They picked bikes for the top 10 and tested the under £3000 versions, found a spec issue but still said how good they were. Now these bikes all had expensive options available so why not just test these? Maybe have price groups etc?

Then why did they dismiss the frame only options?

So this won, got 4 1/2 stars but the spec is inadequate and the fork rubbish!!!!!

I run 650b and I notice no difference but I very been told that I seem to just roll away.

I run my rune at the neutral setting but I’m off to Antur over Easter so it’s getting blasted on the low.

could you not just use your existing 10 speed crank and just buy 11 speed cassette, derailer, chain and shifter?

I like the idea of 34 up front and 11-40 at the rear. i suppose i could that for less with a t-rex sprocket.

Excellent, just booking now 😛

It’s been great up the lakes so far and I’m booked on an uplift at end of April and then Grizedale enduro mid-may.

Think it’s 36/24 double 11-34 but I’d have to check and yeah it’s 27.5.

It is good to see a lot of love for Banshee. I’ve had mine 2 weeks and initially i thought it was a bugger to climb with but it wasn’t really the frame it was more to do with moving up from a 32 tooth ring to a 36 tooth. Now I’m settled on that the suspension paired with the double barrel climb switch is fantastic and really does pedal so much lighter than you think.

I have the 2014 Rune with the CCDB CS and it is brilliant.

Rune = amazing but not the best for climbing
Spitfire = amazing but not as good as the Rune when pointed down 🙂

It’s Chris Harris the motoring jerno but its interesting there is a BMW estate in the background 😀

What does this mean?

Ferarri FF and Orange Five

If I’m honest there are so many great bikes available that i’m surprised there are always so many people on Bronsons and Fives 😀

lol, not riding your bike in winter 😀 that’s just plain silly.

I understand what you’re saying but I wouldn’t see that as a factor, all my previous bikes have been ridden all year round and I factor in a bearing change once a year. my Rocky Mountain only needed a bearing change every 2 years.

Santa Cruz have a lifetime bearing warranty, a lot of companies are now looking at ease of bearing change and inexpensive replacement kits.

So in short I wouldn’t say use during winter as being a point to consider.

Yeah the all year round bit? all bikes are ridden all year round, especially mine.

Just pay the 7% you have still saved on it all.

I don’t understand that last comment Catvet?

I’ve ridden both the new alpine and the new five and they’re nothing on the rune.

WL, did you say that with your face straight, have you ridden a Rune? Do you understand how the switching dropout works? It isn’t a compromise, yes it won’t climb as well as a Five but it does everything else better than. Now a spitfire will smash a five all over.

I have the Rune and it is a brilliant bike, it’s not gonna win uphill races but it’s just sublime pointing down. although for a big bike it pedals so well. I wouldn’t want to spend all day doing an XC style route with loads of long climbs but it’s great for days in the lakes where the reality is that you push the very steep climbs anyways, did a 3 hour calderdale ride on Monday and it was fine 😀

The Spitfire is essentially a mini Rune, same suspension set up etc. If I was you I’d get one with a CCDB and all the 2014 frames come with the Climb Switch version.

Post on MTBR and Keith will give you an answer.

http://forums.mtbr.com/banshee-bikes/

JCL seriously. The rune is like a tank and the spitfire isn’t some lightweight race machine.

I have a Rune and it’s a brilliant bike, you won’t break any climbing records but for such a big bike it climbs well. The spitfire is a more rounded bike for all day in the saddle or epic distances, the rune is a winch and plummet bike.
Mine is built up in 650b flavour, CCDBcs, flow ex on hope hubs, fox 34 fit adjust, renthal fatbar, reverb stealth and weighs in at 32.5lb but like insaid it doesn’t pedal like it.

Banshee rune

It’s about offsetting the cost of the bike, if you can save more by paying cash then do it that way but it’s worth thinking about.

But you could buy a 4k bike on 0% and then put the 4k in an ISA earning 4% with the tax break. If it goes south just pay it off early.

Yes Hora but then the bike would get sold.

Yep, spent a lot but it’s about 4% of my monthly, about 2% joint.

Why wouldn’t you take advantage of 0%

early morning bash around Grizedale on the new bike, first lakes ride for it 😀

very true Northwind, mine is the best ever 😀

My mate has the one below this that doesn’t have the 34 talas. It’s pretty new and he doesn’t ride hard but he had an issue with the remote lock out lever and I’d also question a bike that should of been 3 grand not having a dropper on it.

I’ve ridden it and found it underwhelming, it felt very limp and I couldn’t pop it off things.

Mindmap

it’s the Ltd Edition fluro orange. the spitfire looks good but the rune is a beast of a bike and pedals really well for how big it is.

so test ride road bikes, don’t bother with mountain bikes?

Runes are great 😀

At least my recklessness feels a little bit more justified now.

Nail on head mrmo, I thought I had made a mistake after my first ride but now it just makes me question what the fuss about test riding is.

I have flow ex with hope hubs and I think they are great but if you want to look like a king in the trail center carpark it’s CrossMax or nothing.

I’ve got a partner crew cab.

Can get 3 bikes with front wheels off and all kit in plus up to 5 passengers :-).

so can you replace the connectamijig with a normal 2013 hose without it?

the connector thingy has made it impossible for me to put the post all the way into the seat post.