Giant Reign 27.5 1 review
A heavy hitter that's ready to devour downhills
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Over the last couple of years, Giant’s Reign has been steadily notching up some impressive results at the Enduro World Series, while continuing to be a regular sight on the trails around the UK.
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Spec overview
- Frame: ALUXX SL-grade aluminium
- Fork: RockShox Pike RCT3 Solo Air, custom offset, 160mm (6.3in) travel
- Shock: RockShox Monarch Plus RC3 DebonAir
- Drivetrain: SRAM X1 (1×11)
- Wheelset: DT Swiss M1700 Spline, Schwalbe Magic Mary Snakeskin Trailstar (f) and Schwalbe Hans Dampf Snakeskin PaceStar (r) 27.5×2.35in tyres
- Brakes: SRAM Guide RS, 200mm (f), 180mm (r) rotors
- Bar/stem: Giant Contact SL DH, 800mm/Truvativ Holzfeller, 50mm
- Seatpost/saddle: RockShox Reverb Stealth/Giant Contact SL Neutral
- Weight: 13.4kg (29.54lb), medium size without pedals
The frame
Part of the Reign’s popularity can be attributed to its decent proportions. A reach of 444mm in the medium certainly puts it right up there alongside the likes of the impressive Canyon Strive with its race-oriented geometry. Although those numbers are already towards the lengthier end of the spectrum when compared to many other mainstream brands, Giant will be introducing an XL Reign for 2017, which will be a welcome addition for taller riders. Geometry across the other sizes will remain the same, though.
A slack 64.9-degree head angle and 343mm bottom bracket further underline the Reign’s preference to be heading down the hill rather than up.
We shouldn’t overlook Giant’s proven, well-mannered, twin-link Maestro Suspension system, which delivers 160mm (6.3in) of travel via the RockShox Monarch Plus RC3 rear shock.
The spec
The ride
The Reign 1 will simply swallow up then spit out root spreads and trail chunder with relative ease, and offers more than enough stability at speed. It’s a case of just dropping your heels and committing. That surefooted feel also transfers to the turns – you can slam it into ruts or load it hard into berms with total confidence.
Yes, there’s a bit of annoying cable clatter, which needs some attention to quieten it down, and the custom fork offset does take a little getting used to at slower speeds, but with a spec that’s hard to fault and arguably improving with the addition of the Lyrik next year, Giant’s Reign 1 is a seriously capable beast in the right hands.
Giant Reign 27.5 1 early verdict
Point the Reign downhill and it’ll be your confidence, not the bike, that’s holding you back.
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Product Specifications
Product
| Name | Reign 27.5 1 |
| Brand | Giant |
| Available Sizes | S M L |
| Rims | DT Swiss M 1700 Spline WheelSystem |
| Wheelbase (in) | 46.89 |
| Top Tube (in) | 24.41 |
| Standover Height (in) | 28.82 |
| Chainstays (in) | 17.09 |
| Brake Levers | SRAM Guide RS |
| Stem | Truvativ Holzfeller 50mm |
| Shifters | SRAM X1 Trigger 11 speed |
| Seatpost | RockShox Reverb Stealth |
| Seat Angle | 65 |
| Saddle | Giant Contact SL Neutral |
| Rear Tyre | Schwalbe Hans Dampf 27.5x2.35" Snakeskin, TL Easy, Pace Star |
| Bottom Bracket | SRAM GXP PressFit |
| Rear Shock | RockShox Monarch Plus Debonair RC3 |
| Rear Derailleur | SRAM X1 |
| Head Angle | 65 |
| Handlebar | Giant Contact SL DH, 19mm Rise, 800mm |
| Front Tyre | Schwalbe Magic Mary 27.5x2.35" Snakeskin, TL Easy, Trail Star |
| Frame Material | ALUXX SL-Grade Aluminum, 160mm Maestro Suspension |
| Fork | RockShox Pike RCT3 Solo Air, 160mm travel |
| Cranks | SRAM X1 32T w/ MRP AMG Guide |
| Chain | KMC X11L |
| Cassette | SRAM XG1180 10x42 |
| Brakes | SRAM Guide RS, [F] 200mm [R] 180mm |
| Frame size tested | M |
Authors
Rob Weaver is BikeRadar's technical editor-in-chief. Rob manages all of the testing here at BikeRadar and across our magazines, Mountain Biking UK and Cycling Plus. Rob first graced the pages of MBUK back in 2001 when working as a freelance writer and went on to start testing bikes for the title in 2007. In 2010 he joined the team full-time and has been keeping a close eye on all things test-related ever since. Rob’s expansive knowledge of bikes comes courtesy of his passion for racing. He cut his teeth racing cross-country mountain bikes in the early 90s before finding his feet in downhill. After many years competing on the UK national circuit (including a year attempting to race UCI DH World Cups), Rob realised his know-how and passion for bike setup, tech and writing clearly outweighed his racing ability. A degree in sports technology and decades of riding experience all help to give Rob a thorough understanding of what’s needed to create a great bike or product. While Rob’s a mountain biker at heart and never happier than when he’s sliding down a Welsh hillside, he’s more than happy to put the miles in on the road or gravel bike, too.
