Hi
I have a hardtail specialized myka at the mo but about to buy my first FS. On the budget I have and what I will be using it for (woods, trail parks etc , not going to be doing any jumps) I have narrowed down to two bikes the Giant Anthem x4 2011 and the specialized camber elite 2011 being a typical girl I just can't decided which one to go for! help!!
What's wrong with your Myka? Why do you need a FS?
It is a low spec and has been used and abused, needs upgrading brakes etc so decided it was time for a new bike, also have a womans specific and feel after trying other bikes that it doesn't fit right, I don't need a FS but I would like one I have tried out my partners bike and the difference over the lumps and bumps is amazing! 🙂
It's a tough call - both are extremely good bikes and I can't tell you which to go for. I have an FSR myself (an old Enduro) and it's a much loved bike so on those grounds I'd probably opt for a Camber if my old Spesh died tomorrow...
...but the smart choice would be to see if you can borrow test bikes for a decent off road ride. I suspect that the Giant pedals better, bobs less and will give you more options if you want to upgrade the fork in the future.
Anthem, no contest.
What size frame are you after? Last year I did the same jump, and was undecided between a Spesh camber, ghost AMR 5900, and a cannondale rz120-2. Rode them all, all very similar, and I plumped for the 'Dale. I'm about to sell it to move up to an all mountain trail bike. Probably going to be looking for about £900 including Fox fork/shock and lots of carbon upgrades!!
Oops!! Forgot to say its a medium!!
Is there anywhere near you that you can demo them both? You'll probably find within a few minutes of riding each one, which one suits you the best.
I did this when getting my last bike; it was between the 2010 Stumpjumper FSR & the Fuel EX8.
The Stumpjumper felt right straight away, whereas the EX8 just didn't suit me at all.
Looking at the two bikes - they are quite closely matched, although the Giant does come with Fox suspension instead of Rock Shox on the Specialized. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, is open to debate but Fox suspension is generally considered to perform a bit better, but has a reputation for needed copious amounts of care to avoid premature wear.
Apart from that, they are much of a muchness in terms of spec.
Geometry-wise, the Anthem looks quite a bit steeper than the Camber in terms of head angle. I am not sure whether this has any real impact when actually riding it, but suggests it will be a bit twitchier than the Camber.