2014 Giant Anthem 27,5 2 // First thoughts

Since I got this new 2014 Giant Anthem 27,5 2 I took it out two times and got about 5 hours riding time on the bike. I tried it on loads of different terrains & trails around the Dublin Mountains (Threerock, Leadmines, WW) and I think it's time to write about my first impressions! 

The first test spin was't exactly rider friendly (I mean the weather) but it didn't matter! :)

On the Metro 2 Trail

But let's see how the bike works for me and what are the thoughts after the first two test spins! 

• The first thing that I was very suprised about was the fact that the bike just feels simply perfect! What I mean is it's super comfy and handles very well. Feels great straight away!
• The 27,5" wheels are much faster than the 26" ones, they do roll better and the bike feels so much faster. Faster on the road, on the fire roads and on smooth trails as well. 
• It's amazing how easily it rolls over things! Rock, roots and technical stuff are much easier on this bike than on my old 26" mountain bike.  

Sweet technical climb along the way: climbing up on the Boneshaker...

...and some nice & rocky section of the WW.

• The agility of the bike is simply brilliant: it feels like a normal 26" bike and the handling is superb. I didn't have that "Jaysus, it's a big bike alright..." feeling, like I had on the 29ers that I tried before! :)
• The traction is very-very good! The bike feels lot more steady in the bends and on the climbs also. 
• The wheelbase is not too long, so it was very easy to get around even on some tight techical trails.   
• The frame and fork features (OverDrive 2 steerer, 15mm bolt through front axle) really give an amazing steering precision.

So, my first impressions are very positive indeed! To be honest I'm lot more surprised than I thought I was gonna be. I had few Giant bikes before and I know they are excellent machines. So, no surprise there. But I wasn't very convinced about how needed the 27,5" wheelsize really is. Up until now! 

Everything I've heard about them is just simply true: they are best of both (26" and 29ers). They are playable, stiff and light just like the old 26" mountain bikes and they are faster and better off-road just like the 29ers. And one more thing: the 27,5 bikes are more suitable for smaller riders such as myself! ;)

So, I love this new machine and can't wait to get out on the trails again, and again, and again!!!

2014 Giant Anthem 27.5 2 // Amazing new bike!!

Wow, I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about this now! I am after getting a brand new, 2014 Giant Anthem 27,5 2 as a sponsor bike! I will be able to use this awsome bike for the full season and will have the chance to test out the new 27,5" (aka 650b) wheelsize as much as I can in every possible condition. 

It is going to be a huge change for me in every level. My old bike was a hardtail with 26" wheels and 9 speed gear system on it, this bike is a full-suspension machine with 27,5" wheels and 10 speed system fitted. Such a big change indeed! :) 

But let's see the bike in details! 

It has ALUXX-SL grade aluminium frame that has been optimalized to the new 27,5" wheelsize and as a new feature it comes with internal cable routing. The OverDrive 2 headtube design gives super crisp handling. The bike is built with Rock Shox Reba RL Solo Air fork (with 15mm bolt through axle) and Rock Shox Monarch RT rear shock for the nice and smooth riding experience. 

The bike is built with Sram X.7 2x10 gear system and Sram chainset. The casette is a PG-1030 casette with 11-36 ratio and the chainset is fitted with 26T-38T chainrings. So, there's plenty of gears for everything!

The brakes are the Elixir 5 from  Avid, so the braking power is more than perfect I have to say! The wheels are from Giant's own house, they are the 27,5" Giant P-XC wheels (with DT Swiss internals and spokes) with  Schwalbe Racing Ralph tyres fitted on them.

The final touch is coming from Giant's own range: the nice and light Giant Connect / Connect SL finishing kit. 

...click here for the full specification! 

After I got the bike I've done only few little changes: I replaced the low riser handle bar with my own straight bar and got my own Fi'zi:k Tundra 2 saddle fitted instead of the Giant Contact Forward saddle that the bike came with. I just simply prefer them, so I stick to them! :)  

Internal cable routing and the OverDrive 2 head tube

Direct mount front mech

The legendary Maestro Suspension System from Giant with colour cordinated link & rear shock

For extra stiffness the Reba RL suspension fork comes with 15mm bolt through axle.

Nice and tidy front

So, this bad boy is going to be my new partner for a good while. I'm super excited about riding this bike and get into the 650b game straight after it has been released from Giant. It's a real XC bike and I can't wait to share the first thoughts on it in a few days! Wicklow Mountains here I come! :)

I would like to say a big thank you to John Clarke and ThinkBike for this fantastic bike and for the great support. It's a massive opportunity to represent my team on a bike like this! 

I like what I've seen // Giant Dealers Show 2014

Yes, it's that time of the year again: the new bikes are just around the corner, so there's plenty to be excited about! I was one of the lucky few who got the chance to see the brand new 2014 range from Giant! I have been over in the UK at this year's Dealers Show where we got to check the new bikes for next year! I always liked Giant bikes, I had Giant bikes before and I'm currenty riding Giant bike (cyclocross). So, I'm a Giant fan that's for sure, so I kinda knew there was gonna be some sweet selection of nice bikes that I won't say no to. :)

This was a day trip from the shop and I had my good friend Adrian McLeavey from ThinkBike with me. After we got there we didn't need to wait too long before the presentation. It was absolutely brilliant. The new bikes are amazing with tons of improvements! Everything was nice but there's no secret: for me the biggest thing was to see all the new 650b mountain bikes, especially the high end ones! It was truly a jaw dropping experience! :)

The brutal cool looking flagship from the carbon XTC range...

...and the top of the line carbon Anthem!

This Trade Show was definitely one of the best I ever been to and the whole day was great. I was like a kid in the candy shop and I kept going missing in the mountain bike showroom. Learned so much in a day! Many thanks to John at ThinkBike for sending me over to Giant! It was simply an excellent trip!

On the way back to Dublin: still buzzing and talking about the bikes we seen