I know this subject is normally anthem vs trance both being 29ers..
I have a 2009 Anthem X2:
XT/XTR groupset
Sid dual air SID RCT3 2012 120mm
Magic 719 on hope pro 2 hubs

How much of a difference is there between the anthem 26er and a trance 29er?

I find my anthem gets a bit exciting on the bumpy stuff..like roots and rocks..

Like to hear people’s opinions
If I go with the trance I’ll build it myself
XT groupset
Stan flow on hope pro 2 evo
Revelation RCT3 dual air 140mm 2012 fork..

Thanks

I’ve only ridden the previous generation anthem-x and trance. The trance was smoother and stiffer (probably mainly the QR SID’s on the anthem-x) but the anthem was a rocketship, I think with sufficient balls/skill it’d be the quickest thing down most smooth-ish trail stuff, (i.e. short of an actual DH track). The fact you could sprint efficiently out of sections made up for any speed lost to bigger bikes. Why not try the anthem 29er?

140mm seems a lot for a 29er, unless you’re doing drops IMO they feel smoother anyway so the standard trance-x 120mm should be enough, but you can always space RS forks down.

Thing about the anthem x 29er is that the frame is not much lighter that the trance x 29er…maybe 0.5lb in it 😕 Given this, the fact the trance comes with a fox ctd shock and the trances shorter chainstays for twister trails (anthem x 29er has 18.25 inch chainstays iirc), I’m thinking trance is the better option of the two 29er for trail riding.

How much travel is the trance x 29er: is it 120mm? It says 5″ which would be 127mm but then it had 120mm forks on the full range of off the shelf bikes

Thisisnotaspoon…

I’ve got the 15mm maxel on my sids…there definitely less flexy than the fox F100RL QR they replaced..
The only reason I was favouring the 140mm revelations was that I can get them for a good price, like you said I can bung a spacer in if I feel 140 mm is to much.
The trance advance 27.5 2014 comes with 140-160mm talas, wouldn’t have thought the 29er can’t handle 140mm? It seems to be a popular upgrade on a lot of trances..