Over the past decade, XC mountain bike racing has been marked by constant progression, resulting in a sport that looks radically different than it did 10 years ago. At the pro level especially, the pace is faster, the terrain is far more technical, and the competition more intense than ever.

Modern XC bikes are drastically different machines than those raced in the sport’s formative years. Today’s athletes demand more. Gone are the days of long dirt road climbs and wide-open descents. The XC tracks of the new era include terrain that not long ago was more suitable to DH races. White-knuckle drops, fierce rock gardens, diabolical roots and ruts. The climbs are shorter, steeper and rougher.

The all-new Anthem Advanced Pro 29 was built for this. It’s the latest evolution of a bike that has helped push the sport forward since 2005, when it first appeared on the World Cup circuit. Designed to give today’s Giant Factory Off-Road Team athletes like rising star Carter Woods a competitive advantage, this next-generation Anthem is lighter, more efficient, and engineered for maximum control when it’s needed most.

KEY PERFORMANCE FACTORS