When I started my last guiding job, back in the day. I was so determined to be hardcore that I only rode a hardtail. I was so dedicated that four months later, having broken a Whyte 19 I bought another hardtail, MBR magazine had stated that the Titanium version of the On-One was like riding a 6-inch full suspension bike. I bought the steel version of the same frame. It is written that steel, although heavier has a less harsh ride than Ti It was also about a 1000 pounds cheaper. I was sold!
I had met the MBR staff in Whistler a few years before. Even though they took the piss out of me (in print) for saying that the B-Line trail should be tackled before the A-Line, I held them in high regard. Now I see these magazines for what they are, glossy product catalogues. Although it can help, you also can´t learn to mountain bike by reading an article. Trail maps can be useful but I never read the magazines anymore as I just see them as shameless brochures.
I´m not saying that the On-One was a bad bike, it wasn't and in fact it is still being ridden in anger by a hard charging friend. However, plush is not a word that can ever be applied to a hardtail and even less so to this bike. The frame was so rigid that when I rode it fast my eyes would be so shaken that I could no longer actually see.
Eventually, after being the slowest guide in the world and having had several fully suspended guests complain that I was too slow I took the plunge and bought a Giant Reign. The difference was night and day. Although it could be argued that the hardtail honed my skills with full suspension I rode faster, more aggressively and obtained a level of elegance that I had never really achieved before.
Fast forward six years and I still have the Reign, both shocks no longer hold air and the only original parts are the frame, front wheel, handlebar, stem and headset. It is still a great bike but definitely not up to a a season of riding in proper mountains.
So today I got my hands on this baby......
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