FAST FORWARD

The Anthem X Advanced SL: A convergence of speed, adventure and unconventional thinking

Oli Beckingsale and Adam Craig are not your average cross-country racers.

When he’s not riding, Bristolian Oli likes nothing more than relaxing in his favourite café in Bristol or enjoying the countryside with his family, and his self-confessed off-season food of choice is a good curry. But when it comes to racing, Oli certainly doesn’t take it easy - winner of multiple national titles, Oli is a Commonwealth Silver Medalist and three-times Olympian. He’s also a veteran of numerous World Cup XC races, displays fantastic climbing prowess and despite a love of the rough technical stuff he looks equally at home on the road.

Linking up on the World Cup circuit as part of the Giant Global Mountain Bike Team, Oli has been spending a lot of time training and racing with fellow Giant rider Adam Craig. Adam, a New England native whose first sport was alpine skiing, lives to push boundaries. He experiments with equipment, descends like a demon, and racks up pro and national championship victories in multiple disciplines of the sport. While his competitors are resting their legs the day before a big cross-country event, Adam is out getting his thrills by racing (and winning) Super D races.

Their spirit of flouting convention and pursuing new ways to ride faster—and have more fun—are etched into the DNA of Giant’s newest cross-country race bike, the prototype Anthem X Advanced SL. The merging of Giant’s award-winning Maestro suspension system and its unmatched capabilities in composite technology have resulted in the lightest, best-performing machine Oli and Adam have ever ridden.

“After test riding prototype versions of the prototype Anthem X Advanced SL, it seems that Giant are truly creating the ultimate XC bike, whether that’s in World Cup competition for the seasoned pro, or for trail centre ripping for the weekend warrior.” says Oli “The Anthem X platform combined with a composite frame displaying similar characteristics to the TCR Advanced SL road bike means it’s light, stiff, comfortable and efficient. Sounds like a bit of a dream package I know, but in this case dreams really can come true.”

“After field-testing prototype versions of this bike the past few months, I can say without question that it’s the most capable XC bike I’ve ever ridden,” Adam says. “The stiff, lightweight and comfortable feel of the composite frame combined with the Anthem X Maestro suspension system makes for a bike that’s World Cup fast but also ready to rip on real mountain bike trails.”

Nine months ago, about the same time Oli and Adam were debuting the first production model of the aluminum frame 2009 Anthem X—the lightest full-suspension bike ever produced by Giant — Giant’s engineers were already deep into the project of creating a composite version of the bike.

“We wanted to incorporate some of the technical features and advantages of our composite road frame technology—the massive downtube shape and the super-stiff bottom bracket area for example—and blend these with our suspension technology to create the best-performing, most versatile cross-country race bike possible,” said Dennis Lane, Giant’s global product development manager.

Speed, efficiency, climbing and descending prowess in equal measure are traits that have led Adam and Oli to numerous titles. With Giant, they have the perfect partner in their constant quest to ride faster—and have more fun. And with the prototype Anthem X Advanced SL, they have the right tool for the job.

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