Giant Anthem X 29er - See first post for info

[Jubas]

Well, rumors are starting to float around about an Anthem X 29er to follow up Giant's XTC 29er. People on MTBR are citing 'reps' telling them that it's on its way.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showpost.php?p=6562217&postcount=14

Admitedly, it's not exactly a great source, but what are people's thoughts regarding such a bike? I was keen on the XTC 29er until i went and fractured my wrist (). This might be more within my timeframe with any luck!

Think it could muster up against some of the XC oriented 29ers currently on offer - Tallboy, Jet 9(!), GF variants? I suspect if it is released, it will come in at a very competitive price against its competitors..

Additional info/pics:

Sea Otter:
BikeRadar (Pics + Article)
BikeRumor (Pics + Article)
Singletrack (Video)

Current status: Released into the wild (post recall) in Australia with fairly decent stock availability

Link to Giant's official website: Official Australian spec, geometry and price ($3500)

Rotorburn user reviews/setup

iscarr (193cm, XL) Post 1
Tegski Post 1 Post 2 (Tubeless)
Krisko Post 1 Post 2
Cornik (190cm, XL) Post 1
Jubas (187cm, L) Post 1 Post 2 Post 3 Post 4
Victor h Post 1 Post 2
Dirtdiver Post 1
Wingy Post 1
Biker Dave Post 1 (Tubeless)
Leftieant Post 1 (Tubeless) Post 2
Nath8 Post 1
Michaelg Post 1
damian_eley Post 1
mtb101Post 1
Bodin Post 1
dinosaur_mtb Post 1

Weights

Wheels
Full component list (Medium size, 6” Rotor)

Non-rotorburn reviews

Twentynineinches.com
Bike Radar

Miscellaneous

Picture of suspect weld after recall
Cracked XL seatpost/top tube crack
CARL DECKER SHREDS THE ASHLAND SUPER D (youtube)
Details on what changed in the frame recall from Giant

Latest post update: 6/12/2010

 

[Knopey]

An XC-travel 29'er is a verrrry tempting proposition, so the more options and competition in the market the better. With the Pivot Mach429 currently being arguably the pick of the small bunch (from what I can tell?), the AnthemX29 will have to be pretty special to become the new object of desire. Then again, it's almost a given that the Giant would come in under the price of the other options (esp. the Pivot).

It will be fascinating to watch this space. There's no reason for them not to do it imo.

 

[hifiandmtb]

It's going to be hard to judge when anything might be released - I'm building a 29er hardtail now...do I wait to see what happens? The only thing stopping me from ponying up to a Mach 429 is price. Choices, choices.

 

[Jubas]

It's going to be hard to judge when anything might be released - I'm building a 29er hardtail now...do I wait to see what happens? The only thing stopping me from ponying up to a Mach 429 is price. Choices, choices.

Agreed - it's always a bit of a waiting game. The XTC 29er was priced reasonably well compared to the standard XTCs, so it will be interesting to see where Giant might position the Anthem 29er.

 

[Sumgy]

An XC-travel 29'er is a verrrry tempting proposition, so the more options and competition in the market the better. With the Pivot Mach429 currently being arguably the pick of the small bunch (from what I can tell?), the AnthemX29 will have to be pretty special to become the new object of desire. Then again, it's almost a given that the Giant would come in under the price of the other options (esp. the Pivot).

It will be fascinating to watch this space. There's no reason for them not to do it imo.

There is only a few options out there but I would not put the Pivot at the top of that pile for 4" travel XC applications.
Just about every Pivot build I have seen is heavy.
Tallboy; Fisher Superfly100/HiFi; Specialized Epic or Titus Rockstar would be my choices but there is also the new and improved Jet.
Sadly many manufacturers seem to be heading the bigger is better route and coming out with 5 and 6" travel bikes instead of or replacing 4 travel options.

Hopefully I can reveal my new dually soonish.

 

[Steve_N]

There is only a few options out there but I would not put the Pivot at the top of that pile for 4" travel XC applications.
Just about every Pivot build I have seen is heavy.
Tallboy; Fisher Superfly100/HiFi; Specialized Epic or Titus Rockstar would be my choices but there is also the new and improved Jet.
Sadly many manufacturers seem to be heading the bigger is better route and coming out with 5 and 6" travel bikes instead of or replacing 4 travel options.

Hopefully I can reveal my new dually soonish.

A Giant FS 29er would certainly shake things up and based on Giant's usual penchant for delivering good bikes for great value for money it might force some other makers to do a rethink value for money-wise.

I think Sumgy is right though in regards to manufacturers heading along the 'more travel is better' route. I guess because there is vocal lot on MTBR wanting such beasts and they think they are producing what the consumer wants. I think what will happen is that over time a happy medium will be found travel-wise and manufacturers may revisit 4" designs... As the market for 29er grows too you will find that manufacturers will start offering a more diverse range of bikes at different travel lengths, eg. 4", 5", 6" etc.

Personally I think that 4" FS 29ers is THE ticket for endurance races, especially for conditions found here in AU, but we are only a blip on the radar for manufacturers of that type of bike...

 

[Sumgy]

I think that the other thing that is affecting the 4" travel dually market is the bullshit that is sprouted that a 29er HT is equivalent to a 3" travel 26" dually. Based on this manufacturers probably wonder why bother with a dually.

 

[Antsonline]

I think that the other thing that is affecting the 4" travel dually market is the bullshit that is sprouted that a 29er HT is equivalent to a 3" travel 26" dually. Based on this manufacturers probably wonder why bother with a dually.

I tend to think its rather more like a 1" dually.

What is interesting however is that the market (and for these purposes I will assume that you guys writing this are 'the market') assume that 4" is the right number for a 29er XC bike - based solely on the 26" inch history.

I would tend to think that a 2" 29er with non-pivoted chainstays (a la Cannondale - but without snapping) would be the way. To my mind, 29er design is still hanging off the coat-tails of 26" susp platforms, and until it is fully developed, I'll ride a HT.

If I had a 2" travel, light, carbon full susp frame with an 80mm fork - that would be the XC / Enduro / Marathon weapon of choice.

 

[Sumgy]

I tend to think its rather more like a 1" dually.

What is interesting however is that the market (and for these purposes I will assume that you guys writing this are 'the market') assume that 4" is the right number for a 29er XC bike - based solely on the 26" inch history.

I would tend to think that a 2" 29er with non-pivoted chainstays (a la Cannondale - but without snapping) would be the way. To my mind, 29er design is still hanging off the coat-tails of 26" susp platforms, and until it is fully developed, I'll ride a HT.

If I had a 2" travel, light, carbon full susp frame with an 80mm fork - that would be the XC / Enduro / Marathon weapon of choice.

Salsa Dos Niner is what you want then.
For 6 hour events I will stick with the Blacksheep but longer than that I will probably either start or at least finish on a 4" bike.

 

[Antsonline]

Salsa Dos Niner is what you want then.
For 6 hour events I will stick with the Blacksheep but longer than that I will probably either start or at least finish on a 4" bike.

Hmm - I'll pass on the Salsa thanks - no disrespect to Salsa owners here - just not my bag.

My point is why 4"? Only convention from 26". If the crazy guys in 29er land can think up and industry and better idea on bigger wheels, why just accept that 4" is correct. Frankly, it cant be correct - its different levers, angles and wheelbases.

A few years time and we'll know the answer. Until then its Salsa for everyone!

 

[Sumgy]

Hmm - I'll pass on the Salsa thanks - no disrespect to Salsa owners here - just not my bag.

My point is why 4"? Only convention from 26". If the crazy guys in 29er land can think up and industry and better idea on bigger wheels, why just accept that 4" is correct. Frankly, it cant be correct - its different levers, angles and wheelbases.

A few years time and we'll know the answer. Until then its Salsa for everyone!

Or Moots, Siren, Castellano, Blacksheep and probably others who all do a 2" travel softail.
I have ridden the Blacksheep version and it was nice but not for me.

 

[DW-1]

My point is why 4"?

www.ninerbikes.com/fly.aspx?layout=bikes&taxid=86

Jet9 - 3.1"

Elvis.

 

[MountGower]

Another shameless plug. What is this, the classifieds forum?

 

[Steve_N]

Hmm - I'll pass on the Salsa thanks - no disrespect to Salsa owners here - just not my bag.

My point is why 4"? Only convention from 26". If the crazy guys in 29er land can think up and industry and better idea on bigger wheels, why just accept that 4" is correct. Frankly, it cant be correct - its different levers, angles and wheelbases.

A few years time and we'll know the answer. Until then its Salsa for everyone!

Ahhh, yes... convention... but what is convention anyway?... My idea of convention is going to be different from your idea of convention... but this is not a philosophical forum...

4" seems to be the median suspension travel range for all bikes, regardless of wheel size so I guess manufacturers start at the median and work from there so they are in fact not accepting that 4" is 'correct'. Case in point, Intense. Started at 4" with the Spider 29 and have now headed to 5"+ with the new Tracer. It seems like natural progression to me considering Intense's heritage of big travel FR/DH bikes. I wouldn't be surprised if others like Foes follow suit. Turner started there instead...

Personally, for me, a 4" FS 29er is the ticket, but it's just an opinion, not fact, nor convention, nor correct for others...

Although there is opinion that the 29er market has got its stuff sorted, I think there is going to be a long way to go before it is fully 'mature'.

Another shameless plug. What is this, the classifieds forum?

I can sense the cheeky sarcasm that Elvis is suggesting with talking up the Niner Jet... I hope you can too...

 

[MountGower]

Sorry to dash your hopes, but no, I can't. I see thinly veiled advertising and it seems to be all over the place.

 

[Win]

I'm at a loss to know why a dualies has to have the same amount of travel front and rear, particularly a race bike.
A regular HT 29er has 80mm up front and nothing at the back. If you need more cushion for longer or rougher terrain surely 100/50mm would be a better balance.
Less travel at the back would be easier to control (bob) and stiffer laterally

 

[Bodin]

Sorry to dash your hopes, but no, I can't. I see thinly veiled advertising and it seems to be all over the place.

There's no question that he's pointing out a product that he sells, but he's a paying advertiser and is actually contributing something to the thread that DID answer a question people were asking. It was a pretty worthwhile post IMO...

 

[Bodin]

Less travel at the back would be easier to control (bob) and stiffer laterally

Stiffer laterally? Based on what? I'm pretty sure you'll find lateral stiffness is not directly related to travel and that it's more to do with design (number of pivots, type of pivots, etc...) and amount of material used in certain locations on the bike.

 

[Knopey]

Personally, I think a 4" 29'er would suit me because a 5" 26'er does (I'm delicate ). So given the extra plushness (or whatever you want to call it) that a 29'er provides, 4" could be similar comfort-wise to a 5" 26'er. I'm sure I read that somewhere on the internet so it must be right
I don't see it as being convention as such, just a "bigger wheel+shorter travel=same same" theory. 5" of travel in the 26" market seems to be conventional now anyway, not 4".

 

[hifiandmtb]

There's no question that he's pointing out a product that he sells, but he's a paying advertiser and is actually contributing something to the thread that DID answer a question people were asking. It was a pretty worthwhile post IMO...

Yep - his username, links to his representation in his signature do remove all ambiguity about "thinly veiled advertising". I'd rather read Elvis's posts than a lot of other forum-ites...