The manky banshee.

moorey

call me Mia
I’ll preface this by saying years ago that IF I ever bought a 29er..IF..it would be a Phantom.
So here we are.
Except it’s not 29.
And it’s really not for me...but I like it a lot, and will ride.

Basic build with spare parts that are otherwise doing nothing. Felix just lost his unused XC bike that the wife very occasionally used. They can share this with me.

Frame. 2015 banshee phantom medium.
Shock. CCDBA in-line.
Fork. (Currently) 160 pike RC 27.5.
Wheels. Pro2 Evo 40pt on arch EX 27.5
Tyres. Tubeless, SS rear, HR2 front...because they were on the rims at the time.
Cranks. GX with 32t NW. 175mm
Train. XT shifter, derailleur and chain.
Cassette. X1 10-42 XD
Bars. Atlas 750
Brakes. M8000
Stem. Thomson elite 70mm
Dropper. BrandX 30.9 125mm
Grips. TLD lockon.
Weight. WAY more than a 105mm travel bike should be.

Initial impression; I really like it. Despite same weight as spitty, definitely pedals better. That said, was only 4km loop around home trail, with ribs too sore to push it. Feels like a lot more than 105mm rear.

Planning shorter fork. Thinking 130mm pike. Also need to get the BB up. It’s designed for 27.5+ or 29. Yet to set dropouts in highest position, and that with shorter cranks might stop strikes. Also tempted to try a 190mm shock instead of the 184. Will only add about 5mm of travel, and it appears the it will all clear.

Looking forward to a proper roll when I’m fighting fit.

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born-again-biker

Is looking for a 16" bar
Does your kitchen ever get used for, like....ohhh.....I don't know.... making food????

(Love the Phantom, great 'parts bin' bike. Looks like it will be far better than the sum of the parts)

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Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Nice one Moorey. The wagon wheels are getting tempting and ever closer now.

Heal up soon and hope you get out there for a decent blat.

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moorey

call me Mia
Nice one Moorey. The wagon wheels are getting tempting and ever closer now.

Heal up soon and hope you get out there for a decent blat.

Sent from my F5121 using Tapatalk
Been on and off 27.5’s for years. #never29. If I can’t find the sweet spot for this in 27.5, it will have to go. ;)
 

moorey

call me Mia
Given it’s already overweight, first thing to try might as well be the hope hoop flow mk3 with some 2.6 tyres I’ve got no other use for.
 

moorey

call me Mia
I'd love to see you go 29'er for a while and enjoy it then get in denial. Awesome personal struggle :)


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4 years ago, I spent a week on a $10k trek 9.9 as a favour to a mate who sells them. I went in with an open mind and really expected it to grow on me. It did the opposite.
 

slider_phil

Likes Bikes and Dirt
4 years ago, I spent a week on a $10k trek 9.9
Maybe, just maybe a banshee 29er might be a different beast? Go on, 12x142 wheels are cheap as chips these days so why not so the experiment and really differentiate from the Spitty?
 

Hipstar

Likes Dirt
Do not rate.

Who ever convinced you to buy is a master salesman.

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moorey

call me Mia
Do not rate.

Who ever convinced you to buy is a master salesman.

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It was so cheap, it sold itself. He must have lost a ton on it. The shock had a full rebuild for sale even.
Everyone I’ve known, who knows bikes, rates them highly. Guess he was a Gumby.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
4 years ago, I spent a week on a $10k trek 9.9 as a favour to a mate who sells them. I went in with an open mind and really expected it to grow on me. It did the opposite.
That is a pretty big favour. I wish I had a proper dirt ride on the Rune too. Smaller wheels just feel like more fun.

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moorey

call me Mia
I feel the same. I’m resigned to 26 wheels being slower...but more fun for me.

I raced a Buller enduro twice in the space of about 6 weeks. Once on 26 alpine, once on 27.5 rune.
I almost matched a faster mates times on the Rune, was well back on the alpine....but I enjoyed the race a lot more on the alpine.

That’s not comparing apples with apples, I realise, but I can say I FELT faster on the Alpine.
 

moorey

call me Mia
Took for a 20km gentle ride this morning. Liking it a lot more than I expected to.

Needed more rubber.
352308

Now with plus(ish) tyres on flow EX/Hope Evo.
2.6 DHF front, 2.6 rekon rear.
Set the dropouts in highest position.
Only about 15mm lower in BB than my average height. Still planning shorter forks. Need me some 165 cranks, I tells ya.
 
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