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Struggling on Choice - Carbon Nomad or Giant Reign?

Inkhell

Inkhell

Chimp
Jul 15, 2002
64
0
Golden
Been riding a first generation Nomad for about 4 years. Time to upgrade. Having trouble deciding between the new carbon Nomad and a Reign XO. Love my old Nomad but read that the 2nd generation Nomads had a little different ride. Not a fan of air shocks so I like the DXH coil option but the Giant seems like a pretty good deal.

Nomad Carbon:

Love my current Nomad and would love to shave a little weight and get more stiffness.
Parts swap would be a easier going to Nomad (new Joplin and drive train last year).
Used to the BB height so I hit my pedals in odd places on the DW bikes (Firebird and Reign tested on local trails).
Fairly steep price for frame.
Easy pivot maint but not sure about the carbon frame. I pretty rough on frames and don't want a rock taking a chunk out of it.

Giant Reign:

Price!!!
Bike rails. I like the better cornering ability...but not the BB height.
Aesthetically a little funky to me.
Would have to swap to a coil.

Anyone have any good time on these bikes that can add some good comparison data?
 
H

hardboiled

Chimp
May 15, 2006
23
0
right behind you
I've got a low mileage '10 ReignX frame (large) up for sale. sick sick bike, it has no business pedaling as well as it does considering the downhill prowess. personally I loved the feel of the low BB, it absolutely rails corners and because of the anti-squat I didn't find pedal strikes to be an issue. but I'm an XC geek at heart and going back to a shorter travel bike. I don't have anything to add about the nomad, but if interested in a deal on an RX let me know.

oh, I've got a DHX Air and Push-tuned coil set up for this frame available...
 
1000-Oaks

1000-Oaks

Monkey
May 8, 2003
778
0
Simi Valley, CA
Might not want to jump on the 2010 Reign X until they get the new lower links out to the shops (August?) ...that's a lot of money for a bike to sit broken.

Fortunately I just picked up a 2009 Reign X, so the lower link is not an issue.
:D
 
quickneonrt

quickneonrt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 8, 2003
1,611
0
Staten Island NY
1000-Oaks said:
Might not want to jump on the 2010 Reign X until they get the new lower links out to the shops (August?) ...that's a lot of money for a bike to sit broken.

Fortunately I just picked up a 2009 Reign X, so the lower link is not an issue.
:D
Click to expand...
they sorted out the bottom links issue a long time ago on the 2010's. Depends when you got your bike/frame.

I also just picked up an 09 frame left over from Giant, love this bike. The 2010 is a lighter frame but something about the 09 just feels better to me.

also comparing Maestro to VPP i would take a Maestro bike/frame any day. I find it to be smoother in the rough over the VPP and can pedal just as well
 
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rockofullr

rockofullr

confused
Jun 11, 2009
7,342
924
East Bay, Cali
Inkhell said:
Been riding a first generation Nomad for about 4 years.

Love my old Nomad but read that the 2nd generation Nomads had a little different ride. Not a fan of air shocks so I like the DXH coil option...

Nomad Carbon:

Love my current Nomad and would love to shave a little weight and get more stiffness.
...
Easy pivot maint but not sure about the carbon frame. I pretty rough on frames and don't want a rock taking a chunk out of it.
Click to expand...
The newer nomad is more aggressive and a better descender IMO. You're on the money about air shocks, the nomad feels like poo with an air shock.

Why not just get the AL frame if you want it for "freeriding"?

Inkhell said:
Giant Reign:

Price!!!
Bike rails. I like the better cornering ability...but not the BB height.
Aesthetically a little funky to me.
Would have to swap to a coil.

Anyone have any good time on these bikes that can add some good comparison data?
Click to expand...
I rode both bikes in early 09 so I can't comment on the '10 reign or the carbon nomad frame. To me the reign had more of an upright XC feel to it and in the end that's why I went with a nomad.
 
Inkhell

Inkhell

Chimp
Jul 15, 2002
64
0
Golden
rockofullr said:
The newer nomad is more aggressive and a better descender IMO. You're on the money about air shocks, the nomad feels like poo with an air shock.

Why not just get the AL frame if you want it for "freeriding"?



I rode both bikes in early 09 so I can't comment on the '10 reign or the carbon nomad frame. To me the reign had more of an upright XC feel to it and in the end that's why I went with a nomad.
Click to expand...
Thanks... that is what I was looking for. I like a more laid back riding position.
 
quickneonrt

quickneonrt

Turbo Monkey
Apr 8, 2003
1,611
0
Staten Island NY
Took my 09 Reign X to Diablo and had zero problems with it. It handles rough stuff awesome and feels like it has more travel then it does. As for more up right xc feel I have no idea what he is talking about unless it was the 6" regular Reign he rode. I found the Reign X to have a steep enough HT angle to ride everything with confidence. I have a 170mm Lyrik solo air with the dh tune and a DHX 5.0 air.
 
Tetreault

Tetreault

Monkey
Nov 23, 2005
877
0
SoMeWhErE NoWhErE
i rode a alu nomad for the first few months of the season, and now im on a 2010 reign sx due to the amazing deal i got on it. a thing to keep in mind is the sizing, a medium reign feels WAY bigger then a medium nomad. i like the higher bb on the nomad and the tighter overall feel of it as well as its bump compliance, however i find that the giant is a better decender, nicer in the corners, and jumps better and the price cant be beat.

hope some of this helps, if you have any other questions i would be one of the guys to ask having owned both frames
 
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