I'm kind of amused to see Spitfires and Runes being mentioned, not the Prime or the Phantom.
I've had a Phantom in Sydney since 2015. It is hard to describe how much better this frame performs than anything else I've thrown a leg over. It's the perfect bike for gravity veterans without non-stop gravity around. Nearly three years later and I still don't want a new bike. I've taken it to Thredbo, used it at the Downhill festival at Del Rio, kept up with XC lycra buddies, and nearly forgotten about my 160mm bike that made me forget about my 200mm bike. It's just bananas what this 105mm is willing to do, almost makes me wonder if the Prime is overkill or just has bigger sexier travel. It's pretty remarkable how a good frame makes the wagon wheels comply in the tights. I also like that as far as I'm aware, I'm the only one I know of in this town with a black on black Phantom. I see Santa Cruz's every other day but it's certainly not obvious what I'm riding and that suits me.
In a dumb way, it would be selfish of me not to share my experience with my Banshee Phantom in this thread, it's a frame worth gushing over. I rarely pay attention to bike media and I'm told that 29ers aren't cool anymore (again... for like the third time since 2004?), nor is 105mm of travel brag-worthy. But goddamn, if this bike doesn't just exceed every expectation I and anyone I've let try my bike ever had.
FWIW
