Eldron Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Nice! I saw your tread on your new baby. Just got my American Classics as well. I have opted for KCNC stem, handlebar and seatpost as it is light, "cheap" and goes nicely with the black and silver 2011 frame and fork graphics. Will keep the SLX crank, but will upgrade the brakes at some point. Will post a pic here or on your tread as soon as I figure out how to download a pic from my phonecam (with your permission offcourse , I dont want you to get green and all ) Post away - no greenery here - I love all bikes Post pics. Do it now. I must say I'm still not convinced on the 2011 XTR brakes - they're too good. They bite so hard that modulation is between a really light pull and a feather light pull! Welcome to the dark side! Alas my Giant is now 5 years old after riding Clarens...
Bat-ass Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 I always pop my head up late on these 29er threads, but i was a serious roadie who mtb'ed for change in training and to be social with a few of the guys i race with. Then i bought a 29er..... now i consider myself a mountain biker who users the road for training!!! it just bought me more enjoyment....!! Admitidly, my legs were stronger then my mtb skills, but my 29er has helped close that gap.
KnobbyMech Posted February 22, 2011 Author Posted February 22, 2011 Post away - no greenery here - I love all bikes Post pics. Do it now. I must say I'm still not convinced on the 2011 XTR brakes - they're too good. They bite so hard that modulation is between a really light pull and a feather light pull! Welcome to the dark side! Alas my Giant is now 5 years old after riding Clarens... Ok here goes. 1st pick by Knobby on the hub. Hope it comes out upright. Sorry about the missing couch (or hare on the lawn)!
MTB0007 Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 You fall just as hard - no matter which - and no matter which rides better... I Have been riding my 29er since Oct last year ---- had my first real fall at Rietvlei Farm on Sun, still managed 25km, doing 2 loops, but Sun night I could hardly move, - Broken rib..The diff hard to tell, I broke falling off my 26 too.....
Rapunzel Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 That Giant is a beautiful and good value for money bike. I recently purchased a Felt Carbon (upgraded wheelset to ZTR crest and changed saddle an replaced riser with flat bars). The bike is definitely faster on the flats and rolls better on rough terrain but I still descend substantially faster on my dualsus 26er. Where I do find the 29er tough is on steep climbs where it feels as though there is some threshold speed under which you suddenly battle to keep momentum. I've raced twice on the 29er and feel that it is definitely faster but the 26er wins the comfort category hands down.What many people claim to be a weakness in the 29er is it's handling on tight turns - I'm coping fine with the switchbacks on hillcrest, contermans and meerendal (go figure )
MTB0007 Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 "Where I do find the 29er tough is on steep climbs where it feels as though there is some threshold speed under which you suddenly battle to keep momentum"quoted by - mtbmom - I agree, seems to suddenly loose all grip, going up step loose stuff.. just as you near the top -- it seems to loose grip as u stop thinking about keeping weight down on front... - slips right away... hence my broken rib.........
Bat-ass Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Knobbymech, watch out for those Elite bottle cages, you are going to loose bottles on rough decents. When bottles and cages are new they grip quite well, but as soon as they get a bit dirty they gone..... Go "Specialized rib cages"BTW... nice bike, mines almost same, i just got full XT.
Eldron Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 One more. Ahhhh truly a thing of beauty - the white accents are just right and the white hubs uber bling. NICE! When you racing again? Perhaps we can get our Giants together and make little ones?
The Smoovf Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Also have the Giant. Enjoying it way more than my prev 26" Only problem so far that I came across is that you seem to fall from a greater height when endo'ing!
Lucky Luke. Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Irrespective of the dialogue it's going to feel good riding this... jesus help me i want to make love to this bicycle
TCTG Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Good and valid comment. For me it appears that the 29er thing is more than just about the size of the wheels. But for comparison: Both Giant, Anthem X and XTC29erHead and seat angles almost identical (71 vs 71.5 and 73 vs 72.5).The set up (reach, saddle height, handlebar reach, handlebar width, seat posistion re bb, etc) all the same.Tyre width and pressure the same, although not the same make, both front tyres with relative agressive thread pattern.The bb on the XTC is lower than the Anthem's and it is also lower than the hub height thus giving it some pendulum effect stability. As I said before, the 29er thing is more than just about the size of the wheels. I felt it and I love it.
TCTG Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 Good and valid comment. For me it appears that the 29er thing is more than just about the size of the wheels. But for comparison: Both Giant, Anthem X and XTC29erHead and seat angles almost identical (71 vs 71.5 and 73 vs 72.5).The set up (reach, saddle height, handlebar reach, handlebar width, seat posistion re bb, etc) all the same.Tyre width and pressure the same, although not the same make, both front tyres with relative agressive thread pattern.The bb on the XTC is lower than the Anthem's and it is also lower than the hub height thus giving it some pendulum effect stability. As I said before, the 29er thing is more than just about the size of the wheels. I felt it and I love it. Very informative, I learnt something...
TCTG Posted February 22, 2011 Posted February 22, 2011 One more. What model GIANT is this and what is the spec and price of this beauty?
KnobbyMech Posted February 23, 2011 Author Posted February 23, 2011 What model GIANT is this and what is the spec and price of this beauty? Thanks. It is the 2011 XTC29er. They only make one model hardtail and 1 model dual-suss. The wheels are the 2011 American Classic. The bike retails at around R15k and the wheels around R6k. There is nothing wrong with the wheels it comes with, just a bit on the heavy side (2080g vs 1600g of the AC).
Tumbleweed Posted February 23, 2011 Posted February 23, 2011 Thanks. It is the 2011 XTC29er. They only make one model hardtail and 1 model dual-suss. The wheels are the 2011 American Classic. The bike retails at around R15k and the wheels around R6k. There is nothing wrong with the wheels it comes with, just a bit on the heavy side (2080g vs 1600g of the AC). They also do a budget hardtail, the Talon.
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