What other XC full suspension bike in the same theme as a Giant Anthem should I be looking at?

Maybe a little more biased towards tougher than delicate.

Want it for an allround bike for marathons and the like, dont (carnt) jump but dont mind the odd little drop off and love riding rocky stuff

Not an Orange 5 please

Stumpjumper, Trance, Nicolai Helius CC, One of them canyon thingies, Ghost AMR, Trek EX summit or other

get a trance…

I’ve just built a Superlight up that comes in at 23lbs. Seem to ride pretty well to me, and not particularly delicate.

I have a canyon nerve. I like it. You may wish to consider it.

Plastic.

Is a trance not more like a 5?

Just sold my 5 as it is too much bike for my riding and want something more pedal efficient

.

na its nothing like a 5, i ride it all day on proper xc rides.. i got a 2009 X0 and its well light, and still Xc but you can do some more hard core stuff on it…maybe have a ride on one

OMFG your post is how high?!?!

How tall are you and what size bike is that?

yea seat post is a bit high coz id just had it out to clean its still high though its a small and im 5 foot 6 ish fits me really well

Your budget is probably a good place to start, plus how you want the bike to ride.

If you want the bike to be easy downhill and predictable (slower) handling then get some thing slack angled and generally longer travel. If you like fast handling ie good in singletrack and some thing that climbs well then steeper angled shorter travel generally.

I looked at quite a few 100-120mm bikes and ended up going for the Anthem X2. I wanted to really like the SC Superlight, but the Anthem blew it away from every respect.

The only bike I would have queried is the Canyon Nerve MR, but unfortunately you cant test ride them.

I used to ride a 130mm bike and the Anthem rides the same stuff just as well, in fact better and I really dont think I’m on 100mm most of the time.

This was my original list:

SC Superlight

Cube AMS 110 SL

Giant Anthem X2

Lappierre X Control 410

Trek Fuel EX 8

Canyone Nerve MR 8.0

Canyon Nerve XC 9.0

Scott Spark 35

Looking more and more like an Anthem by that ride critera

What size are people riding? I am 5′ 10 but with short legs I am thinking Med or going up to a large with a shorter steerer

Have looked at the Nreve MR but the sizer thing tells me I want a small and that cant be right, can it?

if i was you id go for the smallest bike i could ride properly, i see so many people on bikes that are way to big for them, just try a small , then a med, but a large is to big for any one thats under 6 foot 3

I’m 5 ft 6 and ride the small Anthem, I think you would need to sit on both the Medium and Large to decide.

Pedalon have some great deals on 2011 Anthems at the minute, I got my X2 with £550 off.

If your in the Bradford area your welcome to a quik test ride.

I’m over 6′ and have a medium Reign, seat post is high but better than the larger frame imo

dont get a large ,

Top Fuel, Epic and Spark would top my list for comparators. Odd to compare to things like a Stumjumper, which have 40% more travel!

I’m just under 6′ and I’ve got a medium X3 2011 model. I also have a large 2007 model. Other than the length of the seatpost showing both bikes feel remarkably similar to ride.
The newer version does soak up the bumps better and feels as quicker through the rougher stuff.
Great bike that does everything I want it to!!

Grim

Anthems are rockets, Trances are OK but funny sizing, well for me at least,still an xc bike though and nothing like a five. Trek EX I really like, fast all round, better than the Trance not as racy as an Anthem. Santa Cruz are cool as I have a Heckler now and would imagine that a superlight would be a nice xc machine.

Don’t know about the rest though.

Medium in all @5’8″ short legs and ape arms

Top Fuel is more like an Anthem if you want the racey thing. Superlights are alright, better now they’re not so expensive, the premium you used to pay was a joke!

Try lots, buy the one you like. Simples.

Cube Sting?

120mm travel, Carbon frame…

Mine is upgraded with a few nice bits, Formula R1 brakes, DT carbon wheelset, XT shifters & Syntace seatpost. weighs in at 25.5lb on my digital scales

Yeti ASR (Carbon?) for out and out race bike

Maybe a little more biased towards tougher than delicate

Pivot Mach4

Not an Orange 5 please

OK Orange Patriot 😉

Yeti ASR-5

I’d say Yeti ASR5 too if you bugdet allows.
That should cover most of what you’re looking for.

I would say an anthem is a good as bet as any, most love them, I hated it but that’s another story…

If your going for the anthem, at your height, I would agree with the above comments, no way would I go for the large, I had the large at 6’2″ it fitted me fine, but i found it one long bike, not stretch wise but wheelbase wise, the two wheels felt very disconnected. But that just my opinion.

Large Anthem X3 here – fits me fine, and I’m 6’3″

Discounted Turner Flux (DW link)?
I know Merlin were doing larges at £899, but personally I think 5’10 is right on most bike’s Medium.

Any dual link bike feels very different to a single-pivot. But if you’ve had a bike and didn’t get on with it, I would be very careful about demoing this time around. Try and demo the Anthem with a couple of competitors listed above.

I know it can be a pain, but you’ll really feel settled on your choice afterwards.

Shock setup for demos is vital, so make sure the shop or yourself takes their time with it.

Titus X Carbon?

Large anthem x4 here. 6’1″ happy with it.

Down to 1150 for the 2011 atm, great bike for the money.

OP: That Turner DW Flux at Merlin is a bargin at £900 if its in your budget. I Ride a large being 5’11” with an in line post & 100mm stem.

I believe a Yeti ASR5 can be had for about £1300 but I’d expect you’ll need a medium.

Stuff it

Ordered an Anthem X2 in medium.

Good choice. I have a Trance X2 X Large and an Anthem X2 in Large. Really dont ride the Trance much anymore as the Anthem is so capable. It climbs like a rocket and can handle anything the likes of Glentress etc can throw at it. True its not as fun over the jumps but more than makes up for it in its handling and precision.

Good choice, 5 4″ on an XS here, I do find the stand over height still quite high so for my next built I am looking at the ASR-5 in XS (seems to have an inch or so lower stand over) but I really don’t want to. I am planted on the earth 99.9 per cent of the time and it seems to get over the rough stuff proper and nice. Might want to use a shorter stem and 120mm forks if you want to make it that much more trailworthy 🙂

Nice one I hope your not disappointed, my X2 is amazing, would be interested what you think when you get it. One thing you will need to do is ditch the tyres which are no good for UK conditions.

Did you order from Pedalon?

good choice iv’e got an x2 2010 frame and built it up with full xtr and light weight stuff i love it handles well and great round suffolk 8)

Yes ordered from Pedal on, will report back when it arrives.

Have to say it was not just bought hoping it would be ok, went and had had a good look and try on a mates but only in the steet outside his house but he was goos ebought to let me move the saddle etc and play about with the suspension settings

Looking forward to it 😀

Well its here, been here for a few days but I have barely had time to look at it but 1st impressions are it looks plenty tough enough for my riding, the front end with the oversize head tube and big QR thingy seems as tough as the 5 it is replacing. Lots of nice design to it, looks pretty.Not been ridden yet. Glad I did not order a large

Some questions

1. The forks feel horrible, no where near as plush as the Revalations on the 5 will this get better? bedding in?

2. Does any one know if the hubs are cartridge bearings as my plan is to get some Stans rims soon as I can afford but don’t want to bother if the hubs arnt worth it (will save for some better hubs as a wheel package)

Not much chance of a test ride for the next few days but the saddle dont seem that comfy