Giant unveil the new Reign E + 2022 – Find out all details and information about Giant’s eMTB with the new Yamaha motor
New motor, new bike: Giant unveil the new Reign E + with a huge 750 Wh battery, MX wheels, plenty of travel and new displays and remotes. The Taiwanese brand caused a stir in the eMTB world introducing not only a revised frame platform but also the brand-new SyncDrive Pro drive, which is based on the latest generation of Yamaha motors. We can tell you all about it.
In purely visual terms, the second generation of the Reign E + is distinctively recognisable as a Giant. Only upon closer inspection, you’ll notice the differences between the second-generation of Giant’s alloy eMTB and its predecessor, which was only introduced in 2019. Although it’s not evident at first glance, the latest incarnation of the Reign E+ was thoroughly overhauled, with the new motor system representing the most striking upgrade. Moreover, Giant swapped the 29” rear wheel with a smaller 27.5” wheel, relying on a mixed wheel size setup. Giant’s popular Maestro suspension system generates 160 mm travel and is combined with a 170 mm fork. As a result, the bike should remain true to its primary area of application and, above all, stay planted on the trail on rough descents while negotiating technical climbs without breaking a sweat. The very high permissible weight of 156 kg has remained the same, making the Reign E+ a great option for heavy riders. Cool!
weight n/a | € 7,399 | Manufacturer’s website
The new Yamaha motor of the Giant Reign E +
Giant and Yamaha belong together like two sides of a coin: The hardware of the Giant SyncDrive Pro motor, which was always based on Yamaha’s PW-X motor, is paired with Giant’s own brand sensors, remotes, batteries and software. The latest generation of the SyncDrive Pro is significantly more compact and lighter than its predecessor but still churns out up to 85 Nm torque. While the protruding motor of the predecessor caused the bike to get stuck on obstacles like tree stumps and rocks, the compact new motor of the latest Reign E + should provide significantly more ground clearance. In the strongest of the five support levels, the SyncDrive Pro should put out about four times that what the rider puts in. Using several sensors that also take into account the gradient of the climb, the dynamic and progressive SmartAssist Mode cleverly adapts the level of support to the riding situation. We can’t wait to see whether the latest generation of remotes activates the mode more intuitively than the previous version. Depending on the model, the SyncDrive Pro draws its power from either a 625 Wh or 750 Wh battery, which are both integrated into the down tube of the Reign E+.
So far, the SyncDrive Pro motor has always packed a punch even at low cadence and thus ensured a special riding experience with the previous Reign E +. We can’t wait to find out how the new motor performs on the trail and whether it has maintained its powerful character – perhaps we’re looking at a teaser for the new hardware for the latest Yamaha PW-X motor?
Well integrated: the remote and display of the new Reign E +
While developing the new Reign E +, Giant have clearly focused on the integration of the display and remote. The RideControl ONE unit typical of Giant’s eMTBs was replaced with two separate systems. Like Specialized’s Turbo eMTBs, the new Reign integrates the RideControl Go unit directly into the alloy top tube, where it provides all information about the current support level and charge status via LEDs.
The minimalist RideControl Ergo 3 handlebar remote, which is integrated into the end of the grip, makes for an elegant and discreet cockpit. The functions of the three buttons can be individually assigned via the app. Moreover, the remote can be attached to either grip.
The display is neatly integrated into the frame and provides all the essential information: you don’t really need anything else!
The minimalist and very discreet remote of the Reign E + can be attached to either grip. We love the system!
The geometry of the Giant Reign E+
Giant have clearly taken onboard our criticism regarding the geometry of the Reign E + and made some changes to the latest generation of their eMTB. First and foremost, the overly-long seat tube of the predecessor was shortened significantly and should now offer enough freedom of movement when riding with the dropped seat. The compact motor also allowed engineers to lower the bottom bracket. Moreover, Giant have also raised the front of the new Reign by 3 cm: we’re curious to see how these changes affect the handling of the bike and how well the revised geometry integrates the rider into the bike. The geometry of the new Reign E+ can be adjusted using a FlipChip in the seat stays.
| Size * | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 400 mm | 425 mm | 450 mm | 475 mm |
| Top tube | 569 mm | 595 mm | 622 mm | 649 mm |
| Head tube | 100 mm | 100 mm | 110 mm | 120 mm |
| Head angle | 64° | 64° | 64° | 64° |
| Seat angle | 77° | 77° | 77° | 77° |
| Chainstays | 454 mm | 454 mm | 454 mm | 454 mm |
| BB Drop | 21 mm | 21 mm | 21 mm | 21 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1209 mm | 1236 mm | 1265 mm | 1295 mm |
| Reach | 423 mm | 449 mm | 474 mm | 499 mm |
| Stack | 636 mm | 635 mm | 645 mm | 654 mm |
* FlipChip in LOW
The new Giant Reign E + models at a glance
The new Gaint Reign E + eMTB will be available from september 2021 in four different spec variants, which retail between € 4,799 and € 7,399. The build kits mainly differ in the suspension, drivetrain, brakes and, most importantly, the size of the battery. The two cheaper models, the Reign E + 3 and Reign E + 2, rely on a smaller 625 Wh battery, while the Reign E + 1 and the Reign E + 0 flagship models have a whopping 750 Wh capacity. Detailed specs have not yet been disclosed.
| Reign E+ 0 | Reign E+ 1 | Reign E+ 2 | Reign E+ 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motor | GIANT SyncDrive Pro 85 Nm | |||
| Battery | GIANT EnergyPak XL 750 Wh | GIANT EnergyPak Smart 625 Wh | ||
| Display | GIANT RideControl GO | |||
| Remote | GIANT RideControl Ergo 3 | |||
| Fork | FOX 38 Factory GRIP2 170 mm | FOX 38 Performance Elite 170 mm | RockShox ZEB Select 170 mm | RockShox Domain 170 mm |
| Rear Shock | FOX X2 Factory 160 mm | FOX X2 Performance Elite 160 mm | FOX DPX2 Performance 160 mm | FOX DPS 160 mm |
| Drivetrain | SRAM X01 Eagle 1×12 | Shimano XT 1×12 | SRAM GX/NX Eagle 1×12 | Shimano Deore 1×12 |
| Brakes | SRAM Code RSC 220/200 mm | Shimano XT 4-Kolben 200 mm | SRAM Code R 220/200 mm | Shimano Deore 4-Kolben 200 mm |
| Price | € 7,399 | € 6,499 | € 5,499 | € 4,799 |
weight n/a | € 7,399 | Manufacturer’s website
Our Conclusions
The Giant Reign E + has always distinguished itself from the rest with its very own character and impressed above all with its super powerful motor. We are curious to see if the latest generation of motors can raise the bar even further. At first glance, the integration of the display and remote are excellent and the massive 750 Wh battery is awesome news. Given that Giant have taken on board our criticism regarding the geometry of the bike, we’re even more excited to test the new Reign E+ on the trails!
More info at: giant-bicycles.com
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