Giant introduce new Anthem, Trance, XtC and Fathom mountain bikes

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

hmmmm now with Anthem having 120mm up front it will make the decision a little harder between Trance & Anthem ...which one will be the GoTo ride all day bike ??

Both...

 

LOL. I'd still go with Trance. It's the more "all rounder" of the lineup. Anthem is still an XC bike, but now with added gnar-flavour. Trance now has 150mm up front, and will happily tootle along all day every day on your local XC loop, and eat up the trail when it gets fast and techy. 

 

If you're looking at ONE bike from the Giant stable - the answer is and always has been - TRANCE. 

[Mawbs]

ya i have a Trance and kinda agree, but i also had an anthem before but with only 100mm so with 120mm it could be interesting....i would like to check out there new Carbon rims 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

ya i have a Trance and kinda agree, but i also had an anthem before but with only 100mm so with 120mm it could be interesting....i would like to check out there new Carbon rims 

Same. Waiting for a ride report from someone on Pinkbike. 33mm internal, afaik. 

 

Could be the way to go, depending on price and availability

[Mawbs]

was just checking specs and there is only 1deg diff in headset angle between them. and the Anthem SX comes with 130mm front....

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

was just checking specs and there is only 1deg diff in headset angle between them. and the Anthem SX comes with 130mm front....

1 degree is quite a bit... but I think for that type of bike, 66/67 is the sweet spot. 

 

Remember the Anthem came down from a VERY steep 70 deg or something, so it's a very good change. 

[MTBeer]

Both...

 

LOL. I'd still go with Trance. It's the more "all rounder" of the lineup. Anthem is still an XC bike, but now with added gnar-flavour. Trance now has 150mm up front, and will happily tootle along all day every day on your local XC loop, and eat up the trail when it gets fast and techy. 

 

If you're looking at ONE bike from the Giant stable - the answer is and always has been - TRANCE. 

Myles, I sort of disagree. I think. I have a Trance and love it, but I recently bought a second hand 29er Anthem (for my wife ) and rode both bikes this past weekend in the Cederberg - gravel roads. The Anthem has a massive advantage over the Trance for that type of riding.

Before upgrading to my Trance I had a 26er Anthem, and while the Trance is undoubtedly a better bike and a lot more fun to ride, I am not much faster on it on the downhill stuff than on the 26er Anthem.

So what I'm getting at, is IMO the one ideal Giant bike  for allround riding would be a 120mm travel 27.5 Anthem.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Myles, I sort of disagree. I think. I have a Trance and love it, but I recently bought a second hand 29er Anthem (for my wife ) and rode both bikes this past weekend in the Cederberg - gravel roads. The Anthem has a massive advantage over the Trance for that type of riding.

Before upgrading to my Trance I had a 26er Anthem, and while the Trance is undoubtedly a better bike and a lot more fun to ride, I am not much faster on it on the downhill stuff than on the 26er Anthem.

So what I'm getting at, is IMO the one ideal Giant bike  for allround riding would be a 120mm travel 27.5 Anthem.

Dirt roadie...

 

 

But yes - agreed. If you'd had higher volume tyres on the 650 it would have been fine and the rollover characteristics would have been more or less the same. 

 

Gearing also an issue, but yeah. 

 

For gravel and gravel only, I'd agree that a niner XC bike is the ideal choice. 

Edited August 12, 2016 by Myles Mayhew

[MTBeer]

Dirt roadie...

 

I have a looooooong trip planned for next year (did someone say RASA?)

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I have a looooooong trip planned for next year (did someone say RASA?)

I'm waiting for the east coast cycle route to open up... 600km 

[Mawbs]

Myles, I sort of disagree. I think. I have a Trance and love it, but I recently bought a second hand 29er Anthem (for my wife ) and rode both bikes this past weekend in the Cederberg - gravel roads. The Anthem has a massive advantage over the Trance for that type of riding.

Before upgrading to my Trance I had a 26er Anthem, and while the Trance is undoubtedly a better bike and a lot more fun to ride, I am not much faster on it on the downhill stuff than on the 26er Anthem.

So what I'm getting at, is IMO the one ideal Giant bike  for allround riding would be a 120mm travel 27.5 Anthem.

 

i was exactly same changed from 26er Anthem to Trance...but now might consider going back to New Anthem ...proof is in the Riding i suppose.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

i was exactly same changed from 26er Anthem to Trance...but now might consider going back to New Anthem ...proof is in the Riding i suppose.

just consider whether an update to some of the componentry on the trance won't result in the same net result... A volume spacer here, tyre selection there...

 

Just saying. 

[Mawbs]

just consider whether an update to some of the componentry on the trance won't result in the same net result... A volume spacer here, tyre selection there...

 

Just saying. 

 

i hear what you are saying, but there are also new Geometry changes on both of them as well so its not just swopping bike for bike..theres newer technology to be had 

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

i hear what you are saying, but there are also new Geometry changes on both of them as well so its not just swopping bike for bike..theres newer technology to be had

Agreed. Plus metric...

[MTBeer]

i was exactly same changed from 26er Anthem to Trance...but now might consider going back to New Anthem ...proof is in the Riding i suppose.

just get 2 bikes.

[Mawbs]

just get 2 bikes.

 

haha ya like thats gonna fly at home

[MTBeer]

These could also be prescribed for your particular situation at home