Anthem Carbon vs. Aluminum weights

[mudrider]

Looks like Giant bought the last few sheets of Carbon in the world!! I am looking at upgrading my NRS frame and the Carbon Anthem is coming in at a $3700 while the Aluminum is a more affordable $1300. What is up with the Carbon costing 3x's as much as Aluminum!?!
Does anyone know the weight difference? I heard that the Aluminum frame was supposed to be pretty light as well...1/2 lb. lighter than the Carbon NRS?
Anyway if some one has the weight specs that would be wonderfull.

Thanks,
Neil

[UberFly]

Somebody posted the weight of the carbon Anthem - I think it was something like 0.3lbs lighter than the Al frame - this article has complete bike weights listed:

http://www.mbaction.com/detail.asp?id=2039

[LyNx]

Yeh I have a Anthem in my future and I went looking at the new '07 stuf and couldn't believe what they are sposed to be selling the Carbon version for - un-freaking believable. I think I'll try to pick up an '06 Anthem in the Team Blue.

[Captain]

Giant don't specify a frame weight but they do claim that the carbon frame anthem is somewhere between a quarter of a pound and a half pound lighter than the alum version. The alum version weighs 2350gr or just over 5lbs

[schen]

Was anyone else dissapointed by the minimal weight difference? I was shocked to hear that for thousands of dollars more you will save maybe a HALF POUND! While the carbon anthem DOES look bad to the mufathukin ass. Its not good enough for me to spend 6........6.....thou.......(excuse me while I vomit)...........6 thousandish dollars on, ANYYYYYYYYYYWAYYYY. I had an 06 Anthem and did not like it, so back to the XTC for me. Enjoy your carbon Anthems fancy lads.

[Captain]

Originally Posted by schen

Was anyone else dissapointed by the minimal weight difference? I was shocked to hear that for thousands of dollars more you will save maybe a HALF POUND! While the carbon anthem DOES look bad to the mufathukin ass. Its not good enough for me to spend 6........6.....thou.......(excuse me while I vomit)...........6 thousandish dollars on, ANYYYYYYYYYYWAYYYY. I had an 06 Anthem and did not like it, so back to the XTC for me. Enjoy your carbon Anthems fancy lads.

Dissapointed? No, because because I was never going to buying one. The alum version is soooo light to begin with so any weight saving even in carbon isnt going to be huge. I agree the price is hard to justify if you have to fork out that much more money. Especially when Ive put on 3kg in 2 weeks from not riding. You probably saved that weight whilst vomiting and its free.

[schen]

Carbon is sooooooooo 2006, anorexium is where its AT!!!!

[UberFly]

$6000 is the msrp - you'll get a much better deal from a bike shop - maybe around $5999.......haha

[Benno]

Heh your just jelous.........I'll be piloting one of those fine $6000 rigs, or should I say $7000 Canadian. Feel free to buy my 2006 Anthem at http://www.mtbkanata.net/classifieds...p?product=4176

[schen]

Jealous................Not so much. I had an 06 Anthem and I thought it sucked on the rocky, rooty, tight terrain of the North East. Anthems seem better suited out west where technical riding skills are less needed and "trails" are hard pack. My coinage will be much better spent on an XTC C0. Or dare I say.....................Cannondale Carbon Rush.

[LyNx]

Hey cool how yu got Craig to sign your old Anthem SO how come you moved on to the '07 Carbon Anthem, are you team sponsored or just $hit rich? I'm looking for the '06 Anthem in the next ccew months, but will only be able to afford the frameset and will build it up from there.

Originally Posted by Benno

Heh your just jelous.........I'll be piloting one of those fine $6000 rigs, or should I say $7000 Canadian. Feel free to buy my 2006 Anthem at http://www.mtbkanata.net/classifieds...p?product=4176

[Benno]

Originally Posted by schen

Jealous................Not so much. I had an 06 Anthem and I thought it sucked on the rocky, rooty, tight terrain of the North East. Anthems seem better suited out west where technical riding skills are less needed and "trails" are hard pack. My coinage will be much better spent on an XTC C0. Or dare I say.....................Cannondale Carbon Rush.

You say your trails are more suited to a longer travel bike, but then you say you would rather get a hardtail, and then you talk about some lame long travel single pivot bike..............make up your mind.
-No I am far from rich, I'm selling my 06 and getting the 07 carbon for sponsorship purposes

[schen]

The Rush is long travel? Thats news to me Benno. My opinion of the Anthem was that it was slow in the tight stuff, had very poor rear tire clearance making for extreme mud collecting issues, and I never really warmed up to the suspension no matter how much I played around with the manitou shock settings. I previously owned the NRS which is possibly where I gained my preference for a stiffer rear end, Hence me wanting the XTC. The rush comment was a joke, and Im glad you picked up on it. Its fun to daydream about what bike I might get for the next season, and part of the hunt involves discussion with other riders and feedback and opinions. So as for my mind being made up; Im not even close to a decision, which is part of the fun. And NOT being sponsored makes for a lot of bikes to browse. Good luck supersponsored superpro racerider Benno! I hope that carbon Anthem helps you kick many asses!

[Benno]

Yeah I rode two NRS's over the course of 4 years. I find the mud clearance on the Anthem to be fine, and I've done a few really muddy races this year. It even accomodated my monster 2.1 Maxxis Swamp Things very easily. I'm not one to suggest a duallie over a hard tail. I know that some people are faster on whichever bike they prefer, that's why I always say it's what works for me. I'm not very effective on a hardtail, I need to be smooth, at 135lbs I'm not much of a power rider. I had a 100km race today and I was sure glad I had the Anthem for that. I notice the travel feels shorter on the Anthem than the NRS but overall I find the Anthem too be much faster due to its lower center of gravity and extreme frame stiffness. More or less there isnt much to be gained by going to the carbon, realistically it is probably only 1/3 a pound if that. I like the Anthem Advanced for the SLR wheels, F80X fork (X being the most important distinction) and thank the lord Shimano componentry as me and SRAM just didn't get along.

[Captain]

Schen, for someone who thinks an anthem sucked on rocky, rooty terrain, you are only going to be more dissapointed on a hardtail. Not suited to technical riding terrains? Its the rider who is not suited to technical riding terrains, not the bike. The anthem is one of the most beautifully balanced, stiffest and nimble frames you can get and without trying to offend anyone, you must be on drugs to think the NRS has a lateraly stiff rear end comapred to an anthem. Or did you just mean you had no rear suspension or your shock pumped up to hard?

[schen]

I quit drugs years ago. Like my OPINION said, I do not like the Anthem. I apologize to all of the Anthem fanboys who cant wrap thier heads around the concept of the Anthem NOT being the perfect bike. My dislikes were more about its feel while pedaling over rocks and roots (regardless of shock setup I always seemed to feel bobbing and squishing, maybe I got a defective shock) and its steering on TIGHT switches and singletrack felt slow and inaccurate to me. Decending on the Anthem was nicer than the Jamis Dragon that Im using now, (no-brainer) but overall I prefer that hardtail. On the NRS I ran high shock pressure making it hardtailish with the exception of big ole' bumps. As far as technical skills, I have better handling skills than most, including you! haha. I am using a steel jamis dragon and have never ridden faster, climbed faster, ridden more accurately and more confident. So once again this was only one persons OPINION and if your opinion does not concur with mine it does not mean I am on drugs.

[simonds08]

First off, I have an anthem1 myself, (currently for sale, 2200 bucks, email bikerpro12345@hotmail.com with questions, and yes, I bought an ad.) The bike is a great RACE BIKE. Anything beyond that isnt the greatest on the anthem. with a longer top tube, the wheelbase is a little longer which makes tight singletrack not so manageable. with racing the sole focus of the bike, this is good because it makes for a more stable bike at FAST SPEEDS. It sounds like schen bough the bike to be a general purpose bike for those long epic rides as well as racing, but didnt find it worked out so well, so leave the guy alone. living in new england myself, I also didnt find it to be the best bike for the region. Too be honest, even with a full suspension bike around here, there is still plenty of standing up on any ride due to the obsene amount of roots and rocks, and no matter how you have your suspension set up, you can always produce suspension bob while standing, leading to not the best traction. I had severe problems with my anthem collecting mud. You do not know what a muddy race is until you have raced out here. I do some racing out west as well and let me tell you, the anthem is the bike for the other side of the country. OPINIONS ARE GREAT! so stop talking up the anthem like you just read richard cunninghams latest review on the "do it all bike". I mean seriously, what happened to the blur or spider who also were dubbed the do it all bike? they just fizzled out, with the latest hype on the anthem. So start thinking for yourselves because r. c. cunningham has yet to find the next do it all bike, and when he does, you guys are freakin skrewed.

[Captain]

[/quote]The bike is a great RACE BIKE. Anything beyond that isnt the greatest on the anthem. with a longer top tube, the wheelbase is a little longer which makes tight singletrack not so manageable. with racing the sole focus of the bike, this is good because it makes for a more stable bike at FAST SPEEDS. It sounds like schen bough the bike to be a general purpose bike for those long epic rides as well as racing, but didnt find it worked out so well, so leave the guy alone. no matter how you have your suspension set up, you can always produce suspension bob while standing, leading to not the best traction. I had severe problems with my anthem collecting mud. so stop talking up the anthem like you just read richard cunninghams latest review on the "do it all bike". I mean seriously, what happened to the blur or spider who also were dubbed the do it all bike? they just fizzled out, with the latest hype on the anthem. So start thinking for yourselves because r. c. cunningham has yet to find the next do it all bike, and when he does, you guys are freakin skrewed.[/quote]

Who plugged you in? Who mentioned or told you the anthen was a "do it all bike." Who said it was good mud bike? I figured everybody knows it is a XC specific rig. Have you taken into account the short chainstays with your "long top tube". The bike has a 72 deg head tube angle and with the frame's stiffness and light weight, it is a super nimble cornering bike for a dual suspension so get your weight over the front for cornering on the tight single track and realise the error of your words. Oh and if you have suspension bob that you are worried about on a bike with short linkages, switch your rear shock to the manitou S-type shock SR with SPV or buy a hardtail. Ofcourse if you buy a hardtail you are going to complain again about not being able to ride your roots and rocks. Unbelievable!

[simonds08]

you want to talk about unbeleivable? get a freakin life! yeah the bike is xc specific but it was also directed towards new england riding re-re, and we all know that new england is synonomous with mud, except for you maybe. And I suppose you have your stem with no rise and a flat bar to keep your weight over your front wheel? yeah thats a hot setup... maybe for the west coast where the trails are paved. And yes, I do have a manitou spv shock... and just like all manitou products, it BLOWS!

[Benno]

I've had no problems with the S-Type.........the anthem is a very good race bike like everyone says. Stop presenting opinion as fact, if you have ridden the Anthem and don't like it than try something else. If you've ridden the Anthem and like it, well you're in the majority. As for mud, I run a 1.8 in really deep mud and a 2.0 for rooty/rocky stuff and have never noticed a clearance problem. What are you talking about West Coast is paved?? Maybe I rode the wrong trails when I went over there??

As for geometry.....hehe well I guess I did something out of the ordinary. I looked up the actual info!! Crazy ehhhh. Anthem's wheelbase is comparable to a Trek carbon hardtail, shorter than a fuel (by .8 of an inch), and just a tiny bit longer than their XTC. Perhaps that is why it has razor sharp handling, especially for a FS. I find it particularly effective in tight singletrack too. Maybe ya'll should get out and ride more instead of bickering........and why aren’t I out riding instead of typing this useless post? I'm resting inbetween (Anthem) rides

[Dover]

Originally Posted by Benno

Perhaps that is why it has razor sharp handling, especially for a FS. I find it particularly effective in tight singletrack too. Maybe ya'll should get out and ride more instead of bickering........and why aren’t I out riding instead of typing this useless post? I'm resting inbetween (Anthem) rides

I have to agree with Benno on this one.
I have had more bikes than I can remember, (I work in the industry) and can say with 100% assurance that the Anthem is one of the best TIGHT singletrack bikes that I've ridden. I live in eastern Canada and we have some very tight single track here. Now I've not had the Anthem long, (I have the only 2007 Anthem 1 in Canada) and can't give a long term test review, but from the rides I've been on so far I have say this is one of the best handling bikes I've ridden. My bike is Full 2007 XTR inclduing wheels, FOX F80X and Easton carbon bar, stem, and post and it weighs 22.7 lbs. I dont think that is all that bad for a 3.5inch travel bike

[Kuklinski]

Originally Posted by simonds08

. And yes, I do have a manitou spv shock... and just like all manitou products, it BLOWS!

What are you on about??? A good tradesman never blames his tools. In terms of reducing pedal induced "bob", the s-type with SPV is as good a rear shock as you can buy. Sounds like it is you that blows tosser!

[Dave V.]

Originally Posted by Dover

My bike is Full 2007 XTR including wheels, FOX F80X and Easton carbon bar, stem, and post and it weighs 22.7 lbs.

Do you have a picture of this sweet sounding baby...?

[womble]

Originally Posted by UberFly

Somebody posted the weight of the carbon Anthem - I think it was something like 0.3lbs lighter than the Al frame - this article has complete bike weights listed:

http://www.mbaction.com/detail.asp?id=2039

I looked up that article and came across a rather odd statement:

"We liked the easy pedaling and bright handling of the original aluminum-framed Trance and are pleased that the '07 carbon fiber version shares the same suspension and frame geometry."

Is it common for the carbon versions of a frame to have different suspension and geometry from the aluminium? Or is the writer just spouting nonsense?

[Benno]

I've heard the carbon anthem frame has a slightly longer top tube than the aluminum. I've yet to look into that.

[Captain]

Originally Posted by womble

I looked up that article and came across a rather odd statement:

"We liked the easy pedaling and bright handling of the original aluminum-framed Trance and are pleased that the '07 carbon fiber version shares the same suspension and frame geometry."

Is it common for the carbon versions of a frame to have different suspension and geometry from the aluminium? Or is the writer just spouting nonsense?

You are talking about the anthem and not the trance which you mentioned right? Anyway, carbon and aluminium frames have different characteristics and react differently so the stress points and pivot points might differ to allow for the compliance of the material. Overall the geometry should be similar though as that is what makes it an anthem, trance or whatever.