Update!!
~2 months in and still super happy with this bike, can get rad but still goes uphill well
Haven’t done anything to it apart from drop the stem and set the crossmarks up tubeless, running @ 25 psi seems to be the sweet spot
It has developed a creak either PF bb or the rear shock, it’s on every pedal rotation so I’m gunna chase it down when I get a minutes otherwise it’s been flawless
I am going through the creak chasing routine atm.
Best guess is the press fit bb.
I bet it’s easy to ignore when you’re riding and not in the least bit irritating
I always start with the saddle, tighten that up, and then remove, re-grease the seat post and pop that back in and tighten up well. Take it for a ride and go from there.
You soooo funny 
Geoff, seatpost, bb/crank interface, chainring/spider interface, pivots…all of them.
And then it disappeared…2 rides later, it’s back.
Mikey’s correct, it is not the least bit irritating.
The creak best unspoken.
Have heard of people having problems with their saddle rails where it meets the seat itself causing issues.
Don’t usually have creaking issues myself, but a co-rider does with his Niner, and it’s friggen annoying. His is the pivots.
So are they the non ust TYRES you set up tubeless ? Any troubles so far ?
Yep saddle might be it too
Cam they’re def not the LUST ones so not UST, no real dramas, only ‘popped’ a lil bit compared to the Nanos on Stans Archs I got, bitta soapy water and they went on fine, have held air for 2 weeks and a couple rides, no burps so far! I did two layers of yellow tape and a scoop of sealant, this is the stock giant S-XC2 rims too
Yeah Ive got non ust on the anthem atm hvent ridden yet. Got them on okay. It’s just someone tagged me in a video of them coming off the rim. That could be from a few reasons I guess but got me thinking. I’ll find out today if they go okay.
Good choice ive been lucky enough to have a lend of an Anthem SX recently and it sucked up all the local trails well, rode some big rollers and hard packed ST and loved it.
The Anthem 3’s are being special’d off at many story for <$1700. Bargain!
Sweet! Yeah that’s what I paid for mine, the creak seems to have vanished after a camping trip last weekend
Here it is in poorly packed bikepacking mode, didn’t handle as bad as it looks and did well over a lot of vertical
creak finding is like my favourite thing ever!
This. I have had a couple of saddles with this issue. What twigged me to this the first time was creak went away in the wet.
ftfy
Did you buy one too larfinboy!?
Yep. All the right bits on it, $900 off retail. Last one they had.
Rides good.
Have a set of Hope hubs to Stans Flows to go on it at at some point. Current wheels are ok.
No other upgrades planned unless I need to change the stem length.
Im disappointed by the 2016 Giant range.
I was keen to get the new XTC 27.5 but they start at $3k.
Just picked a 2015 Anthem 3. LBS is doing them for $1699.
Off to Canberra this weekend to break it in!