New old Reign X2

mac-cos

Found this in my LBS whilst getting a mech for my old Orange X2. Too much temptation for the wallet to bear so went back a couple of days later after looking at other sale bikes on t'interweb.
Cant find the exact same bike on Giants website but its similar to this one ...http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bik ... 870/45516/
apart from Suspension bits, colour, and other bits.


Frame: Medium Reign
Forks: Bomber 55R


Front Brake Lever assy: Avids
Front Caliper: Avids
Front disc: 185mm
Rear Brake Lever assy: Avids
Rear Caliper: Avids
Rear Disc: 185mm


Shifters: SRAM
Front Mech: STX
Rear Mech: SRAM X5
Chain Device: fitted

Front Wheel:
Rim: Stans Flow (was WTB)
Hub: Hope Pro 2 Evo (was Giant Tracker)

Back Wheel:
Still stock WTB rim/Giant? hub

Weight: no idea

Other info: fitted M530s as I'm not used to flats, looking for a 12mm axle conversion for my hope pro2 evo rear to fit rear of this.

rockmonkeysc

Nice bike. I had the 2011 Reign X, same geometry & suspension design but lighter. Great ride, really nice mini DH / freeride bike. Responds well to being ridden hard. I would ditch the front mech and go single ring, it's not a good bike for climbing.
I wish I had this model rather than the new one, these older ones were stronger. Mine kept snapping linkages, common problem on the new frames.
If your interested in it's weight forget it, putting a Reign X on scales is depressing :shock:

mac-cos

I dont think my old Orange X2 (weird that I stuck with the X2 as a bike choice) was that light either. Just fitted my hope/stans flow rear to the Reign which has probably saved some weight especially as it has an alloy SRAM cassette not the steel one fitted as oem.
Had it out for a short spin on a local trail and it climbed ok whilst seated (no worse than the Orange) and decended far far better (guess those old unified triangle rears went out of fashion fast for a reason).
Note if anyone wants to shed weight and has a steel SRAM 9 speed cassette , get an alloy one, the steel ones feel like they are made with lead.

ps just checked and it weighs 34.8lbs. The old wheels are 10.8lbs. all on digi bathroom scales so +/-1lb or so.

mac-cos

I've done some updates to the Reign X2 since originally posting
Forks are now swapped for RockShox Lyriks RC2L as the 55Rs were bit basic in their adjustment and operation.
Rear wheel is now a Hope Pro2 hub with Stans Flow rim and and the Mazz Rocco Rear shock is swapped for a Fox Float RP23 Kashima as the Rocco was pishing its oil out the body seal.
Not to sure on the white forks as a fashion statement but it was the only colour available at the time
Wieght weenies will be happy to know it now wieghs 32lbs according to my bathroom scales

Frame: Medium Reign
Forks: RockShox Lyrics RC2L Air


Front Brake Lever assy: Avids
Front Caliper: Avids
Front disc: 185mm
Rear Brake Lever assy: Hope X2
Rear Caliper: Hope X2
Rear Disc: 160mm floating


Shifters: SRAM
Front Mech: STX
Rear Mech: SRAM X5
Chain Device: fitted

Front Wheel:
Rim: Stans Flow
Hub: Hope Pro 2 Evo

Back Wheel:
Rim Stans Flow
Hub Hope Pro 2 EVO

Weight: 32lbs (was over 36lbs as delivered)

Pedals Shimano M530s

mac-cos

A few updates, following an OTB when I dropped the front wheel into a mud wallow resulting in a cracked rib
Reverb dropper seatpost 380/125 version.
Rental Fatbars in 30mm rise, left these at the full 770mm width and they feel great, stockers were 19mm? rise and narrow 680mm from memory .
Ti Charge Spoon saddle, stock giant saddle was both fugly and uncomfortable, the spoon looks great in leather and feels ok sofar.

Next will be some loose condition tyres as the Hi Roller front just likes to push/wash out in loose soil (much like the bikerader review) and the Nevegal stick-e rear (oem fitting) spins up when climbing (seated) too easily - i suspect the easy rolling ramped center knobs are at fault here.
Still trying to get some small bump (roots) compliance out of the lyriks without loosing midstroke support, having tried min LSC/HSC and 30% sag (may have assisted in my endo) I'm considering removing the floodgate :? .
Rear RP23 has had a shim added to the XV chamber to give it some progression as it was to linear using all travel in even at hi 225+psi settings on moderate trail compressions.

rockmonkeysc

Removing the floodgate is the only way to improve small bump compliance. Even when fully open it still has too much effect.

mac-cos

RockmonkeySC wrote:

Removing the floodgate is the only way to improve small bump compliance. Even when fully open it still has too much effect.

I've just followed the pinkbike vid on this. Noticed it increased the sag a touch though I was running under the forks PSI guide for my fatness, popped some more in to get it back under 30%. the Heres hopeing I dont rattle my way down the local hill on my next ride out. Not long back and the floodgate removal has made a noticeable difference , well worth doing.

mac-cos

Well the Giants build took a turn I wasn't expecting recently Pic 1st rational later

Front Fork was a lyric air which I was still a bit meh about but the real reason for swap out was I had a need for a light 160mm travel fork for the missus's Xmas pressie . As the Reign had become my 2nd/winter ride I thought that returning to the oem Maz bomber 55r would be the best idea but as I had a set of domain R Dual Crowns lying around (and spured on by a Q post on PB) I decided why not try them on the Reign, the maz bombers were also a bit noisy at topout which was an irritation that needed a damper update/mod to fix .
I had all the bits to fit in my spares pile including the wider bottom headset race to fit the straight steerer into a tapered headtube/headset. I was worried the domain steerer would be a bit short but a lowerstack headset bearing cover sorted that .
I've had it out on a winter gloop ride and its feels great like it was meant to be. I suspect that the return to a coil fork is making it sit higher in its travel when on the move helping with a slightly slacker geo, the lyrik air even when set to correct sag seemed to dive too easy if the comp damping was set cope with roots.

ilovedirt

Oh dear... Dual crown fork on that is a massive nono...

mac-cos

ilovedirt wrote:

Oh dear... Dual crown fork on that is a massive nono...

Sorry I forgot to add "Haters gonna Hate"