[shavinator]

I am trying to decide between the two, specifically a Giant Anthem x3 and a Gary Fisher 29er. The Fisher is cheaper but I want to know which bike is better? By better, I mean:

Faster
More comfortable
can handle rougher trails

I am about 5'11 and weigh 180. My riding is XC, no big (5 feet) jumps. My first choice was the Anthem hands down, but because of my budget, I am considering a 29er HT. Any advice?

 

[vrclowncar]

I am trying to decide between the two, specifically a Giant Anthem x3 and a Gary Fisher 29er. The Fisher is cheaper but I want to know which bike is better? By better, I mean:

Faster
More comfortable
can handle rougher trails

I am about 5'11 and weigh 180. My riding is XC, no big (5 feet) jumps. My first choice was the Anthem hands down, but because of my budget, I am considering a 29er HT. Any advice?

I would see if you could hit up a demo day or rent a 29r similar to what you are looking at buying.

 

[Davidcopperfield]

There is a "search engine" working on this forum. No sense in doubling, tripling quadrupling the same threads. This question had been tossed for a helluvae of times, just like a beaten horse

 

[Vermont29er]

Giant will be releasing a 29er Anthem this fall.

 

[judson]

29er

I currently have a Trek Ex9.0 ABP and a GF Rig. I am purchasing a 2010 GF SuperFly and considering selling my Trek. 29er is the way to go. Trust me, if you don't get a 29er this time around, you will be kicking yourself like I am now.

No bike I have ever owned has changed my outlook on riding like the Rig and I've been riding 20 years. Have ridden LA to Boston in 30 days, my best years have been around 12,500 miles. I bought the Rig because it was a cheap way to try a 29er and single speed. If it weren't for all of the dirt road riding we do, I would have gotten rid of the 26 inch a long time ago but I need the gears for the dirt roads.

 

[AZ]

There is a "search engine" working on this forum. No sense in doubling, tripling quadrupling the same threads. This question had been tossed for a helluvae of times, just like a beaten horse

Feel free to ignore the questions you feel are redundant , if your not going to help then don't bother posting . To the O.P. , I ride a Fisher 29er but I don't think I would do any 5 footers on it .

 

[go-pirates]

I am trying to decide between the two, specifically a Giant Anthem x3 and a Gary Fisher 29er. The Fisher is cheaper but I want to know which bike is better? By better, I mean:

Faster
More comfortable
can handle rougher trailsI switched from a 26" FS to a 29er HT. It IS faster, and just as comfy (I use a Thudbuster). The only time I miss the FS is when I want to launch off of stuff. But PART of that comes from me still "babying" my new ride. No regrets, really.

 

[C Dunlop]

I am trying to decide between the two, specifically a Giant Anthem x3 and a Gary Fisher 29er. The Fisher is cheaper but I want to know which bike is better? By better, I mean:

Faster
More comfortable
can handle rougher trails

I am about 5'11 and weigh 180. My riding is XC, no big (5 feet) jumps. My first choice was the Anthem hands down, but because of my budget, I am considering a 29er HT. Any advice?

Think about who you are asking this question to. What do you think their answers will be?

Both Giant and Fischer have extensive dealer networks across most of the world. Ride both. Get the one you like more. Both are good bikes.

29er hardtails do not ride like full sus. 26in. bikes, no matter how many people say so.

 

[ssalmons]

I am trying to decide between the two, specifically a Giant Anthem x3 and a Gary Fisher 29er. The Fisher is cheaper but I want to know which bike is better? By better, I mean:

Faster
More comfortable
can handle rougher trails

I am about 5'11 and weigh 180. My riding is XC, no big (5 feet) jumps. My first choice was the Anthem hands down, but because of my budget, I am considering a 29er HT. Any advice?

You really need to ride both bikes to decide what feels better. I have all kinds of bikes, right now I'm on a full suspension 29er, but only because I found a frame real cheap. I wouldn't mind having a rigid 29er, or full suspension 26er. All bikes are fun! Just buy whichever feels more natural to you.

 

[DeeEight]

I've got a 29er softtail and its going to get seriously less usage now that I have a 27.5 full suspension.

 

[common_man]

I don't think I would do any 5 footers on it .

agree strongly. i wouldn't do it. trek manual says not to do it. if he wants to do 5 footers, maybe the full suspension is the way to go.

 

[Schultz29]

I ride a Fisher 29er but I don't think I would do any 5 footers on it .

I don't think I'd try that on a Giant Anthem either.

 

[FASTK]

Coming on the 29er forum to ask "should I buy a 26" or a 29' bike has got to be like going to the dairy council and asking if cheese is safe to eat. Duh! :bluefrown:

 

[shavinator]

Think about who you are asking this question to. What do you think their answers will be?

Both Giant and Fischer have extensive dealer networks across most of the world. Ride both. Get the one you like more. Both are good bikes.

29er hardtails do not ride like full sus. 26in. bikes, no matter how many people say so.

Thanks for the responses (mostly.) I guess i should have thought twice about posting a 26er vs 29er question in the 29er forum. Just wanted to know from people who have experience riding on both a FS 26er and a 29er HT which is faster and perhaps on what type of trail.

BTW, why wouldn't cheese be safe to eat?

 

[MightySchmoePong]

Thanks for the responses (mostly.) I guess i should have thought twice about posting a 26er vs 29er question in the 29er forum. Just wanted to know from people who have experience riding on both a FS 26er and a 29er HT which is faster and perhaps on what type of trail.

BTW, why wouldn't cheese be safe to eat?

For me and my riding style on anything except really nasty rock gardens the full suspension bike is faster. Slow speed rock crawling is better on the 29er HT. Of course my 29er FS is better than my old 26" FS for most of the riding I do.

A 29er HT is a HT.

 

[big_slacker]

I had a 26er FS SS, 26er HT SS and 29er HT SS all at the same time, so.......

The 26er and 29er HT both climb faster than the FS bike. Lighter, no bob, duh.

The 26er FS descends better than either of the HTs. Much better. Slacker HA, suspension over the rough stuff. Duh.

The 29er is more comfortable than the 26er HT. The 26er FS is more comfortable than either HT. Suspension. Duh.

The question then becomes, do you do more climbing or more descending? I do more climbing so the choice was easily on the side of the 29er HT. I've since sold the other 2 bikes. I do ride the whole mountain on this bike. From easy trails behind my house and to the beach, on up to light FR/DH trails and jumps. 5' drop would be silly, but 2-3 foot and small tables/kickers with a tranny is ok.

However, I find myself now wanting a gravity oriented FS 26er for those times when I want to go down instead of up, so.....Pick your poison.

 

[kestrel242]

Thanks for the responses (mostly.) I guess i should have thought twice about posting a 26er vs 29er question in the 29er forum. Just wanted to know from people who have experience riding on both a FS 26er and a 29er HT which is faster and perhaps on what type of trail.

The thing is, you're not going to find too many people on this board (if any!) who ride 29er HT's and haven't ever tried 26" FS. (In other words, the forum you're asking the question to still begs a certain kind of answer)

Anyway, the answer to which one is faster will inevitably depend on the conditions, the tires, and so on. I would think a trailbike like the Anthem borders on overkill for XC riding, but it depends on how you define "XC".

All other things being equal, a quality full suspension rig will almost certainly be more comfortable than a hardtail, but it depends on how you define "comfort". Ditto for rougher trails. You can ride a hardtail on a trail, but it doesn't become a "trailbike" just because it has 29" wheels.

BTW, why wouldn't cheese be safe to eat?

 

[larlev]

29er's.....are a waste....I'll rephrase 29er's are for guys that have no experience riding.

 

[go-pirates]

Clarification here:
I was once in the same boat as the OP. I'm happy with the switch from 26"FS to a 29er HT. I ride East Coast singletrack with lots of quick ups and downs. The 29er seems faster in most applications, and is almost as comfortable. It doesn't quite match the FS in the really rough stuff, as the back wheel still chatters a bit (of course). But overall, I'm having more fun, and don't really miss the FS. The benefits, for me, outweigh the negatives. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

 

[3sigma]

I own both. In my experience, a hardtail is still a hardtail (independent of rim diameter).

On smoother trails, I prefer the 29er. Rocky trails, I grab the 26er full suspension.