Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner

any converts from SC Heckler?

637 views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  dumper 
#1 ·
I know I'm likely to get slightly biased opinions in this forum but....

I've got a heckler but thinking of trying a Giant Reign with their "Maestro" suspension. Anyone got any experience of both bikes to make a comparison? I'm the old school wheels on the ground type. Here in NZ I generally ride trails involving plenty of steep climbing and lots of square edged volcanic rocks poking up all over the place. And I just love that high speed rooty beech forest singletrack!

I love the "natural" solid handling of the heckler but I keep wondering if there's something I'm missing without that "virtual" pivot. Having ridden a Blur I know the heckler's not the ultimate in plush.

Just wondering really if moving from the heckler to a Reign could be the move to the "best bike I've ever had" or just a big mistake... Anyone else made the switch?
 
#2 ·
a mistake, no way, but...

a bigger problem is you will have 2 very fun bikes on your hands, each with a DIFFERENT feel to the ride. When you say "square edged," and "rooty," that has Maestro written all over it- much more efficient use of travel in these situations than the SP Heckler. Hitting square-edged hits with the Reign, it feels like the rear suspension is actually PUSHING you forward, rather than holding you back, like the Heckler. Also, I think the Reign feels much snappier at the pedals, as in acceleration, than the Hecker- this is due to the Maestro business again. Frame weights should be about the same, but the newer Reign may have a slightly more relaxed head angle, and longer wheel base than the Heckler(personal preference here). If I had no bikes, I would buy the Reign, but if I already had a Heckler and lived in NZ (because you guys don't get the Giant blowout sales like we do over here), I would ride the Heckler, and stop reading the Giant forum on mtbr!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top