New frame or new rear triangle? Yeti/Banshee content.

Looking for help while dithering… I’ve recently cracked my SB66 swingarm, and am trying to decide what to do next. I could get a replacement swingarm for around £500, but I have an offer on a V2 2015 Banshee Rune for £850, minus shock.

For the Yeti; It’s been a great bike, a classic frame and has a one-off paintjob. (Which I should get the rear triangle sprayed to match.) However, Bearings are a pain to source individually. (3 different sizes) and the ‘official’ bearing kits are pricey.

For the Rune; It’s new, versatile for loads of wheel/hub standards, would take all the old build kit from my Yeti and looks bombproof.

What would you do?

Rune

I was about to buy a Spitfire until Yeti came through with a warranty replacement swingarm. 2 years out of warranty.
The LBS had both a Rune & a Spitfire in & it would have been a tough call between them.

Personally I’d go for the Rune, but being a Spitfire owner I am biased!

Personally I’d go for the swing arm, the SB66 is an awesome bike and mine still amazes me every time I ride it.

If it’s the carbon rear end can you get it repaired?

Rune (but then I ride a Phantom). I suspect that this will come down to the number of banshee vs yeti owners on the forum…..

Had a sb66 yeti great bike nothing to complain about there! Had the rune same again great bike did everything very well in fact better than it should of for the amount of travel.
But £500 on an older frame is a lot and not really any return to be had if you did look to get newer tec in the next year or so!
So I’d say rune 26 now 650 later if you wanted to.
Also good news is as I’m sure you’ve worked out the yeti shock Is the same size so quick service and tune and new mounts and away you go!
Win win

But £500 on an older frame is a lot and not really any return to be had if you did look to get newer tec in the next year or so!

I agree with this.

The rune is a great bike that allows you to use your existing stuff and change at a later date.

I’ve got one for sale on the classifieds- it’s too much bike for me now as I don’t get out often enough to justify it.

Rune, £850 without shock for a 2012 seems steep.

I was half thinking of flogging my 2013 Spitfire frame with Fox CTD shock and Hope Headset included a while back. Price I’d had in my head was £700ish. Maybe I was under valuing it.

Couldn’t bring myself to do it in the end as it’s such a brilliant bike 🙂

Allan23 it’s not a 2012, He says it’s a 2015! So not a bad price!
Got a buddy did the same with a brand new warranty replacement same price and got a bos vipr shock of a rune for £150 of eBay all good.

Buy my SB66 instead? 😆

I hadn’t checked this thread since yesterday, as I was out enjoying the revelation of dry dusty singletrack… 😀

As people have pointed out, the SB66 is an awesome frame. £500 for a swingarm isn’t ideal, and it is an Alu one, being a 2012 frame.

I’m leaning towards the banshee for many of the reasons given, but also the shiny/new/orange factor… Also, a niggly point, but the SB66 has a load of different bearing sizes in the frame, so sourcing them is a faff, and the Yeti kits are pricey. I like the fact that the Banshee ones are regular sizes, and they go so far as to post the dimensions on the website!

Allan23 it’s not a 2012, He says it’s a 2015!

So it is, I’ll blame blurry morning eyes 🙁

I may be biased but I got to ride a mate’s SB66C recently and was surprised at how nervy it was downhill and hard work uphill compared to my Spitfire (which is a good few lbs heavier due to his carbon frame, cranks etc). Great suspension, great geometry and very adjustable/future-proof. Rune just a little more downhill biased but I bet it still climbs better than the SB66!

Ive ridden most bikes (not a yeti) but the rune is amazing climbs ok but when decending its so reassuring that it’s dangerous safe you feel and fast you end up.
Again bias because I’ve got one but I genuinely don’t want any other bike.