Timmy!!!
Likes Dirt
I went into my LBS yesterday and they were assembling a medium size Anthem 29er. I tried to deny that it existed, but it didn't work. I tried stuffing it down my trousers and rubbing it around but that only made matters worse. I came home and spent the entire night tossing, and when I woke up I knew what I had to do. So I bought it. But I needed to know if it is actually better than my current XC weapon: a very well set up and sorted 26" Anthem X0. So I went out to the Youies armed with my Garmin and rode them back to back on this weekend's Nationals XC course.
The result? The 29er is 20 seconds a lap faster, and uses less energy to achieve that lap time. It's faster up the technical climbs, just as fast on the fire roads, and faster down the technical descents. It's more forgiving, and it's more fun. There is no down side.
Bear in mind that I did both laps at full race pace, and I rode the 29er after I rode the 26" bike so I was a bit buggered when I rode the 29er. Also, the 29er was straight out of the shop at 2:30 this arvo, whereas the 26" bike is well loved and VERY well sorted.
Actually, maybe there is a down side: the 29er is so good that it might make you a bit lazy on your technique. Otherwise, it's the best money I have ever spent in my life. How they made such an incredible bike for such a pitifully small amount of money is beyond me.
For those of you who want the hard numbers, here they are.
Anthem X0 26"
Lap time: 24:16
Calories: 318
Anthem 29er
Lap time: 23:55
Calories: 294
Job done.
The result? The 29er is 20 seconds a lap faster, and uses less energy to achieve that lap time. It's faster up the technical climbs, just as fast on the fire roads, and faster down the technical descents. It's more forgiving, and it's more fun. There is no down side.
Bear in mind that I did both laps at full race pace, and I rode the 29er after I rode the 26" bike so I was a bit buggered when I rode the 29er. Also, the 29er was straight out of the shop at 2:30 this arvo, whereas the 26" bike is well loved and VERY well sorted.
Actually, maybe there is a down side: the 29er is so good that it might make you a bit lazy on your technique. Otherwise, it's the best money I have ever spent in my life. How they made such an incredible bike for such a pitifully small amount of money is beyond me.
For those of you who want the hard numbers, here they are.
Anthem X0 26"
Lap time: 24:16
Calories: 318
Anthem 29er
Lap time: 23:55
Calories: 294
Job done.