MTBA 09 Giant Anthem X0 review

[Justin Fox]

American Mountain Bike Action magazine has just reviewed the Anthem X0:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3204/3078758417_60a1f11939_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/3078758599_4297bc3108_o.jpg

Wide bars, more travel. Looks like XC is becoming more AM!

Giant Anthem X0 2009
$5699 AUD

Official Giant link:
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-AU/bikes/mountain/2333/32051/

[Jing]

its so positive it almost sounds like an advertisement LOL

[Jarod]

23.8 pounds is 10.8kgs.

Properly light for a dual suspension XC machine, but nothing compared to super light XC hardtails.

[Justin Fox]

its so positive it almost sounds like an advertisement LOL
Pretty unusual for that magazine. I've read reviews where they've flamed so hard.

Australian Mountain Bike magazine will review this bike next issue.

[Clifton]

I got a funny feeling about this.

[Jing]

? why ?

looks like a good xc bike not that i know what makes a good xc bike?

[Gekigengar]

What i actually hated about the previous Anthem was the shox position. When the shock was positioned almost horizontally from seat tube to downtube it dramatically cut down space inside the main triangle, and being able to only run half sized bottles even in large frames, and bottles was probrably useless in small frames.

I know it may seem like a tiny detail we can all live with but i think it was silly of giant to do this because the market they were trying to aim at was serious XC racers who do not bother wearing a hydro pack and water is a crucial thing.

http://www.uberreview.com/wp-content/uploads/anthem-advanced-blue-white.jpg
The old Anthem.

So this new anthem will most probrably sell out or will be very popular and will be a contender with the Specialized S-works epic. I for one will aim to purchase this bike ( or frame) but until my pocket allows me i will stick to my Trance.

[singletrack]

American Mountain Bike Action magazine has just reviewed the Anthem X0:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3204/3078758417_60a1f11939_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/3078758599_4297bc3108_o.jpg

Wide bars, more travel. Looks like XC is becoming more AM!

Giant Anthem X0 2009
$5699 AUD

Official Giant link:
http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-AU/bikes/mountain/2333/32051/

I think 100mm travel and a firm valved fox will keep this as a XC machine. What i hear is that the travel and feel of these bikes is quite firm, twitchy and long... which is still very XC.

[LordOnOne]

So this new anthem will most probrably sell out or will be very popular and will be a contender with the Specialized S-works epic. I for one will aim to purchase this bike ( or frame) but until my pocket allows me i will stick to my Trance.

A UK magazine called What Mountain Bike that I believe does much fairer and more objective tests recently tested the S-works Epic against the Anthem X1. The Anthem X won narrowly but I think if they’d tested bikes of similar spec and price the Anthem X would have thrashed the S-works Epic.

Another UK mag called Mbr tested the Anthem XO against the Commencal Super 4.1, Scott Spark 20 and Lapierre X-control 710 for use as marathon bikes. The Anthem X0 beat the Scott and Lapierre by a reasonably big margin and beat the Commencal by a narrower margin because the Commencal didn’t fit the bill for a marathon bike, but would have one the test if it was for a light trail bike. The Anthem XO got 10/10 from Mbr and they’re usually very harsh on Giant bikes in tests, they’ve slatted my Trance and didn’t seem that impressed with the Reign, Reign X and Trance X this year.

The US mag called Mountain Bike also tested the X1 and loved it…

There should be a new carbon version next year BTW.

[Justin Fox]

Great reviews are coming in everywhere. I'll have to at least test ride one as I feel it's different enough from my plush Reign.

Timmy/Clifton/Matt - you guys are so fast on your hardtails. This bike sounds like the perfect bike for you I'm thinking.

[NowhereMan]

Wide bars, more travel. Looks like XC is becoming more AM!

Add to that that Adam Craig actually runs a single front ring and a chainguide for XC racing!

Check out the latest MBA for pics of the bike he used at stromlo.

[mgliii]

I demo'ed one on some trails near Albuquerque New Mexico and loved it so much I made an offer to the owner. Hope to use it for XC racing and as a all around Mtn bike. With 4" of travel, it should do everything I need...

Mike