Should I? Anthem X3 - buy and upgrade?

frogstomp
frogstomp Posts: 412
edited January 2010 in MTB buying advice
Now, I know there is no simple answer to this question, so I will put forward my thoughts and look forwards to anything you lot can suggest in reply..

I have a hankering.. a hankering for a Giant Anthem X..

I have a Boardman Pro HT with a few choice upgrades..

There are still one or two 2009 Anthem X3's knocking around for sub-£900 which is a pretty decent price considering the frame itself is an £800+ purchase..

So.. should I buy one and transfer as much of the 'good stuff' from the BMPHT? By my reckoning that should make a pretty lightweight XC f/s flyer.. and still leave me with a very decent HT as backup or to sell on (whole or parts)..

My head says I should stick with the HT, which is a great bike, but...
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Comments

  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    Buy it!
  • el_cartero
    el_cartero Posts: 162
    hanky panky hankering .

    u might get a deal in the sales i know some codes etc.
  • frogstomp
    frogstomp Posts: 412
    Andy wrote:
    Buy it!

    That's kinda the way my reasoning is going! :twisted: :D
    el_cartero wrote:
    hanky panky hankering .

    u might get a deal in the sales i know some codes etc.

    I doubt that.. Bike Of The Year 2009 (MBUK?) and very few left that aren't at either end of the frame size scale..
  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    Great bike and not a bad spec as it is anyway. Will make two very nice bikes...
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Do you need a new bike like the anthem? If not, keep your money lol.

    Is a good deal though.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • el_cartero
    el_cartero Posts: 162
    no offense but i dont like the look of this bike might of won an award but not on looks.

    :)
  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... 3-09-32593
  • Dazzza
    Dazzza Posts: 2,364
    Buy it!
    The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.
    Giant Anthem X
  • frogstomp
    frogstomp Posts: 412
    supersonic wrote:
    Do you need a new bike like the anthem? If not, keep your money lol.

    Is a good deal though.
    There speaks the voice of reason!
    Dazzza wrote:
    Buy it!
    There speaks the voice of reason!

    Doh!
    :lol:
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Lol, you'll probably love it, but there is always that little possibilty you'll now have a heavier bike than you started that you don't like the feel of, and your boardman is now worse specced ;-)
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

    VOODOO CANZO

    Come and see me at https://www.facebook.com/biketyke/
  • Buckled_Rims
    Buckled_Rims Posts: 1,648
    Oh damn, why did I read this post and find out an 2009 Anthem X3's going for under 900 smackers. Get behind me you devil :evil:
    CAAD9
    Kona Jake the Snake
    Merlin Malt 4
  • strodey
    strodey Posts: 481
    get a low spec giant trance instead the difference between the HT and this will be greater so you'll have more options for use, the anthem x is great but wont handle that much more than you hardtail! Just an opinion!
    Carbon is a mans best freind
  • llamafarmer
    llamafarmer Posts: 1,848
    £900 is an absolute steal, considering the frameset (albeit with a higher spec shock) costs about the same. I'm not sure if I'd want to break up a really nicely sorted HT like your Boardman for the parts though.... it's a tough call.
    Giant Anthem X
    Cube Ltd Race
  • Ninonics
    Ninonics Posts: 5
    I have just done this 4 weeks ago and was awesome! Used the upgraded bits from my cube hardtail to upgrade the x3 and then converted the cube to singlespeed! Great for training and the x3 (SID's up front and full xt) now weighs 11kg and has done 2 enduros and is amazing. Definately recomend the purchase!
    Anthem X3
    Cube single speed
  • stu8975
    stu8975 Posts: 1,334
    DO IT NOW...(In an Arnold voice from Predator)..not that I'm biased or anything.
    ANTHEM X
    Youth
  • frogstomp
    frogstomp Posts: 412
    Whoops!
    :wink:
  • llamafarmer
    llamafarmer Posts: 1,848
    frogstomp wrote:
    Whoops!
    :wink:

    Good man! Assuming you are indeed, a man

    You won't regret it :D
    Giant Anthem X
    Cube Ltd Race
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,666
    im gonna be honest here when i say: buy it.

    not so that you have another bike but more importntly so that you have a fs bike. they are proper good and giant fs bikes are as good as they get in my humble opinion
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 61,739
    Anthem X for less than a grand is a no-brainer - get it. Up to you if you want to swap parts though, tbh the X3 is good enough for most out of the box.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • frogstomp
    frogstomp Posts: 412
    llamafarmer wrote:
    frogstomp wrote:
    Whoops!
    :wink:

    Good man! Assuming you are indeed, a man

    You won't regret it :D

    Placed the order online.. half an hour later got an email through saying they'd sold it this morning (which I think translates to 'we sold it ages ago but forgot to take it off the website') - bugger!

    Just gotta try and find another medium now..

    ** UPDATE : Found another and placed an order.. will just have to wait until Monday to find out if this one is 'real' ! **
  • warrerj
    warrerj Posts: 665
    Where can I get an Anthem X3 for less than £900 ????
    please please please tell me.
    My ride :
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2236156/
    http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2236165/
  • The Spiderman
    The Spiderman Posts: 5,625
    warrerj wrote:
    Where can I get an Anthem X3 for less than £900 ????
    please please please tell me.

    Pauls cycles have L and S left for £825.
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • frogstomp
    frogstomp Posts: 412
    The Spiderman wrote:
    Pauls cycles have L and S left for £825.

    Wish I'd grabbed a medium at that price when they first came up!
  • The Spiderman
    The Spiderman Posts: 5,625
    Buy a 2010 Anthem X4? Some can already be had with 10% off.
    More but you do get decent Fox forks.
    Still a better deal than going for the frame only.
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • Dick Scruttock
    Dick Scruttock Posts: 2,533
    Tempted to buy a Anthem X frame to replace my Merlin Malt 4 with. Never really got on with the hardtail and i can get a decent deal on a Anthem X frame with the RP23 shock. Hmm decisions decisions....
  • frogstomp
    frogstomp Posts: 412
    Well, no 'out of stock' cancellation message as yet.. fingers crossed!

    Already planning our Welsh holiday in anticipation.. :D
  • frogstomp
    frogstomp Posts: 412
    Look what arrived yesterday..

    17012010-1.jpg

    Very happy with it.. :D
  • Ninonics
    Ninonics Posts: 5
    did you do it did you do it did you do it......? :wink:
    Anthem X3
    Cube single speed
  • llamafarmer
    llamafarmer Posts: 1,848
    Nice work, looks awesome!

    It's got the flat bars....
    Giant Anthem X
    Cube Ltd Race
  • frogstomp
    frogstomp Posts: 412
    Ninonics wrote:
    did you do it did you do it did you do it......? :wink:

    yes i did yes i did yes I did! :D
    llamafarmer wrote:
    Nice work, looks awesome!

    It's got the flat bars....

    Yeah, that puzzled me.. I think the early ones had straight bars? Way too narrow though!

    Started tinkering last night.. on went my Reba Race forks (just enough steerer length), Exotic bars and WTB Laser saddle from my Boardman HT Pro.. that's the best part of a kilogram saved.. wheels and derailleurs next..

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