# 2012 Giant Faith- First Impression and Pictures



## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Well, I sold the Reign X1 and now I'm working with the Faith.

First impression- Wow.

After setting sag, damping, and rebound (following RockShox's incredibly convenient guides- fork - shock) ), I hit the trails and immediately noticed how great the Totem felt. Muddier than desired conditions kept me from hitting my favorite jumps and feeling out the high end, but the low end compression was buttery smooth. The Totem RC2 DH seemed lightyears ahead of the Fox Float R I had experience with.

The Vivid Coil RC2 was a bit more vague and harder to interpret. I'm using a 550lbs spring, which actually didn't feel that bad on climbs. Of course there will be bob with a 7" bike, but I didn't feel like I was completely wallowing uphill. That said, the Large rig is 37.6lbs and the 2.5" Maxxis High Rollers are not fast rollers when pointed anywhere other than downhill. The Faith will definitely whip me into shape due to this. After the trails dry by the weekend, I'll have a better idea of how the shock handles my 210lbs with more speed and bigger jumps.

The Avid Elixir 9, [F] 203mm, [R] 180mm brakes are so much better than the Elixir 5 set I moved from! They are very smooth- could be touchier, but that's adjustable and preferential. They are quiet and only made the slightest noises after several muddy splashes.

I had to cut down the seatpost. I'm 6'3" and the lowest it would sit was with the saddle at mid-thigh. Let's face it, that's not freeride or male friendly.

The Giant Contact AM bar is pretty flat. I think I'll swap for something with a little more rise in the future. The 31.8 width was fine, though.

The MRP chainguide was a bit noisy in lower gears, but I don't expect to lose my chain anytime soon.

I'm looking forward to really pushing myself on this bike and I'll have more information as I get more ride time.














































Feel free to request certain shots.

Frame
Sizes L
Weight 37.6lbs
Colors Satin Black/Gloss Black
Frame ALUXX SL-Grade Aluminum, 7" Maestro Suspension
Fork RockShox Totem RC2 DH Solo Air w/ 20mm Thru-Axle and OverDrive 2 Steerer, 180mm Travel
Shock RockShox Vivid Coil RC2

Components
Handlebar Giant Contact AM, 31.8
Stem Giant Contact FR, OverDrive 2
Seatpost Giant Contact, 30.9
Saddle Giant Freeride
Pedals Giant Alloy Platform, Sealed

Drivetrain
Shifters SRAM X9, 1x9 Speed
Front Derailleur N/A
Rear Derailleur SRAM X9
Brakes Avid Elixir 9, [F] 203mm, [R] 180mm
Brake Levers Avid Elixir CR
Cassette SRAM PG 970 11x32, 9-Speed
Chain Shimano HG-73
Crankset Truvativ Descendant w/ MRP G2 Mini SL, 36T
Bottom Bracket SRAM GXP

Wheels
Rims Giant P-AM2
Hubs [F] Giant Tracker w/ 20mm Axle, [R] DT Swiss 350 w/ 12mm Maxle QR, 32h
Spokes DT Swiss Competition
Tires Maxxis High Roller 3C, 26x2.5 Folding


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## sammysmc (Feb 13, 2007)

Nice Ride.


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## Northender (Dec 2, 2011)

Congrads on the new ride!


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Northender said:


> Do you like working for Giant?


If being excited about the new bike and working a boring office job in a small East Texas town where I make only enough to pay the bike off over the next 10 months means I work for Giant...

Then, yeah. I like working for them and riding their bikes.


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## aenema (Apr 17, 2006)

Northender said:


> Do you like working for Giant?


This came out of left field and came across a bit ******'ist. Hope it wasn't meant as such.


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## Sk8er07999 (May 12, 2008)

^^^Wtf is wrong with some people??^^^

Awesome bike man. I'm super jealous! Glad to hear you like the totem so far. I just bought a used totem and am looking forward to trying it out. As I am just like you and if I were to buy a brand new bad ass rig like that it would take me ten months or more to pay it off. Happy shredding! 

Sent from my Nexus S 4g using Tapatalk


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

:thumbsup: Thanks for the compliments.

I don't have big LBSs around, so all of my research is done on the web. I get frustrated when I can't get good reviews or different pictures of something new. I like to help others out like myself. We can't all live where the trails are long and the shops are many.


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## vpc-los (Jan 26, 2007)

Nice review. Nothing wrong with being exited about your new ride and your bike is a nice one. 
I also have a new Totem and love it. The only thing I would change are the reflectors but thats just preference. Although I do not one one, I have a friend who does and he says the Faith is an awsome bike that can be ridden anywhere.:thumbsup:


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## b-kul (Sep 20, 2009)

aenema said:


> This came out of left field and came across a bit ******'ist.


seriously, two bikes of the same brand do not equate to an employee.

op, sick bike, i like how they spec it with a nice rear hub, one area a lot of companies skimp on.


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## Gman086 (Jul 4, 2004)

Very nice ride. I'd lower the stem on that stack tho or consider cutting the steerer tube more.

Have FUN!

G MAN


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Gman086 said:


> Very nice ride. I'd lower the stem on that stack tho or consider cutting the steerer tube more.
> G MAN


You know, that's not something I noticed right off the bat, but it did cross my mind yesterday while cleaning the bike. I went for another spin and, being that I'm 6'3", decided that the bar height gave me just enough room to move around on climbs


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## genemk (Sep 15, 2009)

Congrats. Always great to be excited about a new toy. If you ever feel like upgrading your shock for something without pedal bob that slays the downhill consider the Cane Creek Double Barrel. Not saying you should do it now or even at all, but just wanted to throw that out there. I have a 9" travel DH bike that used to bob a ton while pedaling and after throwing the new shock on there it does not bob at all. Every one of my friends that tries it is pretty blown away. I still don't pedal my DH bike uphill, but I bet it would kick ass on your bike. Enjoy the new rig!


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## Teqtonik (Jan 14, 2012)

Northender said:


> Do you like working for Giant?


C'mon man, was this really necessary?


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## Gman086 (Jul 4, 2004)

PeytonP said:


> You know, that's not something I noticed right off the bat, but it did cross my mind yesterday while cleaning the bike. I went for another spin and, being that I'm 6'3", decided that the bar height gave me just enough room to move around on climbs


Actually the more stack height, the more you effectively move the bars back (even worse on bikes with slacker HTA's) cramping your cockpit even more. Plus the bars need to be lower to pressure the front tire more during high speed cornering. Wider bars are the answer for you, not a goofy stack height.

Cheers,

G


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Gman086 said:


> Actually the more stack height, the more you effectively move the bars back (even worse on bikes with slacker HTA's) cramping your cockpit even more. Plus the bars need to be lower to pressure the front tire more during high speed cornering. Wider bars are the answer for you, not a goofy stack height.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> G


G, thanks for the tip. I'll definitely consider this.


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## Tystevens (Nov 2, 2011)

Nice bike. I like the look, too -- clean and simple (not too many graphics and stickers everywhere).

At the risk of encouraging you to spew more Giant propaganda our way (jk), I'd be interested to know how if feels compared to the Reign X, both pedaling it and riding it downhill. What year RX did you have?


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## Teqtonik (Jan 14, 2012)

Well I guess the world will always need more cynics


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Tystevens said:


> At the risk of encouraging you to spew more Giant propaganda our way (jk), I'd be interested to know how if feels compared to the Reign X, both pedaling it and riding it downhill. What year RX did you have?


Let me first say that I really liked the Reign X, but it wasn't the best fit for me. I had a 2012 X1 that I got back in November. I went with a M because I like smaller frames. For the most part, it was very comfortable, although my lower back really hurt after 3 hours on a demanding cross country trail (I normally don't do much sit & spin). The size and fit felt amazing on downhill. My confidence really shot up the first time I rode. What I discovered, though, was that the Fox DHX-Air couldn't hold up to the amplified shock forces that the 6.7" single pivot design creates. I had the the shock at max pressures, but it still blew through travel way to easily. I didn't feel confident that I could push myself further than my current riding level. A coil shock, like on the Reign SX, would have made it more huckable, but for the money spent on a new shock I could trade (or sell) and get the Faith and its coil, beefier frame, extra travel, bigger brakes, and higher grade components all around.

For my local rides, shorter fast downhills with the pedaling back up, the all-mountain Reign X actually fits my needs more and, obviously, is much more versatile than the Faith. I've resolved that pedaling the Faith uphill will only make me stronger anyway.

All things considered, I'd recommend an appropriately sized Reign X for riders who weigh less than 200lbs and understand that it won't handle both uphill and downhill duties perfectly. It's very comfortable uphill, but shines downhill with both tires on the ground.

I'm hoping that tomorrow I can get comfortable with the Faith and hit my favorite runs how I'd like. I had the chance on muddy Monday to see how it did on the cross country areas it wasn't designed for and where the Reign X was more comfortable, but it would be odd to expect the RX to be better than the Faith at running downhill.


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## Dougie (Aug 29, 2004)

PeytonP said:


> What I discovered, though, was that the Fox DHX-Air couldn't hold up to the amplified shock forces that the 6.7" single pivot design creates. .


Maestro suspension isn't single pivot.

I've read a bunch of negative reviews regarding the DHX air by heavier folks. It's really not a bad shock once you set it up correctly, but you can shim the inside of the can to give it a bit more progressive feel. I have one on my DW 6-point, which is very similar to Maestro. Shimming the inside of the can made a significant difference.

Glad you like your new bike dude.


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## Will Goes Boing (Jan 25, 2008)

Very nice... I came so close to getting that exact bike but I really didn't think it would be hill friendly at all so I went with something else. Glad you like it though.


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Dougie said:


> Maestro suspension isn't single pivot.


Actually, it is considered one. It has multiple points of movement but one "floating pivot". Or so their vids say.

And thanks for the compliments :thumbsup:


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Will Goes Boing said:


> Very nice... I came so close to getting that exact bike but I really didn't think it would be hill friendly at all so I went with something else. Glad you like it though.


That was a good call. I'll definitely be making it 2x in the future for that reason.


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

*First Impressions- cont.*

I had a chance to put 10 miles on the Faith, Saturday. This included several of our local shorter runs, the climbs back up, dabbling with a few off-trail drops, and even some urban downhill features. The hucks weren't anything massive, but the really sketchy landing zones where handled well by the Vivid Coil. There's also a fireroad gap that's 15' if you hit it right and I'm usually nervous to hit it because off the immediate down-sloped right turn (with plenty of trees and thorns to catch you if you can't make the turn). The gap never felt better, even at lower speed than usual. The most fun I had was on a double flight of stairs. I hit them over over as I experimented with compression settings.
I propped up my phone for a low-speed jab at the stairs (I was on a university campus, and an officer nearby was radioing in everything I was doing).






(I can't wait for trolls to give me flak for the lame video lol)

At the end of the day, I see now just how big a difference there is between an All Mountain bike made for "light freeride duties" and a truly dedicated Freeride rig. On the Reign X, I felt like I could ride down anything, but with the Faith I have the confidence that I can take it at full speed, get as much air as I want and be as creative as I want along the way. I've never done lift-access riding before, but I've literally been dreaming of it and now I can't wait to make the road trip to Angel Fire, NM and unleash.

Maybe if I had a chance to demo other FR bikes then I could be more critical of the Faith, but as of right now I'm very impressed and pumped to ride more than I ever have.


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## Moosey (May 18, 2010)

Looks like fun! Glad you like you new bike. It sure is sexy.


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Northender said:


> Relax; I'm not picking on you. I'm just suspicious of threads like this. I also mentioned above that I own a Faith and it didn't fit my type of riding style (which is no style at all).


I'm over it, and my apologies to everyone for my initial retort probably coming off as snotty.

Don't we all love to ride? Isn't mountain biking your passion, too? Let's just respect each other for that in all future comments and threads and seek help each other out.

I just wanted this thread to be helpful to anyone considering a new Faith. I hope it's been useful.


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## Iceman2058 (Mar 1, 2007)

PeytonP said:


> Actually, it is considered one. It has multiple points of movement but one "floating pivot". Or so their vids say.
> 
> And thanks for the compliments :thumbsup:


A virtual or floating pivot will never be considered a single pivot. Ever.

As for your DHX Air issues, they are mostly not caused by whatever suspension design was used on the frame, they were caused by the notorious lack of mid-stroke support of that particular shock, as well as its tendency to blow through way too much travel, especially for heavier dudes. I'm sure you would have transformed the ride of that Reign even with a good basic coil shock.


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Suspension noted, and I came to the same conclusion about the ReignX and the DHX Air.

What with the price of a new shock compared to selling the Reign X and buying a Faith with a higher grade spec list (and not losing any money), I went with the Faith and don't regret it at all.


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## HelloMyNameIsSean (Sep 14, 2011)

Peyton Dude, glad you finally got everything sorted out. To bad you couldn't get the Reign working for you but good to hear your happy with the new bike. 

I'm a bit jealous too I can't lie. :thumbsup:


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

HelloMyNameIsSean said:


> Peyton Dude, glad you finally got everything sorted out. To bad you couldn't get the Reign working for you but good to hear your happy with the new bike.
> 
> I'm a bit jealous too I can't lie. :thumbsup:


Thanks, Sean. Now, you don't have to get frustrated in the Giant forum 
Interesting tidbit- my dad actually liked the Reign X and bought it from me. It's a perfect fit for him and he wanted to get into riding again. So, I still get to visit the RX and work on it when needed.


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

So, nothing ruins a good thread like trolling and the reciprocating fallout.

I want this thread to be entirely helpful to anyone interested in or having issues with the 2012 Faith.
Please keep further comments about the bike and _please_ feel free to ask any questions you want about the Faith and experience riding it. Thanks


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## Northender (Dec 2, 2011)

PeytonP said:


> I had a chance to put 10 miles on the Faith, Saturday. This included several of our local shorter runs, the climbs back up, dabbling with a few off-trail drops, and even some urban downhill features. The hucks weren't anything massive, but the really sketchy landing zones where handled well by the Vivid Coil. There's also a fireroad gap that's 15' if you hit it right and I'm usually nervous to hit it because off the immediate down-sloped right turn (with plenty of trees and thorns to catch you if you can't make the turn). The gap never felt better, even at lower speed than usual. The most fun I had was on a double flight of stairs. I hit them over over as I experimented with compression settings.
> I propped up my phone for a low-speed jab at the stairs (I was on a university campus, and an officer nearby was radioing in everything I was doing).
> 
> 
> ...


One thing the Faith can do is handle big drops like a champ. Biggest problem I had was that the progressive front fork (Totem solo air) wasn't the best on teck rock and root sections. Riding those trails beat the $hit out of me and was the main reason why I went to a full DH bike.


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

Northender said:


> One thing the Faith can do is handle big drops like a champ. Biggest problem I had was that the progressive front fork (Totem solo air) wasn't the best on teck rock and root sections. Riding those trails beat the $hit out of me and was the main reason why I went to a full DH bike.


I fully see what you been by this now. Angel Fire's Drop Zone and Candyland were no contest for the Faith, but the steepest rocky downhills have my hands sore and arms pumped. I had never ridden anything like that before and I know my fork could have been run a bit softer, but I quickly became jealous of the bike bikes on those trails.


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## PeytonP (Aug 29, 2011)

*True field test- Angel Fire Bike Park*

I just got back from 5 days in Angel Fire, NM. I spent 3 days in the Bike Park with rain and hail hitting 4 days of the trip. Because of the weather, berms and such were washboarded and most trails were rougher than usual, but it was a blast. I had never ridden a bike park before, much less any true downhill, but I made it down everything on the mountain with no more than putting a foot down here or there! I totally give thanks to three things for that: 1 The good Lord for saving my rear end, 2 Bike skill gained from incredibly short but sweet local trails in Nacodgoches, TX, and 3 my Giant Faith.
The 2012 Giant Faith took me down the 2005 World Cup course, Supreme DH, and other advanced trails I had never walked or ridden with no problems at all. Only one mechanical issue, a broken chain on the first and last days, hindered the shredding. I became jealous of the big bikes on the really steep, rocky, and gnarly stuff- they were much faster, but the Faith and I picked our way down and my eyes were opened to true downhill (a new addiction). My Giant wheels are true, the Maxxis High Rollers gripped, the SRAM brakes held fast with not much noise in the rain and mud, and shifting was never an issue even after whipping too far off a wooden ramp with a landing slide down on the crankarm and derailleur. Though a Glory or bigger bike would have been better on the true downhill trails, the Faith accomplished everything I could have hoped for. I hit Candyland and the Drop Zone, every advanced downhill trail, and all of the flowy and big jump lines Angel Fire Bike Park had to offer with only my own trepidation or lack of familiarity (and introdction to the world of hand pain/arm pumps) to hold me back.
Bottom line: I thought my bike was awesome before, but now the Faith has proved it can take me down any trail I find.

I'll post videos of the gnarliest rocky steep stuff when I find a way and learn how to edit, but here's a raw cut of Angel Fire's lower Supreme DH. Oh, how I miss it already...


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## StuLax18 (Sep 27, 2011)

Man, that looks awesome! I was supposed to go to AF the second weekend in August but started a job a week before.


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## keithrad (May 4, 2007)

I live in North Texas and just started going there a couple years ago... I take my Yeti AS-X with a Totem fork and love the agile, manueverability of a single crown there. Bet that Faith is a blast too!! ENJOY.....


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## Gman086 (Jul 4, 2004)

I can't believe Giant bailed on the Faith for 2013! Those are great bikes tho I'd thro on a works components angleset for sure (too steep in stock form).

Have FUN!

G MAN


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