Giant Anthem 26 v 29…fight

Help me decide between them. I’m thinking my epic/big ride/racey bike (the Anthem) should maybe be the 29’er version. Only thing that puts me off is that it has a duller ride than the 26.

Anyone got one, hated the other, or whatever?

Cheers

p.s. I’ve got a 29er hardtail for jey-XC riding and a 26er full sus with 130mm travel for stuff like trail centres.

lame fight so far. next day bump.

anyone…?

Ride both, see which you prefer?

Hope its not pay per view as this is the dullest fight ever.

Picked up a 2009 anthem a few months back love it. However still can’t get out of my mind at the start of the summer 3 guys on 29er anthems passing me like I was stood still on whites level climb.

I will be trying a 29er in the new year.

I suppose that was a slightly pathetic jab for you?

I have ridden both (the 2011 bikes).
Thought 29’er was faster but not as much ‘fun’.
Just wondering what people think of the 2 and if they’ve tried the 2012 models. Was going to go for the 26, but last minute indecision strikes…

I ride a 24lb 26er epic and recently tried a 29er anthem. If it wasnt for tiny insignificant issue of 2 and half grand, I’d have had the 29er in a hearbeat for marathon racing.
Personally, if its for marathon and endurance racing. 4 hours in to the event and usually feeling less than tip top. the last thing I want is a whoop inducing fun, involving and super sharp handling ride, uninvolving, roll over stuff with minimal input and stable will do me nicely ta 🙂

thanks Hugh. Those are my thoughts exactly. Trying to persuade myself ‘easier’ is better than ‘more fun’ when it comes to cycling is proving very difficult. I mostly ride a rigid ss at the moment for the exact opposite reason.

Hope its not pay per view as this is the dullest fight ever.

The 26er is like David Haye, lithe, all mouth and no trousers, but still wins by default.

The 29er is big, ugly and useless, thinks it can take on the world, but fails miserably, a bit like Audley Harrison. Would make a good dancer though. Possibly.

hmm, i’m going to have to look up those boxers fight statistics & history now 😐

If its your one and only bike, then fun and playful is important, if you have it as your marathon event bike and have something else for hooning about on then thats different.
I doubt many people do a marathon event for same sort of “fun” as going to the local trail centre with your mates after work on a Friday.
For me the “fun” of a marathon is improving your relative performance, the buzz of covering the ground faster and in particular arriving back at the event village an hour earlier than your mates, being stood there freshly showered with tent packed away and clean bike in the car, giving them a shout out whilst already drinking a cold Heineken as they cross the line. Now thats the fun of a marathon 😉

Would make a good dancer though

A 29er would dance like my dad !
A 26er would dance like my 8 year old nephew after too many tizers !

But at 11pm my dad would still be dancing in the same dismal way, my Nephew would have gone too far had a smacked a**e ended up hurting someone and been sent to his room. So I guess the similarities are there too

😆 My point exactly.

I like it hugh 😆
Think i’m pretty much decided then, the 26 is on the ropes and looking groggy 😉

Rather than being Audley Harrison, the 29er is more of a Klitchco.Big and ugly, but a lot moe capable than people think.