First Look: New Giant Anthem SL | Shots Fired!
29er, 120mm front and rear, stiff, efficient, light and already the fastest bike in the world – Giant drops details on their new XC race whip.
The new Anthem is set to arrive in South Africa in early 2026. Judging by the success of the prototypes raced at the World Series – and based on what I’ve heard from the team at Giant – it’s shaping up to be a serious contender in the SA racing scene. Whether it will propel (pun intended) the brand back to its glory (pun also intended) days as the country’s top-selling XC bike remains to be seen. I’ve had some time to dig into the details of this new machine, and while I’ll still have to wait a few weeks before our media test bike arrives, here’s a look at the key features you’ll want to know about.
It’s light! The size medium frame with paint weighs a scant 1530g which is almost 200g lighter than the S-Works Epic 8. Insane right? Disclaimer here: these are not my numbers – this is what Giant is saying in their official communication material they’ve sent me. [I do doubt they’d supply false numbers.] Adding things like the rear derailleur hardware, headset, top cap, bolts and spacers; narrows the gap between the two bikes to just 95grams. In the real-world, (cos we can’t really ride a bike without those parts ne) the new Anthem is close on 100grams lighter than the Epic 8. Shots fired!
It’s not a noodle! More numbers supplied by Giant point to it being stiffer and more efficient than Epic 8. The press communication I received from Giant details testing they ran in their lab where they bolted frames to a test rig, installed a steel dummy fork before applying various lateral forces whilst measuring flex. Again, Giant says the new Anthem had better stiffness numbers than its main competitor, Epic 8. More shots fired. Now I’m not picking on Specialized here so don’t cancel me – and for the record the Epic 8 is a phenomenal bike – I’m just quoting numbers from the Big G’s official media kit.
Made for Alan. Giant says the bike was made for XC racing and made for Alan – or did they say made for Alan and then made for XC racing. I think it was the later. Yes it was the later. In fact, they specifically credited our 4x World Champ boyjie Sir Alan Hatherly (he should be knighted dammit) with major contributions to kinematics, geometry and ride feel of the new Anthem. How lekker!
Crucial details! It’s a 120 rear, 120 fork, full-carbon frame, 29er, with a flex-stay and single-pivot layout. There’s a lower initial leverage ratio to assist with a firmer pedaling base, in the initial part of the travel. The rear end is also very light – which further boosts small bump performance. Tucked in under the top tube, Giant are calling it a semi-integrated shock which is well out of the way of water bottles.
All four frame sizes have a flip-chip that alters BB height by 6mm and the head-angle by 0.5-degrees. In it’s slackest setting, the new Anthem is 66.5-degrees. Not quite as slack as the Epic 8. That’s one point back for Specialized. See, I’m not bashing the big S.
For the new Anthem, Giant says they developed a new construction technique which is partly robotic and allows for more accuracy in the layup process. Also new, cold-blade cutting technology is used to cut the carbon swatches and this eliminates concern of deformation from excess heat. Also new, manufacturing technology that now only requires one bladder when making the front triangle.
“This bike is exactly what I needed to achieve my goal of winning a second straight world championship. XC is full-gas intensity and focus, from the second the start light goes green until you cross the finish line—no room for error. It’s about being efficient and controlling the chaos. And knowing that, when you see the opportunity to make your move, the bike is right there with you, maximizing every pedal stroke and conquering the most challenging technical sections.” – Alan Hatherly
Local retailers will have the Anthem SL SE, Anthem SL O, Anthem SL 1 and Anthem SL 3 models in stock, early in the new year. Pricing is R269k, R184k, R134k and R74k respectively. Shots fired indeed. Head to giant-bicycles for more details. //