After having my mtb stolen a couple of weeks ago 🙁 I’m starting to think about a replacement (is is too soon?!) and am looking at an Anthem X.

I know the mags review it extremely well, but any real life experiences? What kind of riding do you use yours for? Do you ever feel limited by the 100mm travel? Is it enough of a trail bike or better for purely XC?

Looking at getting a frame and building it up with bits we have left in the garage (they were there last time I checked anyway!), so I’m not too worried about the build stuff – just the frame.

Any opinions/info gratefully received!

Cheers!

This might be useful re. XC only or trai bike…

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/giant-anthem-x-freeride-capable

ive got an 2009 X1, the orange and silver 1. its the best mtb buy ive ever done, could`nt be happier. ive raced it loads, ridden Afan, Ben Nevis, Lake dist and ride it spring/summer on my SDW area as much as im allowed…..

ive now changed the sids for fox rlc 100s and the wheels for stans ztr 355s buts thats due to another bike build, put low risers onit as well. but to be honest if i was only allowed one bike to all my riding on, this would be it.

It does depend on your trails to an extent, but my experience is almost entirely positive.

It’s very, very fast as a trail bike- it’s great down the woods and I use mine on big highland epics where the trails aren’t going to be mental technical. In my local woods our trails are very steep and slippy with a few small drops and I’m perfectly happy doing all of these on it.

It’s also very good around trail centres- I’ve taken mine around Innerleithen and for the most part because trail centres are smooth and relatively flat you can rag it to death. It’s probably my favourite bike to ride around Glentress because it’s faster down spooky woods than all these hardcore triple xc lite mince machines.

And if you do decide to race, it will in no way hold you back. I think mine’s been in the top 5 of every race I’ve entered on it bar three.

My one niggle is that since I regreased the bearings after 2 years one of the bolts won’t stay in place on the rocker, but then, I’ve not threadlocked it again so that’s my fault. I have had the frame for over 2 years now (I got one the instant they came out) and other than this it’s been faultless.

I have mine built up with 1×10 XTR/XT, XTR hubs on Stans Olympics, Race Face Deus alloy bits, Bonty carbon bar that weighs as much as a house and SID Race forks. It weighs 22lbs as it is now.

If you’re not riding somewhere with big rocks all the time (like the Peak district or Lakes) then it’ll be a great bike for long rides and short blasts. It does like technical stuff and is a lot of fun.

Thanks guys, that’s really helpful. Tbh, it sounds perfect!

With Mini Monkey now on the scene most of my riding will probably be local woods and stuff, but I do love trips to the trail centres (we used to find Afan, Cwmcarn, etc. lots before the baby) and would love to do more holidays up in Scotland near Glentress again, so it’s great to hear that the bike copes well there!

Spokescycles – your build sounds lovely. I’d like something similar (and had it on my bike that was just stolen!), but alas our bathroom needs some serious work, so it will have to be a bit more basic, still i won’t be racing for a while now at least, so it should be fine with some rebas, hope pro 2s and xt/slx, etc. How do you find a 1×10 set up? I’m contemplating that (or 1×9) myself…

Even with that slightly heavier build I reckon you’ll have a lot of fun.

I do enjoy having 1×10, it’s lopped off a reasonable chunk of weight. That photo is from the Relentless 24 hour race in October and while I wasn’t at my fittest, not once during the race did I feel over geared. It did start to spin out on the fireroad descents but I managed to keep up with other riders by spinning.

I tend to see it as 1.x9 with a bailout gear because otherwise it’s just a standard 11-32 cassette with a big old cog for grinding up vicious stuff.

Sounds like it’ll suit your riding just fine. If you were a bit further north I’d let you have a spin on mine.

I’ve only had mine for a couple of months but I’m pretty pleased with it. I have a 2010 X2 which is reasonably light (the only bits I’m thinking of replacing are the bars and the rear cassette once it’s worn out).

I took it to Glentress last week, and it made the black climb bits much easier. Seems really quick pedalling uphill in the middle ring, and I had a hoot on the red descent too. I thought the descent would be a bit dull since I normally ride my rigid bike round GT red, but it was actually good fun.

Great fun round Innerleithen too. Not raced it yet since I intentionally got it after the end of the race season.

The wide bars will give you a bit of confidence for techy stuff, but you get XC lightweight for the climbs. The winner of the Downieville Classic won it on an Anthem this year, so seemed capable enough for him on the rougher stuff.

2009 Anthem X, 1×10 SRAM X0 and Stans Rims with Hope hubs. Wouldn’t change a thing. Best all-round XC bike I’ve had – done 12 hour races in UK and Asia, Kielder 100, and as many Super D’s as we have around here (Singapore) – all with this setup. Have also ridden a couple of trail centers (Innerleithan red route and Wolftrax) and done some epic downhilling in Indonesia – I wuss out before the bike has reached it’s limits.

The only bike I’d consider trading this for is the Anthem 29er, which I am drooling over, but even then I doubt the 29er is as good of an all-rounder bike. My wife only allows me to have one MTB and one road bike (she’s still at the “why do you need more than one bike” phase despite my cycling seriously in all the 15 years we’ve been together!), so the Anthem covers everything I need for off road use.

At least four of my friends have since gotten Anthems after riding mine, and one other went for a Reign. I think for most general off road usage in the UK, the Anthem is a great pick.

I also recommend Anthem. I changed to DT wheels / Hope hubs and low riser bars and it can tackle any trail / race other than hard out DH. I’m still running 3 rings up front – the big ring is just a bash with teeth anyway 😀

At risk of hijacking thread;
Krixmeister – I’m based in Northumberland (Just south of Kielder…), anyway I get out to Singapore a bit (I am here at the mo) for work. Can you recommend some MTB trails etc… and any info on local scene?

Cheers.

my has the blue one and swears by it, loves riding it.

ride guide

he sounds a right dick on here but funny!! they stayed with us a few months ago

I have a 2009 Anthem x 1 and think it is excellent. I have upgraded the wheels to Olympics and put carbon bars, RF Deus cranks, XO mech/shifters on but the actual frame is brilliant. I have had it round trail centres like Innerleithen, Golspie and Kirroughtree and natural places like Cairngorms, Pentlands, 3B. I have also raced it at Strathpuffer, Selkirk CRC, Kielder 100 and the 10s and its been brilliant on them all. It handles very well on descents and is brilliant on the ups.

I have had the frame for coming up two years and it is still in brilliant condition, seems like the paintwork is also to a very high standard.

I cannot praise mine enough. After a week of pain on the single speed I took my 2010 X1 out yesterday and it made light work of the frozen trails. It gets most of its use in Oxon and Berks but has done a few trail ctr holidays and has yet to falter. It is certainly more capable than I am. The only downside is a tendancy toward pedal strikes in rockier terrain and when caught in ruts but that is the price you pay for riding a fast and low bike. Try to find a 2010 bike as they are better value than the new range, albeit without the tapered headtube and press-fit BB.

Another one here with nothing but praise for the anthem x bought a 2010 frame set built up with xtr drive train avid brakes (180mm) pro 2’s and fox f120’s with 15mm axle not sure of the weight but goes like stink ! and being quite big bloke not had any problems from the frame so far. It gets ragged about the quantocks, trail centres, 24hr solo’s does just about anything including the bmx track 😉

Love mine, it gave me alot more confidence to push on compared to my hardtail, runnig magura durin fork, easton carbon riser bar, thomson stem and seatpost, with stans 355″s on hope pro 2, gives me a bike that weighs in at 23lb ready to go.