2015 Canyon Nerve 7 vs 2014 Giant Anthem 2 dilema

roy_batty

I've got myself tied in knots over this.
Both bikes have been reviewed on Bikeradar and both scored 4.5/5! :roll:
Anthem 2 > http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/product/review-giant-anthem-27-5-2-14-48517/
Nerve 7 >http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/product/review-canyon-nerve-al-7-0-14-48548/
To put some context on it, I already own a Canyon Grand Canyon 29er, so I'm familiar with Canyon's ordering process. That's not a barrier. Neither is finance - have got a 0% credit card just for this purchase.
The issue is I'm buying my first Full Sus, and with the 2015 bikes looming, I can pick up a Giant Anthem 27.5 2 for around £1300 (down from £1850)! That means that the Canyon is actually more expensive at £1499 + shipping. Canyon do have the cheaper Nerve 6 (£1199) but I'd pass on it's Arcera brakes and CrossOne wheels http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/full-suspension/product/review-canyon-nerve-al-6-0-14-48723/

Nerve has 120mm of travel vs the Anthem's 100mm
ShimanoSLX/XT vs SRAM X7 (not much fussed there)
Fox CTD vs Rockshok Reba / Monarch
Mavic Crossride vs Giant's own wheels.
£1499 (+shipping) vs £1350 (PedalOn)

I have been to see the Giant and wasn't exactly swept off my feet. The white & silver paint job hardly screams to be ridden - my wife said it looked like a ladies shopping bike! It is light thought, around 12.3kg for the medium. I would need to change the Giant-only stem to a shorter one, and put a wider, flat bar on it.

Riding-wise, I mainly in the Swinley area with some Gorrick events and off road duathlons thrown in. So it's not just an out-and-out Trail monster I'm after. I'm also 5'7", so on the cusp for sizing but reckon Medium in both manufacturers.

Advice much appreciated. I even reached out to Seb that wrote the Canyon review, for his thoughts but no reply yet.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/2014.giant.anthem.27.5.2/14994/66600/

https://www.canyon.com/_en/mountainbikes/bike.html?b=3572

dirkpitt74

How much will it have cost for the giant when you've changed stem & bars?

Also not much point in buying something because it's cheap if you don't really like it.

poah

giant has the stupid OD2 steerer so I'd go for the canyon

m00nbadger

That Canyon is one sexy looking bike. That would sway me. Colours on the Giant look pretty bland

As mentioned above, if you dont Like it it doesn't matter if it's cheap

paul.skibum

Giant pros - doesnt have a sh*t Fox fork.
Giant Cons - OD2 steerer and pressfit BB

Canyon Pros - nothing specific but decent kit other than.....
Canyon cons - Fox Evo CTD fork

roy_batty

Thanks for the feedback.
Sounded like the Canyon was edging it there, but why is the Fox fork soooo bad? I have RockShok SID on the 29.
Is it the factory 'advised' service intervals?

roy_batty

DirkPitt74 wrote:

How much will it have cost for the giant when you've changed stem & bars?
Also not much point in buying something because it's cheap if you don't really like it.

Hoping to get stem chucked in. Failing that £30+. Bars I can probably live with in the short term

rockmonkeysc

I have had an Anthem and loved it, I will definitely have another one day. It's a far more capable bike than its 100mm suspension would suggest and the frame is bombproof.
The OD2 headset isnt a huge problem because the bike comes with a pretty good fork. It's more of a Problem on the Giants with Fox Evo forks which are awful, makes them worthless to sell.
The Reba is a good solid fork which should last you years.

adamfo

The cheaper Nerve 6 with Reba fork scored 10/10

http://www.mbr.co.uk/reviews/full-suspe ... -0-review/

ravey1981

+1 for the nerve 6. A good friend just got one on my recommendation as his first "proper" mtb, he cut his teeth on a cheapo carrera which fell apart after a couple of hundred miles. The nerve is a fantastic bike, not just for the money, but full stop. It really shows up my mtb which is a good few years old now but has a lot of money put into it over the years. The rebas are a cracking fork, the acera brakes are fine... (pretty much a rebadged deore brake from a little while back)

In short, the nerve 6 is as much bike as most riders will ever need and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one.

grenw

I've a 3 year old Nerve XC9 that i ride around Swinley and the Gorrick courses. Perfect bike for that terrain, more than you'll ever need.

I got the small by the way and am a little taller than you, the medium would have probably worked too. It is the old 26" model so sizing may have changed.

roy_batty

Thanks all.
GrenW, good point regarding sizing.
Despite the MBR review saying size up, I measured myself and by changing my inseam by 1cm either way the Canyon calculator switches between Small and Medium. Probably gonna go small, as I have the seat out of the way mostly anyway. Will call them today.

Also, heard back from the BR reviewer! He reckoned Canyon too.