please tell me about it

also what was your last bike before it

cheers
Lee

Sold mine in December – 2010 X4 but everything had been upgraded. It was the perfect bike for bridleways, cross country – just felt a bit to steep for rocky/tech descents.

Actually wishing I’d kept it now but needed the funds.

The previous bike was a Giant Xtc Composite – the bike that replaced the Anthem is a Nicolai Helius CC

It was the perfect bike for bridleways, cross country, trail centres – just felt just right for rocky/tech descents.

Fixed that for you 😉

2010 X3 for me – I have bikes with more travel but this is one capable piece of engineering – light too.

I’ve a 2010 XO. I’ve had a series of Giant bouncers (got an XTC too) RS XX forks are very good, hydraulic LO works beautifully too, rear is as everyone says, stiff, taut, bottomless feel. 2 X 10 is great, I’ll not go back, but personally not loving the XX clonkiness. I’d like to try 2011 XTR.

Me. It’s very good. Stick 120mm forks on, short stem and wide bars and it’s even more capable on the steep stuff. Before that I had a Santa Cruz Superlight and whilst it was very good, I find the X to be better all round – especially in terms of stiffness at the rear.

How do you find the bearing life? What is the BB height like with the longer forks? It has a race bike low BB from what I can see, and I prefer slightly higher on a trail bike to reduce rock strikes. Do the 120mm forks make much difference to this?

I have huge climbs on my local trails{Canada} so I’m looking for something a lot more climbing friendly, was just worried about how steep it looks compared to a trail bike, to be fair though the trails aren’t that technical compared to the peaks etc{my old stomping ground}

its more alpine singletrack

I fancied a Yeti Asr5 or an Ibis Mojo but can get a whole anthem x2 for the price of said frame’s

not me 😉

I recently picked up a 2010 X2. I’ve been avoiding using it too much in the mud, but have done a couple of races on it, and a reasonable number of rides. It climbs really well, especially churning away in the middle ring up firetrack climbs. I had an absolute blast on it the last time I took it to Glentress, as it was so much faster and smoother, so I was carrying a good bit of extra speed over the jumps.

I have had a 2008 Epic in the past, but haven’t ridden them close enough together to make a fair comparison. Even with 100mm forks, the Anthem is sure footed enough for me on descents, partly thanks to the 670mm bars. I had a Scandal in between, but it’s probably not fair to compare the Scandal to the Anthem, as they are quite different.

Can’t comment on 120mm forks, but the bottom bracket is fairly low, although not excessivly low for a XC bike.

shock bushings last about 9 months of all-weather riding and are a doddle to replace. I’m replacing the main bearings for the first time after 2 years.

I had a stumpjumper hardtail before

I’ve got the 2010 X1 and it is great. The lower shock bush has worn after a year of use but the other bearings are all fine. BB is very low and pedal strikes can be a pita on lumpier stuff. I’d like to try one with a 120mm fork to lift the BB a smidge and to slacken the steep angles but I guess that is what the Trance is all about.

Previous main bike was a GF Ziggurat so the Anthem ticks the same boxes but is more comfortable.

Onewheelgood has one – an 09 X1 – He’ll be here soon as he’s away with work.

To pre-empt his response and from my one ride on it.

It’s a proper xc bike, very capable, very fast, amazing VFM.
Bearings lasted about 12-18mnths and proper replacements seems a tad expensive.

If you want long travel, slack angles, wide bars etc then it’s not for you.
If you want a fast, race orientated bike (that feels twitchy on first ride but telepathic once you get used to it) then it’s hard to beat.

To add my two pence worth, test ride one!
I followed all the glowing reports and advice and bought one without a test ride, really didn’t like it at all. This is despite the bike on paper being exactly right for me, fast, long, low it angles pretty much exactly what I have been riding for years, spent ages and a lot of cash trying to get it to feel right never did. It should have been ideal but it wasn’t but almost everyone else (assuming they are using it for what it was designed for) like them. I am not for a second putting the bike down, it didn’t suit me. For me for fast, race orientated riding pretty much anything (xc based) could beat it. But that is just my opinion.
Before it I had a Santa Cruz blur xc, and before that a pace RC300.

well i have the 10 x2 anthem.i think that it’s great (i ride mainly the ridgeway/salisbury plain,so it’s pretty much perfect for me.)as for bearing life,have only had bike since september,so cannot really comment,but seems to be good so far.i actually wanted this bike in 09 (and ordered it around august/september,but it wasn’t going to turn up until jan/feb 10.thus i got a 10 stumpjumper fsr comp instead.it was great,but waaay too much travel for the type of riding that i do.the suspension on the anthem is awesome (i haven’t used the propedal once since buying it/and that includes road sections!)i cannot rate it enough. 😀

I am not a very capable rider but love mine, gives me that tiny bit more confidence than my hardtail (A GT). And take the advice given above and stick a short stem and 120mm forks. Loses very little in speed while gaining a whole lot in ability.

Either way do try it out.