Bike of the Week

Review of the best in stock

BIKE OF THE WEEK
Giant Antem X 29er

Andrew Juskaitis, Giant’s global product marketing manager, told me that the idea behind the Anthem X 29er was to create a lightweight, XC race/performance bike. Giant racers Adam Craig and Carl Decker contributed to the bike’s development.
Juskaitis explained: “Carl Decker was instrumental in the dynamics of how this bike was going to ride. He wanted something he could race on. We wanted to introduce a head tube angle that made the bike quick and responsive for racing. So a 71-degree head angle for this particular bike is what we settled on.” It’s worth noting that Decker has won the Downieville All-Mountain World Championship for the past two years aboard a Giant Anthem X 29er.
While the 71-degree head angle is a typical value for a 29er of this ilk, the bike’s 462mm chainstays are notably longer than the norm. Juskaitis shared Giant’s way of thinking: “These bikes were designed to be ridden around the world, including the UK and Europe, where it’s perpetually muddy. They would not accept a bike that didn’t have really good mud clearance back there. We want to make sure people feel comfortable running any tire they want to run, within reason.”
The Anthem X 29er uses Giant’s Maestro rear suspension design, which the company introduced seven years ago. Maestro is a dual-link suspension with four pivot points that, when taken as a whole, define a single floating pivot point.
The design is said to improve pedaling efficiency by counteracting pedaling forces that would otherwise create suspension compression (squatting), or pedal kickback (bobbing). Another effect of the floating pivot point is that it lets the suspension remain completely active while braking. Maestro has a linear spring curve, which helps keep the rear suspension responsive to small bump forces.
Giant produces its own aluminum alloy tubing from scratch. Trains arrive at Giant’s light metal factory bearing the raw materials. Giant then creates proprietary aluminum alloys, which are then drawn into their own aluminum tubing.


Talk about the right tool for the job. During my summer’s-worth of testing, I took the Anthem X 29er 2 on a series of road trips, with each venue seemingly rockier and more technical than the last. On multiple 5-6 hour hammer-fests, I was happy to have the Anthem X 29er’s big wheels and 100mm of well-behaved suspension as my partners in grime. If I stayed on the gas and committed to my line there was very little in the way of rocks or roots that would slow down the this bike.
Yep, I had a great time aboard the Anthem X 29er 2. That’s not to say our relationship didn’t have any growing pains. While the bike carved fast, flowy turns without batting an eyelash, on tighter trails it took some getting used to. The bike has what I’d describe as “mullet” handling—clean and tight up front, and long and flowing in the rear. Thanks to its 71-degree head angle, the bike initiated turns quickly. However, due to the long chainstays, the rear wheel wasn’t always keen to follow the front’s lead.
I had to adapt my riding chops to match what the bike wanted to do. I found that dipping the bars to give the bike a skosh more lean angle, or injecting some body english via my hips, snapped the rear wheel into lockstep with the front. After I learned the dance steps, I felt in sync with this bike. Still, I can’t help thinking that the handling would be more intuitive with a little length trimmed off those chainstays. Time will tell if Giant receives similar feedback from consumers and decides to shorten the chainstays.
Giant recommends tuning the Maestro such that it bottoms out once or twice per ride—on the really big hits. After experimenting, I achieved said result at around 10psi over my 150lbs. body weight (roughly 20% sag).
I could feel this bike’s racing DNA. I’d describe the rear suspension’s character using terms such as “efficient” and “race-tuned” more so than “playful” or “bottomless.” The rear suspension moved very little due to pedaling forces—whether climbing in the middle or granny rings, or hammering in the big ring.
I rarely switched on the ProPedal on the Fox Float RP2 rear shock, and when I did, I could get out of the saddle and mash—and the Maestro would not budge. The tradeoff was a loss of small-bump sensitivity, but that’s a switch I’d gladly flip on race day.
Combine efficient pedaling with outstanding traction and we have a machine that scampered up slippery slopes. The true joy of climbing, however, is that it leads to descending. The Anthem X 29er 2 felt very stable at speed. I’m sure the long chainstays contributed to that feeling. The bike also liked to play, and I found myself seeking out kickers to clock some airtime.
The rear felt laterally stiff, and the pivots never developed any lateral play. Up front, it was point and shoot, thanks in large part to the tapered head tube and QR15 thru-axle on the Fox F29 RL fork. Solid, Jackson.
The medium frame has a 769mm standover, somewhat on the tall side. While not a problem for this long-legged rider, it’s a point worth noting. All bikes in the Anthem X 29er lineup share an identical chassis, the only difference being the components.
Speaking of components, the 3x10 Shimano Deore SLX/XT drivetrain, Avid Elixr 5 hydros, and handful of house-brand parts all treated me well. If I were looking to race this bike regularly, the stock Giant wheelset would be the first item on my upgrade list.

Final thoughts
I’ve come to admire the value that Giant packs into their bikes. Less than three grand is a nice price for the Anthem X 29er 2, considering the proven suspension design, stiff chassis, and dependable components. The Anthem X 29er 2 is a race-capable trail bike that’s fun to ride.

Review by Dirtrag.

 

Bike of the Week 
Scott Contessa CR1 Team

The Contessa line is a no compromise group of products for serious female cyclists. These bikes are adapted to rider needs with the same high end equipment found on men's bikes. Whether you're a recreational rider or a racer, there's a Contessa bike for you. The Shimano 105 equipped Scott Contessa CR1 Team 2012 Women's Road Bike offers the perfect balance of performance and comfort. Designed to absorb shock and vibration created by irregularities in the road, this concept results in a very smooth and stable ride, reducing rider fatigue and making any ride more enjoyable. 

Frame:Scott CR1 HMF NET, IMP carbon technology, road comfort geometry, standard BB

Fork:Scott CR1 HMF NET, 1 1/8" carbon steerer, integrated carbon dropout

Front Derailleur:Shimano 105 Silver 5700

Rear Derailleur:Shimano 105 Silver 5700

Number of Gears:20

Shifters:Shimano 105 Silver 5700 Dual Control

Chainset:Shimano 105 Silver 5750 Hollowtech II CompactChainrings:50/34 tooth

Bottom Bracket:Shimano 105 5700

Cassette:Shimano Tiagra 4600 12-30 tooth 10-speed

Chain:Shimano Tiagra 5701

Pedals:None

Front Brake:Shimano 105 5700, Super SLR Dual Pivot

Rear Brake:Shimano 105 5700, Super SLR Dual Pivot

Brake Levers:Shimano 105 Silver 5700 Dual Control

Handlebars:Scott Road Drop Contessa, Lady anatomic

Stem:Scott Contessa Road OS

Headset:Ritchey Internal Cartridge

Rims:Mavic Aksium Black

Front Hub:Mavic Aksium Black

Rear Hub:Mavic Aksium BlackSpokes:

Mavic Aksium Black

Front Tyre:Continental Ultra Race, 700x23

Rear Tyre:Continental Ultra Race, 700x23

Saddle:Scott Contessa Pro

Seatpost:Scott Carbon/Alu

Bike of the Week
Cervélo S5

The Cervélo S5 is the most advanced aerodynamic road bicycle Cervélo have ever developed. Inspired by the demands of the world’s top pro riders, the Cervélo S5 deploys everything Cervélo has learned in 16 years of aerodynamic design, and combines it with advanced material engineering honed in their Project California facility. Using the latest TrueAero™ shapes combined with the most advanced lay-up knowledge, the Cervélo S5 doubles the aerodynamic advantage the S3 had over traditional road bicycles. By adding BBright™ and Smartwall™ engineering, to maximize energy response, and raise the torsional rigidity a whopping 12% over its highly acclaimed predecessor. The result is a quantifiably faster bicycle, which is also agile and responsive, yet smooth and comfortable on the toughest road surfaces. For 2012, there are three Cervélo S5 models to choose from: 
S5-benchmark is a no-compromise aerodynamic road bicycle which benefits from all of our latest technologies and advanced lay-ups. 
S5 Team- Maintains the same stiffness and strength numbers, but is made 100 grams lighter through further material refinements. This is the bike of choice for Team Garmin-Cervélo. 
S5 VWD- At under 1000 grams- some 270 grams lighter than Cervélo S5- this bicycle combines all the aerodynamic knowledge plus everything learned from the Project California R5ca to offer performance absolutely unmatched in the aero road category. 
1. Time trial bicycle aerodynamics to save energy.
2. High torsional rigidity for fast descents and hard cornering.
3. BBright™ results in high bottom bracket stiffness.
4. Single bend cable routing for effortless precise shifting.
5. All day riding comfort.

The advance in frame building cannot be dined with this Mega-fast frame, so much so it'll take a few years for the S5's competitors to catch up- quite literally!

Pop in for a tea and a chat whilst looking longingly at the stunning lines of the S5, that sits awaiting your purchase, on our wall.

http://www.cervelo.com/en_us/bikes/2012/s5/

MTB Bike of the Week
Genesis Fortitude.

The Fortitude is Genesis' rigid specific mountain bike, you can’t run it with suspension, it’s based around a 445mm rigid fork, ensuring the front end stays nice and low. A relatively slack head angle (69.5 degrees) gives a super stable ride and despite the rigid fork this is a very capable singletrack destroyer.

Dom the Fortitude designer says `There is a joy to be had in fully rigid riding, it is a form of mountain biking where you are directly connected to the trail, every shift of your body weight, every dab of the brake lever, every pedal stroke, they all count, it’s a simple but beautiful and rewarding way to ride. In an industry where we are always being sold the latest technology sometimes you just want to escape and it’s amazing just how much fun a rigid bike can be. You will become fast, you will start relying on skills you forget you even had and rather than just charging through obstacles on the latest front or fully suspended bike, you will have to pick your lines, learn how to read the trail again and become a better rider for it.`

To enhance the pedigree of this bike Genesis have used classy Reynolds 725 tubing and are particularly proud of the shaped seat tube which gives a nice tight wheelbase but also allows for the desired seat angle, while giving a nice clean look and ensuring straight tubes throughout.

The Fortitude re-vitalises your enthusiasm for riding and brings back thrills to trail, track and even that little bit of road getting there. Come and see for yourself and take a look at the Fortitude at our yard shop.

http://www.genesisbikes.co.uk/blog/03/04/12/french-fortitude

Published Friday 13 April 2012

View the ARCHIVES