AM Banshee Titan

@northvanguy Just got some first hand info from someone who has the Zeroback plate:

"I got one. Short - it works, bike feels smoother over square edge hits. There are 2 downsides, it's noisy and small 12T pulley gets worn quite quick. International shipping from Rulezman is kind of expensive, so are spare pars (I guess just premium niche product pricing thing). I would prefer to be able to fit some generic idler pulley (GT fury has 12T, NSB makes stainless steel one). I tried going with plastic jockey wheel but it broke quickly due to the loads. If You plan to change frame anytime I would probably go with Ochain if anything or buy WRP ratchet thing for DT swiss hub instead."
 
@northvanguy Just got some first hand info from someone who has the Zeroback plate:

"I got one. Short - it works, bike feels smoother over square edge hits. There are 2 downsides, it's noisy and small 12T pulley gets worn quite quick. International shipping from Rulezman is kind of expensive, so are spare pars (I guess just premium niche product pricing thing). I would prefer to be able to fit some generic idler pulley (GT fury has 12T, NSB makes stainless steel one). I tried going with plastic jockey wheel but it broke quickly due to the loads. If You plan to change frame anytime I would probably go with Ochain if anything or buy WRP ratchet thing for DT swiss hub instead."

Very interesting.

Given my history with idler pulleys it's probably not a solution for me..... pic is the idler I just pulled off my Norco Range... it was still working!
 

Attachments

  • signal-2025-05-20-202512.jpg
    signal-2025-05-20-202512.jpg
    276.6 KB · Views: 28
Very interesting.

Given my history with idler pulleys it's probably not a solution for me..... pic is the idler I just pulled off my Norco Range... it was still working!
Jeebus. What does the rest of the bike look like!!?!?
 
In my defence... the Norco idlers are absolute junk. And if you want the NS Billet one they only do it in alloy and costs and arm and a leg so you're stuck. You need a new one probably every 6 months with moderate riding.
 
In my defence... the Norco idlers are absolute junk. And if you want the NS Billet one they only do it in alloy and costs and arm and a leg so you're stuck. You need a new one probably every 6 months with moderate riding.

If you own the bike for a while surely getting the NS one would pay for itself or are the idlers from Norco cheap?
 
If you own the bike for a while surely getting the NS one would pay for itself or are the idlers from Norco cheap?

NS Billet ones are alloy only for the Range. They do make steel for some bikes but not the range.

I’ll probably risk it next but it’s $90 vs $45
 
This really makes apparent how much wear and load goes through these idler wheels...

Say for a 32T chainring and a 12T idler that means it is spinning at 2.66 times the rate of your cranks, plus carrying a heap of load as the suspension keeps pulling on it. I'm not surprised they are wearing so quickly.
 
Interesting about these idler wheels. I did a couple thousand km on the Highlander before I sold it and the idler was fine. Had a spare but never needed it.
I wonder if it’s got something to do with the float on the Deviate bikes which some people thought was a fault but the idler wiggled around a bit therefore not constantly fighting against chain line as much.
 
For what it's worth, my mate has a pair of Forbiddens and they came with idler pulleys made of cheese.
 
Interesting about these idler wheels. I did a couple thousand km on the Highlander before I sold it and the idler was fine. Had a spare but never needed it.
I wonder if it’s got something to do with the float on the Deviate bikes which some people thought was a fault but the idler wiggled around a bit therefore not constantly fighting against chain line as much.
Nearly 3000km on my Deviate idler before I changed funnily enough to a NS idler. First one was noisy and did not float and was replaced. Second one seems better have not had much time on it due to back issues keeping me off the bike but the few rides I got in it was quiet. I thought NS idlers were stock on Forbidden now?
 
Nearly 3000km on my Deviate idler before I changed funnily enough to a NS idler. First one was noisy and did not float and was replaced. Second one seems better have not had much time on it due to back issues keeping me off the bike but the few rides I got in it was quiet. I thought NS idlers were stock on Forbidden now?
I remember on the Deviate group there were always people asking why their idler seemed to wiggle about including myself. The response was it was designed that way. Seems they might be onto something.
 
I remember on the Deviate group there were always people asking why their idler seemed to wiggle about including myself. The response was it was designed that way. Seems they might be onto something.
It makes sense to have float in the idler.

Consider the chainring and the angle of the chain in the extreme gears, except with an idler there is a lot less chain wrap.

Reminds me of when I used to have a lower chain guide with idler, and having 1mm of spacers more or less than optimal would cause the chain to be jammed or fall off.

Just like the Trek Slash debacle, where the lower idler guide came with the incorrect amount of spacers from the factory.
 
It makes sense to have float in the idler.

Consider the chainring and the angle of the chain in the extreme gears, except with an idler there is a lot less chain wrap.

Reminds me of when I used to have a lower chain guide with idler, and having 1mm of spacers more or less than optimal would cause the chain to be jammed or fall off.

Just like the Trek Slash debacle, where the lower idler guide came with the incorrect amount of spacers from the factory.
Total sense! Do the Range and Forbidden bikes have float? There’s obviously a lot more of them out there but I’ve seen a lot more chat about worn idlers on those bikes.
 
Total sense! Do the Range and Forbidden bikes have float?
Not officially but if you are moron and forget to reinstall the idler tightly enough after a drivetrain clean it's actually fine. Ask me how I know. It's like the designers built some tolerance in to account for variable owner diligence..
 
Back
Top