Giant Anthem X 29er - See first post for info

[notime]

Anyone else noticed a lot of creaking around the seat/seatpost area?

Its started to get pretty bad on mine. Took my seat off, and took apart all the clamping at the top of the post, cleaned and lightly greased.. still creaking though, didnt seem to have any affect. Maybe the sounds coming from the post and the frame, i dont know. Bloody annoying though.

I had a creaking sound which was concerning me a little but I thought it may be rear wheel spoke tension. Which I thought is odd cause my XTC 29er wheels never made a sound and they had a good belting. Maybe what you are describing is what I am hearing.

Mind you I have only done just shy 10kms on my bike so far so. It was only when I was hammering it on rough single track (first time), fire road was no noise or at least I did not notice till I came down the ST.

We are both on XL's.

 

[Timmy!!!]

I rode it today at the Demo Day at the Youies. I tried it on fast single track, technical climbs, and technical descents. Anybody who rides it and doesn't want it must have rocks in their heads: it has fantastic cornering grip and it is easier to ride fast both uphill and downhill than a "conventional" bike.

And it's cheap. Incredibly cheap. Dunno how they did it at that price.

 

[damian_eley]

I went out to the giant demo day at the You Yangs today to try the anthem 29er and I have to say I was very impressed. Its the first time I've had a proper ride on a 29er but being a big guy I was expecting the big wheels to work for me and I wasn't disappointed.

Right from the off I felt very comfortable and natural on the bike, though the top tube did feel a little short but I was on an L and not the XL that I think need. We had a big dump of rain down here yesterday so some sections were fairly muddy, but there seemed to be plenty of traction on the standard crossmarks and the bike felt very stable through the corners. I've read a fair bit saying that 29er are not the most playful of bikes but I'm very much a wheels on the ground kind of guy (its faster ) so its not put me off. But I have to say the anthem felt more than happy to play over the jumps, who knows may be I'll grow up to be and big air bandit after all. I did find the bars felt a bit too straight, something with more sweep would have felt a bit better I think.

It was great to have a chance to have a proper test ride of the bike and not just a pootle around a carpark, so big thanks to Norm and the guys from Giant. Looks like I'll be placing an order for one of these bad boys first thing tomorrow morning.

So any one want to buy a bike? I now have 3 to sell...

PS just noticed there is a proper review over of bikeradar

 

[iscarrr]

PS just noticed there is a proper review over of bikeradar

Just on a side note, i saw that review too.. and wow its going to cost them £2,950 (~$4800 AUD)!!

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/giant-anthem-x-29er-first-ride-review-28401

 

[Bodin]

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/giant-anthem-x-29er-first-ride-review-28401

Short, but positive review. It's purely personal preference, but I have to say that I prefer the white paint scheme over the one we're getting here.

Won't stop me buying one, though...

 

[gaylord-forker]

I had a creaking sound which was concerning me a little but I thought it may be rear wheel spoke tension. Which I thought is odd cause my XTC 29er wheels never made a sound and they had a good belting. Maybe what you are describing is what I am hearing.

Mind you I have only done just shy 10kms on my bike so far so. It was only when I was hammering it on rough single track (first time), fire road was no noise or at least I did not notice till I came down the ST.

We are both on XL's.

I get the same thing. Its defiantly not the seat, because I transferred the seat of my old bike and it still creaks. Its somewhere near where the post and frame meet.

I have a medium.

 

[mtb101]

white paint scheme over the one we're getting here.

and I thought you were a weight weenie, less paint, less weight. We get the lighter version.

 

[Bodin]

and I thought you were a weight weenie, less paint, less weight. We get the lighter version.

I didn't think of that - there's gotta be at least 50 grams of paint on that white one!!!

The Weight Weenie Police will be visiting me tonight to demand my membership card back...

 

[gaylord-forker]

I hit the oaks firetrail over the weekend.

Strapped the ContourHD to the handlebars. I think i'll stick to the helmet mount from now on. Way to jumpy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDiMCBUY1M8

What owning the Anthem 29er has proved to me, is that you can buy talent. This bike just makes the trails like bike paths. It is amazing.

 

[normdouglas]

I went out to the giant demo day at the You Yangs today to try the anthem 29er and I have to say I was very impressed. Its the first time I've had a proper ride on a 29er but being a big guy I was expecting the big wheels to work for me and I wasn't disappointed.

Right from the off I felt very comfortable and natural on the bike, though the top tube did feel a little short but I was on an L and not the XL that I think need. We had a big dump of rain down here yesterday so some sections were fairly muddy, but there seemed to be plenty of traction on the standard crossmarks and the bike felt very stable through the corners. I've read a fair bit saying that 29er are not the most playful of bikes but I'm very much a wheels on the ground kind of guy (its faster ) so its not put me off. But I have to say the anthem felt more than happy to play over the jumps, who knows may be I'll grow up to be and big air bandit after all. I did find the bars felt a bit too straight, something with more sweep would have felt a bit better I think.

It was great to have a chance to have a proper test ride of the bike and not just a pootle around a carpark, so big thanks to Norm and the guys from Giant. Looks like I'll be placing an order for one of these bad boys first thing tomorrow morning.

So any one want to buy a bike? I now have 3 to sell...

PS just noticed there is a proper review over of bikeradar

Thanks for the ride Damian... I think you were one of the two guys who I "stupidly" chose to go out for what I thought was going to be a social ride! Ha! Note to self... when two fit guys get given demo bikes to thrash, make sure you stay in front of them the whole time.

Was an awesome day yesterday, thanks to all who showed up. Stay tuned for more days in the near future.
Sign up for the newsletter here > www.giantrealriders.com.au

 

[Cornik]

Broke

I must be the first to bend and brake a chain and derailleur on the X29er. At least got one first out of last weekend.

AArrrhhhh

 

[mtb101]

normdouglas
Thanks for the ride Damian... I think you were one of the two guys who I "stupidly" chose to go out for what I thought was going to be a social ride! Ha! Note to self... when two fit guys get given demo bikes to thrash, make sure you stay in front of them the whole time.

so are you going to post your opinion of the 29X? How does it compare to what you currently ride, reckon the 29X would eat up the Forrest ST. Would be interested to hear what you have to say. cheers.

 

[normdouglas]

so are you going to post your opinion of the 29X? How does it compare to what you currently ride, reckon the 29X would eat up the Forrest ST. Would be interested to hear what you have to say. cheers.

Well... actually I didn't ride one. However Jess did and she said she was impressed with the apparent extra grip she experienced through the corners.

 

[mittagongmtb]

USA is so far Australia.... they have only just announce the recall. as of 12 November.
I hope Giant bring out some additional models and colours to Australia..can't really warm to the shiny model that much..

 

[normdouglas]

USA is so far Australia.... they have only just announce the recall. as of 12 November.
I hope Giant bring out some additional models and colours to Australia..can't really warm to the shiny model that much..

I'm led to believe that the recall mentioned above, is actually the same recall as some months back and is merely a legal requirement to announce it again

 

[iscarrr]

I must be the first to bend and brake a chain and derailleur on the X29er. At least got one first out of last weekend.

AArrrhhhh

Nar i snapped the chain on mine 5 minutes into my 1st ride. LBS mentioned i wasn't the first they'd heard of it too. I saw a guy in the Fling on the weekend on an AX29 who'd unfortunately snapped his mid race too.

 

[gaylord-forker]

Nar i snapped the chain on mine 5 minutes into my 1st ride. LBS mentioned i wasn't the first they'd heard of it too. I saw a guy in the Fling on the weekend on an AX29 who'd unfortunately snapped his mid race too.

I was lucky enough to only bend the crap out of my chain on the weekend. It twisted in the front derailer. I went off the gas straight away, which i gather stopped it form snapping.

I hope this isn't a regular thing.

 

[notime]

Nar i snapped the chain on mine 5 minutes into my 1st ride. LBS mentioned i wasn't the first they'd heard of it too. I saw a guy in the Fling on the weekend on an AX29 who'd unfortunately snapped his mid race too.

I rode mine in the Fling luckily no problems for me, I also saw a guy with a yellowish coloured jearsey after snapping his chain, most likely the same guy. I noticed 4 Anthem's plus mine at the event, talked to 2 of them, must have missed you though iscarrr.

 

[Cornik]

Nar i snapped the chain on mine 5 minutes into my 1st ride. LBS mentioned i wasn't the first they'd heard of it too. I saw a guy in the Fling on the weekend on an AX29 who'd unfortunately snapped his mid race too.

Yep that was me - hope it is not a 10 speed issue.
Or must be my massively powerful legs - not -

Out

 

[iscarrr]

I rode mine in the Fling luckily no problems for me, I also saw a guy with a yellowish coloured jearsey after snapping his chain, most likely the same guy. I noticed 4 Anthem's plus mine at the event, talked to 2 of them, must have missed you though iscarrr.

The couple i went past i said "nice bike" too, atleast one said thanks without even looking at mine and noticing we were both on them! I was in a black and white top. You might have seen me fixing a puncture 5 minutes into the race too

Yep that was me - hope it is not a 10 speed issue.
Or must be my massively powerful legs - not -

Out

I think its more an issue with the joining pin on the HG74 (SLX) chain they come with. When i snapped mine i rejoined it on the trail and yeah aside from then being too short in some ratios it was fine. LBS replaced it with a HG94 (XT) and its been fine.