GIANT ANTHEM X: THE 'HOLY GRAIL' FOR XC BIKES

1st August 2010 - filed under Product

Giant's Anthem X 2 lines up against some tough competition in August's MBR Magazine 2K Racers test with bikes from Specialized, Trek and Cube hoping to beat the Anthem X to the top spot.

Since MBR first tested Giant's Anthem X back in December 2008 (2009 Giant Anthem X 0, 10/10!) taking it for an epic day out at the Roc d'Azur, the Anthem X Advanced SL has arrived on the scene and testers were keen to see if it had affected the AluxX aluminium sibling. But with all that expertise and innovation in aluminium engineering Giant's 2010 Anthem X does not disappoint!

The spec list is quite simply described as 'nothing short of incredible' and Giant's new Connect SL componentry get's a BIG seal of approval; "The bar, stem and seatpost are all Giant branded parts...the 670mm bar was the best shape of any on test and the stem felt great for our 5ft 10in testers"

The proof is in the riding for any bike and with the quickest lap times of all four test bikes the Anthem X 2 was always in with a chance of winning this category, but that's not all. As well as being incredibly quick, Anthem X features Maestro suspension technology 'tuned for pedalling efficiency', 'fast climbing and faster descending' and confidence inspiring stability which 'allows you to make mistakes without any great punishment'

'Stiff, good value, and joint lightest on test, the Anthem X 2 is a highly alluring package, whether you're racing every weekend or simply want a fast, light bike for trail riding.'

'A bike that allows you to ride to your limit is the Holy Grail for XC bikes and the Giant let us do just that.'

With a 10/10 Giant's Anthem X 2 is MBR Magazine's 'privateer race bike of choice'. Enjoy the full review in August MBR.

"WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED?"

13th May 2010 - filed under Product

Giant Trance X 4 wins MBR test with a 10/10!

Hot on the heels of Giant's recent test winning TCR Advanced 4 in Triathlon Plus, Giant's Maestro suspension system continues the winning ways on the mountain side of things in June's MBR Magazine as the Giant Trance X4 rises to the top of the pile in the 1K Wonders budget bouncers test. Even better - it's the front cover star!

"As usual, the finish and construction on the Giant frame is top notch and could easily pass for a bike costing more than double the £995 asking price."

The Trance X's 'beautifully engineered' Fluid Formed chassis boasting 5 inches of Maestro suspended magic did the business and felt 'super solid and stiff on the trail' with Giant's own brand shock 'hassle free' and easy to set up.

Giant's new Contact componentry gets a nod of approval; "an excellent wide bar" fitted to the Trance X 4 along with the new Sole-O Lock On Grips with colour coded anodised lock rings.

With the 'super-stiff' and well balanced frame transferring the power through Maestro's 'active and well controlled' suspension system the Trance X4 offers 'stacks of grip to inspire confidence and lets you really enjoy the trails.'

"Bottom line is the Giant simply feels sorted, steady and surefooted yet still capable of good speed...The Giant Trance X4 is an excellent bike for the money and easily the best on test...you get the best frame on test with great potential to upgrade over time. It also costs £100 less than the less-dialled Specialized."

"A stiff and solid frame with good geometry and a sorted suspension make the Giant Trance X4 first class at cornering, climbing and descending - what more do you need?"

With 10/10 this is a must read! The latest issue of MBR Magazine is on sale now.

A TRULY OUTSTANDING ALL-ROUNDER

4th May 2010 - filed under Product

If you’re thinking about an Ironman, a first Triathlon or maybe you’re just looking to get in some long and fast miles on the open road this Summer; we’ve got just the ticket.

Giant’s newTCR Advanced 4 features in June Triathlon Plus’ ‘IRON BIKES’ test; with the latest addition to Giants award winning TCR Advanced range battling it out against heavyweights from Trek (Madone 4.5), Scott (CR 1 Comp CD) and Specialized (Tarmac Elite).

“To be honest we don’t generally expect sub-£2000 bikes to blow us away…As soon as you’re aboard the Giant though you’re clearly riding something in a different performance league to the other bikes here.”

A host of cutting edge technology features such as Giant’sOverDrive tapered headtube, aerodynamic Vector seat post and super-stiff PowerCore bottom bracket means the TCR Advanced 4 packs a punch way above it’s price and with a full Shimano 105 group set there’s one great value and great performing machine!

But incredible handling ‘laser accurate’ steering and rapid acceleration aren’t the only benefits of the TCR Advanced, it’s also comfortable;

“All of this would still be impressive if there was a trade off in comfort, but the outstanding thing about the Advanced is that it’s so compliant that you’ll feel like you’re floating no matter how long you’re on the bike.”

With a Triathlon Plus Gold Award the TCR Advanced 4 was the clear test winner and there's not many better conclusions than this;

"Even allowing for their massive carbon-fibre construction experience, Giant have pulled a rabbit out of the hat with the advanced...it rides with a purpose the others can't match...if you want to go further and faster with less fatigue the Advanced is the advantage you're looking for."

Check out how Giant’s TCR Advanced 4 earns all 4.5 stars in the latest issue of Triathlon Plus which is on sale now.

GIANT DEFY 2 IS EDITORS’ CHOICE!

23rd April 2010 - filed under Product

Bicycling magazine names Giant Defy 2 best in category

Giant’s Defy 2 was named Best Entry Level Road Bike in the prestigious 2010 Bicycling Magazine Editors’ Choice Awards.

The Editors’ Choice awards were presented at a bicycle industry party on the 16th of April at the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California. Bicycling is the world’s highest-circulation consumer cycling publication, and its Editors’ Choice awards are considered highly influential in the eyes of its readers and the cycling industry.

In reviewing the Defy 2, Bicycling editors commented: “As smooth as it is, it’s still a sporty bike with good responsiveness and a lively feel.”

Bicycling editors narrowed the competition down from thousands of bikes to a small number of finalists that were tested in its June issue. In addition the Giant Defy Advanced 1 was one of three finalists in the Best Plush Bike category.

Giant and the rest of the Editors’ Choice winners are profiled in a slideshow on Bicycling.com and will also be featured in the June issue of Bicycling, which goes on sale on the 4th of May.

###

GIANT'S STP 1 GET'S 'WRECKED & RATED'

22nd March 2010 - filed under Product

"Giant's STP 1 is an agile yet surefooted trail bomb!"

Giant's STP 1 was Wrecked & Rated in MBUK Magazine's April 'Fun Bike Face Off' and Giant's latest STP is "slicker and sharper-looking but still delivers a ride with standout agility and great attitude"

"Giant are one of the world's biggest and most advanced alloy frame producers and they haven't skimped on the plumbing quality of the STP"

Features such as the reinforcing plate on the offside seatstay to combat disc brake torque, the ring-reinforced headset tube and the moulded Giant logo point to a ride that is designed to perform some serious gravity defying tricks!

"Giant have a great reputation for getting their specialist bikes absolutely bang on - often with a radical edge that you might not have expected such a big company to take a chance on. The STP is a cracking example of that with an immediate, agile and reflex reactive ride that grabs you and shakes you awake straight away."

Check out the full review in the latest MBUK.

PUTS THE FUN BACK INTO EVERY RIDE

19th February 2010 - filed under Product

Recently What Mountain Bike tested Giant’s Anthem X 4 scoring it a massive 4.5 stars, now MBUK have Wrecked & Rated the same ride in their March issue.

First up Workshop Wisdom praises Giant’s Maestro Suspension System which lies at the heart of every Giant full suspension bike;

“It’s neat, beautifully engineered and arguably one of the most elegant suspension systems currently on the market”

“The Maestro rear end manages what all suspension systems attempt and few achieve – small bump suppleness, big hit versatility and a ‘connected’ trail feel..”

The ‘wallet-friendly’ Anthem X doesn’t just have the suspension performance, it has the looks and frame design to match;

“The Anthem X 4’s clean lines hide subtly hydroformed tubing that put’s aluminium where it’s needed for strength or stiffness and removes it where it’s not”

Combine a ‘svelte’ frame taking advantage of Giant’s ‘unparalelled’ access to ‘cutting edge manufacturing technology’, an ‘impressive’ shock and fork and an uncompromising spec and you get another test winner with another 4.5 stars!

“Giant’s superb Anthem X platform puts the fun back into every ride, providing a light, torsionally rigid and extremely supple suspension system. Simply put it’s peerless..”

PRO CYCLING TEST THE WORLD'S FASTEST BIKE

11th February 2010 - filed under Product

"The performance of Rabobank's TT bike matches it's superb looks"

Giant's futuristic Trinity Advanced SL features in Pro Cycling's Season Preview edition and tester Ellis Bacon soon discovered that The World's Fastest Bike's incredible looks are matched by it's incredible performance.

The space age machine was piloted to Giro d'Italia victory in 2009 by Rabobank's Denis Menchov, despite a dramatic Time Trial fall in the final stage, and is now available to anyone wanting to beat the clock and the competition.

"The Trinity Advanced is an impressively fast package, which lives up to it's billing out on the road"

The 'eye-catching' machine was tested in it's SL2 format, running Giant's own rims and new 6700 Ultegra and 'begged to be given it's chance to shine'.

Pro Cycling Season Preview is on sale now.  For your neares stockist of the Giant Trinity Advanced SL click the 'DEALERS' tab at the top of the page.

PRETTY PERFECT

11th February 2010 - filed under Product

Giant’s new Trance X Advanced SL 0 goes through Singletrack Magazine’s ‘Grinder’ in the February issue which is currently on sale. Five weeks of intensive everyday testing later and Giant’s ‘phenominally light’ 5 inch Maestro equipped, trail taming monster left tester Matt Letch grinning.

The Trance X Advanced SL has a ‘very strong, very light’ frame thanks to the specially produced T800 raw carbon coming from Giant’s own C-Tech facility andadvanced construction techniques;

“Aesthetically the front end looks very tough with huge main tubes and tapered headtube, it looks like it could handle anything!”

Giant’s Maestro suspension platform which is fully active over all types of terrain and unaffected by pedalling or braking forces let Matt fly up ascents with ease and he ‘even had some breath to speak’ as he climbed;

“With the recent weather we’ve had, it’s ability to grip uphill on icy cobbles is incredible: while others had got off in disgust as their bikes spat traction this just kept going”

A bike that is so good at climbing could be excused for being a little twitchy on the descents but no need for excuses for the Trance X Advanced SL;

“..the rear suspension is so active it just swallowed up anything; rocks, roots, the lot.”

The finishing is ‘basically a wish list of top-notch kit’, with Giant’s new Contact SLR XC Riser Bar’s feeling ‘bang on’. All in all ‘it’s a great, light bike.’

“..the suspension is so capable of swallowing stuff relative to it’s travel it’s surprising what it’ll ride through…it’s totally capable of being raced on and you’re not going to be able to blame the bike if you’re not in the top ten.”

READY TO ROCK

23rd December 2009 - filed under Product

Keeping The Faith in 2010

Giants all-new high performance freeride bike – Faith, takes a spin in Febuary’s Mountain Bike Action magazine.  Freeride sensation and Red Bull Rampage podium finisher Kurt Sorge’s weapon of choice was perfect for the extreme Colorado trails; “When attacking downhills, the Faith’s rear suspension is very active, and the rear wheel stays in contact with the ground over rocks, roots, and trail chatter. Thru-axles greatly improve stiffness, and when a bike has them on the front and rear like the Faith, it holds a line noticeably better.”

If your riding involves drop-offs, throwing the odd tailwhip or even hitting the dirt park it’s the perfect machine for you with that extra agility over a full downhill rig,  “The Giant Faith is a purpose-built machine designed to descend amazingly technical trails and be ergonomically dialed for throwing tricks….If a shorter, quicker steering, everyday trail-friendly bike is more your style, the Giant Faith 0 is as sweet as they come. Plus, it’s ready to rock off the showroom floor.”

Not only did US publication Mountain Bike Action enjoy testing the new Giant Faith 0, the biggest online Italian forum also got in on the action when their rider Mauro Franzi was filmed by Marco Tonioli last week in Valtellina, Italy. Follow the link to watch the video in High Definition.

Remember you can keep up to date with the latest Giant news by following us onTwitter, become a fan on Facebook for the latest global product news and view the brochure online at Issuu.

"ONE TO PUT ON YOUR WISH LIST"

23rd October 2009 - filed under Product

Giant's new 2010 XtC 2 features in this months IMB Magazine and testers were more than impressed by Giant's 'lithe, strong...race bred beauty';

“Giant have spent years refining their XtC range and this bike looks sorted and fast!”

“The angular white frameset, finished off woth bold blackdecals gives a simple, smooth, but purposeful look to what is a race bred beauty.”

“..the Giant AluxX SL aluminium Fluid Formed TM tubes are shaped and butted to give a lithe, strong frameset.”

“The XtC immediately feels lighter and more agile than the other bikes we have been riding…the desire to go faster was soon given in to..”

“..jumping on the pedals brings an impressive burst of speed that saw it scampering off up the trail ahead of the pack.”

“..the flat bar and stretched cockpit gave a sense of urgency which had us pushing hard and enjoying the sensation of head down, legs pumping, how fast can I go speed.”

“The XtC is a cracking bike that you will want to blast around the woods and the frame is good enough to provide years of fast paced service at a reasonable price. Striking good looks, lightweight and the potential to be upgraded make the Giant one to put on your wish list.”

Click here to view the full review, with images and video in IMBMagazine Issue 2.

You can keep up to date with the latest Giant news on the move by following us on Twitter, join our Facebook group for the latest images and sneaky peeks oif forthcoming products and view the brochure online at Issuu