ACT FOUND. What to buy / wanted to buy: Prime or Phantom

[Ultra Lord]

Get out of my head!

Maybe I should ask Hambo for help deciding?

Have you seen vitals review of the phantom?

 

[droenn]

Have you seen vitals review of the phantom?

Yep, if you mean the round up one

This is a good one too: https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/2021-banshee-phantom-v3

 

[dancaseyimages]

Ok real issues.

Banshee are only doing raw frames at the moment, which means if go with a Phantom the red accents and my current green components would be... interesting.

Prime with the black (or dark grey?) accents will work much better.

IS THIS WHAT IT HAS COME TO?

Just reading this and there are a few local places that can wrap your frame in a completely different colour if you choose to do.

Just one off the top of my head is:

Cykel Division

Cykel Division. 309 likes · 1 talking about this. Decals for bicycles designed and manufactured in Canberra

www.facebook.com

The alternative is to have it sprayed (most panel beaters are up for the challenge, or a mate has a booth that you can hire in Hume if your keen on getting on the gun) or even as I have seen on a few BMX's and dirt Jumpers is have it powder coated, very hard to chip powder coat but needs to be masked really well so you can still put your bearings etc. back in. Powder coating is around the $250 mark for a frame in Canberra.

 

[Ultra Lord]

Yep, if you mean the round up one

This is a good one too: https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/2021-banshee-phantom-v3

I still reckon a prime would be the go to for canvegas.
Banshee’s pedal great.

 

[Scotty T]

Prime all the way. I feel like 150 is the minimum rear travel I would ever have now after riding the Titan and a few years on the Bronson both at 150. When it gets rough at speed the little bit extra just means the bike is less unsettled.

The Titan pedalled amazingly for a super slack bike with a quite heavy build, VPP/DW/KS2 type linkages seem to be the business for uphill.

I'm ~6cm too short for the XL Banshee apparently but with my monkey arms it was good, it felt massive but in a good way. The ETT was not much bigger than the Bronson, but the upright pedalling position with the steep STA felt entirely different, despite the weight and size it was quite easy to ride uphill.

 

[leitch]

My vote stays with the Phantom. You go to the Prime and then you end up with a 150/160mm fork so then you're like "hmm... probably need 2.5" tyres and a cushcore then huh? and 4 pot brakes. probably need to get a coil shock also" and then before you know it you're riding an enduro bike you didn't want.

 

[Ultra Lord]

My vote stays with the Phantom. You go to the Prime and then you end up with a 150/160mm fork so then you're like "hmm... probably need 2.5" tyres and a cushcore then huh? and 4 pot brakes. probably need to get a coil shock also" and then before you know it you're riding an enduro bike you didn't want.

If you do all that then you really wanted an enduro bike to begin with and had commitment issues.

 

[Litenbror]

Go the Prime, it's a good all-round trail bike that can be used on bigger stuff. The Phantom looks great but it will require a lot more work when things get fun. Also if your worried about the Saphire being enough fork I have a Dimond here that I would be happy to swap

 

[dirtdad]

You go to the Prime and then you end up with a 150/160mm fork so then you're like "hmm... probably need 2.5" tyres and a cushcore then huh? and 4 pot brakes. probably need to get a coil shock also" and then before you know it you're riding an enduro bike you didn't want.

If you do all that then you really wanted an enduro bike to begin with and had commitment issues.

dirtdad looks across the garage at his Prime...
his eyes fall first on the 4 pot gold curas - with their sweet, sweet modulation - he caresses the levers
a recently installed coil peeks out from inside the forged shock cage - the 450lb spring is soft and supple, it glides over rocky terrain and warmly hugs loam-filled corners
the 2.4 tyres come next - he runs his hand over the worn rubber and thinks... wouldn't it be nice to replace you with something stiffer, maybe a DD or SG casing to allow lower some lower pressures - or perhaps I can add an insert instead...
he walks back to his desk - closes his rotorburn tab and sighs
no... the internet would never allow that... it's a trail bike, after all

 

[Rorschach]

I have 4-pot Deores and 2.5 tyres on my Prime too...

 

[Rorschach]

Jokes aside, I'm probably going to end up with a longer fork on my Prime than the 140mm I have as I keep clipping pedals on XC loops

 

[The Reverend]

Jokes aside, I'm probably going to end up with a longer fork on my Prime than the 140mm I have as I keep clipping pedals on XC loops

150mm travel absolutely is the sweet spot on the V2 Prime I feel..

 

[caad9]

dirtdad looks across the garage at his Prime...
his eyes fall first on the 4 pot gold curas - with their sweet, sweet modulation - he caresses the levers
a recently installed coil peeks out from inside the forged shock cage - the 450lb spring is soft and supple, it glides over rocky terrain and warmly hugs loam-filled corners
the 2.4 tyres come next - he runs his hand over the worn rubber and thinks... wouldn't it be nice to replace you with something stiffer, maybe a DD or SG casing to allow lower some lower pressures - or perhaps I can add an insert instead...
he walks back to his desk - closes his rotorburn tab and sighs
no... the internet would never allow that... it's a trail bike, after all

That was a rollercoaster ride

 

[Rorschach]

150mm travel absolutely is the sweet spot on the V2 Prime I feel..

140mm is a touch short. Fine on downhills, but a bit of a pain on the rocky stuff here. I reckon 150mm would be perfect

 

[birddog69]

dirtdad looks across the garage at his Prime...
his eyes fall first on the 4 pot gold curas - with their sweet, sweet modulation - he caresses the levers
a recently installed coil peeks out from inside the forged shock cage - the 450lb spring is soft and supple, it glides over rocky terrain and warmly hugs loam-filled corners
the 2.4 tyres come next - he runs his hand over the worn rubber and thinks... wouldn't it be nice to replace you with something stiffer, maybe a DD or SG casing to allow lower some lower pressures - or perhaps I can add an insert instead...
he walks back to his desk - closes his rotorburn tab and sighs
no... the internet would never allow that... it's a trail bike, after all

Can I have a sample of whatever you're smokin'?

 

[The Reverend]

140mm is a touch short. Fine on downhills, but a bit of a pain on the rocky stuff here. I reckon 150mm would be perfect

Yep, stack and BB too low but it's still great fun.
160mm slackened out coil beast is also another. It's so versatile.

To OP it's very subjective. There's overlap between them and I think it depends on where your focus is going to be.

Don't underestimate the pedalling ability of the Prime, or the capability of the Phantom in chunk.

 

[Rorschach]

Yep, stack and BB too low but it's still great fun.
160mm slackened out coil beast is also another. It's so versatile.

To OP it's very subjective. There's overlap between them and I think it depends on where your focus is going to be.

Don't underestimate the pedalling ability of the Prime, or the capability of the Phantom in chunk.

Stack is fine, but yeah BB a touch low.

Agree on climbing on the Prime, I found it easier than my old hardtail!

 

[droenn]

My vote stays with the Phantom. You go to the Prime and then you end up with a 150/160mm fork so then you're like "hmm... probably need 2.5" tyres and a cushcore then huh? and 4 pot brakes. probably need to get a coil shock also" and then before you know it you're riding an enduro bike you didn't want.

Oh I already have 4 pot brakes and a 2.5 DHF up front on the Smuggler, and a heavier "enduro" wheelset. I'm a solid 100kgs and into the whole "fat mans XC" vibe that Downcountry brings

Prime all the way. I feel like 150 is the minimum rear travel I would ever have now after riding the Titan and a few years on the Bronson both at 150. When it gets rough at speed the little bit extra just means the bike is less unsettled.

150 is definitely too much for me, but I will still have no chance keeping up with you anyway whatever I get haha

To OP it's very subjective. There's overlap between them and I think it depends on where your focus is going to be.

Don't underestimate the pedalling ability of the Prime, or the capability of the Phantom in chunk.

Yeah, this is my conclusion, they are both going to be awesome, and will have different strengths for some things and after settling in to the bike its probably not going to matter as much as I'm making it out to be in my head.

Also, my childhood is coming back around!

VS

 

[droenn]

Stack is fine, but yeah BB a touch low.

Agree on climbing on the Prime, I found it easier than my old hardtail!

you running yours in neutral?

 

[Tubbsy]

into the whole "fat mans XC" vibe that Downcountry brings

I like this!