OK, so I finally caved in (bit of pressure from Jing, who actually spotted the bike for me) and bought myself a NEW bike today.
It’s a 2007 Giant Reign 1 which was worth $3000 new and was on a run-out sale at Cranks in North Sydney (still on their site now). I ended up bargaining it down (it’s the Asian in me) to $1800 cycle away.
Despite initially wanting a hardtail I knew I had to give full suspension a go and it was between the 2008 Scott Genius MC-40 or the Reign. The Scott small felt way too big for me and the lowest I could get it down to was $2350. I did a lot of research on the Reign which is much loved all over the world. 6 inches of travel (that’s massive) a good all round all mountain bike, great for downhills, great for climbing too. I was sold.
Riding it feels pretty strange, it’s very plush, bobs up and down when peddaling out of the seat, but then you realise you didn’t have to get out of the seat, even going off a gutter is surreal as you can sit down and not even feel it. I’m 100% sure it’ll be amazing on the rough stuff.
Tomorrow I’ll hit the national park, or Manly Dam in it and take some pics! Here’s a great clip showing off the suspension at work. Here’s the spec sheet.
Edit: just took some pics.