Maestro Suspension

[bryce mcl]

Ive been looking at Giants lately to make up for the fact that I can't afford the shocker. I am wondering if anyone has any positive or negative input in the way all the giants are set up rear suspension wise. Do they have any major problems that I should know about before I buy? Is it single pivot or what? Also, will it be a big step up from my 6 inch single pivot to an 8 inch Maestro setup? Will it actually make a noticable difference? Input is greatly appreciated. :clap:

[Hack On Wheels]

Ive been looking at Giants lately to make up for the fact that I can't afford the shocker. I am wondering if anyone has any positive or negative input in the way all the giants are set up rear suspension wise. Do they have any major problems that I should know about before I buy? Is it single pivot or what? Also, will it be a big step up from my 6 inch single pivot to an 8 inch Maestro setup? Will it actually make a noticable difference? Input is greatly appreciated. :clap:

Definitely not a single pivot. I haven't heard any big complaints about the system. It is another short-link four bar suspension design. Similar to the DW-link in a very basic sense. I'd start by hitting up Giant's website first; I am sure that they will have propaganda.. I mean.. "information" up there.

[Shore Rydah]

No brake jack, hardly any/no pedal bob. I have a giant faith and it has what seems like endless travel, yet I can mash up hills past ppl on xc bikes.

I find it alot better than my previous bullit, only a little bit heavier. I'm sure you'll be impressed coming off a 6" single pivot.

[Hobzai]

I have a Glory 0, the FR version of the Glory downhill rig (single crown, steeper geo, less rear travel etc). Pedal efficiency is excellent. Can't speak for brake jack performance as I've never ridden a single pivot for long enough to get a comparision. Disadvantages - more bearings and moving parts than a single, and thus probably heavier by default. Need to check the pivot point torques every ride. The ones on my Trance XC bike needed retightening and a little Loctite. 8 inches of Maestro does have that endless "moooshhhh" feel to it, but I'm only a little guy! Heavy, though. Mine tips the scales at 20kg with Minion DHFs on both ends, a kilo lighter with 1-ply Nevegals on, and I have the all-air 66SL1s up front! Not sure what the specs are like on the Canadian market Giants but over here, for the money you spend, you get a lot of bicycle. Comes from being made by a faceless behemoth evil multinational corporation with the buying power of a small country. Or something...

[bryce mcl]

Thanks for the help. Anymore comments or concerns?

[flattire]

I dont see how the suspension is any different from patented santa cruz "VP" designs. Id consider the suspension to function as a vp free, intense uzzi, etc, wich is dammn good. My uzzi pedals real well and is plenty compliant on the big hits.

[Hack On Wheels]

I dont see how the suspension is any different from patented santa cruz "VP" designs. Id consider the suspension to function as a vp free, intense uzzi, etc, wich is dammn good. My uzzi pedals real well and is plenty compliant on the big hits.

They may have the same number of links... but axle paths and such will vary greatly. It is not functionally like a VPP design. Differing pivot placements and link lengths can have a huge effect.

[heckler]

8" > 6", therefore, it's gotta be better!

[coverider18]

Maestro is a amazing design, gives you a low center of gravity... meaning better handling. also super smooth.

[craw]

I dont see how the suspension is any different from patented santa cruz "VP" designs. Id consider the suspension to function as a vp free, intense uzzi, etc, wich is dammn good. My uzzi pedals real well and is plenty compliant on the big hits.

The Intense/SC VPP design has links that rotate in opposite directions to each other. The Maestro links rotate in the same direction. Same with the Shocker's. If you're looking at the bike from the drive side, the Intense/SC bb pivot rotates clockwise while the upper link rotates counter-clockwise. Maestro/Shocker links both rotate clockwise. I'm not sure of the physics of how/why this works but the performance differences between the two designs speak for themselves.

I rode a Santa Cruz VP Free for a season and was not impressed. You can read my thoughts on it here (http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?p=1652719#post1652719). Overall I thought the system was totally flawed. Not only do they have a poor reputation for durability in our climate, but they are expensive (compared to the Giants) and suffer from crazy brake/drivetrain interaction. The great uphill performance was totally offset by the fact that the suspension would randomly lock out. Also I found the brake jack to be a bit unnerving - why should I learn to live with a system that doesn't work when I need it to? I found it to be a very inconsistent bike to ride and I was happy to sell it.

The Giants I have tried have not been like this. The Giants performed as advertised. Great pedalling, laterally stiff and reasonably-priced. They also seem to be very durable. If you visit Whistler these days you will see tons of Reigns and Reign Xs around (under locals, not visitors - this is a good indicator of a quality product). There is a reason why these bikes are so popular. For the money they are great bikes. Highly recommended.

[bryce mcl]

I rode a Santa Cruz VP Free for a season and was not impressed. You can read my thoughts on it here (http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?p=1652719#post1652719). Overall I thought the system was totally flawed. Not only do they have a poor reputation for durability in our climate, but they are expensive (compared to the Giants) and suffer from crazy brake/drivetrain interaction. The great uphill performance was totally offset by the fact that the suspension would randomly lock out. Also I found the brake jack to be a bit unnerving - why should I learn to live with a system that doesn't work when I need it to? I found it to be a very inconsistent bike to ride and I was happy to sell it.

The Giants I have tried have not been like this. The Giants performed as advertised. Great pedalling, laterally stiff and reasonably-priced. They also seem to be very durable. If you visit Whistler these days you will see tons of Reigns and Reign Xs around (under locals, not visitors - this is a good indicator of a quality product). There is a reason why these bikes are so popular. For the money they are great bikes. Highly recommended.
Thanks for that I was also looking at a VP Free in comparison to a Giant and now I know not to!

[flattire]

I see so the pivot location of the "shock driver link" is on the top tube (for the santa cruz) but for the maestro, it's on the seat tube. Yes the masetro will have a lower centre of gravity but... i wouldnt think this would affect suspension performance much. Its like comparing a norco horst link (interrupted seat tube) to a horst link configured like a kona stinky (IF a stinky was horst link).... See what i'm sayin here?

[Hack On Wheels]

I see so the pivot location of the "shock driver link" is on the top tube (for the santa cruz) but for the maestro, it's on the seat tube. Yes the masetro will have a lower centre of gravity but... i wouldnt think this would affect suspension performance much. Its like comparing a norco horst link (interrupted seat tube) to a horst link configured like a kona stinky (IF a stinky was horst link).... See what i'm sayin here?

Except that the pivots are functionally different. They aren't just put in different places for the heck of it. Leverage ratios and more importantly axle paths will be different, and those affect suspension performance.

[flattire]

Yes the designers of said companies can tweak levarge ratios and such for their own reasons, but I still believe that both these types of "VP" designs could perform very similar to each other. Whether they do or do not can be answered by somone who has ridden both

[essfour]

I see so the pivot location of the "shock driver link" is on the top tube (for the santa cruz) but for the maestro, it's on the seat tube. Yes the masetro will have a lower centre of gravity but... i wouldnt think this would affect suspension performance much. Its like comparing a norco horst link (interrupted seat tube) to a horst link configured like a kona stinky (IF a stinky was horst link).... See what i'm sayin here?

Konas or any 4 bar without a horst (Rocky Switch) is just a fancy single pivot.

[.Robinson]

still curious as to WHAT SSBK stands for.......super silly bike kids ?

[yoonior]

You might also save some cash (and frame weight!) by buying older Giant Faith frameset than current Glory FR/DH. Two of my friends ride Faiths and they never said there's some noticeable difference in how suspension works comparing to Glory. Faith sits low, has very slack angle even with 178mm Boxxer Ride.

Also Faith will be cheaper (discontinued model), will be also lighter (Faith frame is lighter by a pound and half or more than Glory FR frame).

[Chuck D. Railer]

giant=no sale for Chuck D.
go devinci. they rock
not even a good comparison, really the devinci is way better