Anthem or Trance

[justanotherbiker]

I'm about to buy a new bike but I haven't been into MTB for a very long time.

 

Having moved from trail county aka Pietermaritzburg 10 years ago, I gave up on MTB all together. Recently I became very interested again and have almost bought several bikes.

 

The reason why the choice is Giant specifically is because I have a Giant shop down the hill and have really fallen in love with the brand. It'd be convenient for club rides and servicing. For the record, I previously had Trek and Scott bikes.

 

After 2 months now of hunting and going back on choices, I've narrowed my future bike down to either a 2014 Trance Advanced 27.5 1 or a 2014 Anthem Advanced 27.5 1. Both bikes have the same XT groupset and have carbon frames. I'm also really happy with the colour (or lack thereof) as some of the colour schemes I've seen aren't to my taste.

 

Since I live in Gauteng (for now), is there any point to getting a trail bike? I'd like to do the 2016 events and it'd be good if I have the right bike for the job; yet I also want a capable machine when I'm bombing down World's View or Karkloof when visiting friends in KZN.

 

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01/10/5ea37b97700a799e4a681a866571a019.jpg

 

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/16/01/10/f30d48b189cf70b59d81be05d04156ed.jpg

[Pieterlab1]

Anthem

[Myth]

Anthem. Eventually you will need both as there's a use for both of them, but I would get then Anthem first. Anthem will definitely be faster at most of the places you will ride in Gauteng but the Trance will be shed loads of fun and make you REALLY enjoy the few downhills we have up here, and will be very well suited to KZN. So buy the Trance once you get to the limits of what the Anthem can do (which may take a while as the Anthem is a very capable bike).

[Mada3400]

I really like the Anthem sx, with its 120mm fork and dropper, throw a set of punishable tyres on there and you will have a really cool xc-trailbike (or as I just decided to call it, mountainbike)

[T-Bob]

Don't forget the Anthem X 29'r manage to get to second on the Trail Bike of the Year in 2013 and was only pipped by the Whyte T129s... As a 27.5 it should be even more chuckable! 

[DJR]

Wonderful problem you have! No matter what you do, you cannot lose! I'm a Trance fanboy, but I would be totally happy with the Anthem too! My only issue with the Anthem is its' name. They should have called it something more "fun". Something like "bliss" would have been much better! If you plan to do longer distance marathon or stage races, the Anthem is 1st choice. If you plan to only ride for fun, especially rougher stuff, the Trance is the one! 

[cpelser]

Agreed - Rather go with the Anthem now as it will still ride most trails (including small drops) as well as the Trance. The Trance will help more if you get closer to riding the downhill or more technical type of routes.

 

So it's your choice - Anthem for more speed 95% of the time or Trance for more thrill 5% of the time.

 

PS I don't care for speed and ride a 160mm Trance

[s14phoenix]

Trance - not even a choice. I XC with my Trance also and it does the job almost just as well as the Anthem (The weights are not that diffent. The advanced version have Full XT and Fox Performance suspensions (although OD2 sucks) Kit.

 

The one awesome thing (can be checked first) the Fox front shock on the Trance Advanced 1 is a Talas so you can turn it down to 120mm travel when things get a bit XC and then lengthen back to 140mm when things get a bit less XC...

 

Then to wake up a bit more beast in the bike see if a wider 740-800 bar and short stem (50mm available with Giant's own AM stems) works better for you.

 

Happy trails.   :thumbup:  

[Fruity]

Don't know too much about the two bikes, although I've ridden my bro in laws Anthem 27.5 a few times, and fell in love with the bike during and after each ride.

[rouxtjie]

Nice problem you have there....the answer really lies with yourself

 

Do you do more XC / marathon races / rides or do you do more enduro / technical events rides. Both can do either discipline well, but the one is more at home in marathon / stage races and the other moering down gnarly mountains.

 

Choose the one based on where you spend most of your time....or do what any sane mtb'er would do...

 

GET BOTH 

[s14phoenix]

Based on the spec on the Trance - Trance all the way - Just change those crappy tyres and tubes.

 

 

Frame Sizes XS,S, M, L, XL Colors Matt/Black Frame Advanced-Grade Composite, 5.5" Maestro Suspension /ALUXX SL Rear Triangle Fork Fox 32 Talas CTD Performance, 140-120mm Travel w/ 15QR Thru-Axle and OverDrive 2 tapered steerer Shock Fox CTD Performance

 

Components Handlebar Giant Contact, Low Rise 31.8 Stem Giant Contact OverDrive 2 Seatpost Giant Contact Switch-R, 30.9 Saddle Fi'zi:k Gobi XM w/ MG Rails Pedals Not Included

 

Drivetrain Shifters Shimano XT, 2x10s Front Derailleur Shimano XT Rear Derailleur Shimano XT Shadow+, 10s Brakes Shimano XT, [F] 180mm, [R] 160mm Brake Levers Shimano XT Cassette Shimano HG81 11-36, 10s Chain KMC X10 Crankset Shimano Deore XT, 24/38 w/ MRP 2x Guide Bottom Bracket Shimano Press-Fit

 

Wheels Rims Giant P-TRX-1 27.5 Wheelsystem Hubs Giant P-TRX-1 27.5 Wheelsystem, [F] QR15 [R] 12x142mm Thru-Axle Spokes Giant P-TRX-1 27.5 Wheelsystem Tires Schwalbe Nobby Nic, 27.5x2.25 TL Ready EVO Folding

[_freak_]

+1 on the Anthem

I wont get rid of it... ever!

[PhilipV]

Well, the midway is a Anthem SX, which is a very capable bike.

Since you want to race, go with the Anthem, if you had gnarlier terrain around you, and had no racing tendencies, I would have suggested the Trance, but I reckon you can do it all on the Anthem SX.

Havertown

[justanotherbiker]

Thanks for all the replies, really appreciated.

 

The Anthem SX isn't a consideration as I'm going for unsold 2014 stock.

 

On that note, is there a reason for the leftover 2014 models? If I go for a later model year the fork/shock improves but the rest stays the same. Also, the colour becomes less of what I like. A 2016 Advanced is out of my budget for a first "welcome back" bike.

 

As for the races, I have yet to start. I also don't see myself travelling outside of Gauteng so local races only; also, no stage races. Based on what I've observed so far there are no real mountain/forest trails up here so the logical choice seems to be an Anthem though I do have a bias towards the Trance. I don't see people commenting on it but that "dip" on the Trance frame would be great for standing over the bike and all.

 

For the record I'm not tall and I'd be tied to a medium size bike.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Anthem SX, which is essentially an Anthem with a 120mm fork on the front. 

 

It's the Anthem & Trance's unhinged, coke-snorting brother. 

 

Of the 2 you posted though, without any changes, I'd go for the trance. A far more capable bike in every respect. Will give you more confidence on the tricky bits, will be more stable at speed and can still whip it with the fast kids if you alter a few settings on the suspension when you're doing those rides. 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Thanks for all the replies, really appreciated.

 

The Anthem SX isn't a consideration as I'm going for unsold 2014 stock.

 

On that note, is there a reason for the leftover 2014 models? If I go for a later model year the fork/shock improves but the rest stays the same. Also, the colour becomes less of what I like. A 2016 Advanced is out of my budget for a first "welcome back" bike.

 

As for the races, I have yet to start. I also don't see myself travelling outside of Gauteng so local races only; also, no stage races. Based on what I've observed so far there are no real mountain/forest trails up here so the logical choice seems to be an Anthem though I do have a bias towards the Trance.

Improvements on the fork and shock (more applicable to the CTD evolution Fox 32) and then newer groupset components and stuff. Also no more OD2