Giant guru help needed-Another cracked carbon Anthem 29

[pistonbroke]

Last year I bought a new 2013 Anthem Advanced 29 0. It's the second 2013 Anthem Advanced I have bought. The first one cracked and the frame was replaced with a 2014 model.
So the new 0 is great but less than 1 year on and 1100km the frame has cracked in exactly the same top tube-seat tube junction as the last one.
So it's all covered under warranty and I'm sure it won't be an issue getting another frame. But will it just be the same?
My real question is the 2014 or later frame any better? I have read some comments that they fixed that issue by changing the carbon lay up. But that sounds like PR bullshit to me. Visually the frames appear identical.
Can anyone confirm though some official means that the new frame will be better?
If this can't be confirmed I may seek to get a different bike instead of another frame.

 

[Art Vanderlay]

Piston, pretty sure the 2014 frame is the same just with a different paint job.
It seems they have rectified the problem in the 27.5 frames with what looks like a bigger contact patch to the seat tube.

What are the odds of giant bringing out a new 29er frame this season? Or are they most likely to abandon 29ers all together?

 

[pistonbroke]

I have zero interest in the 27.5.
My gut says you're right about the frames being the same. I need to take it in and get it assessed. But I don't want another frame if it's the same.
1100km isn't a lot of miles and there's no reason it should have cracked again. I'm a C grade XC rider and only ride XC. No dh or jumps at all.
Maybe it's my riding style. I think I sit down too much.

 

[teK--]

Maybe it's my riding style. I think I sit down too much.

This.

Combination of rider weight, seat height, and riding style.

 

[pink poodle]

I have zero interest in the 27.5.
My gut says you're right about the frames being the same. I need to take it in and get it assessed. But I don't want another frame if it's the same.
1100km isn't a lot of miles and there's no reason it should have cracked again. I'm a C grade XC rider and only ride XC. No dh or jumps at all.
Maybe it's my riding style. I think I sit down too much.

This.

Combination of rider weight, seat height, and riding style.

Yep. It is the lack of jumps and dh in your life.

 

[pharmaboy]

Tek has it - last person I know personally with a cracked out of production frame ended up with a complete anthem 27.5. So be prepared, just in case they have run out of replacement frames - you may end up with new bike. Sort of forces you to sell it and think of another 29er.

Duckmeister should know the situation

 

[Pastavore]

If it was me, I would go for a different bike, or even a refund. 2 frames cracked in the same place is just.....the universe telling you to ride a different bike. No reason to expect a third frame to be any different.

Harden up and get a hardtail? That'll stop you sitting too much

Or a trance?

 

[stirk]

Yeah right, can't sit down on your seat or you'll crack your frame.

Just a weak design not your arse style of riding.

 

[JTmofo]

There's many reasons why people buy Giants. One of them is the lifetime frame warrant they offer.
I'd be more pissed off if I had a frame that broke and the manufacturer were reluctant to offer a warranty replacement.
There would be no reason to think that the replacement frame will be any different to the current frame, but that's a chance you really have no choice but to take.

 

[Ridenparadise]

No riding style should crack a frame unless it's at the Rampage.

 

[The Duckmeister]

Tek has it - last person I know personally with a cracked out of production frame ended up with a complete anthem 27.5. So be prepared, just in case they have run out of replacement frames - you may end up with new bike. Sort of forces you to sell it and think of another 29er.

Duckmeister should know the situation

The '13/'14/'15 frames are all out of the same moulds, but whether the layup has been changed over the years I don't know. There may still be frames available; I did a swap job for exactly the same thing earlier this year. While obviously it does still happen, the carbon frames are a lot less prone to this failure than the alloy ones. What's happening with 29ers & Giant's 2016 range I do not know yet.

An alternative that might be worth discussing with Giant is sending the frame to Luescher Teknik for a repair & see if they'll cover the cost. Be prepared for a negative answer, but hey, you don't know if you don't try.

 

[pharmaboy]

No riding style should crack a frame unless it's at the Rampage.

"Should" is correct, unfortunately it does. I sold my replacement frame cheap because I just didn't want the ongoing hassle.

Real shame they dropped the 29ers - possibly the best bike giant has made

 

[Ackland]

"Should" is correct, unfortunately it does. I sold my replacement frame cheap because I just didn't want the ongoing hassle.

Real shame they dropped the 29ers - possibly the best bike giant has made

I remember for a while there, the silver alloy Anthem 29 made up ~50% of the field at any marathon event and when Flow MTB gave it a review, the only negative was
"not knowing which bike is yours in a Le Mans Start"

 

[teK--]

An alternative that might be worth discussing with Giant is sending the frame to Luescher Teknik for a repair & see if they'll cover the cost. Be prepared for a negative answer, but hey, you don't know if you don't try.

Probably not without a crapload of disclaimers from them and sign a waiver.

Giant's warranty fine print says carbon frames are NOT repairable

 

[pistonbroke]

I've finally taken the bike in for assessment. I told them my concern that I've already cracked two, so would like to look at other options.
While I was there I checked out some 29er trances. They still have 2013 and 2014 stock. So it got me thinking, maybe I could transfer everything over to a Trance 29er? Put my XX group set on, carbon wheels, bars, seat post ect. I could even use the forks if I converted them to 120mm. It would have to be stronger. Of course it would be heavier but how much heavier is an alloy trance frame and shock over a carbon anthem frame and shock? 600 grams? 1 kg?

 

[pharmaboy]

I've finally taken the bike in for assessment. I told them my concern that I've already cracked two, so would like to look at other options.
While I was there I checked out some 29er trances. They still have 2013 and 2014 stock. So it got me thinking, maybe I could transfer everything over to a Trance 29er? Put my XX group set on, carbon wheels, bars, seat post ect. I could even use the forks if I converted them to 120mm. It would have to be stronger. Of course it would be heavier but how much heavier is an alloy trance frame and shock over a carbon anthem frame and shock? 600 grams? 1 kg?

Not weight that counts, it's the efficiency - the anthem Is a fast XC /marathon bike - the trance isn't . Trance would be a good fun second bike when riding with others and exploring but probably going to cost you a minute or 2 an hour in a race.

No real problems with the frame though

 

[pistonbroke]

When I am racing, a minute or two per hour may move me from 43rd to 41st in my category. So no biggie. Of course if I was at the pointy end of the field I would be concerned.
Maybe I should ride one before I put all my eggs in the trance basket. I really do like the speed and efficiency of the Anthem.

 

[pistonbroke]

Got my bike back. Ended up with a new 2014 Anthem Advanced frame. The silver black and blue scheme matches the XX group set and the rest of the bits perfectly.
There was no Trance frames around. I'm hoping this one holds together for years to come.

 

[stirk]

It will last for years to come, if you don't ride it! :heh:

 

[Clyde Dave]

I had the same problem with Anthem frames breaking. The best solution I found was get rid of the bike and buy a Santa Cruz. Four years on and still intact.