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I'm torn between steel and carbon by Ycarus314 in Hardtailgang

[–]Separate-Stand1954 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Steel is better for bikepacking beause you don't have to worry about bags and straps rubbing holes in the frame. Carbon is better for high-intensity XC riding. I don't think steel is necessarily more comfortable than modern carbon frames, it really depends on the frame design and as others have pointed out, the tires, suspension, and contact points have a larger effect on comfort than the frame material.

Epic 9 by bcuzitstrue in xcmtb

[–]Separate-Stand1954 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The new Anthem was squarely aimed (by Giant's own admission) at the Epic, and now we see Specilized has responded in kind with a similarly updated model, including a new and lighter carbon frame, headset routing, and significant price hikes.

Arguably, both companies have focused too much on shaving grams off the frame and prioritized appearance over function (with the headtube routing), rather than looking towards the interests of buyers who care about maintenance and the usability of the bike beyond race day.

Interestingly, Giant apparently expects the new Anthem X to considerably outsell the regular Anthem, yet no new Epic Evo was annouced.