I've always wondered what happens when you combine big wheels with the handling of a full-suspension frame. Five minutes later I was clipped in and spinning down the Lakeside Trail on a brand new Anthem X 29er. This was a unique opportunity to test ride a bike on familiar trails.
Dislikes
- DT Swiss rear hub was way loud. Probably a deal breaker for me. I love silent hub on my GF Rig and the subtle sound of my wheels rolling over dirt.
- Hydraulic brakes - modulation better than mechanical but if you grab too much brake you're going over. Combined with maintenance issues (bleeding, etc) I just don't think they're worth it.
- Pedal clearance - I caught a pedal a couple of times, would have to double check pedal clearance if I were considering the bike.
- The weather (drizzling).
Likes
- Rolls effortlessly through rock gardens
- Nimble handling, suspension active even while braking
- Pedaling platform, stand up with no bobbing
- New bike, professionally maintained means crisp shifting
- A free ride
Bottom line: This was a great marriage. Seriously considering flipping a couple of my current bikes for a 29er full suspension.
Chris
"It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how."
--Dr. Seuss
Low BB is a common complaint on the Anthems. Even more annoying with FS bikes when suspension compression further reduces clearance. Not good for east coast stuff.
ReplyDeleteI'm also not a fan of hydraulic brakes. Best set I ever felt was the inexpensive Promax brakes used on some entry level set-ups. Very good modulation, none of that hair trigger feel. MS says his new Elixir 5s have good modulation. I'll stick with BB7s for now.
Re. loud hub, if you just keep pedaling you'll never hear the hub! And just ride with me, my Hope hub will drown out any noise from the DTS hubs.