Kneel before the Reigning Giant!

A 2008 Giant Reign. My "Rig", my trusty steed if you will. It has been one fantastic warrior over these last few years. I cannot possibly continue blogging without pausing to give this great bike some lip service. It has pushed on, where others have cracked under the pressure. It's regularly sat with me on the side of the track, waiting while other mere mortal rigs are getting a running repair (by the way I don't exaggerate - trust me, I'm a dolphin in disguise).

Those that know me, know it is one of my most loved possessions. Though in recent years the care factor for scratches and possible theft has tapered off somewhat. When I first bought it, it lived inside. Bike locked to the bed in the spare room. My two female flatemates at the time were most amused.

It's not the most sexy beast in the world, but it's presentable and shit does it get the job done!

Here is the beast when it was brand new back in '08...

What it does have though is high-end componentry. Purchase price was $4200, so in the world of mountain biking that is getting up there as a high-end bike. They say you get what you paid for, and this is most certainly true with the Reign. It has soldiered on where others have wilted. I look after it, and it has looked after me.

Many a time it has just been me, the bike and the bush; and I can't tell you how much that has made me smile over the years. If you are a mountain biker, you know what I mean.

Though like me, it does actually have friends. It's photo's like this that really define what it is like to "hang with the boys".

So, while the build is underway, the Reign will continue to help keep me sane. Be my Ying after a week full of Yangs.

The question I am sure is on your lips is what I will do with it once the build is complete? Yes, I can be sentimental, but it is in damn good nic and finances are finances, so I intent to offload it at some point. But like any good human, this won't be before it donates one or two of its body parts to a far greater cause...

Justin.