[maxHR]

Well g'day youse beer drinking environmental vandals from West Island! This is me, maxHR, the finest newbie MTB rider the world has ever seen. Has anyone managed to see, touch, feel or worship in front of, the new Giant 2007 XTC - C1 or C0 hardtails yet?
It is due to be released about now and I am getting tired, dirty, and attracting flies from camping outside the cycle store waiting for it to be released.
Any real world testing - how it looks outside the Coffee Shop, best coloured zinc cream to wear with it, etc would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
(stinky) maxHR.

 

[Kalgrm]

G'day Max,

Glad to have you on the forum at last. I seem to run into you on just about every little hill I find when I'm out riding. Gotta train more .....

I haven't seen your new weapon of choice, but I'm sure it would be completely out of place outside the coffee shop: you'll need a road bike and lycra to fit in there. However, I'm certain it would look great in a mud wrestling venue like the far eastern states of Oz!

Cheers,
Graeme

 

[maxHR]

G'day Graeme, I have been informed the top of the line hardtail (XTC - CO) will be released in week 48 (next week) and the cheaper XTC - C1 after Xmas. Very sneaky way of extracting $$$$ from people who cannot wait until after Xmas for the new models.
They must be graduates of the 'L'il B*st*rds' school of marketing......

G'day Max,

Glad to have you on the forum at last. I seem to run into you on just about every little hill I find when I'm out riding. Gotta train more .....

I haven't seen your new weapon of choice, but I'm sure it would be completely out of place outside the coffee shop: you'll need a road bike and Lycra to fit in there. However, I'm certain it would look great in a mud wrestling venue like the far eastern states of Oz!

Cheers,
Graeme

 

[Some Guy]

I seem to recall seeing the C0 at the bicycling australia show. Looks pretty nice, they've done a good job with the styling. I'd probably go the C0 over the C1, it's got some seriously nice kit on it.

 

[JonesmanDave]

Yo MaxHR,

I have ridden a 15.5" XTC C0 and it simply flies! The acceleration is crazy fast and the new XTR is schmicko. I'm waiting on a C0 myself, and my 19" is due week 50. If you are a 17", good luck, as its a week 04 date (end of Jan) for them.
Dave

 

[maxHR]

Thanks Dave, I'm looking at the 19" as well, how accurate is Giant sizing? - I would hate to order and find its too big, - previously I have had 18" Cannondale and 17" Marin, - the Marin was a tad small and the 'dale juuuust right. My road bike is 56cm.

Yo MaxHR,

I have ridden a 15.5" XTC C0 and it simply flies! The acceleration is crazy fast and the new XTR is schmicko. I'm waiting on a C0 myself, and my 19" is due week 50. If you are a 17", good luck, as its a week 04 date (end of Jan) for them.
Dave

 

[aussie_yeti]

most important measurement is the effective top tube - medium (19") xtc frame is 586mm, what's your dale? if you're on a 56 roadie i can't see you being smaller than a medium xtc.

 

[majura]

Hey again Max... (you can use a X-post function so that all the replies etc stay in the same thread... not that it matter now).

In terms of sizing, Giant measure middle to middle- although it's still not easy to be precise where exactly middle is. I agree with Aussie_yeti about the TT though. Maybe you could try out a lower spec/model XTC (like the 1 or 2) even if it's from 2005 or 2006- the geometry of the bikes haven't changed between those years.

 

[maxHR]

Ok, thanks Yeti and Majura. I just checked my current MTB, an old Ti Marin, its also 586 center to center top tube, so looks like the Giant 19" will be about right. The Marin was a great bike, only 22lbs, XT gear but no suspension at all, but everything except the frame is worn out.

most important measurement is the effective top tube - medium (19") xtc frame is 586mm, what's your dale? if you're on a 56 roadie i can't see you being smaller than a medium xtc.

 

[maxHR]

I have noticed a thread in the Giant brand forum about there being NO XTC in North America, A few people have commented that Giant seem to have switched to a relatively shorter top tube for 07 models.

Quote from the thread:
"I believe that our Giant rep told us that they realised the mistake they made with the Rainier this year, and for '07 it's supposed to be back to a "race" geometry. It used to be so nice to tell customers Rincon and Yukon= "sport", Iguana and Rainier= "race/XTC geometry without the more expensive ALLUXX SL frame material", XTC= lightweight race. Now when I talk to people about the Giant hardtails, I just feel kind of like "eh, this one's got disc brakes, so it's better. Yeah, I'd put you on a 19" normally, but 'cause of this cut down frame style here, and the SHORT effective top tube ! you really need a 21". It's been weird sizing people on the <$1000 Giant MTBs this year. I really hope they bring back the Iguana this year and move the Rainier back up to where it rightly belongs. I agree, the international '07 XTC's are great. My favourite is the UK XTC C1, it's perfect! I'm kind of a full sus guy myself so.... My '07 Anthem 1 should be getting here Monday!"

 

[mellic]

Here's my little toy that I have had for a couple of weeks now.

 

[maxHR]

Wow, thats the best looking bike I have ever seen! So you have had time to use, abuse, worship and possibly even wash it, a couple of times, whats it like? How are the brakes?

 

[mellic]

Wow, thats the best looking bike I have ever seen! So you have had time to use, abuse, worship and possibly even wash it, a couple of times, whats it like? How are the brakes?

Yes I have time to do all of the above. The bike is an absolute rocket and is a very smooth ride. It widdles all over the 06 s-works hardtail I owned prior to this.

In terms of the running gear, the 07 xtr stuff is awesome. As you can see in the pic I have swapped a few things. I swapped the crossmax SLR wheels for crossmax SL's, and I have also swapped the avid ultimates for juicy 7's. These things were swapped to bling up my boyfriend's new anthem (gees I am nice), and I got stuck with the leftovers. My boyfriend says that the performance of the avid ultimates is no different to the 7's, but the brakes are a bit lighter.

One thing I didn't like about the CO is the crappy alloy seatpost and handlebar that came on it. I swapped mine for a thomson masterpiece post and the raceface carbon bar.

Bike weighs 9.9kg, so I am fairly happy with the weight.

 

[maxHR]

Ok thanks Mellic for the mini review, it looks like you are one of the very few to have this 2007 model so far.

 

[dmsan]

just got 1

max

just picked up a 19" C0 last week - extermely happy is an understatement.

you're right re top bar. I moved from an old 19" Giant Carbon Fibre (we're talking MCM here) which iwas appox 40mm longer on the top tube. I'm about 5' 10"-11" - short legged - long upper and found that leg position was good - but am trialling a longer Head Stem - comes standard with 100 mm - am trialling 120 mm which feels better - and thinking if 130 mm

Bike looks great anywhere - including the Coffee Shoppe!!

dmsan

 

[maxHR]

Congrats on your purchase dmsan, you must be my evil twin because I share those exact same measurements and have figured I would need a 130mm stem also. The next size up is the 21" with a 610mm top tube, just a bit too big in seat tube length for me.
The Noosa Bike shop said yesterday I cannot buy it until January however, so I have plenty of time to mull over it.

QUOTE=dmsan]max

just picked up a 19" C0 last week - extermely happy is an understatement.

you're right re top bar. I moved from an old 19" Giant Carbon Fibre (we're talking MCM here) which iwas appox 40mm longer on the top tube. I'm about 5' 10"-11" - short legged - long upper and found that leg position was good - but am trialling a longer Head Stem - comes standard with 100 mm - am trialling 120 mm which feels better - and thinking if 130 mm

Bike looks great anywhere - including the Coffee Shoppe!!

dmsan[/QUOTE]

 

[maxHR]

I just saw a pic of Rosemary Barnes racing the new XC Giants at Thredbo XC round 3. Here is the link to the www,cyclingnews.com photo:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtbphotos.php?id=/photos/2006/dec06/ausmtb06xc3/KU3L8910

 

[akashra]

One of the local stores had a C1 while I was looking for a new bike earlier this week. The thing is light as, and looks nice, but carbon isn't for me - one stray stone and the whole thing's just going to fall to pieces.
They only had a small so it almost felt like riding my old supergoose, but given I've just purchased a nice new Talon I can imagine the improvements over decent runs.

I was quite surprised at the pricing on it though - figured the C1 would be a far bit more expensive. On the same budget though I'd probably still go for a Diamondback Zetec Comp, as, like I said, I don't care for carbon fiber.

 

[JonesmanDave]

Ah, good point. I have the same feelings about carbon, thats why it did this to my XTC C0. Anyone want to buy a brand new 19" XTC frame?

 

[maxHR]

Yeah, you could be right about carbon, - just look at those snapped carbon masts in the sydney hobart, reputedly worth $800,000 each. The funny thing is the carbon yacht 'Yendys' built completely in a chinese sweatshop placed third outright.