Buying new bike off the peg in 2021? Yeah, good luck with that!  Thankfully for me, I have never been one to buy a bike off the peg.

New bike desire was strong this year, my 2015 Chromag Rootdown hardtail was showing her age and to be honest it was making me show my age too (MRI on knees in a couple of weeks to confirm).

I decided I needed something 29er, middling travel, sturdy, not eye wateringly expensive.

To keep the budget vaguely in check and to minimise the amount of time I would spent fruitlessly hunched over a laptop searching for the right or even just parts it was decided I would get a new frame and maybe forks and move over the good stuff from the hardtail with a few bits from the spares bin.

Many frames were considered, some discarded based on cost, some on availability, and some just lacked the WANT.

As it’s a replacement for a Chromag, something Canadian or PNW based would be nice, the Banshee Prime ticked all the other boxes, some nice sound engineering and manufacturing going on there too… I have liked Banshee bikes since the early 2000s and their in retrospect crazy freeride bikes.  Not many reviews out there for the Prime, but there are a few for it’s sister bikes, the Titan, Phantom, Rune and Spitfire.  All positive.  User reviews for what they’re worth all seem to be positive.

Go for it.  (This appeared on the day my frame arrived https://theloamwolf.com/2021/03/29/review-banshee-prime-v3/ – phew)

After a flurry of communication with Pedals Bike Care in Edinburgh, a new Banshee Prime frame was heading my way.  (Seriously, big high fives and sloppy Covid secure hugs to the guys at PBC @pigyn )

New forks were justified based on the fact that old ones were a bit short in the steerer and I could hand them down to the eldest, which means we would have a spare pair of forks for the youngest when he inevitably outgrows his current bike.  #trickledownbikeonomics in full effect.

New forks were perused, not a lot of choice out there at the moment.  Even less under £1000.

Manitou Mezzer in very shiny silver? Bit garish, questionable Pinkbike review.

DVO Diamond? Look alright, spares might be an issue, offends my mismatched suspension OCD.

Marzocchi Bomber Z1 with 10% off – sold! Fox own Marz now so that’s the OCD placated and it’s a BOMBER!  Just seemed right for a Banshee.

A bargain 150mm Brand-X dropper was grabbed with the same 10% off. Small parts like adaptors, longer hoses, frame protection and the like were ordered.

After a flurry of parcel deliveries, the Chromag was stripped unceremoniously of her bits and hung on the garage wall.

The build went smoothly (despite me forgetting to order a different front brake adaptor) with only the internal routing proving to be a learning curve and one of the tiny internal routing cover screws disappearing down the chasm of the routing port into the frame, necessitating removing the forks to retrieve it.  I don’t believe I’m the first to do this…

Traditional First Ride Pic:

I mean, just look at it, it’s magnificent.

After the first ride I have reasonable base settings sorted for the suspension and the bike feels ace, but I’m sure I can wring more awesome out of it.

Specs for those we care about such things.

Frame: Banshee Titan V3 Size: L, Shorter (CS are still long) Dropouts, set in Low/Slack.

Shock: Fox DPX2 Performance Elite

Fork: Marzocchi Bomber Z1 160mm

Headset: Banshee Munro

Seatclamp: Chromag NQR

Stem: Chromag Ranger

Bar: Chromag OSX

Grips: SDG Thrice

Dropper: Brand-X Ascend 150

Saddle: Chromag Trailmaster

Wheels: DT Swiss E1900 (boosted with Mt Zoom Centrelock boost kit)

Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF EXO (MaxxTerra 2.5 on the Front, Dual Compound 2.3 on the back)

Brakes: Shimano XT 4 Pot, 203mm rotor up front, 180mm out back.

Drivetrain: Shimano 10 speed mixture of SLX, XT, Zee, Deore with a Superstar Components chain ring

Pedals: Saint clips

Bottle cage: Zefal from a French Supermarket in the 2000s that i have loving hand bent for extra grip.

Mudguard: RRP Bolt On Mini

Bike looks great, and I must commend you for one of the best “New bike” posts that I’ve seen on here.

Looks great that Dan 🙂 I’m still not sold on the brown grips and saddle tho!

Very nice, maybe see it at some point round Swithy (Sam from the windmill last weekend 🙂 )

Alex – you’re entitled to your opinion no matter how wrong you are… 😉

I like that very much. Looks ace.

Very nice! But you’ve called it a Titan in your spec listing! 😉

But you’ve called it a Titan in your spec listing! 😉

I take back my commendation due to the above.

I take back my commendation due to the above.

And too late for a stealth edit too – dammit!  😉

That brown-hued pic and the brown saddle reminds me a lot of an old Specialized Enduro from back in the day.

That brown-hued pic and the brown saddle reminds me a lot of an old Specialized Enduro from back in the day.

Late 2000s Specialized SX Trail as ridden by Matt Hunter, Berrecloth etc

Is crank inline with downtube not the done thing anymore?

Awesome looking build 👊

Is crank inline with downtube not the done thing anymore?

Not when it would hide the very clever shock cage…

Alex – you’re entitled to your opinion no matter how wrong you are… 😉

I had one of the Spesh brown saddles ‘back in the day’, so my comment may be wrong, but at least it’s informed 🙂

Be good when you come ride with us again. Got some great trails waiting for your new bike !

BillOddie

Late 2000s Specialized SX Trail as ridden by Matt Hunter, Berrecloth etc

Yep, that might be the one

Or more like this less swoopy one

Nice wheels, I love how clean the graphics look on the raw frame.

Beautiful looking bike the Phantom. I like the brown too!