Giant anthem 27.5 vs giant trance 27.5

tigertang0
tigertang0 Posts: 33
edited April 2014 in MTB buying advice
Hey guys! Firstly let me have an intro. I am about 176cm and weigh about 65kg if it will matter, I like to ride xc and all mountain trails. We don't have bike testing avaliable here but I managed to have a short ride of someone's giant trance 27.5. I liked it a lot, everything was really nice, the suspension, the dropper post. But I do a lot of riding to the trails and ride with my leisure mtb group on the road. I would say 60% of my riding distance will be on Tarmac. So I am wondering if the anthem would suit be more. I am coming from an xc 29er, I would say I am more xc orientated. I am well, quite fit because I have been a roadie for a long time. Enough with the boredom, I'll just shoot my question. Would the trance be ideal for my riding style? I heard the anthem is a very capable bike despite only 100mm travel, if I ride off road all the time I would pick the trance. Sorry about my English, it's not so good. You can ask me more questions paid you need. Thanks again.
Battaglin 3 Cime
Jamis Exile race 29er
Schwinn Madison

Comments

  • tigertang0 wrote:
    Sorry about my English, it's not so good...
    It's better than most of the people on this forum.
    Welcome to the forum btw.

    My friend is a very experienced rider and this year he has gone for an Anthem (after selling his old 150mm Santa Cruz Blur). The shorter travel hasn't hindered him one bit.
    I was suprised about how well it rode. Unless your riding involves rocks and drops, I wouldn't discount the Anthem.
    2007 Felt Q720 (the ratbike)
    2012 Cube Ltd SL (the hardtail XC 26er)
    2014 Lapierre Zesty TR 329 (the full-sus 29er)
  • Thank you! Going from that burly beast to the anthem? Sounds promising! Problably could handle some small sections of rock gardens and twisty single track you reckon? I would say I am pretty skillful, just sometimes not so gutsy on the descends. It should problably let me do a bunny hop to to when it's time to pump around. Maybe I might even put a dropper on it. But best if I try to find one or convince the petty dealer here to at least let me have a go in the parking lot.
    Battaglin 3 Cime
    Jamis Exile race 29er
    Schwinn Madison
  • t0pc4t
    t0pc4t Posts: 947
    I have a 26" anthem, you'd be surprised what it will cope with.
    pedals really really well.
    Whether you're a king or a little street sweeper, sooner or later you'll dance with the reaper.

    Cube Curve 2009
    Giant Anthem X4

    FCN=6
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    I have had a 26" Anthem and Trance. There wasn't a huge difference between them. I would probably suggest the Anthem would be better as long as you are a confident rider, it can feel a little twitchy when pushed hard but it will take you down any trail.
    I was going to buy a 2014 Trance but all versions available in the uk come with quite bad forks and to make it worse they have an odd size steerer.