So just been in the Giant shop for a demo. I went in with the intention of getting the 2016 Anthem 27.5 but tried the Giant Anthem X 29er…. Love it!! What a great bike, you can really throw it around for a 29er. Any owner out there, would like to hear your thoughs ? I am 6:2FT and the large was just perfect, where as the large 27.5 was way to small.

Yes,
Great bike.
Went for a ride in Coed Brenin with a load of guys on AM machines.
Comfortably held its own!
They were struggling to keep up!
It feels like it wants to go faster than you can ride it.
Tries to run away with itself!
Still got a frameset for sale if your still interested?

I have the Trance X29er which is similarly an excellent bike having 20mm more suspension than the Anthem.
It has turned out to be much more of an all rounder than I expected but Giant don’t agree – they have dropped it from the line up. Perhaps too similar to the Anthem.

I have one for xc duties. Its remarkably competent, rode the west highland way on it. I bought a 2 to get the reba forks and changed all the sram for xt groupset. Very fast but deserves better wheels, too wibbly….

Great bike for UK riding – factor in the price and it’s a phenomenal bike. If you like keeping up with the MTB industry, new bikes etc then it sort of kills that interest – look at this new model that’s three times the price of my anthemX and a third as good. No thanks.

It has no flaws but if you’re listing weaknesses then certainly the stock wheels (as posted above) – which I guess is just a general 29er thing. Giant 29er wheelset is mediocre and you feel the need to upgrade asap, whereas with 26 you’d prob be content to wear them out first.

It’s not a light bike out of the shop for this class of bike, and I don’t know if you could ever make it properly lightweight – L frame alu full sus 29er is a weighty base. Make a superb endurance racer but it’ll never be an xc rocket. Would ride brilliantly on the really long multi-day stuff as well, but the masestro linkage with a lot of bearings is prob a drawack there.

It’ll do 95% of trails with aplomb but is out of its depth on properly steep, difficult stuff. Of course it’s all relative and the rider is everything, but I reckon most folk would struggle to get it round a contemporary enduro course, say. It’s massively versatile but it has its limitations.

I’ve enjoyed some of the reviews of the 650b version. “This is a really great bike and it’s a deserved test winner. But it’s still not as good as the 29er. Y’all are idiots”

Well this thread is a ruination of my N+1 🙂

A happy Anthem 29 owner here. In some reflection of Garry Lagers comments I bought mine for £1500 in the sales with the intention of racing it but primarily as do it all XC bike and with “Cush” for 12/24hr events. I immediately secured some AC race wheels, have since gone 1×11 and added some Mt Zoom / KCNC kit to bring it to 24.1lbs. I do have some ” Trail” wheels which I used for rocky places to prevent damage the race wheels. I’m nearly 2 years riding and racing on mine with no play in all those bearings.

Yes it’s not going to get much lighter but I place top ten locally and top 25% in regionals, it probably cost me another £2k to improve that a lot so I won’t thanks I’ll continue trying to improve myself instead . It does everything I ride with aplomb. The only criticism is have is as above; it’s very “normal” and not really standout or flash in any way, so it’s easy – as I do – to stare at other bikes (I’m loving the new Trek Top Fuel and Hei Hei) believing you’d be a lot faster, but you won’t be. In that respect then, it’s an excellent all round XC bike for the money.

I have three criticisms-

-Ground clearance is a problem in rocky terrain. I put a 170 crank on mine which makes it slightly less annoying.

-The wire routing for the rear mech on mine was bad. It does not like the bend from down tube to swing arm. I put a full outer on, using the bottle boss to anchor it higher up and create less of a curve. Before I did this I was having to change it out every 200 miles because it just seized up.

-A rear end rebuild was required after a year of constant riding. I could have hoped it would go longer but there is nothing extra to seal the bearings against the elements.

Otherwise a bloody brilliant bike- loved it to bits- wouldn’t try and dissuade anyone from buying one.

Mine was the top end Alu model and came out at 27 lbs.

Thanks for all the replies.. definitly the bike for me. I was really suprised by how nimble it was for a 29er, and very easy to “bunny hop” high on. From the first spin up the road it just felt right and was fast 🙂

I am on the look out for a complete bike in “large” if anyone is selling. I have found the 2015 for £1,650 new at pedalon, but they seem quite hard to find second hand or reduced. When do the new Giant bike get released ?
thanks

Sorry can I ask what size frame for a 5ft 11 rider?

Possibly medium but you will need to try.
I am 6’2″ and am on the upper limit on a large.
It does fit well.
Possibly selling a large frame but not a bike.
Email:singlespeedtothemax1@hotmail.co.uk
Thanks,
Max

Ive gone from a 26″ to a 29″ and now a 27.5. All x1 model anthems. All great bikes.

Pauls cycles tend to have them cheap cheap…

Hi Coconut,
I work in a Giant dealership and new models are due around August when we first view them.
I might see a few sneak peaks before then but nothing yet!
I believe you might have contacted me via email concerning frame.
After a change of heart i might be prepared to offer a full build.
Email me back for full spec and photos.
Could do it for around the 1500 price but that would include Fox Kashima forks and Reynolds carbon wheels.
Thanks,
Max

Top bike! Bought mine off a mate as he wasn’t using it. The original wheels were like anchors and were swapped for some Giant Carbons from somebody on here and it was transformed for the better

vondally – Member

Sorry can I ask what size frame for a 5ft 11 rider? I went for a large at the same height as you – not the easiest decision as both felt like they could be right just spinning them round the carpark, but I’d always err towards xc mile-munching over manoeuvrabiilty for my riding.

Sizing is a close run thing.
I suppose the Anthem runs a 24 inch top tube in large which is a tad short.
I am 6’2″ and as I say am on the limits but I do run a 100 mm stem(shock,horror!) But it does feel right.
I also run a XTC 29 in XL where as the large felt too small.
If you need to try Vondally I have the Anthem X29 built up in large.
I am based in Warwickshire though.
Thanks,
Max

I’m 5’11 and a bit and on a large with 100mm stem. Feels ok for me

6′ 1″ and ride a large with a 90mm stem. Changed the wheels to Hope Enduros when the original free hub failed after 14 months. Great bike and I’ve done a few events on it. Where I ride (Hampshire/Surrey/Berkshire) it does pretty much everything I want it too.

I have an Anthem X 29 er…… I changed the Avid brakes to Shimano after a year…. I just could not stop them being spongy despite several bleeds .

I’ve ridden around 6000 miles on it and had to replace the rear suspension bearings but that’s not unreasonable for tHe mileage. The steering bearings I’ve had to change twice and are not easy to find. I have a set of Mavic wheels for Sunday best occasions.

Great bike

6ft here and on a large with a 60mm stem. Run it more trail orientated with a 120mm fork – best all round bike I’ve ridden. Good traction, good climbing, good descending and on the flat it just keeps on truckin’

Final question :-)… Is the 2015 Anthem X 29er basically the same as the 2016, looks identical apart from a colour change ? Any years to miss ?
thanks

2016 has been updated with 142 rear, internal cable routing and a different top tube

What do we thing Giant will do for 2017? Drop it or give it an overhaul?

Picking up on what Clink says, would anyone be confident in buying a bike in a wheel size that the manufacturer has more or less stated it will phase out over time. The text below from and interview when Giant launched the 2014 range;
“I don’t see the ability to have three wheel sizes in the marketplace,” said Justkaitis. “It’s just not feasible. Dealers can’t keep up with it. Nobody can. I truly see 26 going away, and the phase-out of 29. Giant has in our back pocket a two-year plan of phasing out 29er product.”

Giant’s decision about the fate of its 29er bikes ultimately depends on how the market reacts to the 2014 product line. Justkaitis confirmed that Giant would continue its 29er bikes for the next two years. “We can’t just turn off the faucet,” he said. Beyond two years, though, it remains to be seen whether 29ers will remain part of the Giant product line

So the 2017 range will show if they are holding that timeline
Which is a pity as I have had many Giants over the years, on road and off, the last being a Trance 29er (it being a toss up with the Anthem). A bike I enjoyed but was not getting good enough use out of, due to work travel. I have had the Anthem 26er, a good trial on the 27.5 version but I felt the 29er was just that bit better.

Full tweak & lose face, or kill it and carry on banging the 650b drum…

Overhauls. Most – not all but most – racers are on 29ers. I reckon they’ll keep and Anthem and an XTC 29 for a while yet to avoid people deferring to other brands should they drop them.

The carbon version available on the US site looks nice. All it needs is a 120mm fork and a dropper post