Another Kiwi Rider

[whayze]

Hello all! Long time MTBer, first time eMTB from Auckland, NZ.
After a couple mates upgraded to eBikes I got sick of saying goodbye to them as soon as I get to the bottom of the hill so sold my Remedy 8 and just ordered at 2022 Giant Reign E+2, the last in NZ according to Giant ANZ after they told me basically no new Giants till next year here..

Was debating between the E+2 and the Rail 5 both Medium frame, but after riding the Rail I really dislike a 29" rear. After reading all about the Mullet setup that the Reign has it seems like the go!

 

[JP-NZ]

Welcome along from another Kiwi...

Keep an eye on the downtube once you get it... Giant reign 2022 frame cracking - EMTB Forums

 

[RolyNZ]

Hiya, another Kiwi Rider here, I'm in Taranaki. I grabbed a Rail, after renting one in Rotorua for a day I was hooked, coming from a reign 27.5.
I am planning on converting mine to mullet, no experience with such a setup, just heard all about it, and my rear rim is dented already, after riding with an underinflated rear shock. So I may be doing the conversion sooner than I had planned.

 

[Wilm]

Another kiwi here. Who is renting rails in Rotorua?

Also welcome etc.

 

[whayze]

Welcome along from another Kiwi...

Keep an eye on the downtube once you get it... Giant reign 2022 frame cracking - EMTB Forums

Thanks yeah I saw that issue when I was researching them.. I was looking at the Trance X which has a similar frame weld/design and there seems to be no issue so I’m hoping the Reign issue is just a bad batch or as they reckon hopefully just filler/paint cracks and not actual structure.
Anyway way we shall see, the first step is just getting hands on the thing, the snows shut the roads out of wanaka so my bike is not moving any time soon..

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Kia ora bros. I've just mulleted my rail which I've had for the last couple of years. Weather has been so crap last couple of weeks that I haven't had a good thrashing yet on it however with the short ride I have had I know I'll be happy with it. Gets round the tight corners really quickly.
The cheapest good wheel I found was this one Race Face Aeffect R30 27.5" 12x148mm Boost MTB Rear Wheel (Micro Spline Shimano)

Holy crap I paid $525 delivered 4 weeks ago for mine so amazing discount now.

Also Whaze I mulleted mine after riding the wifes new Merida E160-700. If I was buying a new bike that's what I would buy (or the Reign if they were available), it kicks the Rails arse on tight Nelson tracks & the spec is way better than the crap Rail 5 specs for less money.

 

[RolyNZ]

Another kiwi here. Who is renting rails in Rotorua?

Also welcome etc.

Just go to the bike park, MTB Rotorua do it from the carpark. 2 hours or 4 hours. if you get it for 4 hours, they don't seem to mind if you run over time a little. They have e+ Reigns and Rail 7's.

 

[RolyNZ]

Kia ora bros. I've just mulleted my rail which I've had for the last couple of years. Weather has been so crap last couple of weeks that I haven't had a good thrashing yet on it however with the short ride I have had I know I'll be happy with it. Gets round the tight corners really quickly.
The cheapest good wheel I found was this one Race Face Aeffect R30 27.5" 12x148mm Boost MTB Rear Wheel (Micro Spline Shimano)

Holy crap I paid $525 delivered 4 weeks ago for mine so amazing discount now.

Mean cheers for the tip $400 isn't bad. I will check them out, my brother in-law may even have one at his place....

 

[whayze]

Kia ora bros. I've just mulleted my rail which I've had for the last couple of years. Weather has been so crap last couple of weeks that I haven't had a good thrashing yet on it however with the short ride I have had I know I'll be happy with it. Gets round the tight corners really quickly.
The cheapest good wheel I found was this one Race Face Aeffect R30 27.5" 12x148mm Boost MTB Rear Wheel (Micro Spline Shimano)

Holy crap I paid $525 delivered 4 weeks ago for mine so amazing discount now.

Also Whaze I mulleted mine after riding the wifes new Merida E160-700. If I was buying a new bike that's what I would buy (or the Reign if they were available), it kicks the Rails arse on tight Nelson tracks & the spec is way better than the crap Rail 5 specs for less money.

Hey bro, thanks for the Info, Yeah the Zeb Fork alone on the Reign was a huge plus. I just felt with a mediaum frame and a full 29' wheelset my ability to turn tightly was non-existent, it really made me hesitant on those trickier trails. When I priced up the Rail to how I'd want it was easily $600 over the base price of the Reign, the hardest part was finding a medium in the country..

 

[ilostmypassword]

Hello from sunny Christchurch

 

[Jafajones]

Hi and welcome from another Kiwi (Auckland) Giant rider, mine is a Fathom and a hardtail, a full suspension model sure looks pretty attractive after some of my rides. Just upgraded my toys to include a Garmin Varia (smart tail light) after a bit of a fright and looking forward to some more conducive weather so I can see if it helps with nerves

Mike

 

[whayze]

Hi and welcome from another Kiwi (Auckland) Giant rider, mine is a Fathom and a hardtail, a full suspension model sure looks pretty attractive after some of my rides. Just upgraded my toys to include a Garmin Varia (smart tail light) after a bit of a fright and looking forward to some more conducive weather so I can see if it helps with nerves

Mike

Nice mate yeah I definitely like the ’glide’ that dual sus gives especially on bumpy trails like Riverhead..

 

[Chairman]

Welcome aboard fellow kiwi. Fyi I mulleted my moterra about 500ks ago. Best move ever apart from bosch software not allowing the wheel circumference to be set. However once overcoming that hiccup its been a revelation. Those cracked reigns are a bit of a concern though

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Welcome aboard fellow kiwi. Fyi I mulleted my moterra about 500ks ago. Best move ever apart from bosch software not allowing the wheel circumference to be set. However once overcoming that hiccup its been a revelation. Those cracked reigns are a bit of a concern though

My bike shop told me ther is only one machine in NZ that could change the settings for my mullet & they prob wouldn't do it because i can change back to 29. Sounds ridiculous to me so taking that with a grain of salt but what did you do?

 

[Chairman]

Bosch NZ refuse to supply software to allow the change of circumference with a mullet supposedly because you could then put a 29 back on and cheat the speed cutoff. It's a pita really and the only way around it is to derestrict which is an added cost and also a pita however the improvement with mullet is worth it

 

[Rocketscience66]

Hiya - another Aucks rider. I bought a Rail 7 18mths ago and swapped out the Bontrager wheels for a Wheelworks mullet wheelset. I kept the standard cranks and left the mino chip in high mode. Although I get a few more pedal strikes, it made the bike much nicer to ride, esp in tight singletrack.
I have the Kiox controller which makes setting the wheel size quite easy.

 

[RolyNZ]

Hiya - another Aucks rider. I bought a Rail 7 18mths ago and swapped out the Bontrager wheels for a Wheelworks mullet wheelset. I kept the standard cranks and left the mino chip in high mode. Although I get a few more pedal strikes, it made the bike much nicer to ride, esp in tight singletrack.
I have the Kiox controller which makes setting the wheel size quite easy.

Hi @Rocketscience66 I've got the kiox too and changed the wheel circumference when I got my rail as the stock setting wasn't what my 29 wheel measured. I have found though that the speed cuts out at less than 32, and if I use strava, my strava rides are a decent amount shorter than the ones the Kiox displays. How accurate is yours? And what speed does your assist klick off at?

I've bought a 27.5 back wheel, so I'm committed to the mullet, but from what I read above, my bikes just going to think I am going further/faster than I really am.

 

[Chairman]

Yes with my 27.5 set on the smallest diameter available on kiosk the limiter would start kicking
In at 28 kph according to Garmin and also mates on their levos

 

[RolyNZ]

Yes with my 27.5 set on the smallest diameter available on kiosk the limiter would start kicking
In at 28 kph according to Garmin and also mates on their levos

Stink, ah well I guess it just means a bit more pedalling

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Maybe we should move our mullet results acros to the Rail mullet thread in the Trek section. It would be good to compare how others are finding the setup. With the crap weather, local forests closing for harvest & a dose of the devils plague I haven't had good chance to try mine out. I'm expecting it to be awesome though.

 

[RolyNZ]

Yeah OK I am new to this forum, didn't know such a place existed.

 

[Chairman]

I have been following that thread even though my mullet is a Cannondale. I have already forgotten what the 29 felt like haha. Just the memory of how much more in control the mullet felt the first few rides. Definitely corners better but probably doesn't role over the chatter as well

 

[whayze]

Picked the bike up today! Beyond stoked even with the suspect frame issues (obviously nothing presented yet..) I have heard giant are rolling out frame replacements now so I’m a quite reassured. Time will tell but tell you what she is a good looking bike!

 

[ilostmypassword]

Picked the bike up today! Beyond stoked even with the suspect frame issues (obviously nothing presented yet..) I have heard giant are rolling out frame replacements now so I’m a quite reassured. Time will tell but tell you what she is a good looking bike!

View attachment 91329

Yikes! Lucky to get a Reign. How long were you waiting? Looks sick!

Isn't it sticking out a lot on that rack though???

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Sick whips bro!!

 

[whayze]

Yikes! Lucky to get a Reign. How long were you waiting? Looks sick!

Isn't it sticking out a lot on that rack though???

Not long at all as there was one Medium in Wanaka I had shipped up.

It looks worse in the photo but it does stick out slightly due to the narrow-ness of the Jimny . Most of my transport will be with a ute though this was just a run to pick it up!

 

[ilostmypassword]

Not long at all as there was one Medium in Wanaka I had shipped up.

It looks worse in the photo but it does stick out slightly due to the narrow-ness of the Jimny . Most of my transport will be with a ute though this was just a run to pick it up!

Nice find! Reigns are rare!

Looks like a complete wheel length I pondered for along time on a suitable rack and considered this setup for my van. It was this that put me off. Hopefully you don't wipe out with that much sticking out! Can't you just move it along so it supports it near the rear linkage on the bike?

Ute would be sweet. Love the look of bikes hanging over the back of a ute!

That 4WD is stunning btw!

 

[Chairman]

Looks good. Where's the first big ride gonna be

 

[whayze]

Looks like a complete wheel length I pondered for along time on a suitable rack and considered this setup for my van. It was this that put me off. Hopefully you don't wipe out with that much sticking out! Can't you just move it along so it supports it near the rear linkage on the bike?

Ute would be sweet. Love the look of bikes hanging over the back of a ute!

That 4WD is stunning btw!

haha yeah it’s def not that bad but is about half the wheel overhang. It’s fine for my missus trek, I could prob squeeze it over another 1.5” but yeah the main issue is the reign is a long bike and the Jimny a skinny 4wd!
I have just got a tailgate pad for the ute so it’ll definitely be the tow pony of choice!

 

[whayze]

Looks good. Where's the first big ride gonna be

Thank you, hopefully it goes just as good as it looks! First ride was supposed to be the Redwoods last weekend but my LBS hadn’t received it yet sadly so it’ll just be a local mission to woodhill I think