2014 Giant Reign X 1

2014 Giant Reign X

In December I was surprised by my wife with a new bike an not just any bike but the one I had my eye on for several months, The Reign X.  I have been needing a new bike for a while (the Airborne Marauder I had didn't last long under real use) and had been riding everything we had at the shop.  I really liked the new 27.5" wheeled bikes that Giant has out like the Trance and Trance SX and I liked the Trance X 29er.  I rode the crap out of all of these trying to decide what to get but for the type of riding I enjoy it was narrowed down to the Trance SX 27.5 or the Reign X.  In the end I was more comfortable on the 26" wheels and the Reign was the bike I wanted.  The surprise was that my wife got it for me!

Giant's Reign X is the one of the last 26" wheeled bikes being offer by Giant.  The last 26" offerings are the Reign X, the Glory, and the STP.  The Anthem, Trance, XTC, and Talon are all going to 27.5 wheels, and I would not be surprised to see the Glory and Reign X go that way in the next couple of years.

The Reign X 1

Price-$3,825 msrp

FRAME
Sizes	S, M, L
Colors	Red/Black/White
Frame	ALUXX SL-grade aluminum, 6.7" Maestro suspension
Fork	RockShox Lyric RC, w/20mm thru-axle, OverDrive 2 steerer, 160mm travel
Shock	RockShox Monarch Plus

COMPONENTS
Handlebar	Giant Contact All Mountain, 31.8mm
Stem	Giant Connect SL, OverDrive 2
Seatpost	Giant Contact Switch-R, 30.9mm
Saddle	Giant Contact, Upright
Pedals	N/A

DRIVETRAIN
Shifters	SRAM X7, Trigger Shift
Front Derailleur	SRAM X7
Rear Derailleur	SRAM X9, Type 2
Brakes	Avid Elixir 7 Trail, hydraulic disc, [F] 200mm, [R] 180mm
Brake Levers	Avid Elixir 7 Trail
Cassette	SRAM PG1070 11x36, 10-speed
Chain	KMC X10
Crankset	SRAM S1000, 24/36 w/MRP 2x Guide
Bottom Bracket	SRAM GXP

WHEELS
Rims	Giant P-AM2, Double Wall
Hubs	[F] Giant Tracker, w/20mm axle, 32h [R] DT Swiss 350, w/12mm Maxle axle, 32h
Spokes	DT Competition, 14/15g
Tires	Schwalbe Hans Dampf Performance, 26x2.35, folding

My size large Reign X weighs in at 32lbs with Wellgo Magnesium platform pedals.  While this is definitely an improvement over my 42lbs Airborne Marauder it is still not the lightest bike out there.  The Reign X does not climb like a heavy bike but it also does not climb like an XC machine.  The Maestro suspension does a great job of controlling pedal bob, and with my upgraded Rockshox Monarch High air volume rear shock that has three compression settings it will get up anything I need it to.  When the trail heads down the Reign X is really in its element.  Rock gardens vanish under it and drops feel like your going off a curb.  The Reign X's slack head angle and 29" bars give the bike a very controlled feel while descending and inspires confidence.  

The Reign X comes with a Giant Contact Switch-R dropper post that has 4" of travel.  I personally would like one with 5" or 6" of drop so I could run the post all the way down and still get high enough to pedal, as it is I have about 3" of post exposed to get the saddle height I like for pedaling and in the dropped position it has not interfered with my descending so I am just nit picking.  I also would have liked to see the bike come set up for internal cable routing for the dropper post. 

The brakes that are spec'ed for this bike are Avids Elixir 7 Trail brakes, while I sure they are good brakes and have plenty of power I can't say anything about them because they were replaced with my Avid XO Trail brakes before I ever put a leg over the bike.  The XO Trails are the best feeling brakes I have ever used.  They provide the power that a four piston brake should and have great modulation, unfortunately they take a little more maintenance than Shimano brakes, but I would not trade the feel of these brakes for the difference in time it takes to bleed them.

Sram's 2x10 drive-train is a solid performer and the MRP 2x guide will keep your chain were it belongs in most situations, I was able to drop a chain during a downhill race but never on a trail ride.  

The bike comes with the Rockshox Monarch rear shock, mine had a problem when it arrived and Rockshox sent out an upgraded version that has a higher air volume and 3 setting compression switch.  This has worked great for me since I am 220lbs.  The front suspension duty is handled by the Rockshox Lyric.  The Lyric is and has been one of my favorite forks in the last few years.   It has both rebound and compression adjustments that allow you to dial it in where you like.  The fork will take anything you can throw at it.

All in all the Reign X is a solid All Mountain/ Enduro bike that will get you to the top relatively painlessly and let you really enjoy the trail on the way down.

Ryders Eyewear

Shore Goggles

About a year ago Ryders Eyewear provided me with two pairs of the Shore goggles for testing and review, unfortunately it took a while for me to get enough use out of them to give an honest opinion.  Most of my riding is done on local trails that do not require the use of a full face helmet or goggles, but this summer I was able to get several days of riding in at Mammoth Mountains bike park and at Snow Summits bike park along with some time on local downhill trails where I had ample opportunity to throw on the full face helmet.  My son who is 13 also tested a set of shore goggles to see if there was any difference with different size helmets.

 What Ryders Eyewear has to say about the Shore goggles can be seen at http://www.ryderseyewear.com/node/6655

I have used several other goggle brands prior to using the Ryder Shore goggles, I have used Oakley, Scott, Smith, and Dragon brands.  I liked all of these and thought that they were really good products but the ones I liked the best were the Oakley MX O-Frames.  These fit my helmet better than the others but they had a smaller field of view.  I always felt that I was riding with blinders on while wearing the Oakleys, but they did not pinch my nose or rub weirdly on my face.  They also stayed in place really well.

I did not think that the Shores would stand up to the Oakley O-Frames, until I put them on.  The Oakleys always sat a little high on my nose giving me the feeling of looking out the bottom of the lens.  The Shores have a higher nose bridge and they seemed to fit to my face perfectly.  This also made it easier to breath without the extra pressure on my nose.  The Ryders Shore goggles also have a wide field of view, I never felt that my peripheral vision was suffering any more than it would wearing my Bell full face helmet without goggles.  The Shore goggles are designed from the ground up for Mountain Biking and they are made to fit the mtb full face helmets.  These frames fit my m/l size Bell helmet like a glove and they also work perfectly on my sons small sized Bell helmet.

Most goggles I have used will fog up if the conditions are right.  Stopping in cool air with my heavy breathing the Shores fogged up, but as soon as I started to move again the Ryders vent design immediately clear the lenses.  I never had a problem with fogging up if I was moving and they never got bad enough that I had to take them off to clear them.  The vents also help to keep your face cool on hot days better than any other goggles I have used.

I had the chance of testing the durability of the Shore goggles at Snow Summit where I went over the bars at a good speed and slide down the side of the hill on my face.  My visor on my helmet broke and I was able to watch the dirt as it came over the front of my full face helmet and into my mouth, but the goggles kept it out of my eyes and they never slipped.  My eyes were the only place that dirt did not get!  The goggles also came away from the crash scratch free.

Ryders Eyewear has continually impressed me with the quality and design of their products and the Shore goggles are no exception.  They are light, durable, and comfortable.  They come in 4 different colors.   The lenses are compatible with tear away systems and they are affordable at $54.99.  I will continue to use these goggles, and if I ever need another pair the Shore goggles will be my first choice!

Jake with his Shore goggles at Mammoth Mountain

Jake rocking the Shore's in El Moro

New Rubber

I have been running some heavy tires for a while and I like them, but when I saw these Continental Mountain King 2.4's come into the shop I decided to try out a new set up.  I was running Kenda Kinetics with a 2.6 in the front and a 2.35 in the rear.  With the Mountain Kings I am going to try a 2.4 in front and a 2.2 in the rear.  While I haven't been able to ride with these yet I can say that these tire dropped 3 lbs from the Marauder.  When I  combine this weight loss with the weight loss from the addition of Avid Elixer 3 brakes The bike has gone from 42.3 lbs to 37.1 lbs.  If these tires hold up they will probably become a permant addition, if they don't I will go back to the Kendas.  Look forward to a full review soon!

Ryders Eyewear

RYDERS EYEWEAR

By

Jeff Morgan

These are the Caliber Polarphoto sunglasses provided to me by Ryders Eyewear.  These glasses are specifically made with mountain biking in mind.  They are light weight, comfortable, and look great.  The lenses are shatterproof to protect your eyes.  They are also photochromic so the lighten and darken to instantly adjust to lighting conditions and on top of all this they are polarized to cut down on the glare.

Check out www.thedirtywheel.com in the next few weeks for my in depth review of the Caliber Polarphoto glasses, and check back here for my first thoughts on the Ryders Eyewear Shore Goggles!

I love my Shore goggles!!!!

Giant Trance X 29er 1

2013 Giant Trance X 29er 1

By Jeff Morgan

                Recently I have had the opportunity to check out Giant's 2013 Trance X 29er 1.  This is the second tier model for this bike but it still retains the high standards set by the previous Trance models.  The main difference between this bike and the old Trance is that this is a 29er.  Giant has taken their proven Trance X and adjusted the geometry to offer it as a big wheeled bike with 5 inches of suspension.

Here is how it comes equipped:

-FRAME

Sizes      XS, S, M, L, XL

Colors   Black/White/Red

Frame   ALUXX SL-Grade Aluminum, 5" Maestro Suspension

Fork       Fox 32 Float 29 CTD w/ 15QR thru-axle, OverDrive 2, 120mm Travel

Shock    Fox Float CTD Boostvalve

-COMPONENTS

Handlebar           Giant Connect SL, Low Rise, 31.8

Stem     Giant Connect SL, OverDrive 2

Seatpost              Giant Contact Switch w/ Remote, 30.9

Saddle  Giant Performance MTB

Pedals   N/A

-DRIVETRAIN

Shifters SRAM X7, 2x10 Speed

Front Derailleur SRAM X7

Rear Derailleur  SRAM X9 Type 2

Brakes  Avid Elixir 3, [F] 180mm, [R] 160mm

Brake Levers      Avid Elixir 3

Cassette              SRAM PG 1030 11x36, 10-Speed

Chain     KMC X10

Crankset              SRAM S1000, 24/38

Bottom Bracket                SRAM, Press Fit

WHEELS

Rims      Giant P-XC29er 2, Double Wall

Hubs      [F] Giant Tracker Sealed/CNC w/ 15mm Axle, [R] Giant Tracker Performance, 32h

Spokes DT Swiss Competition, 14/15g

Tires      Schwalbe Nobby Nic, 29x2.25 TL Ready Evolution Folding

And here are the numbers:

SIZE        HEAD ANGLE      SEAT ANGLE       TOP TUBE            HEAD TUBE         CHAIN STAY        WHEEL BASE       STANDOVER HEIGHT

Inches   Degrees               Degrees               Inches   Inches   Inches   Inches   Inches

XS/14.5 69.5        74.0        21.7        4.1          17.8        42.9        25.2

S/16       69.5        73.0        22.4        4.1          17.8        43.1        25.4

M/18     69.5        73.0        23.4        4.1          17.8        44.1        26.4

L/20       69.5        73.0        24.1        4.1          17.8        44.9        27.2

XL/22     69.5        73.0        25.0        4.3          17.8        45.8        28.1

The Bike:

The Trance X 29er 1 comes loaded with some pretty nice componentry.  It is equipped with a Sram X7/X9 2x10 drivetrain.  The 2x10 drivetrain is a solid addition to this model, it provides you with all the gearing you need to get to the top of any trail that your legs can make it up, and even a few that you might think you can’t.  The X7 shifters are not the flashy bling parts that we all love, but they are solid and get the job done.  Giant has put the Sram X9 type 2 rear derailleur out back and it provides crisp shifting with very little chain slap.  This combo shifts quickly and quietly and has held up very well with little adjustment needed. 

You will also find this bike equipped with a full complement of Fox Float suspension.  Up front it has the Fox Float 29 CTD with a 15mm quick release thru-axel.  Out back is the Fox Float with CTD boost valve.  The suspension on this bike gives you five inches of travel, not bad for a big wheeled bike, but it actually feels closer to six inches as you flow through the trails.  Both the shock and fork feature Fox’s new CTD technology.  CTD stands for Climb, Trail, Descend and is activated by a three position switch located on the shock and fork where you would normally find your lockout or pro pedal switch.  In climb mode the shock and fork are locked out and the bike becomes almost rigid and it works great on paved or fire road climbs.  The trail mode is where I usually found myself riding.  In trail mode the suspension is set so that you have some travel while climbing which helps out with traction on those loose, steep singletrack climbs but still gives you plenty of squish to rail the fast flat and light downhill trails.  In the trail mode the bike felt like a five inch bike, fast and fun.  The descend mode really opens the suspension up and gives the bike a bottomless feel.  In this mode you can bomb a downhill section, feel it was easy, then look at you travel ring on the fork and you realize that you used every inch of travel and did not even notice.  But, remember to switch back to trail mode for the climb out because the bike will wallow while you grind your way up.  The way I found to climb on the Trance X29er was to put the fork in climb mode and the shock in trail, setting it up this way made it fly up everything.  For most descents I left the fork and shock in trail mode and found that it worked great, but for the really nasty descents nothing beat the descend mode.

The braking is handled by Avid in the form of the Elixir 3.  I have never been a huge fan of Avid brakes, most of them I have used make a lot of noise and in the hottest part of the summer I saw Avid Elixer 3’s coming into the shop where I work frozen closed.  That said, I had no problem with these brakes.  The Elixers were able to stop the bike when they needed to and made less noise than any Avid’s I have used in the past.  While I would rather see this bike equipped Shimano XT brakes (my favorite brakes) I really can’t say anything bad about the Elixer 3’s, they worked great!

Schwalbe and their Nobby Nic tires have been tasked with traction.  This bike is the first one that I have used this tire on and I found it perfectly up to the loose, dusty conditions of my local Southern California trails.  There was always plenty of traction while climbing, not a lot of slipping and sliding.  They seemed to grab really well in the turns when the bike was laid over to one side or the other.  The Nobby Nics were a great choice for this bike, their grip gave me plenty of confidence to really push hard into the corners and go for it on the descents.  Great grip, great tire, great choice.

All in all the Trance X 29er is in my opinion an almost perfect trailbike.  It has a great array of components, a comfortable cockpit, and great handling.  There are some changes that could be made, but most of them could be taken care of by getting the Trance X 29er 0 model which comes fully equipped with Shimano XT components.  The MSRP on the Trance X29er 1 is listed at $2,775 and is a good match for the value that you get from this model.  I you want a 29er but also want more than four inches of travel then this might be the bike you are looking for!

Stay Tuned!!!!

In the next few weeks there is going to be some big things, at least to me, that at are coming up.  I will have several reviews of new products that will include the Fox Flux Helmet, several offerings from Ryders Eyewear, a one year review of the Shimano DX spd shoe, and at least one 2013 bike review for the Giant Trance X 29er, maybe one for the 2013 Giant XTR and some of Treks 2013 offerings if I have the time to put in some miles on them.  I am also going to try to put together a maintenance tip every month with one of the excellent mechanics I know.  In the next week I will be covering the 6th annual Ride Like a Kid mountain bike ride that is our local IMBA event aimed at getting more kids riding their bikes.  So, stay tuned!!!!

Lets Get Ready To RUMBLE!!!

THE TREK RUMBLEFISH ELITE

THE SPECS (Direct from the Trek Website)

Details /

Colors-

Dark Tint

Frame-Alpha Platinum Aluminum main frame & stays w/E2 tapered head tube, press-fit bottom bracket,    ABP Convert, magnesium swing link, G2 Geometry, 120mm travel

Front suspension-Fox Evolution Series 32 Float w/DRCV, CTD (climb-trail-descend) damper, rebound, E2 tapered steerer, 15QR thru axle, custom G2 Geometry w/51mm offset, 120mm travel, tuned by Trek in California

Rear suspension-Fox Evolution Series Float w/DRCV, CTD (climb-trail-descend) damper, rebound, tuned by Trek in California, 7.25x1.875"

Sizes-15.5, 17.5, 19, 21, 23"

Wheels-15mm FCC front hub, Bontrager sealed cartridge bearing 142x12 alloy axle rear hub w/Bontrager Duster 28-hole Tubeless Ready disc rims

Tires-Bontrager 29-3, Expert, 29x2.3"

Shifters-Shimano SLX, 10 speed

Front derailleur-Shimano SLX, direct mount

Rear derailleur-Shimano Deore XT Shadow

Crank-Shimano M552, 42/32/24

Cassette-Shimano HG62 11-36, 10 speed

Saddle-Bontrager Evoke 2, chromoly rails

Seatpost-Bontrager Rhythm Elite, 31.6mm, zero offset

Handlebar-Bontrager Low Riser, 31.8mm, 5mm rise, 9 degree sweep

Stem-Bontrager Rhythm Comp, 31.8mm, 7 degree

Headset-FSA NO.57SC, E2, semi-cartridge bearings

Brakeset-Shimano SLX hydraulic disc

Grips-Bontrager Race Lite, lock-on



Geometry

                                  15.5 in 17.5 in 19 in         21 in  23 in
Bottom bracket drop 1.26 in 1.26 in 1.26 in 1.26 in 1.26 in
Bottom bracket height 13.31 in 13.31 in 13.31 in 13.31 in 13.31 in
Chainstay length         17.80 in 17.80 in 17.80 in 17.80 in 17.80 in
Effective top tube         21.73 in 23.03 in 23.82 in 24.65 in 25.51 in
Frame rise                 23.78 in 24.17 in 24.53 in 24.88 in 25.28 in
Head angle                 69.8 ° 69.8 ° 69.8 ° 69.8 ° 69.8 °
Head tube length         4.13 in 4.53 in 4.92 in 5.31 in 5.71 in
Offset                         2.01 in 2.01 in 2.01 in 2.01 in 2.01 in
Frame reach                 15.24 in 16.38 in 17.09 in 17.80 in 18.54 in
Seat tube angle                 73.6 ° 73.6 ° 73.6 ° 73.6 ° 73.6 °
Effective seat tube angle 72.0 ° 72.0 ° 72.0 ° 72.0 ° 72.0 °
Seat tube                         15.79 in 17.32 in 18.82 in 20.83 in 22.80 in
Standover                         30.94 in 30.91 in 30.91 in 31.06 in 31.34 in
Trail                                 3.23 in 3.23 in 3.23 in 3.23 in 3.23 in
Wheelbase                 43.46 in 44.76 in 45.55 in 46.42 in 47.32 in

What is a Rumblefish?

It sounds like a gang from A Westside Story, or the title of a book I read in junior high about a group of misunderstood and misguided youths in the 1950's on the Jersey Shore.  It is neither of these nor is it even a fish!  What is it?  It is Treks version of the full suspension 29er for the more aggressive rider.  It is designed, in Treks words as the, "perfect next step whether you’re a 29er fan looking to tackle more technical terrain, or a 26" trail rider ready to trade up to bigger wheels."

The Ride-

When Ricky Bobby was asked,"Who wants to go fast?"  Treks answer should be "THE RUMBLEFISH!!!"
because this bike can move.  I started my ride on it with a quick descent on a fire road that goes into a short climb.  The Rumblefish flew down the hill and got me half way up the other side without pedaling, but this is where I had my first problem.  As I bleed speed going up the hill the bike started to feel really heavy, pedaling uphill felt like pedaling my 40 pound freeride bike.  I was really disappointed with this performance. Then I decided to lock out the fork, but it still felt like crap, so I locked out the rear shock.....Bam, all of the sudden this bike feels great, it fly's up the hill.  At the top I unlock the suspension and it fly's down the hill to the single track.  On the single track the Rumblefish really performs.  The bike corners fast and accelerates like crazy.   When the trail got steep and loose the Rumblefish held the lines I picked and let me keep up with the guys on 26" bikes in front of me.  All in all this was a really fun bike to ride once I figured it out.

For What It's Worth-My Thoughts

This was only my second time on a full suspension 29er (the other being the Giant Anthem X 29er) and I was impressed.  The bike feels fast.  I was able to really push through turns and lay the bike over with confidence that is sometimes lacking in my 26er.  Corners that I have slide out on with a 26er I was able to take on much more aggressively with the Rumblefish.  I believe this has to do with the larger contact patch offered by the bigger wheels.  I could also feel the suspension working, the fork feels great and the rear shock feels bottomless.  While I have never been a fan of Bontrager tires the 29-3's were up to anything I could throw at them.  The shimano components are awesome.

For Better Or Worse, Changes I would Make, Or Wouldn't

Tires, like I said, I have never been a fan of Bontrager's tires and would probably look into something similar to the Maxxis Minion in the 29er size.

The stem felt just right on this bike, and it has nice wide bars.  Perfection!

DRCV suspension is awesome, no changes needed.

I would add a dropper post, but I would add this to almost any bike.

This is a great bike and I can't wait until we get the Giant Trance X 29ers in some I can do some comparison, but I think Trek set the bar high with the Rumblefish!





 

Giant Reign 1-The Review

Giant Reign 1

Since May I have been working at Two Wheels One Planet Bike shop in Costa Mesa, and one of the many benefits is that I can grab any of the demo bikes to ride whenever I want.  I have tried out several, but the Reign 2 has been my favorite.  It is lighter than my Marauder yet has the same amount of travel, it has a slacker head angle than the Marauder, but can out climb it and out descend it.  The bike looks great (it is the red one in the picture) and rides even better.

Here's the spec's:

Sizes	S, M, L, XL
Colors	Satin Blood Red/Orange/Black
Frame	ALUXX SL-Grade Aluminum, 6" Maestro Suspension
Fork	RockShox Revelation RL Dual Air w/ 15mm Thru-Axle and OverDrive Steerer, 150mm Travel
Shock	RockShox Monarch RT High Volume

COMPONENTS
Handlebar	Giant Connect SL, Low Rise 31.8
Stem	Giant Connect SL
Seatpost	Giant Contact Switch-R, 30.9
Saddle	Fi'zi:k Gobi XM w/ Manganese Rails
Pedals	N/A

DRIVETRAIN
Shifters	Shimano SLX, 3x10 Speed
Front Derailleur	Shimano SLX, Direct Mount
Rear Derailleur	Shimano SLX
Brakes	Avid Elixir 5, [F] 180mm, [R] 160mm
Brake Levers	Avid Elixir 5
Cassette	Shimano HG81 11x36, 10-Speed
Chain	Shimano HG-74
Crankset	Shimano SLX, 24/32/42
Bottom Bracket	Shimano Press Fit

WHEELS
Rims	DT Swiss E540
Hubs	[F] Giant Tracker Sealed/CNC w/ 15mm Axle, [R] Shimano Deore, 32h
Spokes	Stainless Steel, 14/15g
Tires	[F] Maxxis Minion DHF, [R] Maxxis High Roller, 26x2.35 Folding

SIZE	HEAD ANGLE	SEAT ANGLE	TOP TUBE	HEAD TUBE	CHAIN STAY	WHEEL BASE	STANDOVER HEIGHT
Inches	Degrees	Degrees	Inches	Inches	Inches	Inches	Inches
S	67.5	73.5	22.2	4.6	17.2	43.5	31.6
M	67.5	73.5	23.2	5	17.2	44.5	31.9
L	67.5	73.5	24.2	5.9	17.2	45.4	32
XL	67.5	72	25.2	7.5	17.2	46.4	32.6

The Review:

The first thing I notice is the frame.  In the shop this bikes stands out due to the red color scheme, most bikes   are black with some other color.  It comes with Giants Contact Switch remote dropper post, Shimano SLX 3x10 drive-train and Maxxis tires on DT Swiss wheels.  On the showroom floor this bike looks ready for action.  Showroom looks are one thing, but what really matters is how the bike works in the dirt, and this bike flies.  The slack head angle and Maestro suspension make descending a breeze and allow me to take on trails that I have always slowed down for at a much faster pace.  The 3x10 drive-train allows for a broader range of gears so you feel like you can always push a little harder on the flats.  The Reign makes you feel fast!

So some people may think that this is a bike built to descend, but despite the head angle it pedals up the hill admirably.  I tried it with the suspension locked out in front (the fork has a lockout, but not the rear shock) and in climb mode in the rear, and with everything open and found that I prefer to climb with the front locked and the rear open.  Riding up hills like this I have been able to clean several hills that have given me trouble in the past.

The Maxxis tires grab the trail with the tenacity of a wolverine, but still seem to release in all of the right places.  The performance that the tires have provided have given me a confidence boost in hard corners.  The Contact Switch seat post is another confidence inspiring feature.  I had not used a dropper post before this, but now I hate to ride without one!

Feelings, Nothing More Than Feelings:

While I love this bike and have tons of fun on it there are a few things I would change!

The first thing I would change is the stem.  Giant likes to put long stems on their bikes.  A shorter stem with wider bars (29.5-30") would make the cockpit perfect for me.

The second change I would make is the 3x10 drive-train.  I would like to see this as a 2x10 with a bash guard, I really don't use the big ring much.

The features that I loved,  there are a few.

The Contact Switch Seat post, I really can't say enough about the difference this made in my riding, all I can do is say to go demo a bike that has one and feel the difference and I can almost guarantee that you will walk away wanting one.

The Maxxis tires, especially the Minion DHF are awesome and will be going on any bike I have in the future.      They grip, but don't track, and they roll great!