Just to keep your excitement up jimmy here is another pic of the Rune at lee quarry this evening 🙂

Chiefgrooveguru, actually just changed the order to a medium – that wheelbase did sound awful long and I want it to jump as much as speed. I’ll try the 26″ dropouts for now, to be fair it just sounds like the bike rides well with either dropout. Thanks for your opinion though, I did keep checking the wheelbase and seeing a P&O liner stretching out before me.
philfive, getting it from Rob at bikeactive. Really helpful, willing to change all sorts with no upcharge, great price too. Was looking to get one from Blazing Bikes but their pricing wasn’t nearly as competitive.
Bikes are looking awesome boys. That orange is sweet, and the blue Spitfire looks gofaster. Like those Ford Capris with the stripes but not shit.

Got mine from Bikeactive as well, great bunch. I’ll watch for your bike appearing on there Facebook page just before they send it you 🙂

got my frame from rob at bike active last year he’s really helpful, I got a great deal too:) its a great shop to visit now he has the new premises as well.

You got some great bike shops near you over there. Was looking to order one to one of the Cardiff based ones but again, pricing was nowhere close.
Philfive, thanks for that, I’ll now be obsessively watching their Facebook feed …now? …now?

Really liking those Spitfires, but that orange Rune looks fantastic, great photo.

Philfive did you get the slx build too?

Yeah but added the XT brakes for an extra £30. I’m waiting on the renthal stem to come into stock then they will send me that.

Is that the renthal duo? Think they’re in stock now, I believe that’s the one I’m getting put on it, mostly for a bit of colour…

We’ll I hope it’s on the way then 🙂

http://www.pinkbike.com/news/welcome-to-the-bansheeone-industries-uk-enduro-team-rob-newman-.html

Rune looks fun!

That’s some honing and the bloke won seniors at UKGE as well.

I’ve got a spitfire too and I love it!
I had a tracer 2 (very plush, very fast, very cracky) and then a pitch before it (long, stable, fast, not so active on the suspension front) before getting the spitty in 26. I’ve found the spitty doesn’t feel like it has less travel, quite the opposite, seems to feel more and more comfortable and active the faster its travelling, if anything it can feel a little unwieldy at low speed.
I’ve got an XL, which at 6’3 is definitely the right size (see the pic for my saddle height even on a big one)
I converted mine to 650b after a couple of months, and was initially undecided about which I preferred, it definitely requires more effort to turn it aggressively but for “gettin’ your plough on” it’s unbeatable. The more I’ve ridden it in 650b the more I think it suits the character of the bike, very capable on fast wide open stuff
Mine is about 31lb with vengeances, stans arch ex, 34t single ring.
And I’ve never regretted not buying a rune, ridden plenty of uplift days on mine and it lends the feeling of confidence… Megavalanche entered this summer for the first time…

Noticed alot of love for banshee/transition at the moment. How come???

Fashion biking?

I wouldn’t say Banshee are fashionable, maybe it’s because they are great bikes?

Noticed alot of love for banshee/transition at the moment. How come???

Fashion biking?
I can think of a few reasons:

They don’t change their frames every year.
Great customer service. You can even email the designers.
Slightly cheaper than some of the competition.
Still offer 26″ wheel options and some of their bikes are compatible with both making the purchase feel a little future-proof.
Come from the Northwest US/Canada instead of California/Europe.

Also, in the case of Banshee, they’ve only just become widely available in the uk. Most shops can get them through Ison now.

My initial enquiry was entirely predicated on my concern with fashion yes.

The big thing for me is that they still offer frames at semi sensible cost. When u was looking there wasn’t much similar in the £1.5k bracket. They’re also still 26inch but can be adapted should the 650b thing take over. The geometry is good and unlike some of the other brands they fit proper length top tubes.

And above all of that, they bloody good bikes. A bit different from all of the Oranges, Commencal, Santa Cruz’s etc. I’ve had mine for almost a year and am yet to see another.

Fashion biking….from a man with an Orange, an STW fav!

Also, I can’t think if many bikes like the Spitty, 140mm travel, slack and designed to be run with big forks.

Definitely not fashion biking that’s for sure. Totally agree with mindmap as well not many frames available in that price bracket and is a change from all the usual suspects.

Oh and Keith the designer/owner is actually Scottish which is probably why he designed them with so much rear tyre clearance.

Keith from Banshee Bikes in action at Esher

and testing prototypes at Woburn Sands

Are any of you guys running the X-Fusion 02 shock?? I was talking to someone who really knows their stuff suspension wise and he rates it pretty highly after a good few months.

No, I on a CCDBa….I figured the small upgrade fee was well worth it.

I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that they’re good given the reviews their forks seem to be getting.

Somebody on MTBR had one and rated it, me I’ll stick with the CCDB AIR

Jimmy, your bike is ready, looks good 🙂

Yep looks great:)

Yes, it is and it does. But, the stem’s too long, wrong handlebars and I asked for maxxis high roller 2 tyres. Can’t believe it but I’m going to have to ask them to be changed. F*cking hate moaning, hope they’re patient.
I know they’re small things but we did agree it and it’s been really delayed due to stock issues. So close, so far, so awesome, so completely in Hertfordshire.

Hahahaha, I put trail kings on mine and they are great, what bars did you want?

Pretty much anything black, I know the renthal is a nice bar but can’t quite accept gold on a black on black on black bike. Do you know if they stock trail kings?
Rob seemed like a nice bloke when I spoke to him, hate having to keep coming back to him on the build.

Yeah they do stock them. You looking at a haven bar then?

The raceface atlas stealth bar would look great im sure he had those last year when I collected my frame 🙂

Marvellous. If they stock them I’ll ask, they look like great tyres. The mountain king look more like the tyres I’ve got on the arch ex wheelset I’ve got to put on the Rune when it’s a longer ride.
Rob did mention the Atlas bar when we were talking, hope he’s still got them in.
Thanks for your input again gents.

Also, sheesh that downtube is huge. Can’t wait. Well I can cos I’m picky.

Banshee’s are lovely bikes. Here’s my Spitfire at the back o’Skiddaw 🙂

Nice one Dave. Though in the context, slightly boasty 🙂

Have another of mine 🙂 just to make the wait worse 🙂

Phil man… You’ve changed…

Has anybody ordered an Invisiframe set for a medium Spitfire. There only seems to be a small or large kit. I’m assuming the small kit should work but the haven’t answered my email about it 🙂 ta muchly

philfive, did you use the mountain kings on the build or just swap them straight out? Sounds like everybody is out of stock of all 650b rubber… Maxxis, Continental, Schwalbe. I could get it sent Monday with the mountain kings on and order some better tyres or wait interminably…

I got mine on the bike, I said I don’t fancy the mountain kings so Rob swapped them.