Yep another which bike tread....
Currently on an old 2010 Giant Anthem 29 0 and keen to upgrade to something that will give me a bit more confidence on the descents but still climb and cover the kms efficiently. Currently riding the Old Man Valley trails and a bit of out the back of Terry Hills, Ourimbah and plenty of fire trails. Fitness level is good, background tris and plenty of kms on the road. Skills are average to poor, comfortable on the medium blue stuff at Old Mans, Black poses some difficulty and will walk the tough obstacles. I don't have the confidence to get my bike off the ground and I'd like to change that, but fundamentally I will always stay an marathon long kms at the bike park kind of rider.
Riding with some more skilled friends and booked in for Convict 100, Tathra Enduro (75km), might do the Canberra 100 later in the year. Have previously ridden the fling a couple of times, Convict a couple of time a few 6-12 hour events and Tathra last year.
Budget, there are two bikes that I'm looking at that I can get for around the 3,000 mark, Anthem 29 1 (2018) and Trance 29 2 (2019).
Current bike has a c. 71 head tube, new Anthem 69 head tube and trance 66.5. Stack and reach is not vastly different between the Trance and the Anthem.
Trance 29 2, NX, alloy wheels, bit on the heavy side
Anthem 29 1, GX, Carbon wheels, better spec and lighter
At A$3,000 I have some room to lighten and XC the Trance over time or make the Anthem more robust and trailish.
The big question is, given what I am riding, current skill level and planned events, very interested in hearing thoughts on what will be the better bike. I have thrown a leg on both but very conscious that I haven't had either out on a trail....
Cheers,
Nath
Currently on an old 2010 Giant Anthem 29 0 and keen to upgrade to something that will give me a bit more confidence on the descents but still climb and cover the kms efficiently. Currently riding the Old Man Valley trails and a bit of out the back of Terry Hills, Ourimbah and plenty of fire trails. Fitness level is good, background tris and plenty of kms on the road. Skills are average to poor, comfortable on the medium blue stuff at Old Mans, Black poses some difficulty and will walk the tough obstacles. I don't have the confidence to get my bike off the ground and I'd like to change that, but fundamentally I will always stay an marathon long kms at the bike park kind of rider.
Riding with some more skilled friends and booked in for Convict 100, Tathra Enduro (75km), might do the Canberra 100 later in the year. Have previously ridden the fling a couple of times, Convict a couple of time a few 6-12 hour events and Tathra last year.
Budget, there are two bikes that I'm looking at that I can get for around the 3,000 mark, Anthem 29 1 (2018) and Trance 29 2 (2019).
Current bike has a c. 71 head tube, new Anthem 69 head tube and trance 66.5. Stack and reach is not vastly different between the Trance and the Anthem.
Trance 29 2, NX, alloy wheels, bit on the heavy side
Anthem 29 1, GX, Carbon wheels, better spec and lighter
At A$3,000 I have some room to lighten and XC the Trance over time or make the Anthem more robust and trailish.
The big question is, given what I am riding, current skill level and planned events, very interested in hearing thoughts on what will be the better bike. I have thrown a leg on both but very conscious that I haven't had either out on a trail....
Cheers,
Nath