2012 Giant Faith- First Impression (pictures)

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2012 Giant Faith- First Impression (pictures)
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flag PeytonP
Posted: May 14, 2012 at 18:17 Quote
No, it's really not rocky where I live. No hits that I'm aware of. SRAM is sending me a new derailleur, but I have my eyes set on Saint.
flag gembong
Posted: May 26, 2012 at 7:43 Quote
NuclearBob99 wrote:
I'd put a bit more protection between your chainstay and chain guide. I bought a 2011 Giant Faith 1 a few weeks ago, and after three weeks of riding, I tore the crap out of the paint there (finally got around to putting protection on today haha).

Other than that, sick ride! I still need to tune my 66 RCVs, but other than that, the geometry on the bike is amazing!

Hey NukeBob, how much weight your bike is?
flag NuclearBob99
Posted: Aug 28, 2012 at 8:49 Quote
Oops I completely forgot to reply. I haven't formally weighed my bike, but it is surely around the upper 30s. At this point, everything is stock except for the grips. Looking to run a single gear configuration for the front, but have to do some research first!
flag PeytonP
Posted: Aug 28, 2012 at 10:26 Quote
I just got back from 5 days in Angel Fire, NM. I spent 3 days in the Bike Park with rain and hail hitting 4 days of the trip. Because of the weather, berms and such were washboarded and most trails were rougher than usual, but it was a blast. I had never ridden a bike park before, much less any true downhill, but I made it down everything on the mountain with no more than putting a foot down here or there! I totally give thanks to three things for that: 1 The good Lord for saving my rear end on my first real downhill run, 2 Bike skill gained from incredibly short but sweet local trails in Nacodgoches, TX, and 3 my Giant Faith.

Before I left, I switched to the longer dropouts and added a RaceFace Atlas riser bar (lowered the stem, too). No more wrist pain. The bike was more stable and faster in turns. I highly recommend trying the longer dropouts if you haven't already. I'm very glad I did this and had a good ride before hitting the bike park.

Anyway, the Faith took me down the 2005 World Cup course, Supreme DH, and other advanced trails I had never walked or ridden with no problems at all. Only one mechanical issue, a broken chain on the first and last days, hindered the shredding. I became jealous of the big bikes on the really steep, rocky, and gnarly stuff- they were much faster, but the Faith and I picked our way down and my eyes were opened to true downhill (a new addiction). My Giant wheels are true, the Maxxis High Rollers gripped, the SRAM brakes held fast with not much noise in the rain and mud, and shifting was never an issue even after whipping too far off a wooden ramp with a landing slide down on the crankarm and derailleur. Though a Glory or bigger bike would have been better on the true downhill trails, the Faith accomplished everything I could have hoped for. I hit Candyland and the Drop Zone, every advanced downhill trail, and all of the flowy and big jump lines Angel Fire Bike Park had to offer with only my own trepidation or lack of familiarity (and introdction to the world of hand pain/arm pumps) to hold me back.
Bottom line: I thought my bike was awesome before, but now the Faith has proved it can take me down any trail I find.

I'll post videos of the gnarliest rocky steep stuff when I find a way and learn how to edit, but here's a raw cut of Angel Fire's lower Supreme DH. Oh, how I miss it already...
flag AlexFrey
Posted: Jan 7, 2013 at 11:20 Quote
Yeah this is my Faith, loving it Smile

photo
flag cmorton
Posted: Jan 8, 2013 at 3:17 Quote
Looks good mate
How do you find the fox air shock on the back
I have the rc4 coil and I am thinking of going
Air also
Thanks chris
flag PeytonP
Posted: Jan 8, 2013 at 6:15 Quote
I had a horrible experience with that shock on a Reign X. I'd be terrified to run that on my Faith.
flag AlexFrey
Posted: Jan 8, 2013 at 13:06 Quote
Mine hasnt seemed too bad, so far i like it but what was your bad experience?

PeytonP wrote:
I had a horrible experience with that shock on a Reign X. I'd be terrified to run that on my Faith.
flag PeytonP
Posted: Jan 8, 2013 at 13:24 Quote
AlexFrey wrote:
Mine hasnt seemed too bad, so far i like it but what was your bad experience?


After only a few mild rides, the rebound knob locked up and no amount of pressure or damping combos would keep it from blowing through most of its travel when just riding off a curb. Fox was great and worked on it under warranty and even got it back to me quickly, but I was still disappointed in its performance and didn't trust it. So, instead of buying a new shock, I got my money back by selling the new bike and used the money I would have spent on a new shock to get the Faith- an upgrade on everything. No problems out of the RC2 a year later.
flag AlexFrey
Posted: Jan 8, 2013 at 13:24 Quote
Been good to me, waiting to hear back from the other guy on his bad experience with it but for me its been great. Light, smooth, tons of adjustments. Check out the review
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/rear-shocks/product/review-fox-dhx-air-50-9755

cmorton wrote:
Looks good mate
How do you find the fox air shock on the back
I have the rc4 coil and I am thinking of going
Air also
Thanks chris
flag AlexFrey
Posted: Jan 8, 2013 at 13:30 Quote
Sorry to hear it bud, I guess i was just lucky or vice versa.Confused If i have any issues ill prob swop to a coil and let you know.
Should let you guys know i am pretty light so that might be something to take into consideration.

PeytonP wrote:
AlexFrey wrote:
Mine hasnt seemed too bad, so far i like it but what was your bad experience?


After only a few mild rides, the rebound knob locked up and no amount of pressure or damping combos would keep it from blowing through most of its travel when just riding off a curb. Fox was great and worked on it under warranty and even got it back to me quickly, but I was still disappointed in its performance and didn't trust it. So, instead of buying a new shock, I got my money back by selling the new bike and used the money I would have spent on a new shock to get the Faith- an upgrade on everything. No problems out of the RC2 a year later.
flag PeytonP
Posted: Jan 8, 2013 at 13:38 Quote
I am 210lbs+ when geared up, which may have something do with it. I decided an air shock wasn't for me and my style of riding on a big bike.
flag WonderAnt10
Posted: Jan 12, 2013 at 21:29 Quote
My 2011 Giant Faith

My 2011 Giant Faith

Here's my Faith. Just finished building her up over the Winter. Fully decked out in Shimano Zee, very impressed with it so far.
flag MaxFernandez
Posted: Mar 2, 2013 at 7:07 Quote
hello, my new giant faith just arrive one or two days ago ,but im not shure wich dropout should i run? 42 or 45?
and also i didn't fugured out how to put the cables because my frame just have one cable ruter

 


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