What full sus xc bike?

gradeAfailure":1c7tmqrk said:
Giant Anthem/Anthem X generally regarded as one of the best XC full sus out there...

I keep seeing that. Really didnt know they were on point when they were released.
 
Re: Anthem/Anthem x, if you go down that route or any in fact try before you buy. I bought an anthem x two years ago, it was the single most horrible bike I have ever used! But loads and loads of people like them but just goes to show what one person like the other doesn't.

I always felt like it was too neutral, had no life or character to it, and also felt too slack going up and too steep when going down (and I used to ride a klein with a 71.5 head angle with a fork that had lost 90% of it's squish so was probably more like a 72.5 head angle, had no issue with that!).

I really liked my old santa cruz blur xc, apart from the bearings which weren't too bad but not super long lived, it was great. You should be able to find one for not too much, the old aluminium frame, the new carbon one are insanly costly.

Other than that a trek fuel or specialized epic? Or if less proper xc an orange 5 would be at the top of my list.

Edit:Although if it was me and only personal choice and depends what terrain you regularly ride on, I would just get a well sorted hardtail. After returning to a hardtail after being left rather poor after the stupid anthem purchase I wouldn't go back (although I said I would never go back to a hardtail after the blur!) for normal xc riding. A well made high volume tyre gives me more than enough comfort for most things although if I had the cash I would buy a set of tubulars, then my current bike would be perfect.

Also could think about 29er's bit of extra comfort, no 29er advocate but could be worth looking into...I might have made things more complicated for you, if you have listened to this advice (nonsense!). Good luck finding something you like.
 
Thanks for the comments guys
I've been riding for 20 years so I'm not new to it all. Just after people opinions as I currently run a giant xtc full sus with pace front and rock shox rear.
It's quite a lite bike due to the components I have and have no immediate plans to get rid. But if I had to get rid for some reason I just wondered if I should be checking out anything else.
 
I would say, yes a new bike will be "better" but then if your still happy with what you have stick with it, far to easy to get caught up in the "new is better" idea.
 
Anthems are great xc bikes, but need a bit of careful set up from the box. For most people, they're under forked and over stemed. Using a fork with 20mm more than stock, and a stem around 20mm shorter makes them feel way better. Some (older) Anthems came with flat bars, which need to be chucked in the bin and replaced with a much wider low rise riser bar. That's the way I like 'em anyhow. Don't rule out the longer (5") travel Trance either - great all round trail bikes which can be picked up at reasonable prices.
 
Not to turn this into a "i hate anthems" thread but I tried everything to get that bike to work for me but it just didn't. Tried shorter stem, longer stem, wider bars, higher bars, shorter bars, lower bars, bigger tyres, smaller tyres and every shock setting under the sun, to the point when I was mainly testing the bikes settings as opposed to riding the thing.

It always felt "wrong" and dead to me, but that just me.

And I am a out and out xc racer/endurance racer boy, so steep angles e.c.t are generally well come!

But as I said that was just me and in no doubt that they are great bikes, my point was that they are maybe not as universally amazing as some would like to make out that they are
 
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