DISTANCE: 6,374 km | 90,335 m elevation gain
The bike is upside down in a vice and I push against it with all my strength. It cracks. Was that the carbon frame? No, just the tabletop. Thank goodness.
But let's start at the beginning: I once again had the honour of testing a bike in continuous use. It had to be nimble enough for the Munich Isar trails, but also stable enough for the mountains. The choice fell on the Anthem SX. The carbon fibre chassis comes from the Anthem race bike, but is aimed at trail bikers with its robust equipment.
On the trail, the Giant delighted us with its playful handling, which was not least due to the 27.5-inch tyres. With its ready-to-ride weight of 13 kilos, the Giant didn't shy away from long climbs, although the 11-speed drivetrain required a bit of calf fat. The Maestro rear suspension was convincing on the descents, but the Giant required a steady hand due to the suspension travel. During the test phase, the Anthem not only accompanied me on the Isar trails, but also on a Transalp and a dumpling hunt in the Sella region.
Almost all parts withstood the ordeal. Only the "situation" mentioned at the beginning put the relationship to the test briefly: the Giant seatpost was annoying from the start with play and rattling. After 3500 kilometres, the entire coating had worn off and a new seatpost was needed. However, the winter salt had stuck the post in the seat tube to such an extent that it could only be removed with extreme force. The new Giant seatpost worked well at first. By the end of the test, however, the coating had come off again (see photo below). In addition, the rattling soon strained my nerves again and the post was once more stuck in the frame. The Sram drivetrain and Rockshox suspension were all the more impressive for their durability. I only had to do a little tuning: with chunky tyres, Ergon grips, an SQlab saddle and an oval chainring, the Anthem mutated into a loyal trail rocket. And the highlight: I didn't have a single flat tyre during the entire test phase. This was partly thanks to the soft rims, although they did catch a few dents.
CONCLUSION on the Giant Anthem Advanced SX
Reliable trail bike with a powerful rear triangle and solid frame. With 29er wheels, the Anthem Advanced SX would be almost perfect.
DEFECTS
TUNING / REPLACEMENT
- 230 km - more comfort: Ergon grips and an SQlab saddle improved comfort at the neuralgic contact points.
- 735 km - turbo lag: I fitted an oval chainring from Absolute Black to counteract the out-of-round pedalling and make it easier to overcome the dead centre.
- 3250 km - rough tyres: During the muddy months, the original tyres had to make way for a Schwalbe Magic Mary combination.
RELATIONSHIP HIGHLIGHT
Dumpling hunt in Val Gardena: Great fun, but the Giant had to prove itself. Although an enduro bike would have been the better choice for the routes, the bike didn't cause any problems.
THE BIKE: Giant Anthem Adv. SX
Material Carbon/aluminium / L
Price / weight 3999 Euro / 12,23 k o. Ped.
Suspension travel (front / rear) 130 mm / 110 mm
Wheel size 27.5 inch
Fork Rockshox Pike RC
Damper Rockshox Super Deluxe RC3
THE TESTER: Tobias Brehler, BIKE test rider
Age / Height / Weight 20 years / 1.83 m / 73 kg
Driver profile Endurance laps with a high proportion of singletrack
Favourite areas Vinschgau Valley, local Isar trails
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