We were invited up to a plush hotel outside of Birmingham last week to take a look at Giant's 2010 bikes, and what a spread they had prepared for us. As well as a mightily impressive display stand, the new bikes ready for the 2010 season see Giant taking an even bigger step forwards.
It's not just the top-end with an ever-increasing quantity of carbon and ever sharper paint jobs that got us excited either, there's also interesting developments and new additions right through the range. Plus Giant is stepping into the components market with a full range of stems, handlebars, seat posts and more besides.
More details of that later, but for now, enjoy these pictures of Giant's flagship Anthem. If ever there was a reason to rob the bank, this could be it...
First thing you saw when walking into Giant's recent 2010 display was this Anthem X Advanced SL
In the pursuit of saving weight, the linkages are made from the black stuff - and notice the trick bolts
The front its a lesson in carbon layering. That's a tapered headtube, that is, which Giant call OverDrive. 1-1/8in bearings up top and 1 1/2in further down
MegaDrive downtube is among the biggest downtubes we've ever seen
Only the best components for a frame like this. In this instance, brand new SRAM XX everywhere
SRAM XX looks good in the flesh
Custom painted Mavic wheelsets for the Anthem X Advanced SL looks great
The Anthem is a bike we like. With all the reworking on this frame the result is an extremely svelte package. Giant claims the frame is now just 2.1kg (4.63lb) with the bike pictured somewhere in the region of 9.8kg (21.8lbs). Of course as well as being much lighter the revisions have increased the stiffness too. There's no shortage of top drawer kit either, with SRAM's XX gears and brakes, custom Mavic Crossmax SLR wheels, RockShox SID XX forks, Giant's new carbon stem, bars and seatpost, and a Fizik Antares saddle.
The Anthem X Advanced SL doesn't come cheap though, it costs a cool £5,950. The range does start with the X4 at a more reasonable £1,400 however.
www.giant-bicycles.com
King Richard
