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Hi All
Hoping someone can give me some help about buying a new bike - all advice greatly appreciated (thanks in advance!)
I fancy trying a 29er for a change but am not sure it's right for me. I am short (about 5' 7") and very light (about 8st dripping wet!) aged 50. I have been mtb riding for a lot of years and am fairly fit but I wouldn't say I was massively skillful (I don't do jumps, drop-offs etc). I mainly ride on the North Yorkshire moors/Guisborough Woods etc - a mixture of muddy (in winter) singletrack, fire roads, gravelly paths etc - probably more XC than anything I guess. Very occasionally I have the odd trip to the Lakes where it is rockier and to Dalby bike trail centre where it is mainly man-made with some twisty sections. I am a bit weird in that I like climbing - I guess weighing nothing helps!
I am looking at replacing my Boardman FS Pro. I have a fairly limited budget (only around £1000) so am looking at 2013 models of Giant's Trance 29er and Giant’s Anthem 29er from Paul’s Cycles bikes (links below). I had thought about a Boardman FS Team 650b which is the same money but I don’t really think I will notice the difference between this and a 262 and it is lower spec than my current set up
Giant Anthem X 29er 4 http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s154p4844/GIANT-ANTHEM-X-29ER-4-2013
Giant Trance X 29er 2 http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/m1b0s154p4838/GIANT-TRANCE-X-29ER-2-2013
So my questions to you all are
1) Will I be OK with a 29er in view of my size?
2) Will I struggle a lot more on the twisty stuff?
3) Both bikes are about 1.5lb heavier than my Boardman - will I notice the difference a lot - particularly when climbing on a 29er?
and finally
4) Which bike will be best for me and the stuff I ride? (both seem to be well reviewed)
I like the idea of 20 speed on the Trance (3 x 10 on the Anthem) but it is more travel (125mm) - do I need it for the stuff I do? I currently have 120mm on my RS Reba forks on my boardman but see there is only 100mm of travel on the Anthem - I currently run my shock and fork at low pressures and I hardly seem to compress them because of my weight so perhaps I am not using all my travel anyway (i don't know how much I should typically see)
Thanks
Martin
I was trying to decide between them both last year Martin and demoed them over the same weekend. I expected the anthem to be better over longer XC ride and the trance better in steeper, twisty trail stuff. I had previously tested an anthem and thought it was a brilliant and versatile bike. The trance really surprised me. Great where expected but also surprisingly good for longer XC rides as well. Ok not first choice as a race bike but it was far more versatile that I expected. The 2014 colours are awful of the T1 and on the 2013 Anthem 1!!!
Both really versatile, fun bikes.
I bought the Trance frame cheap last year from JE James and I have been surprised how versatile it is. I did the 75km Selkirk MTB Marathon on it last month (came 4th in the Super Vets) but I have also cleared steep technical stuff on it which I have never cleared on my 160mm 26" bike. I am 5' 8" and went for a medium. Never ridden the Anthem, so can't really comment on that. I think you would enjoy both bikes and judging by the type of riding you do, I would say 29er is definitely the way to go.
I'm 5'7 and ride a small Anthem 29er its great but I think the medium would be better as its a bit short on the top tube. Then again that might be down to the Mary bars sweeping back.
Ride an Anthem 29er, great bike, love it when it's rough, but gets smooth I'm reaching for my fully rigid once more. Peaks/Lakes etc it's a brilliant bike, climbing isn't hindered if anything it helps dig in.