[willevans]

Has anyone test both a Rush and a Giant? I'm interested in either a Giant Anthem 3 or a Rush 600 for XC racing on moderate to heavily rooted trails on rolling terrain. I want a frame that will be worth upgrading parts on in the future and won't flex a lot when I get on it.

I test rode the Rush 600 last Saturday and liked it, but I couldn't find an Anthem in my size to ride.

 

[Jet-Mech]

Has anyone test both a Rush and a Giant? I'm interested in either a Giant Anthem 3 or a Rush 600 for XC racing on moderate to heavily rooted trails on rolling terrain. I want a frame that will be worth upgrading parts on in the future and won't flex a lot when I get on it.

I test rode the Rush 600 last Saturday and liked it, but I couldn't find an Anthem in my size to ride.

I have tested the Rush, Prophet, Trance and Reign but not the Anthem. I can honestly say that I could not feel any bottom bracket flex. The Rush frame especially felt very taut and stiff.

 

[willevans]

Your profile says that you are currently running a Trance 2. What ultimately won you over with the Trance 2 as opposed to the Rush?

 

[Jet-Mech]

Your profile says that you are currently running a Trance 2. What ultimately won you over with the Trance 2 as opposed to the Rush?

The Rush is an amazing bike no doubt. I was definitely the fastest and most nimble of the four bikes I demoed. I really loved Cannondale's attention to detail on the frame, and the simplicity, reliability and stiffness of the single pivot suspension.

So why Trance? When I rode the Giant, I was honestly amazed by how fast the bike was. Although it is quite heavy, it felt just as fast as the Rush. In reality, if you wanted a bike that is fast and nimble above all else, and you were doing some XC racing, the Rush would be the choice.

The Trance offered the best value for money for my needs. It was fast whilst being comfortable and Giant also offers great value for money with respect to components. I still think that the frame is where the money should be spent, and I still pine for a Cannondale for that reason. The Giant frame may be heavy, but I rightly or wrongly think that it would probably take a bit more abuse that the Cannondale.

Anyway, the final choice came down to grin factor ! Of all the four bikes I tested, the Trance was the one that exceeded my pre-conceived expectations by the greatest amount.

 

[KERKOVEJ]

I have raced the Giant NRS for 5 years, and now I am racing the RUSH. Both were used for 12 and 24 hour solo racing. Both bikes ride and handle very similar. It's just that the RUSH is more forgiving over the long haul with it's plusher travel and longer wheel base. As far as stiffness...they are very very very similar. If you are doing long rides/races I would looks at the RUSH. If you are doing more XC applications maybe look towards the Giant or a Cannondale Scapel.