I showed the blue spitty above to my 11 year old to see what she thought and she pulled a face like she was on the toilet.
Never a good sign.
I prefer that to your old Spitfire's blue but I may not be as aesthetically well informed as an 11 year old girl - my elder one isn't yet 4 and has extremely strong (though somewhat eccentric) fashion opinions! 😉
I like that they haven't gone too extreme with the geometry - it's basically the same as last year but with the head angle and BB of low and neutral and the seat angle and reach of neutral and high - best of both worlds.
And arguably more importantly they've taken 10mm off the medium seat tube, 20mm off the large and 18mm off the XL, which allows riders wanting more forward geometry to size up and still fit a long dropper post. I feel Kona were way ahead of the curve on that front and I've been amazed how YT are getting everything else right apart from the seat tube length!
I agree on the seat tube length. It's perhaps my only gripe with my '14 spitty. I'm on an XL and find the ST to long whereas reach is spot on. Not surprised they've tweaked that
Looking at how the dropper fits on my medium 2014, if someone with my height and leg length wanted to size up they could fit a 170mm Reverb on a large and a 150mm Reverb on an XL. Lower top tube is nice too, anything for more knee space when cornering!
Some details here on the new stuff...
I'd have that Phantom 🙂
Can't believe this threads still going! Anyway trying to decide what to do with my Spitty since I've not ridden it much this summer as I've been on the road bike a fair bit but I'm fed up with the roadie and want to get back on the mtb. I had toyed with changing the frame for something else but I can't for the life of me see anything that I like at the moment.
Bikes about 2 years old now and I'm thinking its time for some new wheels and maybe upgrade to 1x11 but I'm not sure how wide a rim I can run as I'd like some wider rims this time and does anyone know if I need a specific Q factor if I go 1x11?
My last spitty was anodised black and to be honest the finish wasn't great, the anodising wears badly in places and was so easy to scratch. I much prefer standard coatings
I have found completely the opposite. The finish has been so much more robust than on some of my other bikes. I thought I'd put a massive scratch down it the other day when I dragged my sons pedal along the frame getting it of the car rack but the mark came off with a bit of spit and a rub with my thumb.
I'm in the process of building my large spitfire up and was interested in seeing what bar and stem combination you're all running, I'm not sure what rise to go for on my bars and what degree stem to run. All help appreciated.
Cheers
Just bought a large '16 Spitfire frame in black to build up and to replace my ageing Orange 5... really interesting thread answered a lot of questions I had.
Will post some pics up when I make some progress.
I almost put a Works -2 deg headset in my Spitfire about this time last year - but then got distracted with a Bird Zero AM and that same headset. Anyway, the Zero now has a Cane Creek angleset (less slack head angle, external lower cup for higher BB and slacker seat tube), so the Works is once against unused.
I've ridden the Spitfire frequently in all three geometry settings, all with a 160mm fork and 20/25% sag F/R (which is 33-35mm sag). I prefer the reach and seat tube angle on the high setting but the BB height and head angle on the low setting.
Head angle (low): 65.7 deg
BB height (low): 342mm
Seat angle (high): 74.2 deg
Reach (high): 429mm
With a 150mm Pike, -2 deg headset and dropouts in neutral it'll be:
Head angle: 64.6 deg
BB height: 341mm
Seat angle: 74.6 deg
Reach: 430mm
Seems worth a try doesn't it?
That also opens the option of going super low and slack for uplift days:
Head angle: 64.1 deg
BB height: 335mm
Seat angle: 74.1 deg
Reach: 425mm
I'd been thinking I didn't want to lose 10mm travel on the Pike but I almost never use that last 10mm - in fact I hardly ever get into the last 20mm because I like it feeling quite firm and ride pretty hard through my feet and the back wheel.
Just built up a Banshee Spitifre, XL size, all black. Thought I'd share because I love it!
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chiefgrooveguru - Member
Seems worth a try doesn't it?
been thinking of doing similar as it would make the geo closer to my ht - so would be interested to hear how you get on if you try it 🙂
I'm seriously considering a Spitfire now. Has anyone had any issues with bearings and/or bushings?
3 years and 2500 miles in, I've changed the bearings twice and the rear shock bush once, still on the original front shock bush. Had a bit of play in the front upper pivot a while back but disassembling, cleaning, greasing and torqueing back to spec sorted it.
The bearings are surprisingly easy to change if you have a proper press, no weird blind pulling etc required, though you do have to remove one side of the BB to get one of the lower front bearings out.
I did put the Works -2 deg headset in and shorten the fork to 150mm and I've been enjoying the result:
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I've only used it in the low/slack setting since, due to its first proper outing being an uplift, DH and offpiste weekend in FoD and S Wales and since then it's been slippery and lower is always better when every corner must be taken in a two wheel drift.
Soon...
Chiefgrooveguru - been thinking of slackening my Phantom for similar reasons, which headset did you use?
Mines about 15 months old now, pulled the seals off the bearings before winter, degreased and repacked them all, no need to change them. CCDB Inline went wacky 3 times, swapped for a fox float. Run mine standard headset and dropouts. Tried the slack for one uplift, bb too low for my normal riding.
Seems it's just Rockshox Monarch rear shocks this year. Is there benefit of the Monarch Plus over the normal Monarch?
Chiefgrooveguru - been thinking of slackening my Phantom for similar reasons, which headset did you use?
Sorry, forgot about this! It's a Works Components -2 deg headset for tapered forks and 44/56 headtubes. It replaces the usual ZS44/ZS56 with an EC44/ZS56 (external cup is needed to get the 4mm rearward offset to achieve the 2 deg angle change on a 115mm long head tube).
Cheers, much appreciated!
Actually seems it's "just" the Rockshox Monarch RT3 Debonair for the Spitfire. Ignore my earlier post.
EDIT: Although there are pictures of it with a Plus shock.... confused
[url= http://www.ison-distribution.com/english/product.php?part=FMBE7SP2Q ]Ison Distribution Spitfire page[/url]
Ta daaaaa
Finished in time for its maiden trip to Afan and recently a trip to BPW
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First impressions are excellent, running it with 26" wheels in the slack position for "fun" stuff and really pleased with the Fox bouncy bits, my first 36/160 fork and the X2 was well worth the wait. Still fine tweaking it and learning the new characteristics over the 5. It flies though, covers ground really well and never feels out of its depth..
Got a couple of big mountain trips to do this year, counting the sleeps 😀
Inspired by Chiefgroovegurus modifications to his Spitfire and by a general desire to fiddle and change things, I've just finished swapping mine over to 650B.
I installed a superstar -2degree headset back in January and it was very obvious that even with 165mm cranks ground clearance was rather limited!
So, out went the existing 160mm 26" Pike to be replaced with a 160mm 650B Lyrik.
Wheels are Hope Tech 35W on Pro4 hubs fitted with Maxxis Minion DHF/DHRII WT tyres. Clearance on the rear end is certainly tight as I'm still running the 26" dropouts so I'll have to wait and see if I get too many issues there.
Before
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1641/25837844120_f0a4ff7197_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/2/1641/25837844120_f0a4ff7197_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/FncGT3 ]Banshee Spitfire[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/le_grande_momo/ ]Matt Cotterill[/url], on Flickr
After
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/665/33212534121_79e6e21df5_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/665/33212534121_79e6e21df5_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/SASVhD ]Banshee Spitfire 650B[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/le_grande_momo/ ]Matt Cotterill[/url], on Flickr
The first proper test ride will have to wait until next week as I'm still nursing a big hole in my knee from falling off my other bike on the way home from the pub last week.
Pedals and cable outers - no, no, no!
Apart from that looking good Momo
What Mountain Bike review of 2017 Spitfire here - [url= http://bit.ly/2nwBPJB ]http://bit.ly/2nwBPJB[/url]
from the Ison Distribution facebook [url=
Soon...
[URL= http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g341/kiwijohn42/E4BB7998-0B22-4156-9DFB-E4EDA286D2E8_zpsvbeyp5jy.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g341/kiwijohn42/E4BB7998-0B22-4156-9DFB-E4EDA286D2E8_zpsvbeyp5jy.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Like that. A lot.
That looks a load better than it does in Banshees own photographs!!!! Damn, you have made me enquire about a frame now. Im liking my Orange Five but its still nothing like as good a ride as my old spitty! Interesting to see what the price comes in at without a monarch...Watching this build with interest.
Waiting patiently for my Prime.
You'll love the Prime - Mines a weapon!!!
Can't wait - interested to hear a few comments about the 2017 frames being about a pound lighter than previously (presumably as they are now using hydroforming for the main tubes), as some of the comments about the older Prime was that it was amazing, but a bit of a sledge.
Looking forward to the finished article kiwijohn. Been contemplating red fork decals on mine (2016 silver and red frame).
Cheers. Build will start tonight. Just needed a brake mount.
Took the SB66 for one last ride last night. The Banshee has got to live up to.
Demoed a 2017 Spitfire around Glentress on Saturday. It was so much fun on the downs and even in the wet it was quick. Surprisingly it was much faster climbing too, expected a bit of an increase but it really shot up the hills.
Current bike is a Commencal Meta but not for long 😆
Built. First ride tomorrow, with a bit of luck.
[URL= http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g341/kiwijohn42/CC641BE5-2614-429E-BD82-A7A5A8B37729_zpsjgq782kq.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g341/kiwijohn42/CC641BE5-2614-429E-BD82-A7A5A8B37729_zpsjgq782kq.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Thanks to a few people on here I have built up a relatively budget 2015 Spitfire. Cheers Jeff for the frame and Ross for the forks. Quite pleased with how it has turned out. It rides very nicely, is super confident when you get it up to speed and it pedals reasonably well up the hills. 28.5lbs as pictured.
Very happy with the Turbine dropper (£140 from CRC) with a custom little hope matchmaker/lever clamp I machined.
Running it with 26x2.4 tyres and it has loads of mud clearance so I might machine some shorter dropouts to try to make it a bit more manual-happy!
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Nice one GeForce. I rode around the block & decided on the taller/steeper drop out position.
1 ride so far & it shreds.
Looks nice GeForce!
Had my first ride on my rebuilt one this week, 63 point something head angle means that you need to concentrate when climbing, but it absolutely rips downhill. Took 12 seconds out of a PB on a 1 minute strava section!
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2931/33481309402_d05ba0e85f_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2931/33481309402_d05ba0e85f_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/T1CsPd ]650B Spitfire[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/le_grande_momo/ ]Matt Cotterill[/url], on Flickr
63deg HA? What have you done to get that?
-2 degree slack set from superstar, 160mm Lyriks and still running the 26" dropouts.
That was measured on my iPhone, which only shows whole degrees, hence the 63.something.
Looks like Tidworth from that picture?
Looks mint..
Aston hill?
No, that's the downhill mecca known as Sherwood Pines!
couple of quick questions as looking at a 2016 frame
thoughts on ccdb vs the monarch - im inclined to head towards the monarch as dont like fiddling (current is a float x)
Have a set of talas 36's so looking at chaiing them to floats but should i go for 150 or 160?
riding is FOD off piste - nothing over gnar
Last one, would you invisiframe the black ones...my bikecarrier has rubbed away my raw ali on my current bike
cheers
1 - CCDB - once sorted you leave it alone. I have a coil DB and an AirCS DB. I don't even use the CS on the Air.
2 - 160mm. Had 150mm Pikes, went to 160mm and it's loads better. Gives a little slacker HA and a bit more clearance for the crank/rock interfaces (I went to 170mm for the 2016 frame over the 175mm on my 2015)
3 - Everything is gnar on a Spitfire. Even the ups.
4 - No Invisiframe on a black ano. As it's burnished (~99% of the surface, other 1% is the graphics) I don't think it'll stick well, will look shit, and it's a very tough finish. I use black 1" Gorilla tape on the head tube, top of the down tube and the brace between the chain and seat stays to protect from cable rub. Also a few wraps of black gaffer tape on the down tube where the Thule carrier clamps the frame.
