Until last week I’d not ridden mine since April. Over the last few months I have been on a bird zero, cotic solaris, giant trance, boardman FS and a cube stereo (the bird is mine, the others were loaners). Last week I did two rides on my anthem and it was better everywhere. Faster, smoother and more control. Having read the thread about cutting down the fleet, this is a bike I could use for everything.

It’s set up in more of a trail style with a 120mm fork, 1×11 gearing and a dropper. Not one for the purists!

IMHO its the maestro. Very efficient, works invisibly well when it needs to.

IMHO its the dw-link that Giant copied with the maestro…

It seems like a very mature design for a type of bike that has never required a radical re-think on geometry etc. Excellent to begin with then a steady evolution of small tweaks.
The new 27.5 design was disappointing from this point of view – I’m sure it’s great n all, but just seemed to lose some distinctiveness. Obv Giant know their market, though.

Could easily have mine as the only bike – does everything except ride very steep stuff (under me). Even then you could prob learn to ride this if you wanted.

Aside from handling really well (mine is still on 100mm forks, albeit wide bars and medium length stem) the suspension is really really sorted.

Yep, it just ‘works’. Minimal fuss, suspension seems to eat pretty much what I throw at it (I ride like a total mincer) and I’ve put 120mm fors and a short stem with reasonably wide bars on my 29er also fitted with a dropper and 1×11.
It’s fast, it jumps, it descends OK and seems to climb like nothing I’ve seen before on technical bits. I freely admit my lungs / legs give out on the larger climbs!
I just really, really, really wish they had fitted a threaded bb instead of the bastard creaking press fit…

I bought mine a couple of years ago (£1400 sale)following a tip from Kryton and its been bloody excellent. And…all Ive done since then is change the brake pads, not even the smallest service. Admittedly its now due a full service (booked in) but compared to my 08 Epic Expert its been so reliable and fault free.

I know exactly what you mean, I demoed much of the same, but couldnt think they were any better than my 26 Anthem. I love it, on club rides it doesnt get shown up much by new expensive bikes either.
Ive just orderd an Orange 5S from the PSA on here, the Anthem will stay as I really like riding it, and wont be sold for much. The Orange will be for when things get too rough and steep for the Anthem as its an awesome machine, but has limits.

Glad youre enjoying it Rockape.

Ive been disuaded from changing my upgraded 29er (120mm forks, carbon bars, kcnc bits) on the basis its just iver 26lbs with 1940g wheels and would £3800 for the new one make me faster? No. I’ll upgrade me via coaching over the winter first.

All ive done to my 2014 is change the bearings after they developed play. The original BB isnt loose nor does it creak.

I would miss it.