Pedaling: Reign versus Nomad?

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Pedaling: Reign versus Nomad?
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flag BeaverCreaker
Posted: Dec 3, 2017 at 0:10 Quote
Narrowed down my choices for an Aluminum Enduro-type bike. 2018 Reign or 2018 Nomad

It seems they both handle freeride/dh pretty well for enduro bikes..But I am confused on which bike pedals uphill the best. I will be buying an aluminum version for sure. Cant afford carbon.

Which bike would you think pedals uphill the best, and why? VPP vs Maestro??

Does the new Nomad have a trunion mount shock?

I am a Giant fanboy, however the SC has 5mm shorter chainstays, and I have heard the nomad is “playful” making me lean that way. Funny because I used to hate on SC for being so insanely popular here in California, but after riding Tallboy and Highboy, I really enjoyed the nimble and easy-to-ride quality. I see why SC is popular..

Any other info on these two bikes would be appreciated.
flag sdken
Posted: Dec 3, 2017 at 21:23 Quote
BeaverCreaker wrote:
Narrowed down my choices for an Aluminum Enduro-type bike. 2018 Reign or 2018 Nomad

It seems they both handle freeride/dh pretty well for enduro bikes..But I am confused on which bike pedals uphill the best. I will be buying an aluminum version for sure. Cant afford carbon.

Which bike would you think pedals uphill the best, and why? VPP vs Maestro??

Does the new Nomad have a trunion mount shock?

I am a Giant fanboy, however the SC has 5mm shorter chainstays, and I have heard the nomad is “playful” making me lean that way. Funny because I used to hate on SC for being so insanely popular here in California, but after riding Tallboy and Highboy, I really enjoyed the nimble and easy-to-ride quality. I see why SC is popular..

Any other info on these two bikes would be appreciated.

I would think the Nomad, based on the seat angle. However I have not ridden the '18 Reign or '18 Nomad.

But - I did own the '15 Reign and I still have my '15 Nomad 3- and for climbing, I choose the VPP Nomad. Rear Lock-outs does make a difference, especially for my Reign.
flag BullMooose
O+
Posted: Dec 3, 2017 at 21:40 Quote
I haven't ridden the Reign but I have ridden the 2018 Nomad and I have to say that it climbs very well. There is basically 0 pedal bob with the shock in the full open, I never felt the need to lock it out. It climbs worse than my 140mm travel trail bike just because of the much longer, slacker geo. Not because of any suspension design problems.
flag Losvar
Posted: Dec 4, 2017 at 3:19 Quote
Maestro handles very well going down, but the seat angle on Reign looks awful for climbing, especially compared to the new Nomad.
flag BeaverCreaker
Posted: Dec 4, 2017 at 10:22 Quote
Losvar wrote:
Maestro handles very well going down, but the seat angle on Reign looks awful for climbing, especially compared to the new Nomad.

73 degrees on the Reign, 74.1 degrees on the Nomad in low setting..

Does a single degree make a huge difference??

Reign 2 is $2700, Nomad R is $3600. Nomad is pushing my budget, but may be worth it.
flag sdken
Posted: Dec 4, 2017 at 10:57 Quote
BeaverCreaker wrote:
Losvar wrote:
Maestro handles very well going down, but the seat angle on Reign looks awful for climbing, especially compared to the new Nomad.

73 degrees on the Reign, 74.1 degrees on the Nomad in low setting..

Does a single degree make a huge difference??

Reign 2 is $2700, Nomad R is $3600. Nomad is pushing my budget, but may be worth it.

If you were to spec the Reign up to 170mm fork like the stock Nomad, that 73 will most likely drop to around 72.5 or so.
Better comparison between the two bikes would be the "Reign SX" and "Nomad 4". Almost the same spec's in terms of components, except the Reign SX is ~$4000.
flag jeremy3220
O+ FL
Posted: Dec 4, 2017 at 14:27 Quote
BeaverCreaker wrote:

73 degrees on the Reign, 74.1 degrees on the Nomad in low setting..

Does a single degree make a huge difference??

Reign 2 is $2700, Nomad R is $3600. Nomad is pushing my budget, but may be worth it.

1 degree changes the seat about 15mm forward or back for the average seat height. So unless you can't slide the seat forward another 15mm, it shouldn't make any difference to my knowledge.
flag hstenner1
Posted: Dec 4, 2017 at 15:13 Quote
The new reign is supposed to be worse on the uphill than the one I have (2017) but my one isn't too bad. Lockout definitely needed as it bobs around a lot when pedalling
flag BeaverCreaker
Posted: Dec 4, 2017 at 17:03 Quote
HarryStenner94 wrote:
The new reign is supposed to be worse on the uphill than the one I have (2017) but my one isn't too bad. Lockout definitely needed as it bobs around a lot when pedalling

My last bike in this category was a 2014 Meta SX 26er. Pedaled uphill horribly until you used lockout, and even then it was still harsh. You basically winch it up. But it was worth it for way the down. That bike was super fun, extremely maneuverable with a 1183mm wheelbase (size L), short-ish chainstays, and the slack 65 degree head angle was capable. It could handle bike park laps no problem, and could climb up fire roads in the off season, winching away, and ride most of the DH runs. I dont mind bikes that aren’t the most efficient going up, as long as what they give up, they gain twofold back in DH capabilites.

Both the Nomad and Reign should be better ascenders than the Meta SX. Yet also even more capable downhill. Although, giving up some of that SX playfulness and maneuverability.

Why is the new Reign worse? What’s new for this year, the longer top tube, trunion mount shock, anything else? Doesnt a longer top tube, without a slacker head angle, help you get you’re weight more over the front tire? Thus helping climbing? Being more upright hurts climbing?

Most of the reviews I have read about the newer Reigns, all say they wish the seat tube angle was steeper. That’s usually the only real complaint I consistently read about. It seems like a great, albeit very aggressive, enduro and maybe even freeride bike.

I barely see any complaints on the 2018 Nomad..
flag ryan198232
O+
Posted: Dec 4, 2017 at 18:26 Quote
Curious if you've looked at a banshee rune?
flag remote-local
Posted: Dec 4, 2017 at 19:28 Quote
FWIW I recently picked up a 2017 reign advanced frame and swapped the bits over from a 130mm trail bike with a 1degree steeper seat angle and shorter reach, extended my 36 from 150mm to 160mm and even then, the difference in climbing seems negligible. the X2 locks out enough for it, and it's climbing. you just keep pedaling until you get to the top!

A whole day of climbing might prove to be a bit harder, but pointing it downhill is somewhere between awesome and gobsmackingly superb.

I think the seat angle is just one part of the equation, and i'm sure Giant did a little bit of homework before deciding to stick with it across a whole new frame design.

The reality is, buy either one of these and you'll be grinning ear to ear! Buy the cheaper one and spend the difference on getting to the trails, buying beers and swapping out tires or bars or things to get the fit and feel spot on for you.
flag Losvar
Posted: Dec 4, 2017 at 23:55 Quote
ryan198232 wrote:
Curious if you've looked at a banshee rune?
He's probably looking for a frame that won't crack on the first run.
flag shoshy
O+
Posted: Dec 5, 2017 at 1:17 Quote
Then why the hell is reign in the mix?
flag ryan198232
O+
Posted: Dec 5, 2017 at 3:27 Quote
Losvar wrote:
ryan198232 wrote:
Curious if you've looked at a banshee rune?
He's probably looking for a frame that won't crack on the first run.
I loved mine, but didn't own it long enough to have any issues and it spent most of its time in the park
flag BeaverCreaker
Posted: Dec 5, 2017 at 12:00 Quote
shoshy wrote:
Then why the hell is reign in the mix?

What is this supposed to mean lol? I am looking at the aluminum Reign, are there durability issues?
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