Issue #037, Review - February 22, 2019

Giant Reign Advanced 0 2019 review

Goliath meets David – that’s how you could describe the partnership between Giant and DVO. It’s not only Giant’s racing teams that benefit from the American brand’s suspension, production bikes are being specced with DVO products too. We found out how well the forks and shock work on the Giant Reign Advanced 0.

For an overview of the test fleet head to: The best enduro bike you can buy

**Giant** Reign Advanced 0 | 170/160 mm (f/r) | 13.42 kg | € 7,399

The Giant Reign is a true classic and we’ve reviewed it countless times. Nothing on the frame with its Maestro rear linkage or the geometry has changed compared to last year. However, for this latest evolutionary stage the bike has received a 170 mm DVO Diamond fork and a DVO Jade steel coil shock at the rear (160 mm travel). Setting up the suspension takes a bit longer overall than with FOX or RockShox, but with a little patience, you’ll get it done easily. The remaining componentry on the € 7,399 bike is less unusual. The top-end model of the Reign comes with a SRAM X01 Eagle drivetrain and SRAM CODE RSC brakes. As we’re used to from Giant, the bike comes with in-house carbon rims. While the front triangle is carbon fibre, the rear triangle is made of aluminium. Due to the short head tube, it’s not surprising to see some spacers installed under the 45 mm TRUVATIV DESCENDANT stem.

The Giant Reign Advanced 0 in detail

Fork DVO Diamond D1 170 mm
Shock DVO Jade Coil 160 mm
Brakes SRAM CODE RSC
Drivetrain SRAM X01 Eagle
Seatpost RockShox Reverb Stealth
Stem TRUVATIV DESCENDANT 45 mm
Handlebar TRUVATIV DESCENDANT Carbon 800 mm
Wheels Giant TRX 0 Carbon
Tires MAXXIS Minion DHF/DHR II 27,5″ x 2,4″

**Excellent**
The rear suspension of the Reign with its DVO Jade shock absorbs all bumps, without lacking in pop. The only thing missing: a climb switch.

**Too short**
To avoid damaging the paintwork, we’d advise adding additional chainstay protection to the front of the chainstays immediately after buying the bike. Unfortunately the standard chainstay protector is too short.

**Good, but not outstanding**
The DVO Diamond fork takes a bit of patience when setting it up, and it can’t quite keep up with the performance of the best forks on the market.

**More is more**
Due to the combination of a short head tube and long reach, we recommend adding a few spacers under the stem to lift up the cockpit. Doing so will make you feel more integrated with the bike.

THe Geometry of thge Giant Reign Advanced 0

Size	S	M	L	XL
Seatpost	380 mm	431 mm	464 mm	496 mm
Top tube	601 mm	637 mm	657 mm	682 mm
Head tube	95 mm	95 mm	115 mm	125 mm
Head angle	64.5°	64.5°	64.5°	64.5°
Seat angle	72.5°	72.5°	72.5°	72.5°
Chainstays	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm	435 mm
BB Drop	7 mm	7 mm	7 mm	7 mm
Wheelbase	1178 mm	1213 mm	1236 mm	1262 mm
Reach	419 mm	454 mm	469 mm	491 mm
Stack	580 mm	580 mm	599 mm	608 mm

**Helmet** 100% Aircraft | **Goggle** 100% Accuri | **Shirt** ION TRAZE_AMP | **Shorts** iXS ASPER SHORTS | **Knee pads** ION K-Pact | **Shoes** ION Rascal

The Giant Reign Advanced 0 on the trail

With a weight of 13.42 kg, the Reign is the lightest bike in this group test, yet we rated it as the worst for climbing. There are two reasons for this. Firstly the slack seat tube angle positions you too far over the rear wheel. Secondly, there is no climb switch to stiffen up the rear suspension, leaving you to contend with a lot of pedal bob. On the other hand, going downhill the Reign delivered a convincing performance. The rear linkage with its DVO Jade shock offered a lot of support as well as a silky smooth response. Thanks to its length and the plush rear suspension, the bike remains very stable when you pick up speed. On steep tracks with big rocks, the bike rides like it’s on rails. The lightweight bike and wheels facilitate quick direction changes. Overall, the weight distribution is very balanced and the handling of the bike is good-natured and intuitive. Compared to the best forks in the test field, the Diamond feels outdated and can’t keep up with the current benchmarks. On winding trail sections you have to actively direct and manoeuvre the Reign through tight turns. It excels on steep sections, instilling the rider with confidence. The progression of the rear suspension is tuned very well, making efficient use of the available travel on harder hits without bottoming out.

Let it go! Only at high speeds does the Reign reveal its strengths.

**Tuning tip:** Add more chainstay protection | If you do a lot of climbing, install a shock with a climb switch

Conclusion

The Giant Reign Advanced 0 remains a potent Enduro bike for challenging terrain. If you’re looking for a quick and direct handling race bike and like to tinker with your suspension, this bike is a good choice. However, you will have to make a few compromises in terms of agility and climbing performance.

Tops

Very composed
Very plush and sensitive rear end
Race-ready

Flops

Fork can't keep up with the competition
Sitting position is too far back on the climbs
Inefficient climber

Uphill

Downhill

Stability

Agility

Value for money

For more info head to: giant-bicycles.com