Yeti 575 vs Giant Reign or Trance

[Timmay023]

G'day,

I am wondering if anyone can give me their opinion on the rides qualities of these 3 bikes? I am a bit obsessed with Yeti's since my first AS-X and subsequent 303 rdh. But now I want something as a do it all bike. Living up here in Cairns, although there is a heap of downhilling to do, if you only have a DH bike, you miss out on heaps of regular trail riding.

So, I know that Giants are pretty well respected, but I have only had 1 long ride on a trance in NZ and found it a bit rough. I just didn't feel like I could ride it all day as it kicked and bucked under me. I figure the reign would be a bit more plush but I am guessing that the Yeti would be miles ahead... with similar spec. Does anyone out there have some first hand experience on all 3??

Cheers

 

[outtacontrol]

You would more likely get more responses from this if you had put the thread in the appropriate section. I would try XC/Enduro.

After reading your post, I would think it highly likely that the suspension on the Trance was probably not correctly set up for your weight and style of riding. I ride a Trance and with the suspension correctly dialled, they are anything but rough and bumpy.

I can't comment on the others except to say that the reign is a much different bike to ride to the Trance, despite being similar in looks. The Reign is more robust with more travel, so it is much more capable downhill, but far less efficient uphill.

Haven't ridden the 575, but would assume it would sit between the other 2.

 

[Yezeeer]

I own a Giant Reign 2 2011 model, its a great do it all mountain bike. I came from not riding for 10+ years so not sure if I'm the best to recommend, however the bike has handled everything I threw at it to date.. with the 2 being base model, I'm now going through some upgrades.. so if you got the money to begin with, I'd go the XO or Reign X .. from the sounds of your riding style, I'd go the X .. as this is more a freeride orientated bike, but will still get you up those hills...

Best thing is go to your local bike shop and test ride all of them..

 

[The_NUT]

The Yeti 575 and Giant Reign are the exact two bikes im trying to decide between at the moment. Obviously the Yeti being far more expensive, but there are some great second hand ones.... Ive come down to good second hand Yeti VS new Reign 1

 

[damien.mahoney]

I can't comment on the Yetty or trance. I have owned a Giant Reign for 5 years though. Very happy with it. My criteria were/are the lightest bike that could handle downhill riding. I like doing both trails and downhill with drops/jumps. The Reign has served me well. Though I did replace the front forks cause the standard splice forks it came with didn't cut it. Got some Lyric Rock Shox and that sorted that. Also got some downhill tyres and rims which helped heaps too. No flats now and way better grip.

My advice is to make sure you get a bike with good enough spec as upgrading is time consuming and more costly than just buying it in the first place. I'd also buy second hand cause you'll save a stack of money.

 

[Timmay023]

The Yeti 575 and Giant Reign are the exact two bikes im trying to decide between at the moment. Obviously the Yeti being far more expensive, but there are some great second hand ones.... Ive come down to good second hand Yeti VS new Reign 1

Did you make a choice? I am now debating the asr 5 too. It just isn't easy parting with that much cash!

 

[gasman]

I've owned a reign. Trance and anthem. The yeti shats on all 3. Better all mtn x over IMO. Yeti 575 is my current ride.

 

[burnside97]

Every man and his dog has a Giant. Id get the Yeti cos they're so damn sexy

 

[RICOCHET]

YETI All the way!

 

[Jeffgre_6163]

You have to look at what the extra coin is getting you on a Yeti [Street cred a side]
I have a 2011 Trance x1 and really like it, its far from my first bike, but when I choose it price was not really a consideration [I had 13k to spend from the sale of another toy ]I looked at Specialised, Yeti, Cannondale etc.
All bikes in the 120mm travel range.
I have also riden a Reign 1 for some time and found it great but a tad heavy and not a sweet a climber as the Trance, but on the way back down... awesome
The Giant Trance killed them all for value for money.
Full XT group set, The latest Fox FIT fork, tapered head tube, pre fitted tubeless wheel set and tires etc etc
Retail at The Bicycle Center in Cairns [Yep, I live in Cairns as well] is $3,500
I dont know what a Yeti 575 with the equivalent full XT group set is but I sure as hell reckon it would be a lot more than 3.5k! and you could not buy one in Cairns [Thinkng of service and warranty issues].
So f**king what if Giants are as thick as Mangoes on the ground up here, there are a lot of good reasons for that, the same reason as why Toyota Corollas are the worlds best selling car.
Because they represent excellent value and just do everything right

 

[RICOCHET]

575- XT - $6,200

Yeti's just have a better feel and ride quality than the Giants.

Plus they look better, are easier to service (Pivot Points etc) and are just plain cool

 

[Nerf Herder]

From your first post, I'm gonna presume you really really like the downs more then the ups ... and by downs, I mean hucks, deep ruts and rocks ... and at speed ... I feel so horny just thinking about it ... except for the humidity

Anywho, everything except for the hucks, the trance can do ... and if you keep to alloy and get an X I reckon it can eat the occassional 5 to 4 footers (to sloping trannies).

I have a trance and if I didn't have carbon bars, it would be ridden quite a bit harder. You have less margin for error, but I love my trance for very aggressive trail riding.

I thought I'd just put that in as you seem to have discounted the Trance.

So, again presuming you mean slowish XC but manic Downhill with some pucker hucks ... then I think you are wise to move it to 575 and Reign territory and discount the Trance

I have lots of friends on Reigns, some very fast pedalling technical riders, and some very aggressive moto riders. I've only spent a little bit of time on Reigns, but for all intents and purposes ... its a Trance with more travel so I'll presume more then capable. One thing though, I've never really been impressed with the Reigns, which is weird coz I love the Trance and would love an X, but they just don't do it for me ... prolly brand snobbery, and I do have a bullit so not sure whats that all about.

I was lucky enough to ride a 575 for a full Appin lap (technical XC) ... but it has a very nice descending bit, which my trance loves ... picture high speed pedalling popping rocks, roots, corners, rough rollers and even some minor air. big grin stuff

The 575 ate it all ... My AM rig is a SC Bullit and ever since I road the 575, I've been trying to make my bullit ride the same ... soooo plush (and I never thought I'd ever say that about a single pivot), rails corners, yet you can stomp on the pedals and it only has minimal if any bob. It came with a 36 float TALAS wound to 100mm so one reason it ate the xc bits and really enjoyed the fast hooligan bits.

Anywho ... another regular riding buddy has another 575 and he pretty much does little 4 or 5 fters (might be a little bigger), bashes rocks both up and down and rides it like a small DH

I'm so impressed with the 575s and wouldn't hesitate to get one (except for the carbon bits )

So, sorry for the postwhoring ... I'd go the yeti, prolly more out of brand snobbery then anything, but if you have the money, why not and you are a self confessed fan boy

Other brands that I'd look at
SC Butcher ... a small in "for sale" if it fits ... I'm curious to see if its an improvement over my bullit thats all.
Gary Fischer Roscoe ... so many positive reviews, maybe more trail oriented.
Trek Remedy ... I want to try the ABP ... (Trek boffins - are these the same as the Roscoes )
Last Herb ... apparently more DH oriented (see Dirt trail bike review)
I won't bother with the lappy due to no local distro (as far as I know)

Sorry for throwing that last section in ... can't make it too easy

 

[Jeffgre_6163]

575- XT - $6,200

Yeti's just have a better feel and ride quality than the Giants.

Plus they look better, are easier to service (Pivot Points etc) and are just plain cool

A Yeti would want to have a hugely better ride quality for the $2.7k difference when compared to the Giant Trance X1 and for that amount of money you could pay someone else to service the Giant for the life of the bike.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for brand snobbery, I love a prestigious label as much as the next bloke, but there is a limit.
Two Thousand, seven hundred dollars is a lot of money - you could get one hell of a good second bike for that, or a OS riding holiday etc etc
I truely believe that perception becomes reality for the owners of a large percentage of luxury good owners - I too would really want to believe that the extra 2.7k I had spent on a bike really made it that much better than the cheaper bike with the exact same components [frame differences aside] but I doubt this is the case most of the time.
Unless you spent a considerable amount of saddle time on both bikes, over the same lap, with both bikes set up well, I put it to you guys that the vast majority of us weekend warriors would do they same lap time within seconds.

But, hey, who am I to tell you how to spend you money, if I had the money I would certainly have a garage full of Yeti, Pivot etc etc

 

[RICOCHET]

All my previous bikes have been Giant. It was a tuff decision to step up to the Yeti because of the extra money but I'm glad I did. I have done all my racing on Giants (yet to race the Yeti) but I know for a fact that I'm fast on the Yeti and more confident. X amount of $$ is worth it especially when I don't chop and change my bike ever year.

Buy the bike you can afford that will give you the most pleasure/confidence and it will do you well.

 

[gasman]

All my previous bikes have been Giant. It was a tuff decision to step up to the Yeti because of the extra money but I'm glad I did. I have done all my racing on Giants (yet to race the Yeti) but I know for a fact that I'm fast on the Yeti and more confident. X amount of $$ is worth it especially when I don't chop and change my bike ever year.

Buy the bike you can afford that will give you the most pleasure/confidence and it will do you well.

Agreed. I also have never been as fast or as comfy on my 575. Brand whore or not. It descends a's good a's the reign and goes uphill better then the trance, and on the flats it doesn't bob and the power goes straight into the dirt.