Banshee Spitfire vs Transition Scout

Thinking about a frame/fork/wheel change and these two appeal to me. Does anybody have experience of both?

I currently have a 2011 Stumpjumper that I run with 160mm Lyriks and it’s great but it’s getting a bit long in the tooth, and the rear tyre clearance is a bit tight. I ride all sorts on it from normal trail riding to full on DH tracks. I’m not a fantastic climber which is why I swapped from an Enduro Evo to the Stumpjumper. It turned out that the Stumpy was more fun while being more suitable for everything but things like the double black at Antur.

I could do with a bike that climbs well and is fun to descend on. In fact fun is the main requirement for a bike, I don’t ride MTB for fitness I ride it have fun. I quite like the mixed travel of the Stumpy and think that’s one of the reasons I enjoy it, both of the frames I am thinking about are also mixed travel. The Spitfire is 160 front with 140 rear, just like the stumpy but its slacker and a lot longer. The Scout is 140 front with 125 rear and about the same angles as the stumpy with a longer wheelbase because of the longer front end. Will the scout be more fun because it is shorter travel, shorter, and has a lower bb?

Obviously I need to test ride both of them but I would appreciate others views on both frames.

Cant really comment on the comparisons as i’ve not ridden any of the others you mention, but I love my Transition Scout – climbs well, great descending, very playful and fast. Looks like quite a bit less travel than the spitfire though (comparison might be the Patrol?). But coming off a 140mm / 140mm FS before I dont notice that the rear is only 125mm on the Scout.

I demo’d both bikes from Pedals in Edinburgh and took them to Glentress. I wrote a short review here. My full sus is also for fun (though I very much value a bike that climbs too, which my God that Spitfire does) and my Spitfire (final choice) is very very fun. Two and half weeks on it on the Alps in the summer was brilliant and my riding came on a long way. It might have been that the Scout wasn’t quite dialled for me, but super super happy with my purchase. I’d definitely see if you can get some demos though. If you ride DH at time, I’d definitely go for the Banshee as it is bullet proof. A mate has a Rune for DH which he also rides round the Cheviots on XC rides.

I’ve demo’d both and ended up with a scout.
As PO mentions most likely the patrol is closer to the spitfire
I ride in the peaks and coming from a blur thought a 150+ bike was what I wanted (needed) but the 140 / 125mm of the scout is perfect (with some volume spacers in the shock)
It’s climbs far better than the blur even though it’s a 1lb and a half heavier.
It’s a super fun bike and when I sat down and thought about it before buying that is what I really decided I wanted.
Demo them both then but what puts the biggest smile on your face.

Just to add balance, I’ve seen four cracked spitfires in the last year; one of them was my own. Heavy is the word I would use, not bombproof.

no personal experience with either other than watch 2 of my riding buddies disappear down the hill on both of thoses

A spitfire owner here and I’m running it 160/140 with the slack chip setting and I love it. Yes it’s a burly trail bike at around 31lbs but you only notice it on those really long fire road climbs. The suspension design is very good, a bit like the DW link which is why it climbs so well and it’s so much fun going back down the way which for me is the important bit. Over the last 18 months of ownership and the limited riding I’ve had on it I’ve ridden local stuff, trail centre stuff, the Cairngorms and a SDA DH track and it’s taken it all in its stride.

The only downside for me is it turns out there’s an alignment issue with my frame and it knackered the internals of my rear shock. It’s currently away for a warranty claim so I’m about to see how good the warranty actually is. That aside I’d still recommend it highly.

Not had both but a few mates ride Banshees and I genuinely think either would serve you very well.

My thoughts on the Scout it is a very playful bike, its suspension while having a high pedaling efficiency is very active and generates loads of grip. The frame is very stiff and even though bottoming out on the fast, rough stuff is fairly common I don’t think it slows me down. I find the nimbleness of this bike makes you want to take inside lines and opens up line choices. If you want a monster truck that charges through anything then get something like a Giant Reign but if you want something more playful and nimble get one of these.

Frosty have you needed to put any volume spacers in the shock, mine is very linear and blows though 100% travel at 30% sag

What you blowing it out on? I blow mine out a few times a ride on fast rocky descents and the damage to my rims are testimony to that. On the other hand it doesn’t slow me down, I’m riding these sections faster than when I had 155mm rear travel. No additional spacers in mine at the moment but definitely considering it, see if it gives a nice ramp up without screwing with the mid stroke performance. FYI I’m not very heavy 70kg no gear.

I can’t fault my Spitfire but the Scout looks great too! For 2016 the Spitfire has a lower BB and the Scout’s is a bit higher so they’re now pretty much the same with the Spitfire in the slack setting. Running a high volume CCDBA on my Spitfire it takes a big hit to use all 140mm at the back – the linkage has a lot of progression and it rides high in the travel – and that’s without any volume spacers to ramp up the air spring and the high speed compression damping set fairly light.

I’d think of the Spitfire more as a 160mm bike that pedals, pumps and ‘talks’ back through your feet particularly well – it has the angles, stiffness, fork and resistance to hard bottoming. The adjustable geometry and modular dropouts is a nice touch too.

Frosty Rocky descents mainly, but as I live on the edge of the peaks that’s 90% of my type of riding, small drops also.
I put two spacers in yesterday and not a lot of difference to be honest may try another two.

Blowing through the travel is one of those things where a heavier or faster rider may need a custom shock tune with more high speed compression damping – but obviously try adding volume spacers first because you can do that yourself for free!

I haven’t ridden either the Scout or Patrol but looking at the geometry and suspension designs I’d say the Spitfire sits between the two in character, closer to the Patrol. (And the Rune goes even more gnarr with its 64.5 deg HA with 160mm forks and ability to take 180s).

Thanks guys, gives me something to think about. I am leaning towards the spitfire at the moment because of the slack head angle and the longer forks. Will test ride one asap.

I would look at a Patrol over a Spitfire, better in every way.

In what respect, you can’t just make a statement like that without even backing it up without an explanation.

Bit of a bump but I’m in the same postilion. I really fancy another Spitfire but keep getting drawn to the Patrol.

I did consign a Scout but seeing as this is going to be my only bike and I fancy a dabble at dh soon the Patrol looks more sureg.

Anyone ridden a Pattol and a Spitfire?