XC Ducky's Modern-Retro Carbolicious (or is it Carboniferous?) Anthem. Now with v2 Project

[The Duckmeister]

Although assembly hasn't progressed since the last update, bits have been coming together behind the scenes.

The Spec so far:

Frame: 2012 Giant Anthem X Advanced SL, 18.5" (M)
Fork: OEM Giant blue Fox 32 F120 RLC; rebound, adjustable force non-remote lockout, low-speed compression adjustment, 120mm travel; supplied but not fitted 20mm travel spacer so I can drop back to original-spec 100mm if desired.
Shock: Fox Float RP23
Crank: Shimano M980 XTR 3x (XT middle ring), with BB93 XTR threaded bottom bracket.
RD: M985 XTR clutchy long cage for 3x10.
FD: M980 XTR low-clamp 3x10.
Shifters (yes, both of them! ): M980 XTR 3x10 bar clamp.
Pedals: M990 XTR Race, SPD 25th anniversary special edition, in blue ano finish.
Wheels: M785 XT "Race" 559 x 21mm rim, 100x15mm hub Front, M788 XT "Trail" 559x24mm,135x10mm rear.
Chain & cassette: Shimano HG 95 XT chain and M771 XT 11-36 10-sp. cassette. Have a M980 XTR cassette, but that will wait in reserve until I get the ultimate wheels.
Other: OEM Giant blue ano derailleur hanger & stem top cap; Hope Tech blue ano seatpost clamp. M9110 XTR 15x100 front hub for future build into a carbon rim...

Finally finished collecting the XTR part of the build (except brake rotors, but they'll be MT900 160mm when the final wheels get built), so add to the spec list M988 "Trail" brake levers paired to M985 calipers, SM-SL98B I-Spec-B shifter caps and M9000 135x10 Q/R rear hub. Although both hubs are mismatched by series number and cosmetics, mechanically they're unchanged from their 980-series counterparts.

With that side of things complete my focus now shifts to the cockpit and rims....

 

[The Duckmeister]

Gear cables fitted & tuned, and brakes set up, and although still a parts bin cockpit setup, it's now a fundamentally functioning bike!!!!

With a recent stem change on #2, I could now chuck the old 25.4mm clamp stem & riser bar back in the pile and fit the now-spare 31.8mm & flat bar. Don't be fooled by the apparent wingspan, it's actually only a 590mm bar with the grips hung way out to make it 710mm! So I can't do anything too full-on in terms of riding yet, but it's enough to be able to take it for some light test rides, which I did around my local sandhill this afternoon.

Due to the combination of 20mm longer fork and slightly higher stem mounting than ex-#1 (120mm travel vs 100; same steerer length, but this has the stem at the top, where ex-#1 was 5mm down) the front end is slightly but noticeably floatier & less planted, but on my sandy test loop that's not a bad thing; it's easier to get back & reduce the front trying to plough in & stall. It's also a bit more poppy for hitting rooty step ups than the short version.

The rear shock needs a service (leaking damper) so is very pogoey off bumps, but once that's sorted it'll be same as ex-#1.

The XTR stuff for the most part doesn't feel that much different to XT.... Except the shifters; even ten years/two generations old XTR is just sublime! Light, slick but with very defined index points, it's heaven on a handlebar, on both sides! Brakes aren't much different to XT, although after many years using metal pads, the resins in the ones I got reminded me why I went to metal.....

 

[yuley95]

Gear cables fitted & tuned, and brakes set up, and although still a parts bin cockpit setup, it's now a fundamentally functioning bike!!!!

With a recent stem change on #2, I could now chuck the old 25.4mm clamp stem & riser bar back in the pile and fit the now-spare 31.8mm & flat bar. Don't be fooled by the apparent wingspan, it's actually only a 590mm bar with the grips hung way out to make it 710mm, which is what the proper bar will be. So I can't do anything too full-on in terms of riding yet.

But it's enough to be able to take it for some light test rides, which I did around my local sandhill this afternoon.

Due to the combination of 20mm longer fork and slightly higher stem mounting than ex-#1 (120mm travel vs 100; same steerer length, but this has the stem at the top, where ex-#1 was 5mm down) the front end is slightly but noticeably floatier & less planted, but on my sandy test loop that's not a bad thing; it's easier to get back & reduce the front trying to plough in & stall. It's also a bit more poppy for hitting rooty step ups than the short version.

The rear shock needs a service (leaking damper) so is very pogoey off bumps, but once that's sorted it'll be same as ex-#1.

The XTR stuff for the most part doesn't feel that much different to XT.... Except the shifters; even ten years/two generations old XTR is just sublime! Light, slick but with very defined index points, it's heaven on a handlebar, on both sides! Brakes aren't much different to XT, although after many years using metal pads, the resins in the ones I got reminded me why I went to metal.....

View attachment 395207
View attachment 395208
View attachment 395209

Looks great Ducky. Enjoy the ride!

 

[Rusty_68]

That's a cool looking rig! Got all the BOSS Shimano stuff on it, from when their drivetrains were special.
Nice job.

 

[The Duckmeister]

Yeah, the M980 series to me is the best-looking of all XTR series. Plus there's the 3x thing... That said, the subsequent M9000 series had a truly phenomenal (and very rare!) 3x11 option, but it didn't look that good.

 

[Mr Crudley]

Nice work @The Duckmeister . Anthem the sequel Came up looking great. Enjoy it and don't let it out of your sight.

 

[The Duckmeister]

There's still a bit to sort out with cockpit & wheel components, but visually it won't depart too far from what's here now.

 

[link1896]

Looks lovely Ducky.

The XTR and the XX1 shifters really do feel amazing and a step above their lower cousins, a decade of improvements still hasn’t overtaken M980 for amazing lever feel.

I’ve a practically new M980 group set minus brakes sitting in a box waiting for a build. The cranks are the sexiest part.

 

[The Duckmeister]

I’ve a practically new M980 group set minus brakes sitting in a box waiting for a build. The cranks are the sexiest part.

Call me biased, but the hidden-bolt 3x version is the sexiest of them all!

 

[The Duckmeister]

Been a bit quiet over the summer break, but some cockpit bits ordered so might see them by Christmas.... Ritchey Super Logic 710mm x 9° flat carbon bar, Super Logic C260 1 1/8" x 31.8 x 80mm carbon stem, and blue ESI Extra Chunky silicon grips on the way. Not much left to close out the build, only seatpost (Super Logic seem to have very recently become scarce), rims and spokes needed to finish the spec. Pics will follow once bits are on....

 

[The Duckmeister]

The SuperLogic bits took their time to get here, but all fitted up and ready to roll!!!

ESI grips can eat shit & die though; tore one beyond salvation while attempting to fit it. Emergency dash to the nearest bike shop & grabbed a pair of Jet Black lock-ons, same as what's on #2 just in blue. Only major thing to complete the build is the carbon rims, which will be a little way off still, so the XTs will serve for the time being.

Pics when I get better lighting.

 

[bear the bear]

The SuperLogic bits took their time to get here, but all fitted up and ready to roll!!!

ESI grips can eat shit & die though; tore one beyond salvation while attempting to fit it. Emergency dash to the nearest bike shop & grabbed a pair of Jet Black lock-ons, same as what's on #2 just in blue. Only major thing to complete the build is the carbon rims, which will be a little way off still, so the XTs will serve for the time being.

Pics when I get better lighting.

Maybe try wolftooth or ESI if you are into foam grips?

GRIPS & BAR TAPE

Wolf Tooth makes grips for mountain bikes and bar tap for road, gravel, and CX bikes that are available in a variety of styles, sizes, and colors for all types of riding and rider.

www.wolftoothcomponents.com

or

ESI Grips Silicone MTB GRIPS

Standard Length 5 1/8" Grips. ESI Grips offer a wide range of comfortable light-weight Silicone bicycle grips that are designed for optimum shock absorption, vibration dampening and control on all terrains. All of our products are proudly made in the USA. Latex & Rubber Free.

esigrips.com

 

[The Duckmeister]

I haven't tried foam, but ex-#1 had silicon grips (can't remember what they were) and I liked them, hence picking the ESI. Pretty pissed off when the thing exploded while fitting it!

The Jet Blacks will do for a while until I find something else nicer.

 

[link1896]

Two types of people in the world. Oury lovers and everyone else.

 

[The Duckmeister]

I've not ridden Ouries, but met them many times in the workshop; the brick-like tread on them didn't feel that nice in the limited context. So count me among the Everyone Else.

 

[ForkinGreat]

Two types of people in the world. Oury lovers and everyone else.

The Ourys you have to get on the bars with compressed air, or soap and swearing - seemed to work better for me than the lock-on versions.
CBF going back to the old school ones though...

 

[Mr Crudley]

The Ourys you have to get on the bars with compressed air, or soap and swearing - seemed to work better for me than the lock-on versions.
CBF going back to the old school ones though...

I put them in a cup of hot water and some hair spray on the bars and in the grips. Just slides on with too much suffering.

The blocky pattern wears down into a nice rounded shape. You just have to ride 'em more and they get more comfy. Like a pair of jeans.

 

[The Duckmeister]

Super-stealthy Ritchey logos. In some light they completely disappear!

Why not?

First serious ride today now the proper-spec cockpit is on it. Fuck it's nice to be back on a SL horse!

Nothing radically different from ex-#1, just a subtle evolution with everything just nicer; biggest change is the extra 20mm in the fork which makes it a bit less ploughey in downward lumpy shit, but without really affecting the classic Anthem nimbleness. I've also got a bit more steerer on this to play with than #2 (got a bit aggro when I put the Reba on that bike & cut it pretty short & didn't allow for getting old & soft), so it's considerably less nose-heavy than that bike. Ex-#1 also had a bit more steerer, so was somewhere in between.

The 710mm bar/80mm stem combo, which has been trialled on #2 for the last few months works well, nice neutral feel. Only real change from #2 is 9° backsweep vs 5° on that bike's WCS bar; that always felt a bit too straight, kicking my wrists out at a weird angle. The extra sweep feels much more natural, especially when rotated to give a bit of upsweep too.

Haven't had a chance to get the rear shock serviced yet, so it's still bouncy as hell. I have a RS Monarch that I salvaged from a dead frame back when I was in the shop, so I'll probably sub that in until the Fox is fixed.

 

[danncam]

@duckmeister rode past you and your crew today, the forks stand out and look great

 

[The Duckmeister]

History repeating... Out on today's group ride one of the guys noticed the blue fork - after we'd done about 80% of the ride.... "Hey Ducky, have you got a new fork?" "Nah, whole new bike!" Word-for-word I had the same exchange with one of the other guys when I got ex-#1 8-odd years ago! Ironically the bloke who first made the fork comment way back was the first to notice the arrival of New #1 when I trotted it out last week!