Just to brighten up a wet day… yesterday was my first proper ride on my new Giant Anthem 29er after 15+ very happy years on 26” wheels, rigid forks then front suspension. Frankly, I fear the trails really did come alive. I may be a convert, so here’s a mini-review from a fairly average rider which might have helped me to be braver (or less tight) years ago.

Climbing: loads of grip, no excuses to stop, light and fast.

Descending: Aha! So that’s what those berms and steps are for! The word “confident” worries me, but it might be true here.

Just riding along: Easy, fun, and just as “engaging”. Best bit was throwing it down little the little steps – these used to either make me feel slightly ashamed (if rolling slowly) or battered (if launching off the lip). Admittedly, conditions were really good.

Downsides? Lifting the front at short notice is harder, but just unweighting it seems to do the trick. Flicking between lines and angles is harder, but just needs a bit more of a heave. The back occasionally felt a bit further away than I planned it to be, but nothing I can’t get used to.

Honest, it was like discovering front forks and disc brakes on my 2000 Muni-Mula. So, despite all the worthy discussions on here about evil wheel sizes and suspension designs and marketing, all this “new” technology has impressed me.

Question: I am a sensible 43 year old dad… I ain’t gonna schralp no sick gnar, bro. It looks like I used >80% of the travel front and rear going round Dalby Red, is that about right? Sag initially set to about 15% both ends.

flickability is probably the biggest issue. I think 650B will have that licked though.

Yes, u should bottom out once in a while so 80% is about right

why did nobody tell me?

Because it’s supposed to be a secret.

Welcome brother.

Downsides? Lifting the front at short notice is harder, but just unweighting it seems to do the trick. Flicking between lines and angles is harder, but just needs a bit more of a heave. The back occasionally felt a bit further away than I planned it to be, but nothing I can’t get used to.

The anthem 29 does have prety long chainstays (as do a few 29ers), you do adapt though and just exagerate the movements a bit more, it does make going back to 26″ interesting the first few times you lift the front wheel right up when you just meant to unweight it a bit!

Some 29er’s have the super short chainstays (eg The Stooge)

As such they ‘ride off the back axle’ BMX stylee, so lifting the front wheel is done by just thinking it as is the flickability

I would normally run circa 20-25% sag on my 100mm 29er dependant on where riding. If only first ride will take a bit of bedding in anyway. I generally use near in all the travel when on a fast lap of dalby.
Just play with pressures, the maestro system generally supports itself well anyway.

Thanks, all. Good to know I’m using it properly, and even to better to know I have a lot more to learn (especially if it means I can learn to wheelie the 26er better by mistake!)

Some 29er’s have the super short chainstays (eg The Stooge)

Still 17″, and then that depends how you measure it (is it horisontal or the actual chainstay length which can be quite a bit longer on 29ers)

Even if it is the actual chainstay, it’s still significantly longer than what was classed as short on 26″ bikes.

In a similar vein..

I finally took my Titus Fileline around Swinley on Friday. Limited opportunity to ride has meant I’ve always taken the Turner 5spot out until now. First time on a proper ride (well Swinley). I’ve been riding 26ers for 20 years, Full suss for 16 and never ridden ti before….

It was very nice. Missed the Turner when I cased one of the larger jumps. Stickler was much more fun on the lighter bike – it was always a bit of a trudge on the Turner. Will probably be my goto bike now for Swinley.

Could feel I had to throw the bike a bit more than I’m used to. It was really good but did make me wander how a similar but 650b sized bike would handle.

To quote ST (on Kona Process 111 29’er)

We were blown away with how well the 29er handled, hitting everything at the same speed as on the 153 but a lot smoother and in places even faster. There’s a definite realigning going on with the introduction of long, low, aggressive short travel 29ers and we’re liking it (and testing three of them, including the Process, in the next issue of the magazine).

I’m looking forward to the test they refer to of Kona, Pyga Oneten, and Orange Segment

Absolutely love my fireline. Definitely not saying 29ers are the answer for everything, but for a trail hardtail for me 29ers are spot on. I think the firelines super short chainstays treally help, along with the low bb and slack headangle.

Its funny, but it was grip that impressed me most when I rode my 29er for the first time too.

You didn’t whack the pedals every time you leaned half a degree from vertical?

Me? Nope 🙂

Huh?

Stickler was much more fun on the lighter bike

I don’t think Sticker rewards light bikes nececeraly, it’s just efficiency, Stickler loves hardtails and light wheels, and hates ‘enduro’ bikes.

I feel exactly the same on my anthem 29er – superb fun, very fast uphill. very engaging, and I don’t get this ‘less flickable’. You adapt quick, it’s just as flickable as any 26er I’ve ridden.

I’m with CP – don’t listen to the naysayers – 29ers can be flickable and easy to get the wheel up. Takes a bit of adaptation, but perfectly possible and once you’re used to it, it’s just as easy and quick as any other bike i’ve ridden. There are so many other aspects of bike geometry that affect these things, not just wheel size. I’ve had 26ers that feel more sluggish and lazy than my 29er, despite the shorter chainstays and smaller wheels.

^ I don’t have much fs 29er experience but love the big wheeled ht’s I’ve owned or tried and so would agree with the above.

I do find it harder to move a 29er from one line to another on descents than a comparable 26er, but then it can eat up the bumps so much better that it’s not a huge issue.

I’ve been impressed with how nimble and capable they are in tight technical trails. Rode a few of the EWS tracks at GT and Inners a few weeks ago and I think there was just one corner I had to tripod a bit.

My Fileline was definitely nimble, I could just feel the difference btw it and the fivespot.

Will be interesting to see how I feel after a few more rides. I doubt I’ll be using the Turner at Swinley for awhile though.

Got an anthem 29er, great bit of kit, but oddly round Dalby last time I went I was 6 minutes quicker on a singlespeed fully rigid than I was on my Anthem, and average heart rate was the same. Comfort levels were down though.

I’m thinking ‘Why did you have to tell me?’ I don’t ‘need’ another bike. 🙂

(hate those yellow smilies) :~)

I’ve been riding a 29er full sus for around a year now, it was a Fuji from 2011 xt and xtr bits on it.
I had the opportunity to buy my first choice frame from all the great reviews, anthem 29er. WOW how much better was that, everything positive they say is true.
at the same time I went 1×10, xt clutch mec xt shifters narrow wide ring.
All round a very happy bunny.

Got myself a Cannoindale Trigger 1 29er. Sooo easy and feels flickable enough to me. Fast and smooth. Only pain iscareying it over the railway bridge.