Giant Reign X1 Review
Getting Ready to Ride
The Reign X comes in five sizes - X Small (15"), Small (16"), Medium 18"), Large (20") and Extra Large (21"); the medium being the size that was tested. For 2010 the front hydroformed triangle lacks the penetrated downtube near the bottom bracket and has a tapered head tube. The exaggerated sloping top tube allows for greater standover when things get tricky and the new downtube sees a different shock placement with clearance for the shock piggy back without needing to be pierced, as well as a water bottle. The cables are routed below the down tube. The seat tube has a bulge where the linkage plate is attached, and this determines how low the seat can be dropped. The continued use of Giant's own 'Aluxx' aluminum hydroformed tubes creates light weight and strong tubes. Common to all Giant full suspension mountain bikes since 2005 is the Maestro Suspension.
Giant Reign X1 dating profile picture: looking for a rider who doesn't mind suffering all day to get to the goods, and once they are there they'll be o.k. getting a bit wild. Must have an open mind and be willing to experiment in the bike park
The rear triangle is connected to the frame via the two stout linkage plates. Bearings are used in the pivots and all are covered by dust caps. Vertical tubing between the seat and chain stays increases rear triangle stiffness. The chain and seat stays have a tapered construction to reduce weight and maintain stiffness and the 12x135mm rear thru-axle accommodates a Maxle Lite.
The X1's rear end is tied together with a stiff and convenient 12x135 Maxle Lite thru-axle
Maestro Suspension
Using a simple mnemonic - 4-2-1- the Maestro suspension is made up of four pivot points and two linkage plates that create one floating pivot point. This allows the rear wheel to travel along a vertical axis path as the bike travels through its suspension. This design separates pedaling and braking from suspension movement allowing the suspension to work independently of these forces. The Maestro suspension results in a linear spring curve to provide consistent suspension performance. This suspension is on all of the Giant performance full suspension bikes. Utilizing different shock placements and linkage plate sizes creates different travel across the line that best suits the bike's intended use.
The Maestro suspension claims
- No power loss while climbing due to the floating pivot point that moves with the suspension
- Braking does not influence suspension
- No pedal kickback since the forces on the chain remain constant
- Linear rising rate suspension. As the bike travels through the suspension it will absorbs small bumps early in the travel and absorbs larger bumps deeper in the travel
More information on the Maestro system can be found here.
Giant's Maestro design
Up close and personal with Maestro. Note the stays are attached to the main triangle via the short linkage plates, as well as the vertical brace between the chain and seat stay. This addition increases the stiffness of the rear triangle
| Head angle | 67 degrees |
| EFF Seat Angle | 72.5 degrees |
| Top Tube | 590 mm |
| Chainstay | 434.3 mm |
| Bottom Bracket | 13.75 mm |
| Standover | 749.3 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1140mm |
Up front you'll find a Fox 36 Vanilla with 160mm/6.3inch of travel and weighing in at 5.26lb (with tapered steerer). The 36 looks to be well matched for this bike, offering a stiff and confidence inspiring front end. External adjustments of low and high speed compression, coil spring preload and rebound allow ample adjustment to suit any riding style or situation. The Fox fork's FIT damper with hydraulic bottom out resistance keeps the weight low by reducing the amount of oil used for damping by using a bladder instead of an open bath system. This also increases low speed compression adjustability. The 20QR tool-free axle system with the stepped thru axle combined with 36mm stanchions make this model a good choice for riders looking for a beefy front end. The tool-free axle system facilitates removal of the wheel quickly and effortlessly. As this is a coil fork, consideration must be made on how the spring suits the rider. A too stiff or too soft spring will affect the performance of this bike so anyone considering purchasing a coil fork needs to ensure they have the appropriate spring for their bike.
Fox looks after the rear suspension as well with their FOX DHX RC2, featuring low-speed compression adjustment (blue knob on piggy back), adjustable bottom-out force control via Schraeder valve (set between 125 - 200psi), coil spring preload, and rebound adjustment by turning the red dial. This is a simple shock with ample adjustability chosen for its reliable performance, cost savings, and that this suspension design does not require compression adjustment. Giant recommends running between 25 and 30% sag for their Maestro bikes. Again, performance is dependent on the shock spring being appropriate for the rider.
| Frame and Size | Giant Reign X1 • Tapered headtube, ISCG-05 tabs •medium Frame •6.7" of travel |
| Rear Shock | Fox DHX RC2 |
| Fork | Fox Vanilla R |
| Headset | Integrated Cartridge |
| Crankarms | Race Face Ride AM |
| Bottom Bracket | Race Face |
| Chainring | 24/36 w/bashguard |
| Cassette | Shimano HG50 9speed 11-34T |
| Rear Derailleur | Sram X9 |
| Shifter | Sram X7 Trigger w/ Matchmaker |
| Handlebar | Race Face Evolve AM |
| Stem | Race Face Evolve AM |
| Brakes | Avid Elixir 5 185mm Front/160mm Rear rotors |
| Wheelset | DT EX500 w Giant Tracker 20mm front, DT Swiss 340 w/12mm axle rear |
| Tires | Kenda Nevegal 26x2.35" |
| Saddle | Fizi'k Zeak w/7mm Manganese rails, custom for Giant |
| Seatpost | Giant Connect SL, 30.9 | Retail | MSRP $3889.00 CAD |
Sharon's Impressions:
About me:
I am 5'9", weigh 154lbs. I have been riding since 1991. As mentioned above I come from an XC hard tail background, but have moved with technology and ride a Titus RacerX for XC, a Turner 6 pack for DH and Shore riding and a Knolly Endorphin set up for more freeriding/shore/technical XC riding.
This bike was provided to two other different style of riders to get their impressions for a more well rounded review.
When you first sit on this bike you notice that the cockpit seems shorter than its stated 23.2" and the bike settles firmly into the suspension. This shouldn't be surprising given that the suspension is designed to resist this initial input. When pedaling on flat terrain you do feel the suspension working and some may want Propedal in this situation, but when pedaling the bike on loose, rocky, and more technical terrain the suspension action didn't inhibit pedaling. The Maestro suspension is designed to separate pedaling and suspension forces and it certainly feels like they have accomplished this.
The Reign X1 on a typical wet day in North Vancouver. Rider: Sharon Bader, Trail: Ladies Only
The bike came with a 500lb spring. I took the bike to Suspensionwerx in North Vancouver to ensure I had the best set up with this coil bike. While there I exchanged the 500lb spring with a 400lb spring to provide 23% sag. This was matched with 21% sag in the fork with a medium spring. Shock preload was set to one click in, propedal was set 4 clicks in and 170lbs psi was in the boost chamber. Rebound was adjusted as trail conditions warranted. The rebound adjustment knob was a bit inconvenient to get to as it was between the frame mounts for the shock, I'm not sure how this could be remedied. The fork preload was set 5 clicks in. The lack of an adjustable fork was noticeable on technical climbs, but on longer fire road ascents it wasn't an issue.
Sharon getting back to her roots
This bike was ridden on slow technical North Shore Trails (Ladies Only for example), the Whistler Bike Park, a 1200m fast shuttle descent in desert terrain, and more cross country type trails of Squamish (Credit Line for example). The Giant Reign X1 was very capable on slower technical trails. The Fox Vanilla fork could be pointed anywhere and it would float over whatever obstacle lay in front of it and the rear of the bike tracked well on these technical trails. One aspect of these trails is that the rider must stop suddenly to change direction and this bike was very adept at doing so. On slower speed jumps or drops of small to medium size the bike felt firm and supple.
Ever ridden Grumpy Grouse in Pemberton? If you aren't going to ride this section you better hope that you have some sticky soled shoes to walk down it! Sharon about to roll over the knuckle and into the silliness - Hell ya!
The X1 shined in the Whistler Bike Park while on the technical single track black diamond trails like Schleyer, as well as more intermediate trails like Angry Pirate. While I did not ride it down A-line, another tester did, he felt that the bike under performed on this jump trail and we later determined that a stiffer shock could have helped in this situation since another tester here also felt the bike performed better on jump trails after replacing the 500lb spring with a 550lb spring.
Giant's Reign X1 and a giant cedar
Ladies rocks
On faster shuttle trails that are not very technical the bike was good. While it did get tossed around more than a downhill bike, it handled great for a 6.3inch all mountain machine. The Vanilla fork was again a factor in keeping the bike going straight and fast. The rear just had to follow and it did, but with some deflection when the terrain got rough. I'm sure this could have been compensated for by quickening the rebound. Shuttling on trails consisting of rock slabs, rocky loose chunder and roots, the bike rode well. The suspension was also able to soak up the loose rocky sections and track smoothly on the rock slabs. This bike was best on technical trails that demanded the right line choice.
Common problem with under BB cable routing
On bigger jumps the brake cable would get stretched below the down tube. While there was a zap strap to keep the cable on the frame, this was easily broken. Even when the zap strap was replaced you could see the cable stretch between the two zap strap attachments. A cable reroute may be in order?
Chillin' on some smooth Squamish XC goodness
Overall Impression:
Great all mountain bike that handles technical terrain with confidence. While the rear suspension was active during climbing, in that you could see the suspension compress, it didn't affect performance significantly. The 34lbs was noticeable, but acceptable considering this is a bike geared more toward downhill performance. While the shorter cockpit was noticeable it didn't make climbing uncomfortable. The good standover also added to confidence in more technical terrain since it made bailing less frightening. The Fox Vanilla is an incredibly plush fork that didn't make you hesitate to plunge into the most technical terrain, the rear suspension soaked up most bumps, but did get thrown around in rough terrain at higher speeds. This wasn't that much of a factor though with the firm stiff Vanilla fork. The frame is tough and even handled hard days of shuttling.
Lee Lau's Impressions:
I'm 160 lbs, a bit more aggressive than Sharon, but by no means a big hucker. I'm not a finesse rider, but like steep technical trails.
Climbing
This is a decent workhorse when pointing uphill, but bib-short wearing uphill time trialists should look elsewhere if they want a sprightly climbing steed. As expected for a bike for this intended use (ie strong downhill bias), the weight, geometry and lack of adjustable height front fork works against you. The Reign X1 wallows up climbs as well as can be expected. Another issue I found is that the plushness of the coil suspension definitely works against you when you're working the Reign X1 hard in singletrack. This is especially an issue when you're pedaling over up-and-overs. Despite the BB height of 13.7", I would repeatedly bash the BB or stuff pedals into the ground as the rear end compressed. Another issue is the Reign X's lack of seatpost adjustability due to inability to drop the seatpost very far into the frame. This can be fixed by using a double clamp post or remotely operated telescoping model.
Lee on Tenquille Trail
Downhill
I initially took issue with the Reign X1. I felt that the rear end was vague, especially when cornering hard at speed. I then found loose bolts in the linkage and tightened them up (had to take off the driveside cranks to do which was a pain in the arse). Following this housekeeping the bike changed and was precise in downhill mode. I did find the rear shock a bit hard to tune and there was a lot of playing around with air pressures in the booster valve before I got rid of harsh clunking on bottom-outs, but once it was dialed I felt very happy with the bike's performance.
Heading down Tenquille Trail
With properly tuned suspension and a tight rear end , the bike feels precise when cornering, jumping and rolling off the steeps. Having said that, I still felt that The Reign X1 is a bit vague at high speeds. I'm not sure why given that it's relatively slack and given that I swapped out the kevlar bead 2.35 Kendas for 2.5 downhill tires for the Whistler Bike Park and 4,000 ft downhill shuttle laps in Lillooet. This is admittedly a subjective impression.
About those parts...
• The saddle is a very important part of a bike. Most bikes are equipped with a male specific saddle and this bike is no exception. The Fi'zi:k Zeak saddle made custom for Giant had a convex shape that was difficult to fit and taint for this test rider. Replacing and adjusting the saddle was very easy on the Giant Connect SL seatpost. You did have to ensure the bolt was tight since a hard hit on the seat could cause it to suddenly become nose up. One allen key was all that was needed and the seat was easily moved and adjusted on the rocker seatpost attachment which also had an adjustment level indicator. Saddles are a very personal thing though, if you don't get along with the Fi'zi:k, get your dealer to swap it out for you at the time of purchase.
The Giant's interesting Fi'zi:k saddle
• The Avid Elixir 5 brakes had very good power and modulation. These 395g brakes are the workhorse of the Elixir line. Not flashy, but consistent performance at a great price. They do require a 3mm allen key for reach adjustment though. Even on a sustained 7km descent with a 1200m vertical drop these brakes did not fade or lose their modulation.
• The SRAM X7 shifters with matchmaker clamp worked flawlessly. Matched with the SRAM X9 rear and Shimano SLX front derailleur, the drivetrain was consistent and predictable. The chainguide was another story though...
• The Race Face Atlas chainguide would move towards the rings when hit from underneath. This would result in a quick chain derailment. The chainguide had to be relocated and tightened often.
• The DT EX500 rims at 500grams are able to go tubeless and are classified as a durable cross country or all mountain rim. Coupled with the Giant Tracker 20mm front hub and 12mm DT Swiss 340 rear hub, the wheelset proved to be tough and durable. The Kenda Nevegal 2.35 Stick-E tires are a great addition and worked well in the terrain tested.
• The 27" wide stock handlebar felt a bit short and I'd like to see manufacturers supply longer handlebars that a rider can cut down to size. Also I don't particularly care for soft squishy grips, but much like the saddle, this is down to a rider's preference.
Scree riding on Tenquille
In summary, the Reign X1 is mainly a downhill biased bike that can be pedaled uphill in wallowing, but reasonable fashion. Having said that, it's not a dedicated downhill sled by any means. For me, it was a bit of a confused bike, but I prize uphill ability in my do-everything bikes so keep that bias in mind when considering my comments. If you're a rider more along the lines who tolerates uphills, but wants to bomb tight technical downhills at slow to moderate speeds, then this is a fine bike for you.
Visit the Giant website to see their entire lineup.
Does the Giant Reign X1 tickle your fancy? Tell us what you think about it below!
Author Info:
Member since May 17, 2010
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I have found those settings that suit me just right and now I go from A Line to Ladies only to CBC to 19th hole without changing anything.
These reviewers both seem more inclined to XC riding and I think their comment are fair, but if your like me and going up a hill is simply for the purpose of going down - then this is a great bike.
PS I do however think you guys are both bastards for living the life most people here want.
+ Reigns manage climbs just fine thanks to the Maestro technology, unless you're fat of course
I will take this as a challenge to write better! I can't however, change review style to fit your prescriptive questions which are very bullet-point oriented to fit your specific needs.
Jumping - neither great nor bad. Coil front and rear make landings pretty easy. The bike moves around nicely. But it's not outstanding.
Cornering - Good at slower to medium speeds. Average at high speeds. I mentioned this many times when I said it was vague at high speeds. If you don't think "vague" is sufficiently descriptive then we will have to agree to disagree.
Manualling - neither great nor bad. I'm not sure what you're getting at here? To me, manualling is mainly a function of rider skill.
Drift - oh yes it drifts.
Without trying to sound too much like a smart ass; do you (or others) - everyone feel free to pile on here really not want to hear about the components? After all, bear in mind this is a BIKE review. Not a FRAME review (I've done frame reviews before and then I don't focus so much on the components).
Do others really want this kind of bullet point analysis? Frankly I've avoided it because it seems really like handholding. Or maybe I am just off-base.
Earns: When you start getting paid to ride and review, then you can start calling people out for being amateur. Childish? Talk about the pot and the kettle...
Your insults show you don't know Lee and Sharon personally. They also draw an inaccurate comparison of Tyler Brule and Lee and/or Sharon.
I've ridden with both Lee and Sharon, on a very long ride that tested everyone's fitness, climbing skills and descending skills. I've also been reading their posts on e-forums for many years. They are experienced athletes who also have a technical approach to their gear preferences. They do excellent reviews of ski gear as well as MTB gear, for those of us who appreciate experienced technical reviews of gear. To suggest they are inferior testers compared to anyone you may designate as "professional" -- well that's just plain ignorant. As I said, it shows how little you know about them.
As to "professional" testers, I'd suggest you're showing another ignorance there, the lack of information or understanding about how "professional" MTB journalism happens. It's driven by advertiser money, not detailed, technical, experienced reviewers adding some personal experience to the review. Richard Cunningham of MBA is a hell of a funny guy in person, very knowledgeable, but in print, in "professional" guise, he is a salesman for those who put ads in his magazine.
I think I'll take Lee's and Sharon's reviews any day.
Great work, Sharon & Lee.
forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=617291
www.facebook.com/giantbicycles?ref=ts#!/topic.php?uid=48354778001&topic=14564
So far Giant hasn't made any public statement, even though it looks like the shit hits the fan on a lot of Reign Xs. I got a new (warranty) link through Ridleys here in Calgary, it took about 3 weeks, but it was the same design, so it'll likely break again (apparently they break when climbing, under pedal forces)
Some people are kickin around rumors that Giant is working on a redesign? Huh. Giant, whats the deal?
Anyone have any comments?
17.1” equals 43.4cm or 44cm equals 17.3”. By what I read here actual length seems to be closer to 17.3”. Is this the consensus? I was looking at the Scratch Air specs and depending how you run the adjuster you can get 17.2” from it. Someone posted 17” for a Trek but that must be for the Session.
Also thought it was relevant since the Reign X1 is sought after by consumers who have a need to pedal uphill.
I have one suggestion: if there is logical user error involved in a critique, ie loose bolts, incorrect spring weight for a new rider, etc... leave it out of the article!
As to loose bolts, it is mentioned because this was brand new bike and should have a bit more loctite. It is mentioned as a headsup to other people to check their ReignX's.
As to incorrect spring weight; that bike in its stock spec is under-sprung for a 160lb rider - which is very close to the median of the bike-buying population.
I'll have to disagree with your characterization of this as "logical user error". Instead I believe these are very relevant facts.
If you sit and spin there is little pedal-induced bob on Maestro bikes, even on the Glory. If you stand up and hammer - every bike will bob - pushing down on a bike from above is the same as pushing up from it from below, either way the suspension will compress, that's its job.
Regardless of "independant development" the concept remains the essentially same and as such, the patent would still apply. Dave Weagle himself said he just wasn't willing to take on Giant in a courtroom.
Giant developed the NRS system but when it came to market they found out it infringed Specialized's FSR patent. They pulled NRS at great expense. So they had to come up with a design that did not infringe anyone's patent and developed Maestro. After the expense of NRS, there is NO WAY they copied anyone else's design. Note that this is not my proof that they did not copy, but a reason why they tried to make sure that Maestro was independant and patent-infringement free.
"I'm sure there is a slight change to the instantaneous pivot point which gave them a thin defense." That is to say, that Giant's link is just different enough that the outcome of a patent infringement case would be difficult to predict. What you seem to not understand is that the location of one pivot doesn't necessarily affect the characteristics of the motion (note that every single DW link is totally different - see Turners new DHR vs the old IH Sunday); it is the location of where the instantaneous pivot point is throughout the stroke of the suspension. If you draw a line through the two pivots of the upper link, and then the two pivots of the lower link, they intersect at this IPP. That is where the wheel pivots around at that point of the stroke. While the exact geometry is different for Maestro, the concept and tunability of the design is the same. Arguing with you is like trying to talk to a dog.
www.google.com/patents?id=wj-TAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&source=gbs_overview_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
Then tell me where in the patent it states that the location of the lower pivot has to be an inch higher or lower than the BB.
still wouldnt buy it but i now know more about something to do with MTB so its not bad hey?
Anyone know?
I am guessing 36lbs, which is getting close to a DH rig these days....
I haven't ridden the new Enduro, just the old one and the Pitch pro. While neither of these bob'd as much as other horst bikes I've ridden ( turner 6pack, titus racerx, endorphin ) the giant did bob less.
I don't see how I am wrong about the frame construction...the tubes are hydroformed, giant did a lot of research and testing of the frame beyond a cad model to make sure that each tube is shaped in the most efficient matter of strength/weight/stiffness. I understand that giant owns their own factory and make the bikes with robotic models and jigs which lowers their cost. The thing is that someone has to pay for the thought and development process that went into the frame (suspension design) and the lifetime warranty. Giant would be stupid as a company to not try to keep their prices comparable with other companies when they have a strong product that will separate itself from the competition (I don't see how the pricing is ridiculous compared to a comparable specialized enduro. It seems like everyone who dislikes Giant's geometry hasen't ridden their bikes. Who cares what bikes are winning races, most of that has to do with how fast the team riders are. Just because Sam Hill made everyone believe that Ironhorse made the best dh bike in the world and is now making people think specialized is king doesn't mean that giant's all mountain/fr bike sucks.
Giant does change their bikes year to year. Generally if there is a problem in the first year of production they cannot change it for the next year because they have already started gearing up for the next year (2011 models are becoming available now). Take a look at the regular reign or the anthem x, giant changed the head angle on the reign a couple of years ago and added a tapered headtube and pressfit bb on the 2011 reign and anthem x.
If it is any consolation even though the juggernaut of inflation has continued its destructive path giant's 2011 pricing is lower than 2010.
I was one of the few people to be invited to test the new giants last october down southern cal.
( Any person that works at giant can verify that im telling the truth cause only few people where invited to test the bikes)
I did notice what Mountain Bike Action found on the maestro improvements and flaws.
The long chainstays are at issue because if giant makes them shorter the rear suspension becomes less active.As for fabrication goes, the small improvements made, are in fact like i mention very easy to do. Specialized put out a whole new model with frame construction that is avail. to giant and still keep prices competitive. But giant has gone the easy way and keep the same in favor of profit. The flaws still there and pointed by a magazine not me.
I don't see what you are trying to argue at this point. You say it is easy for giant to make small improvements and that they should shorten the chainstays so the fact that they aren't is simply stingy. You are also saying that they fiscally can't shorten them due to the suspension design. So what is it; easy or impossible? If it is impossible then I guess they aren't being cheap. I will agree to disagree that a slightly longer than 17in chainstay isa problem on the reign x, glory-yes it is a problem. IMHO longer stays that help climbing are fine on an all mountain bike.
I don't understand what specialized did for 2011 with the enduro; looks the same as 2010 to me. If you are saying that they added something else in their lineup then my response would be that giant released the anthem x 29er, completely re did the stp, introduced the talon 29er, etc. Big companies with large, diversified line ups cannot be expected to overhaul every frame, every season. There is a reason that people like you and I chose to buy small, botique frames like the offerings of intense-constant updates, options, (geometry, dropouts, vpp), etc. That being said, when a design is popular even the small brands will keep a frame for a couple years. Intense kept your slopestyle frame without change for two consecutive years and they are doing the same with the slopestyle2, Uzzi, 951, etc.
If you are trying to say that you think maestro as a whole is flawed then I am sure that you could at least agree that even if it is not your favorite design it is worlds better than any single pivot. I know most people like maestro, but if you are dead set against it then I respect your right to your own opinion.
The rear swingarm on the demo is attached to the front triangle versus the sunday wich is suspended by the top and bottom link that rotate clockwise (in the santacruz/intense combo one rotates clockwise and the other counter)and is isolated from the front triangle wich yields a diferent wheelpath (specialized is curved and the D.W. goes almost straight).
I dont know where are you getting your info.I work for specialized and the demo suspension has been arround for almost 7 years. No racers help.
Spend a few years in engineering school before you act like you know what you are talking about.
Because i can tell you i worked for intense before specialized and i also can tell you that i test for Marzocchi new products, (check my profile for the prototype suspension on my bikes), i also can tell you that i just finished testing the new ROCO shock coming for 2011
But you probably have better credentials or better bikes than that beat up used sunday or the crapy mojo (dude, get new bikes) and would like to share.
Or is all a mirror of your favorite trail:
PIPE DREAMS!
What happened, did intense can you for pretending you were a pro? Specialized need someone to push a broom? I'm soooo impressed that you have proto marzocchi crap, I'm sure someday they will be able to build better suspension and win something...
Tell you what, Im willing to hear your arguments, im going to be at the specialized display at interbike this september and i will introduce you to the 2 guys behind the demo project.
Maybe im wrong and you can convince them about your point of view.
Tell me how much this looks like the sh*tbox demo from 2 years ago before the pros fixed it...
nsmb.com/3892-specialized-big-bikes-2011-part-3
I knew it, another clown that does not work or is related to the industry,has no experience,no background,no future.
Well, my invitation is there, just wanted to make sure you can prove in any way or form that you have credibility on your arguments.
Dont waste my time,like i said, just another clown!
Lee said this bike felt vague at high speeds, and I would say those long chainstays don't help, but that would be a bit of a wild guess, since almost everyone, except Specialized and a few boutique brands, is running stupid long chainstays.
Even trek got the message an set theirs at 17 inches.
I'm a Simpleton from the village I totaly don't get this "more control" "better balance" thing. I rode older Giant Reign X at that's a totaly sweet bike only the shock placement made it tricky to reach dials. I guess this one must be even better, though it misses the high-tech bling. Looks a bit as for a Simpleton