Ride report and build update.
So went out for a good session today after a few changes. The changes first - fork has been replaced with a 2017 Lyrik which was supposed to be a bargain until you buy a RC2 damper and an ACS3 coil kit... rear spring has been upped 50lb to 500lb/in, wheels have been moved from another bike, carbon and a whole millimetre wider (30mm internal) and about three parts of f### all lighter than the Stans Flow S1.
The ride -
Excellent. The tyres just grip so much and I’m sure they are pretty much the sole reason I’m faster on the descents - that and 20mm more travel than what I’m used to. It’s definitely a descending machine. The tyres roll so much slower than an Ardent it is actually surprising. I don’t know how reviewers get on 160mm enduro bikes and claim they climb well. From the reviews, the Spitfire is decent at pedalling but my Strava times show that it is not - 15% slower would be pretty consistent.
The fork is great, still needs a little fine tuning but compared to the Pike (RCT3 with a Luftkappe) it’s better but only marginally. They’re different, similar small bump and a bit more mid stroke support on the spring side but far out I don’t reckon I would pick it in a blind test (probably hit a tree riding blind). Worth the difference in retail price? Maybe not. The reviews are glowing but I think a few people are trying to justify destroying the insides of an expensive fork and spending a lot on the conversion. Happy to be proven wrong though and the spring is a huge improvement over the soloair spring - that’s just a POS.
The RC2 damper has a useful range of adjustment. Only 4 or 5 clicks of high speed adjustment and I need to play with it a bit more. Have the air Bump Stop stop to adjust as well so there is a bit of a cross over. The rebound is noisy. As in really noisy. Low speed stuff is ok but there is a distinct line in the sand when, I’m guessing, the high speed circuit kicks and it and squelches. Doesn’t bother me as it hides the creaks and rattles I can’t find. Would recommend this damper for sure
Still playing with the shock after putting the 500lb spring in it. Still not convinced the Spitfire geometry is suited to a coil. Most calculators put me around a 425lb spring and the 450lb spring was definitely not enough. Have to play with all the dials but I was focussed on the fork.
Magura brakes are excellent, so much power, mineral oil makes life easy but a they’re a bit noisy, might be the rotors I don’t know.
Other things borrowed permanently from another bike, 185mm Bikeyoke - nothing to be said there it is by far the best post I have used. Carbon wheels are round and grey/black, Hope hub is really noisy, louder than the rebound circuit on the fork and heaps louder than an annoying creak that I can’t work out of its from me pedalling or from bobbing as the freehub is so loud.
On the to do list - put an XT shifter and Zee derailleur on once I get the bar mount adaptor, SRAM ergonomics aren’t great on Magura brakes. Probably get a 10sp XT cassette at some stage once I stop spending money. In the meantime I will just ride it and look at it. Still not convinced on the blue, hence there is zero blue anodising anywhere
Updated specs
Frame - 2017 Banshee Spitfire
Rear shock - Cane Creek In-line Coil w 500lb Valt spring
Fork - 2017 Lyrik with ACS3 and RC2
Handlebars - Thomson Trail 750mm
Stem - Thomson X4 40mm
Headset - Banshee
Grips - Raceface
Saddle - SDG Charger
Seatpost - Bikeyoke 185mm with triggy
Brakes - Magura MT Trail Sport
Rotors - 180mm Magura HC
Cranks - Raceface Aeffect
Chainring - Blackspire 30t oval
Chain - SRAM 10sp
Pedals - XT
Rear derailleur - SRAM X9
Rear shifter - SRAM X7
Cassette - SRAM 10sp
Wheels - Light Bicycle 30mm internal on Hope Pro 2 Evo 40t
Tyres - DHF/Aggressor 2.5WT
Total weight - 14.8kg
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