Yep, there was a recall on an early batch, covered here[/url], just check the frame numbers, but all proper Giant dealers won’t have any of the old stock now.

Ok, did a bit more last night, pre-cut of steerer tube, running all the spacers at the begining so I can adjust after the first few rides.

Steering on, with my Hope hulk brakes, X0 twisters and rear mech, XTR front mech. I’ll start a list:

Giant Anthem X 29er frame (L) with Fox Float RP23 Boostvalve
Fox F29 FIT RLC forks, 15QR thru axle and tapered steerer, 100mm travel
Giant FSA tapered headset
Shimano BB71 Press-Fit Bottom Bracket
FSA K-Force Light XC Chainset MegaExo
XTR pedals
Thomson masterpiece seatpost
Ritchey WCS Carbon Flat Bar
Ritchey WCS 4Axis Matrix Stem
Hope mono mini pro’s in Team Issue Green, Ti bolted
X0 Twist grip changers
X0 Rear mech with KCNC jockey wheels

Forget the name, that dog drinks beer 8)

I was all set to buy a Spearfish if I couldn’t have sorted the Giant out, they look a great frame for the money. Even had a free shipping offer come through from 918XC in the US, plus Salsa confirmed to me they warranty would be OK.

Going to fit these beauts tonight:

I also would have preferred to try one first, but where I live there is almost no possibility to try any 29er. I’ve taken the punt with the Anthem as I loved my old Advanced for the last 4 years, and this should just be a bigger version of it, which in my mind can only be a good thing. But if it’s not then I’ll hold my hands up, should know by the weekend either way.

Bought the frame from the US as a frame/fork deal for $2099, right faff because Giant won’t let the shop ship any frame/bike, not even within the US, pickup only. Luckily my dad lives in the US so he could go to a Giant dealer, sign some paperwork, then the shop could ship to me overseas.

Before anyone asks, I’m sorry to say but I can’t help anyone else source one via my route, too much hassle for my dad etc.

Warranty is the standard Giant warranty, only if I wanted to claim I’d first have to post it to the shop I bought it from. Hopefully this won’t ever be necessary.

Will straighten the wiggly wire out also 😉 😆

Very nice njee, impressive result, would love to be in the low 20s myself with the new build but will have to wait and see.

Seriously, WTF is that all about 😆

Proper lol at the ostrich 😆

Scam, simple as, these semi pro looking sites pop up every couple of months suckering people into placing an order before disappearing 🙁

Tried Dogtags? Worked well for me and others over the years, feel lucky I’ve not needed it mind 😉

Followed by….

All of the items in this order have now been shipped. Track and Manage your orders https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/MyAccount/MyAccount.aspx Thanks from Chain Reaction Cycles Team http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/

THE POWER OF STW IN ACTION 😆

Big bruther or what………..

Just arrived in my inbox, after I had posted 😯

Thank you for your recent order with chainreactioncycles.com.

Just a quick email to let you know that your delivery may arrive a little late, as we are currently managing unforeseen delays in our processing. We try our very best to ship your order as quickly as possible and we’re really sorry this has happened.

Please rest assured that we are doing everything we can to get your order to you on time.

‘What do I do next?’

There is no further action required from you as we are busy working on getting your order dispatched.

A confirmation email will be sent to you as soon as we dispatch the order.

Once again we apologise and hope this short delay does not inconvenience you any further.

Thank you for your patience,

Chain Reaction Cycles Customer Services

There’s def something up at CRC, must be overly busy or something, placed a very simple order on Monday morning and it’s till being processed. Just lucky I ain’t in a rush for once 😀

Pashley Sonnet Bliss looks nice, just over £600 but this feels more value than the Skeppshult.

That Ridgeback link was a good idea, they do a 7 speed version for just over £500, but no rear rack.

Well, if the general STW consensus is that it’s not badly priced then I’ll feel much better about spending the cash 😆

Thanks for that, just what she wants 🙄

Whats a dwarf got in common with a midget?

Very little!

Sorry if it was, had my sarcastic monitor set on low, now turned up to cope with STW 😐

A guy comes to my office every day on a motorbike in full leathers and everything, theres not a race track for miles………………….

Get a grip!

How much skin have you lost just popping out on a motorbike without leathers?

I have the scares to show, it’s not pretty or fun, leathers stop you losing skin, easy choice really. Not often you fall off on a race track, much more likely to happen on the road with nana volvo about 🙁

Used then for the last 4 years, now on my 3rd set of FSA k-force crank arms, the last 2 set failed as the pedal insert came loose. Hopefully won’t happen again, good on FSA for replacing them FOC, happy with them myself.

Hi Max,

Bought the frame & forks from the US, but had to get my dad to go into the shop and sign for it before they would ship anywhere. Giant dealers have their hands tied and sell ex-shop only.

It certainly looks stunning, can’t bloody wait to ride it!

Mine looks like this 🙁

Luckily its not my only ride, mainly riding this atm:

Would love to tell you but mines been sat un-built for 3 weeks waiting the QR15 front conversion for my new American Classic wheels 🙁

Yep, I raced BMX at the Greyhound Stadium in the early 80’s, must have been about 82. Rode a simple burner, nothing flash as my parents were skint, but god I loved it. Raced a couple of years before I traded the burner for a road bike and then moved over to that full time.

I have a wildfire from work, wanted the desire but they wouldn’t pay for it so the wildfire was the best Android I could squeeze out of them.

Overall I’d say its a good smart phone, I use all it’s functions and it’s good, loads of free apps about, I have about 50! Have a great GPS app, around me app, etc. The touch screen works well, nice slim size etc. We browsing is ok, but with the small screen you need to zoom in/out a lot, although Dolphin is a good browsing app for that.

Negatives are the battery life, but then again the desire is the same, I can just about get a weekend out of it with high burn functions inactive. The camera is ****, so don’t get on if you want to take photos, it only works if everything is perfectly still, or else it blurs. It can be a bit slow sometimes through apps etc, I put this down to a slower processor.

Overall a good Android smart phone for those not wanting to pay desire, iphone type prices. If it were my own money I would have probably bought a desire, although it is bigger in size, the wildfire fits nicely in your pocket without being a tablet. Not sure a desire is worth more than twice the monthly cost of a wildfire, depends how much you really need it 😉

Basic Android smart phone functions on a budget = wildfire
High end Android smart bling phone = desire

Just buy the buss pass and hop on/off at your leisure, so so much to see/do there, you’ll have a great time.

Tallboy is the pick of the crop if you have money to burn, Salsa Spearfish is the sensible mans choice. I bought a Anthem X 29er frameset from the US, I think this sits in between the above 2. Have read that the Jet9 is heavy, but good if that’s no issue.

Sorry to hijack a little, but what size front discs are people running with their Fox F29s? I don’t have them to check here, can you run a 160?

Blood’ell, that dog is fast, not a bad line either 😆

You can make your own tool for just over a tenner, worth the investment so you can look after the hubs yourself in the future.

Buy a standard star ratchet and weld on a suitable sized nut, jobs a goodun. Sod paying over 50 quid for one mind.

The hubs are easily servicable with the tool, sandard bearing fitment etc, I like them, use them on my DH bike.

My mum has a house which backs onto a park, all the houses on that street and in fact every house which backs onto the whole park boundary have a gate in place for easy access.

What about your new street, do any of the neighbor have gates onto the park? Usually a good sign if it’s ok/nok.

The only time my old dad (RIP) got a call from the council was when he opened up the gap to make it wide enough to park his boat in the back garden. The council said there was no road access so he couldn’t do that etc. He said ok and put a removable section in the fence and left the boat there anyway. About right for my old dad 😆

Congrats on the new man cave BTW 8)

Or the Cannon S95 😀

Now down to the Casio ZR100 or Sony HX7V, Sony being favoured but the Casio reviews well against the Sony.

Hmm, decision decision………

No mosquito’s where I am by the SW coast 😀

But going to the inlaws in Småland and its carnage, couldn’t live there, they love my blood 🙁

Sounds good George, maybe at the end of April? I can invite some other friends out too for a group ride.

The railway museum is great for the kids, they have a proper steam loco as well, beautiful to see/hear/smell it out running in the summer 8)

Also, the XC crowd take their racing pretty serious, if that floats your boat.

Southern Sweden has a good series called Syd MTB Cup[/url].

In fact there’s a race in Ängelholm this Sunday, great little course, my local.

Thanks for the invite George, I’d love to come down soon, been meaning to for years!

BTW, it’s been a while since you came up to Ängelholm for the ride 😉