GIANT ANTHEM ADVANCED O
More Trail Than XC
Photos by Pat Carrigan
The Anthem has been Giant’s flagship XC race bike since 26-inch wheels were all the rage. Riders like Adam Craig and Carl Decker have accomplished plenty aboard the Anthem and have had major input on the development. Giant launched the Anthem in 2007 as a purebred race bike aimed at conquering World Cup courses. In 2013, the Anthem got a complete overhaul that included an updated geometry and 27.5-inch wheels. Fast-forward to today and the Anthem has again seen a complete overhaul with plenty of modern tweaks. We spent lots of time ripping the Anthem to see just where it fits in compared to previous generations—and to find out if it is still a rocket XC race machine.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
In the past, the Anthem was known for its aggressive XC-oriented geometry. The current version leans heavily towards trail riding with a slacker head angle, lower bottom bracket height and updated 110-millimeter Maestro suspension platform.
The progressive geometry really defines the Anthem as a dedicated trail machine that will confidently handle rocky and steep bits of trail. Riders who are looking for a bike that will climb well and be comfortable for long days in the saddle but want to descend aggressively will find the new Anthem confidence-inspiring.
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WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?The new Anthem feels like a completely new bike as opposed to a modern take on previous generations. Giant dropped the bottom bracket height 5 millimeters and lowered the composite rocker arm to lower the overall center of gravity. Giant slackened the head angle 1.5 degrees, lengthened the top tube and shortened the head tube for a long, low geometry.
On the suspension side, Giant continued to use its established Maestro platform with a new composite rocker arm. The new composite rocker arm beefs up the suspension, along with a new Trunnion-mounted shock. Adding to the trail feel are 110 millimeters of rear travel and 27.5-inch wheels.
The Anthem Advanced 0 is a full-carbon fiber frame with an aluminum rear triangle that now has Boost spacing in the front and rear. The frame has fully internal cable routing and ISCG tabs to slap on a chainguide. Up front is Giant’s massive OverDrive head tube and 120-millimeter-travel RockShox Pike. Our test bike is the top-level build at $8750. Riders can get into the entry-level carbon version for just over $4100.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
So much trail: Giant decided to spec the Anthem with a 120-millimeter-travel Pike to give the bike a burlier feel aimed at trail riding. On flowing singletrack and rockier bits, the Pike delivered solid performance and stability.
Range for days: SRAM Eagle was our choice for Product of the Year in 2016, and for good reason. The 10-50 cassette gave our test riders plenty of gear choices to cover a diverse range of trails. Our test bike came with a 34-tooth front chainring, adding to the overall performance of the Anthem.
Eagle has taken the trail by storm, and our test riders have been very impressed with the performance. Our test bike came with a 34-tooth front chainring combined with a 10-50 cassette that gave us all the gearing we needed on either end. The RockShox Pike and Deluxe complemented the suspension design and added to the rowdy trail feel of the Anthem.
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
Swinging a leg over the top tube, we immediately noticed the extended reach and lower front end putting us in a more aggressive position. The stock Giant Contact SLR saddle felt comfortable for most of our test riders and allowed for a good position.
Extra trunnion, please: With the introduction of the metric shock last spring, suspen- sion designers have been able to fit more into their platforms. The Anthem got a new trunnion-mounted shock and composite rocker, lowering the leverage ratio and stiffening up the whole platform for more stability.
Suspension Setup:
Giant recommends setting the sag on the shock between 15 and 20 percent for the most efficient pedaling platform. We started at 20 percent in the shock and 20 percent in the fork with two air tokens for a more progressive feel. After a couple rides we increased the rear sag to 30 percent but did experience some bottoming out on more technical sections of trail. Our main test riders finally settled on 25 percent in the Deluxe. They felt this gave them a good pedaling platform and plenty of cushion for more technical riding.
Moving Out:
To offset the long and low geometry, our bike came stock with a short 70-millimeter stem and wide 760-millimeter bars. This gave our test riders a low, forward position to charge the descents like they were on a longer-travel machine.
Just ride: The new version of the Anthem is suited for lightweight trail riding. This machine will conquer flowing singletrack and technical bits of trail, while getting riders to the top of the mountain quickly.
Cornering:
The Anthem has a playful side that is amplified at high speeds and in tight corners. Our test riders felt confident leaning the bike over through banked turns and tight switchbacks. The low center of gravity gave the bike a planted feeling that allowed us to push hard into the tires and suspension.
Remember the roots: On steep, punchy climbs and long grinds, the Anthem remembered its XC roots and scooped up the trail with minimal effort. The frame felt stiff and responsive when we pushed hard out of the saddle.
Climbing:
On long grinds and steep technical pushes, the XC roots of the Anthem gave our test riders a very efficient platform to pedal from. The frame and rear triangle were stiff and responsive with the suspension flipped into the climbing modes.
Dropping in: For 2017 the Anthem got a completely new geometry that leans more towards trail riding than XC racing. The slacked-out head angle and lower bottom bracket height had our test riders ripping steeper sections of trail.
Descending:
When pointing the Anthem down the mountain, our test riders really felt the bike come alive. This machine feels best with your hands off the brakes at full gas. The frame felt stiff, and the Maestro was active over small bumps and big hits. The wide bars gave us good leverage to lean hard through turns or pull up on the front over technical rocky sections.
TRICKS, TIPS, UPGRADES?
There is little left to the imagination with the flossed-out build kit of the Anthem Advanced 0. Some of our test riders did have specific feedback, though. The stock dropper post performed well during our testing, but most of our riders would have preferred a longer 125- or 150-millimeter-travel post. To add to the trail abilities of the Anthem, we recommend going to larger 180-millimeter rotors for a little extra stopping power when the trail gets rowdy.
Halfway through our testing, we swapped to a wider set of 2.3- inch tires that barely cleared the rear triangle. The cable routing for the rear derailleur and rear brake would get in the way of the tire’s aggressive shoulder knobs at times. We zip-tied the cables in a couple spots for a little extra insurance. Bottom line: this is a trailbike that can handle widish tires; however, if you’re looking to run very high-volume tires mounted to wide rims, you may have to step up to Giant’s longer-travel model, the Trance, to get the clearance you’ll need.
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BUYING ADVICE
BUYING ADVICEIt is safe to say that this isn’t just an updated Anthem XC race bike. Instead, it has evolved into a capable lightweight trailbike that isn’t afraid to climb mountains and then head back down. Still, there are certain parts of the Anthem that seem to be clinging to its XC roots. If you want a bike that can do it all but will take a little more tweaking, the Anthem has plenty of potential. www.giant-bicycles.com
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