LUKE’S GIANT REIGN ADVANCED PRO 2 £4,699

Is Giant’s latest long-travel carbon 29er the king of enduro bikes?

Giant are a huge but unassuming brand that deliver some brilliant bikes under the radar. I’m hoping their latest enduro bike will be one of these silent assassins. Discreetly breaking cover at the end of 2022, the Reign Advanced snagged two victories in the inaugural Enduro World Cup series, making it one of the most successful enduro bikes of 2023. After a quick glance at the geometry chart, I was set on getting hold of one for 2024.

I chose the base-model carbon fibre Reign, which has a frame made from Giant’s ‘Advanced-grade Composite’, complete with internal storage, twin-link Maestro suspension system and three-position geometry adjustment. This lets you choose between ‘high’, ‘mid’ and ‘low’ settings, which primarily change the head angle, effective seat tube angle and bottom bracket height, although there are minor alterations to reach and stack height, too.

The shock is a relatively basic RockShox Deluxe Select+ with external rebound damping dial and two-position low-speed compression lever, while the fork is a burly ZEB Select with Charger RC damper. A mix of practical Shimano Deore and SLX parts makes up the drivetrain. Brakes are also from Shimano – their simple yet powerful Deore MT520s, with a whooping 220mm front rotor and 203mm rear. Wheels, cockpit kit and saddle are all Giant-branded, and it rolls on Maxxis Assegai and DHR II tyres, in 3C

MaxxTerra EXO+/DD guise. The TranzX seatpost has a neat trick – travel can be adjusted from 140 to 170mm.

‘No holds barred’ best describes the geometry. I’ve set it in the ‘low’ position (because I’m so gnarly, ha!) as this is closest to the Canyon Strive I was on last year. This gives the bike a slack 63.5-degree head angle, a steep 78.3-degree effective seat tube angle and 35mm of BB drop. The reach on my medium size is a modest 456mm, and well-balanced with the stable 445mm chainstays. The 632mm stack height shows the bike’s descending pedigree. Overall, the geometry looks set to provide a stable platform for tearing up the downhills.

I’ve had a few rides on it so far, and have been thoroughly impressed. The geometry suits me well, and I find my weight is well-balanced between the wheels. I want to try a stickier front tyre to add more grip, though, and can tell there’s bags of potential to be released with a few changes.

So far, the Deluxe shock has proven surprisingly capable and smooth. I’ve had to increase pressure and run less than 30 per cent sag to improve mid-stroke support, but it’s holding up well for a trail, rather than enduro, damper. It will be one of the first parts I upgrade, though, as I feel a burlier shock will bring out the best of the bike.

Often underrated, the MT520 brakes pack a punch, adding to the confidence-inspiring ride feel. I feel great about the Giant and look forward to unleashing its full potential.

HIGHS

LOWS