GLORY DAYS

Giant’s iconic downhill bike is back, featuring a Rob Warner Legends colour scheme, carbon frame, mullet wheels and offering more adjustments than an orthodontist

We don't cover much downhill racing here at mbr, and we spend even less time talking about DH bikes themselves. The Giant Glory is more interesting than 'just' another new 200mm-travel, gravity-gobbling time machine though, because this bike will change the way Giant makes all its models... and perhaps even the rest of the industry too.

We'll get to that in a minute, because the Glory deserves a lot of attention from the offset. This is the fifth generation, made famous by 'that' Danny Hart run in the wet at Champéry in 2011. Incredibly it's the first full carbon version. Also new are 29in wheels, or more accurately 29in up front and 27.5in at the back as sold, in a standard mullet set-up. Giant says its Factory Off-Road team has been running the mixed wheel set-up in most races for its blend of speed and control, although there is space if you want to run it as a full 29er.