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Anthem X cracked frames.

132K views 395 replies 122 participants last post by  Lopaka 
#1 ·
With the Anthem X having been around for a couple of years now and with the recall on the Anthem X 29'r because of cracks at the top tube/seat tube junction, I thought it would be a good idea to see how many Anthem X 26'r owners have had a problem with their frame developing a crack at the same place as the 29'r.

Out of the three AX owners, myself included, that I know in my area, two have had to get their frames replaced due to the frame cracking.

How many others in this forum, if any, have had the same problem?
 
#224 ·
It's possible to repair these kind of damages? Even if it was a new frame, I think Giant should do something about this, not only give a new frame. I've bought a used one, but knowing this, I'm not sure if my future frame will be a Giant even a new one with warranty... Yes, my only chance is to ride and don't think about this...
 
#229 ·
Agreed. I just ran a warranty for a customer on a 2012 XTC. I sent in pictures after talking with their warranty department at 6pm. By 10 am the next day it was approved and an offer on the table for the customer (they are currently out of replacement carbon XTCs). If you had a delay, it is your LBSs fault.
 
#231 ·
.... If you had a delay, it is your LBSs fault.
I guess it is necessary to mention that this was European LBS in a fairly small market area. To my understanding there is no other contact to Giant than dealer portal or country rep. Giant HQ and main warehouse is located in Netherlands and everything comes through that place. Still, they could have taken stronger approach solving this issue.
 
#232 ·
2011 Giant Anthem X3 29er Cracked Frame

Add me to the list of cracked frames.

Bought it used so warranty won't help me out. However, LBS said if I could track down the original owner and they have the receipt I could warranty it. In process of doing that...keeping fingers crossed as the owner lives in CA and I'm in TX.

In the event that I cannot get it warrantied LBS said they might be able to track down a 2013 frameset and transfer all the components. Anyone aware of the cost of the frameset? LBS said it would be under warranty this way which I'm fine with if a new broke again.

What are thoughts on re-welding this area? I have a buddy who is an experienced TIG welder but seems to be a pretty small area.

Oh yeah, right after I took this pic I dropped my iphone and cracked the screen....when it rains it pours I guess.

Membranophone Drum Plastic
 
#246 ·
Add me to the list of cracked frames.

Bought it used so warranty won't help me out. However, LBS said if I could track down the original owner and they have the receipt I could warranty it. In process of doing that...keeping fingers crossed as the owner lives in CA and I'm in TX.

In the event that I cannot get it warrantied LBS said they might be able to track down a 2013 frameset and transfer all the components. Anyone aware of the cost of the frameset? LBS said it would be under warranty this way which I'm fine with if a new broke again.

What are thoughts on re-welding this area? I have a buddy who is an experienced TIG welder but seems to be a pretty small area.

Oh yeah, right after I took this pic I dropped my iphone and cracked the screen....when it rains it pours I guess.

View attachment 862990
I swear this is a photo of my frame crack. 2011 Anthem X3 29er. I'm 180# and the bike probably had 5000-6000 miles when I noticed the crack. My LBS had me a new 2012 frame in a week. No hassles no complaints. We have three Anthem 29ers in my family. They are great bikes.
 
#233 · (Edited)
Sounds like their warranty service is second to none, but they still earn a WTF for using the same frame they recalled three years ago. Maybe they've tweaked the weld since 2011, but the weld isn't the problem. The problem is the TT about 1/4" north of the weld.

I'd guestimate there is some combination of the following 3 circumstances contributing to this:

Incomplete / Inadequate Annealing
Considering that every ST/TT-related crack is occurring approximately 1/4" away from the weld on the TT - right where I'd suspect a huge temp variance during welding - there may be an annealing issue at play. The annealing process is employed specifically to prevent this sort of problem... but it's not a silver bullet:

Inadequate TT Diameter
I have to admit that even before I saw this thread, there were several times I looked at my TT/ST joint and thought "I can't believe how small that is" (that's what she said). Look at virtually any other frame, and the diameter is much larger at that joint. Even my road bike (which has opposing seatstay support) has a beefier TT.

Which brings us to:

Zero Reinforcement
Sussers don't/can't have seatstays on the other side of the ST offering opposing support, which is why a lot of frames you see have a miniature triangle at the TT/ST joint (see Rip9, Superfly), or at the very least, a beefier TT joint (see Trance).

Seems to me that a larger diameter TT + even the slightest bit of reinforcement to the area = SOLVED... not sure why they haven't tweaked the design :confused:
 
#236 ·
All the cracks I've seen recently in this thread are at the BB seat tube brace. Nothing to do with the original problem. I suspect it's more to do with the front triangle flexing slightly around the BB than the shock locked out or pushing to big a gear etc. As you say heat treatment or welding heat soak on two pieces of metal with different dimensions.

If it really was a major problem then I can't see why they wouldn't have beefed up the brace. Unless that will case problems down stream.

Can't even see why you need the brace IMHO. Probably ride for years cracked.
 
#234 ·
I've been thinking about this more and I'd be curious to learn how the rear shock was set when people experienced a crack (for instance, was it locked out?). The Maestro suspension looks like it would induce a fair amount of forward stress on the ST, causing a very slight pivot of the tube at the HT joint, thus causing a crack.

Just thinking out loud. But, a reinforcement joining the HT to the ST just above the suspension would go a long way to distributing that force, if that's in fact what's causing the fractures.
 
#235 ·
No offense man, but I think you may be over reacting a little. And that's coming from one of the guys who broke a frame.

Since you asked - I've never locked out my suspension. I don't really see it as a viable way to do things, because I don't like stopping to change settings on stuff I can't reach from the seat, and I don't like the way the leaver on the rear shock sticks out when it's locked. I'm also a pretty big guy, with my pack on ready to ride, I suspect 220-225 is a realistic range. Yes, I wear a heavy pack, a gallon of water, a tube, a pump, a hand saw...no, I won't stop and change settings, yes I will stop and clear a fallen tree (if it doesn't make the trail more fun). As such, I run about 235 PSI in the rear shock. No, I don't jump my bike. Yes, I do bunny hop, pump, and ride some fairly large (as in bottom out the suspension large) G-outs.

Here's the bottom line. If I didn't like the bike, or it didn't have a great warranty, I wouldn't keep it. But (and keep in mind, I've owned a lot of bikes, and ridden even more) this bike is maybe the best bike I've ever ridden - for what I do. And that includes some wunderbikes that I couldn't by a frame on for what I paid for this bike. Don't sweat the problems that have been had. Tons of these bikes have been sold. What you see posted here is likely a very, very small percentage of what's been produced, and most if it likely by pretty rowdy or hard core riders that are putting a lot of miles on their bikes, or people who experienced failures doing less because of real production problems.

Either way, my advice is stop worrying, ride the crap out of it, and take advantage of the warranty if it breaks. When it does, do what I did. Say thank you for the new frame, get back on it, and ride the crap out of it some more.
 
#239 ·
Either way, my advice is stop worrying, ride the crap out of it, and take advantage of the warranty if it breaks. When it does, do what I did. Say thank you for the new frame, get back on it, and ride the crap out of it some more.
That's what I rekon. My 2009 X1 large cracked recently. It's dead. Rode the crap out of it, sometimes at a cracking pace..... Waiting on a nice new shiny frame. May even put frame skin on this one. By the time that one's dead too, most of the rest of the bike will be well past the use by date. Looking a bit like grandfathers axe already. Going to look funny. Shiny frame rest looking a bit "established" I'll refrain from washing it for a bit just so it all blends in.
 
#237 ·
For all we know, giant have 100,000 raw frames in inventory for the 29er and can easily design a new joint, like they have with the 27.5.

Trying to predict the future is hazardous, but it's gotta be equal chance that either they stop with 29ers altogether or swap totally to carbon
 
#240 ·
Hi folks I haven't read all the posts but I thought you might like to see these pics note the difference in seat post lengths and top tube angles from top to bottom my 2011 x3 second 2011 x3 earlier model shorter seat post third 2013/14 anthem longer seat post fourth not sure on yr but I think a new model anthem 29er
 

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#245 ·
I have been through three Giant advanced anthem x carbon 29er frames since august 2013. They've had the same issue. The second one lasted only 3 months before it presented with a 3 inch crack between the front derailleur and the pivot on the seat tube. I know of two other local riders with same problem. I'm 187cm & 85kg's and ride a Large frame.....so do the other two blokes. The LBS does the change over with no issues, but a pain in the backside. There must be some manufacturing fault or something else for this to happen. currently on 2nd 2014 frame with original 2013 front forks....starting to think Giant need to up it and replace the entire bike.
 
#247 ·
Hey, Twowheelchris I promise it is not your bike....it was my 2011 anthem that I bought used :madman: . I'm 240# and had 3000 miles on mine. I bought a 2013 X4 for a smoking deal (last XL around) and transferred all the components over from my 2011. Now if this one breaks I have a warranty :thumbsup:
 
#248 ·
Well I finally ended up with a new frame to replace my 2009 X 1. Seems they had a bit of difficulty getting a 26er frame, so gave me a 2014 x 1 27.5er. And forks (Other than not fitting, mine were forked anyway) and wheels, tyres, tubes. My 3x9 drivetrain, brakes, bar / shifters / grips, seat & post got used.

Stoked.

I was looking to replace my forks anyway which I could have got out of for ~ AUD500.
So I got a new frame and decent upgrade for free.
Cannot argue with that.
Surprised the 3x9 fitted, but it works fine.
Now the challenge. Ride the crap out of it and get another new one in a few years....

(I would have been happy to chip in a bit of cash for the whole new bike, but figured I'd leave them to figure out what they'd do first.)

I did a few test rides of a few other bikes in the mean time (scott, apollo dualies) thinking I'd get the new 26er frame fix the forks and sell it to get a new bike, but in the end didn't have to.

I love telling people. "No, it's not a 14 model, it's an 09 model with a few warranty bits...."
 
#249 ·
I was cleaning my bike this weekend before replacing my brakes and rotors when I noticed a crack at my seat tube/top tube junction. On a whim I checked my rear shock brace and sure enough there was a slight crack developing there too. This is the second frame I've had these issues with. Took the bike into my LBS to have them take pictures and contact Giant. It looks like Giant is completely out of both aluminum and carbon frames at the moment. I was offered a Trance X as an immediate remedy. They expect a shipment of (2014?) aluminum frames to be available in about a month, and a shipment of new 2015 carbon frames in about 3 to 4 months. My Anthem is still perfectly usable so I've opted to add myself to the back-order list for the carbon frames. Hopefully time will fly by and the frame will get here sooner than expected.
 
#250 ·
Add my 2012 Anthem X 1 29er to the list.. Same as most people's where the small weld drive side in the shock mount has a small crack. Hope the warranty process isn't painful. Just hoping I can be lucky like the guy above me here, who reports he can get a carbon frame... mmmm.. carbon. Also would love the option of getting a 27.5 as replacement.

cheers
 
#252 ·
Another cracked frame

It looks like I am in the same situation as the rest of you. Here is my dilemma and opinions are welcome.
I bought my 2011 Anthem 29er x3 from my LBS. I went with the x3 because it was in my budget (barely) and I really digged the color scheme white. So fast forward. The small brace by the lower shock mount is cracked. I took it to the shop and the owner was very helpful as he always is. He took a couple of pics, talked to Giant and they were on board for giving me a new frame.
Here is the problem. The only frame available at this point is 2014 x29er1. Great looking frame but they have to swap all of my components over. White brake lines, calipers, shock, seat, etc. I don't wanna sound shallow, but does anyone else think it's gonna look funky? I spent the money on the bike bc of the way it rode and the way it looked. Dunno. Tell me what you think.
 

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#254 ·
White bits on black will look good . Now if you had blue hoses going on a green bike, that would be a problem!

How are the hoses anyway? On my basic spec giant reign a couple of years ago, the white hoses were cracking after a year ( just the outside of course), though I did leave it in the sun a lot.
 
#256 ·
The way I see it your options are either accept the (free) warranty frame and change your parts over, or go buy a new bike that it sounds like maybe you don't want to spend the money for. I once had an ugly bird dog, but he could hunt circles around much prettier dogs. A lot of guys made fun of my ugly bird dog, but a lot of them went home with empty game pockets, and I didn't. Ask yourself this: Is that ugly dog of yours going to hunt, or not?
 
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