droenn
Fat Man's XC President
Looking to see whats out there, but also looking for opinions if I go for a new frame.
Item: Frame-only
Location: Canberra
Price range/Willing to Pay: this really depends on age and use...
Extra Info: Going to try my luck here before committing to a new frame, which just keep on going up in cost.
Ideally I want to keep everything I have and move it across to a new frame that's a bit longer than what I have. So that means being able to accommodate a non-boost rear mainly, and threaded BB. Banshee are ticking those boxes for me, so am looking at those in the first instance.
This is my current bike: https://www.rotorburn.com/forums/index.php?threads/smugglin.316439/
First issue is geo. The Smuggler's (medium) reach is 432mm, STA 75.4 and HA 67.5. I think I posted in the build thread that I thought it was going to be too small. Well, yes and no. For general trail riding its fine, and I like that its quite short overall (1160 wheelbase) - but it verges on cramped sometimes (tight switchbacks) and I don't feel as comfortable when I want to go down rocky descents as I did with a longer bike. I'm 178 cm.
So a Large V2 or Medium V3 Banshee will give me just that little extra room (only 20mm extra reach but its a big jump up to the next size).
Second issue is travel. I am really liking the 140 F / 115 R combo of the Smuggler and I think I've said before it allows me to ride nearly everything I want to. I wouldn't go any less travel, so the V2 Phantom is out. The only area I don't feel as comfortable are the bigger rocky trails that the 153 mm Process used plow through really well. It could be mainly geo though rather than travel, but both contributing. In any case, should I lean towards the Phantom and have 80-90% of my riding covered really well, or just get the Prime and always have that little extra rear squish? Short travel 29ers are sweet, and the Prime is probably at the limits of how big a bike I'd want to go - just not sure if my typical Stromlo lap needs a Prime most of the time..
Open to suggestions of other frames that might worthwhile? Aluminum and 29er of course.
The Shortlist (so far)
Large V2 Prime
Large V3 Prime
Large V3 Phantom
Item: Frame-only
Location: Canberra
Price range/Willing to Pay: this really depends on age and use...
Extra Info: Going to try my luck here before committing to a new frame, which just keep on going up in cost.
Ideally I want to keep everything I have and move it across to a new frame that's a bit longer than what I have. So that means being able to accommodate a non-boost rear mainly, and threaded BB. Banshee are ticking those boxes for me, so am looking at those in the first instance.
This is my current bike: https://www.rotorburn.com/forums/index.php?threads/smugglin.316439/
First issue is geo. The Smuggler's (medium) reach is 432mm, STA 75.4 and HA 67.5. I think I posted in the build thread that I thought it was going to be too small. Well, yes and no. For general trail riding its fine, and I like that its quite short overall (1160 wheelbase) - but it verges on cramped sometimes (tight switchbacks) and I don't feel as comfortable when I want to go down rocky descents as I did with a longer bike. I'm 178 cm.
So a Large V2 or Medium V3 Banshee will give me just that little extra room (only 20mm extra reach but its a big jump up to the next size).
Second issue is travel. I am really liking the 140 F / 115 R combo of the Smuggler and I think I've said before it allows me to ride nearly everything I want to. I wouldn't go any less travel, so the V2 Phantom is out. The only area I don't feel as comfortable are the bigger rocky trails that the 153 mm Process used plow through really well. It could be mainly geo though rather than travel, but both contributing. In any case, should I lean towards the Phantom and have 80-90% of my riding covered really well, or just get the Prime and always have that little extra rear squish? Short travel 29ers are sweet, and the Prime is probably at the limits of how big a bike I'd want to go - just not sure if my typical Stromlo lap needs a Prime most of the time..
Open to suggestions of other frames that might worthwhile? Aluminum and 29er of course.
The Shortlist (so far)
Large V2 Prime
Large V3 Prime
Large V3 Phantom
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