We tested the 29er Anthem Advanced for the June/July 2015 issue and loved it, so Shayne Dowling was keen to see how the it’s 650B boetie goes. Sus the Giant Anthem 27.5 Advanced… Photos by Ashlee Attwood.
Small wheels, Big Wheels and “kinda in-between” wheels… South Africans adopted the 29er revolution (sic) with both hands. Our love of long distance rides quickly showed the value of the big wheels and we adopted them without question. Then the globes biggest bike producer pinned their colours to the mast and said 27.5” wheels offer the perfect compromise! Ok then. Now I have seen all the arguments for and against and have firmly been in the 29er camp, so much so that when the good folks at Giant said they had an Anthem Advanced 27.5 for me, I was politely asked; “you will keep an open mind won’t you?” “Yip,” I said with my greatest poker face firmly in place.
I collected the Anthem Advanced 27.5 and was immediately impressed by the bikes great looks. Lumo yellow and black with a funky new Giant livery made for a really striking machine. Ok so the bike looked good! The Advanced-Grade composite carbon frame with Ali rear triangle is a great way to not only keep the bike light and strong but also to keep the cost nice and tidy. I liked what I was seeing. A small smile was beginning to mess with my poker face… I grabbed the bike and politely bailed!
The first thing I did was spend some time getting to know the bike in the garage. This was mostly done while I was doing my set-up. Checked the shock and fork and set the sag – an important factor with the wheel size. Put my own saddle on as I needed a little more width (no rude comments please), changed the stem to a shorter 90mm, flipped it around for a more aggressive ride and set my tyre pressure. The bike came with Schwalbe Racing Ralphs which were nice and grippy but rolled easily, I ran them fairly hard to begin with, I didn’t want to take a chance on wheels I had no idea what to expect of.
I started with a small incline and hadn’t gone a kay when I stopped to check the front chain ring – 32T (I am running a 30T on my big wheels), pedalling seemed effortless – nah had to be my imagination. I then started on some of the bigger climbs and I looked down at the cluster – I was still in the middle of the block – what’s going on here? Small kick coming up and I climbed out of the saddle – the bike started accelerating like demon (I now assume that all hill demons ride 650B’s). It is incredible! The bike climbs effortlessly and with what seemed like so much less input from me. Smaller wheels, less power needed to get rolling, two more teeth on the front ring of the XT 1×11 drivetrain with a shorter chainstay allows for plenty of power, the Maestro suspension system combined with the Fox Float Kashima coated shock performs seamlessly.
I definitely had to be aware of my lines through the rock gardens, I was still climbing and had to work my way through and not just point and shoot, but the weight of the bike allowed for easy pick-ups and super-fast adjustments. No pedal strikes which was one of my initial concerns, a combination of good bike geometry, superb suspension system and dialled in shock took care of that. I was concentrating more and having massive dollops of fun doing so. Then I hit the descent!
The feeling of speed is definitely amplified. The importance of the line essential. I was riding the bike and not just a passenger. Look ahead, feather the brakes, attack position, rely on the bike. I remember this… The Anthem performs like a cat: surefooted and answering every move I made. The 730mm Giant Contact bar provided the steering width, the Fox Float 32 with remote lockout the responsive cushion and I provided the noise – I take back what I said about grown men whooping! The 27.5” wheels require a little more dexterity (if comparing to the bigger hoops) but this is a skill that becomes second nature as you ride more, and certainly nothing you wouldn’t have coming off a 26er. There is more feedback on the bar but this is remedied by finding your zone with air and rebound on the fork (and perhaps a carbon bar). My only changes: shorter stem which I flipped around is essential and I would love to have a dropper post – lazy perhaps but I have got used to it and I’m convinced most bikes (and riders) would benefit from it; the weight penalty is quickly eliminated on (long) technical descents and having more confidence generally.
So what about the flats? I rode alongside some mates on their big wheels and never struggled at all, in fact on the slightly rutted and gnarly jeep tracks they were chasing me (remember the 32T front ring?). I ran out of gears on the road descents but never used granny gear once while climbing, so I reckon going to a 34T front chain ring may be an option and give you more when pushing for top end speed. The Anthem Advanced 27.5 looks like a trail bike, performs like one but is touted as a XC bike, which I get too. The wheels look closer to 26” hoops but perform more like a 29er. Is this bike the complete package? I haven’t been asked to return the bike yet and I’m not calling them either… I’m uhm still “testing”!
Would I ever consider going back to 26” wheels – no chance! Will I consider going to 27.5” wheels – if you offered me this baby I wouldn’t give it a second thought – done deal!
Sus the Giant Anthem 27.5 Advanced
RRP: Speak to your local Giant dealer for exact pricing but expect to pay around R60,000.
Size Medium. All measurements in mm or degrees.
| Head Angle | 69.5 |
| Seat Angle | 73.0 |
| Top Tube | 595 |
| Head Tube | 100 |
| Chain Stay | 433 |
| Wheel Base | 1 099 |
| Standover Height | 744 |
| Reach | 421 |
| Stack | 565 |
