteristics that they desired. Even though the rear end pivots on two short links, the rear end is pivoting around its single virtual pivot - a design that should make the bike an excellent pedaling machine.

While the Maestro platform has been used for a number of seasons now, it sees some big updates for 2011. Not only are the Maestro's links trimmed down, shaving a few of those all important grams, but the lower link's main pivot axle now acts as the lower mounting point for the rear shock. This 'co-pivot' design means that less hardware is needed, which, as you could probably imagine, means less weight and less complication.

All of Giant's performance full suspension bikes use their Maestro Suspension system, although pivot locations are tweaked depending on the bike's particular needs. For instance, comparing their Anthem cross-country race bike to the much longer travel Glory DH reveals some similarities in that they both use the same basic layout design, Maestro, but pivot locations are drastically different due to the greatly differing demands of the bikes. The physics of the design remains the same. If one suspension platform is capable of excelling on two bikes with such drastically different intentions, it should in theory also shine when applied to their six inch travel Reign all-mountain bike. Like most manufacturers, Giant makes some bold claims about the design's benefits, including that it manages to stay completely active while on the binders, while also remaining neutral when on the power. We're already putting trail time on the Reign to find out how the bike performs at both of those tasks, but the fact that Giant's entire full suspension range uses the design attests to their confidence in its performance.

Specifications
Release Date	2011
Price	$4850
Travel	152
Rear Shock	Fox Float RP23 Boostvalve w/ XV Sleeve
Fork	Fox 32 Talas FIT RL w/ 15QR Thru Axle and Tapered Steerer, 120-150mm Travel
Cassette	Shimano Deore XT 11x36, 10-Speed
Crankarms	Shimano Deore XT, 24/32/42
Bottom Bracket	Shimano Press Fit
Rear Derailleur	Shimano Deore XT Shadow,10-Speed
Chain	Shimano HG-74
Front Derailleur	Shimano Deore XT M770, Direct Mount
Shifter Pods	Shimano Deore XT
Handlebar	Giant Contact, Low Rise 31.8
Stem	Giant Contact
Brakes	Avid Elixir CR (Giant LTD Edition), [F] 185mm [R] 160mm
Hubs	DT Swiss Tricon (Giant LTD Edition) w/ 15mm Front Axle
Spokes	DT Swiss Tricon
Rim	DT Swiss Tricon M1700, Giant LTD Edition
Tires	Kenda Nevegal, 120 tpi, 26x 2.35 Folding
Seat	Fi'zi:k Gobi XM (Giant LTD Edition) w/ K:ium Rails
Seatpost	Crank Brothers Joplin-4 Remote, 30.9

Much like the bike's intentions, the build kit used on the Reign 0 strikes a convincing middle ground between all-mountain burly and trail-bike friendly. The most important bits, the fork and rear damper, are looked after by Fox. Whereas the Reign's bigger brother, the Reign X, uses larger diameter (and heavier) 36mm stanchion forks, Giant has made the decision to spec this model with the lighter Fox 32 Talas FIT RL with a 15mm thru-axle that can be adjusted from 150mm of travel down to 120mm. The slimmer fork clearly differentiates the Reign and its perspective owner from those who may choose from the burlier Reign X series - although a skilled rider could certainly push the Reign 0 hard enough, especially once they have taken the time to properly setup the bike. Hidden up in the bike's head tube is a tapered steerer that will certainly help in this regard. As with many bikes in this category, you'll spot a Fox Float RP23 out back that controls the bike's 6" of travel. The Boostvalve equipped shock also sports a larger XV Sleeve (higher volume air canister) to better suit the bike's suspension characteristics. If my past experiences with the diminutive Fox damper are anything to go by, it should perform quite well. Adjustments include air spring pressure, rebound, and ProPedal.

Interestingly, the bike uses a triple ring Shimano XT crankset (24/32/42 rings) combined with an 11-36 spread XT cassette, as opposed to the double ring crank setup that is so common on many current trail bikes. This gives the Reign 0 a slightly lower bottom range when compared to the 26 tooth ring that comes standard with many double ring cranksets, but also a taller high gear - certainly a noteworthy point if you ride a lot of open and fast trails.

Other standout selections include DT Swiss' clever Tricon tubeless wheelset - more on these to come - and cockpit that uses Giant's own aluminum Contact stem and bar. Braking duties on the Reign are handled by a set of Avid Elixir CR's with a 185/160mm rotor combination. It is nice to see that Giant has made the effort to spec Kevlar beaded tires, 2.35" wide Kenda Nevegals, instead of using heavier and cheaper steel bead rubber.

Giant smartly equips the Reign 0 with a telescoping seatpost - all trail bikes should have one from the factory - Crank Brothers' new Joplin-4 Remote. It is no secret that the previous iteration of the Joplin had many reliability issues that plagued its performance so I am eager to see how this new version stacks up against the competition, many of which have progressed greatly in recent times.


There is no doubt that the Reign 0 is a well-dressed and sharply designed bike, but the aluminum framed trail-bike travel category is a crowded one. To make a lasting impression in a class that is chock full of great performing bikes, the good looking Giant will have to perform very well at many different tasks. Not only must it pedal well and still feel inspired four hours into a six hour epic, but it will be expected to carve corners as if it was on rails and tame terrain that would make the average Lycra wearing rider on his pure cross-country rig take pause - it is a 6" travel bike after all.

Watch the Reign 0 in action in Jamaica:




Check out the Giant website to see more of the Reign 0 and the rest of their lineup.

Looking forward to reading up on how the Reign 0 performed? Stay tuned for the full review after we give the bike a proper razzing, but in the meantime let's hear what you think about Giant's 6" travel contender - put those thoughts down below!