Giant Anthem or trance?

pink poodle

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Calvin27 said:
everyone is going to say trance.
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No they aren't...they are mostly going to say get a different brand!

@shaddowflyer You're friends are mostly correct, you'll get great value for money on a giant. If the value for money is your primary concern, have a look at polygon as well. Also those prices...seem suspiciously lime full retail. Where are you located? I'd hate to hear of a biker dude getting a shit deal. I was recently in Kuringai Cycles (Hornsby) and they had reasonable discounts on the bikes I was perving on. You could some of their top shelf bikes reduced to around $3800 rather than the anthem...if you aren't I nthe area, lean on your shop, get on bike exchange and look what giants are going for, haggle, haggle, haggle! And get yourself a bargain! But most importantly: don't buy a giant. Otherwise do and have a rad time anyway!
 
caad9

caad9

Likes Bikes and Dirt
This seems like a no-brainer for the Trance 29.

It's aimed at the same audience as the 27.5 and will be a better option on the flat stuff.
130mm & 29" wheels with decent geometry is going to be way more capable than you think
 
Nambra

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
teK-- said:
Trance 27.5. Better to have too much bike than not enough
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+1

You can't increase travel but you can lock it out.

Had a 2015 Trance (27.5) and it was a good bike - never felt like it was overkill on XC/trail rides. If you want a fast efficient bike for smoother stuff, get a hardtail. The new Trance 29 looks smart as well, although I'd only suggest it if OP is a taller rider.

Giant has lifetime warranty on frames too, so that's peace of mind with the brand. Just don't get a carbon Anthem...

Pays to shop around too - you can get a Trance 1 (medium, Sydney) for the same price you're looking at for the Trance 2.

Surprised nobody's recommended a Spitfire yet...
 
Nambra

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
What's your Scout though Ultra - 130/150? Trance isn't that much different. Agree though, that bikes in that range are pretty capable on a broad range of terrain.
 
Ultra Lord

Ultra Lord

Hurts. Requires Money. And is nerdy.
Nambra said:
What's your Scout though Ultra - 130/150? Trance isn't that much different. Agree though, that bikes in that range are pretty capable on a broad range of terrain.
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125/140 that I’ve never overforked to 150mm.

The 29 trance isn’t much smaller
 
Haakon

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
Another Trance owner here, ex Anthem owner. Get the Trance. Or a Polygon. Or a Canyon Spectral. 27.5 if youre shorter, 29 if you're tall.

My Trance climbs 90-95% as well as my Anthems did.
 
rowdyflat

rowdyflat

chez le médecin
Most people replying will be gnarly dudes and think the bigger the bike the better.
Anthem 29 for you is my recommendation as you dont sound v experienced.
 
Calvin27

Calvin27

Eats Squid
rowdyflat said:
Most people replying will be gnarly dudes and think the bigger the bike the better.
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Yep pretty much. I've taken my 100mm dually to a lot of places it had no business in. You can ride it probably up to single black diamonds - it's just much harder and not as much fun as a longer travel bike. Most of us here on RB are basically downhill biased so we are all going with the trance. But don't let that fool you, a short travel xc is going to climb better universally.
 
Haakon

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
rowdyflat said:
Most people replying will be gnarly dudes and think the bigger the bike the better.
Anthem 29 for you is my recommendation as you dont sound v experienced.
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I wouldn't recommend a 29er for a short guy.

Look, get whatever feels comfortable at the end of the day. In my personal experience of being a gnarly dude (really really not...) is that I ran out of suspension and general capability on the Anthem. I'd suggest the Trance as it does 90% of what an Anthem does well, but give more room for personal progression as your rough and tumble skills progress.
 
P

pliskin

Likes Dirt
i had an 2016 anthem. which was 100 travel front and back. id taken the anthem down, Pork barrel and double dissolution at stromlo on a number of occasions, it was able to get me through, but i never felt comfortable. may have been partly due to pressures and suspension setting and the steeper head angle. but a few sections i just didnt feel confident / maybe stayed on the brakes a bit much.

recently got a merida 140, its about 3kg heavier, but i hardly notice the extra weight , when climbing. but its oh so much more fun on the downs.
i think having a bike with a bit more travel, is better than not having enough, even if its only for 20% of the riding i do
 
Haakon

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
pliskin said:
i had an 2016 anthem. which was 100 travel front and back. id taken the anthem down, Pork barrel and double dissolution at stromlo on a number of occasions, it was able to get me through, but i never felt comfortable. may have been partly due to pressures and suspension setting and the steeper head angle. but a few sections i just didnt feel confident / maybe stayed on the brakes a bit much.

recently got a merida 140, its about 3kg heavier, but i hardly notice the extra weight , when climbing. but its oh so much more fun on the downs.
i think having a bike with a bit more travel, is better than not having enough, even if its only for 20% of the riding i do
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It was a "moment" on Double Dissolution that made me sell my Anthem for a Trance... User error for sure, but the Trance soaks up the errors that inevitably get made when pushing yourself and progressing skills. I was also regularly whacking the rear end at it ran out of travel..
 
Lazmo

Lazmo

Old and hopeless
Going over the bars was why I stopped riding 100mm steep head angle bikes. Stuff that, I'm too old for OTB.

Get the 27.5 Trance. Make it tubeless, and pump the tyres when you're gravel grinding with your wife and let some air out of them when you want to have fun.
 
Calvin27

Calvin27

Eats Squid
Lazmo said:
Going over the bars was why I stopped riding 100mm steep head angle bikes. Stuff that, I'm too old for OTB.
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That was my tigger for a long travle bike with slack geo too. Was nothing more than a badly timed 50cm step haha.

But come on guys OP specifically said mostly BLUE AND GREEN RUNS - anthem wins easily. All the scenarios most of you have described don't even come close to the gnarliest of blue runs (ok maybe the mangled grading system at harcourt)
 
Nambra

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
I'd still prefer a Trance on blue/green trails, and wouldn't consider it to be a big bike either - just a good all rounder. The Anthem 29 has a 69° HTA, compared with 67° on the Trance 27.5 and 66.5° on the Trance 29er, neither of which could be considered super slack by current trends. They're just more versatile and more forgiving when you want to push the limits of your ability.

Currently ride a 135mm 29er and I never feel like it's a sluggish bike to ride on the tamer tracks, nor do I wonder what a shorter travel bike would be like. Who buys a bike for the climbs anyway!
 
Warp

Warp

Likes Dirt
SF Trailboy said:
Trance 29er. Best comprise between all three.

Being a giant they have a demo program. Ride all three.

If your local doesn’t have them to test ride find a giant shop that does.
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Trance 29er. Just decide which one. The Trance 29 1 is a killer deal.

The deal breaker for me was 27.2 seat tube on the Anthem. Your options for a dropper are massively limited.
 

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