2015 Banshee Legend Updates

The legend has recieved significant updates for 2015 to make it a leaner meaner and ultimately faster DH racer.

New for 2015

There are a number of significant updates and refinements that have been made to the 2015 Banshee Legend.

• - The geometry of the frames has been updates to supply what our riders have asked for. We have dropped the small size, lengthened the medium and large top tube lengths (while also lowering the center of gravity and standover), and added a new XL size for longer front center to allow taller riders to get into a great attack position.
• -The head angle has been slackened to 63.0 degrees, the BB has been lowered 2mm, the travel has increased to 205mm, and rear tire clearance for 26" wheels has been improved to help on really muddy tracks.
• - A new tube set not only increases strength and front triangle torsional stiffness by 5%, but it also creates a cleaner merge with the shock basement forgings, and improves compatibility with the tube for integrated frame bumpers from ODI.
• -The linkage kinematcs have been improved to work more optimally with modern DH race cassette ranges while slightly reducing pedal kickback.
• -The MY15 legend forgings have all been refined to shed weight and improve aesthetics, the frame has tubes for ODI fork bumpers, and now has a 44/56 tapered head tube to make it compatible with tapered steerer triple clamp forks running a zero stack headset, while the whole center of gravity of the frame has been lowered to make it the best in it's class by a margin.
• -Lots of other small manufacturing details to improve strength, stiffness characteristics and ultimately performance.

The best just got better!

Wheel Size Facts Part 1-Dimensions, Weight and Strength

The boys over at Banshee Bikes sent this along today it is a good read on wheel size.

"You may have read certain online and printed marketing startegies which talk about wheelsize with a significant bias towards one size. The size they promote will always be either the only size that the source company produces, or the size that they want to push. Intentional marketing spiels are often very misleading and can skew the purchaser's judgement.

I feel it is my duty to set the record straight by writing a series of blog posts that kick off with this one, which addresses two key components of wheel size: weight and dimensions (and little bit of strength thrown in for good measure!). I plan to give unbiased information that you may find useful when deciding what size hoops you want your next purchase to be.

I can offer nonpartisan information (actual facts, rather than marketing blurb) as here at Banshee we offer all 3 mountain bike wheel sizes. We let the customer decide what they want rather than force it upon them, so have no reason to promote one over any other.

Every wheel size has its pros and cons, so picking the best wheelsize for you really comes down to personal preferance. The main things to consider when picking wheel size are your riding style, riding purpose (style or speed), the terrain you ride, and rider height, but there are also many other factors. I'll try my best to cover the main ones.

The following camparisons for this whole series are based on using Maxxis High Roller II 2.3" tires on each wheel size with same rim width for all sizes.

Any comparison I do will be relative to 650b wheels since they are the middle wheel size and so it makes the % change figures clear and consistant.

Dimensions: (Outer tire dimensions taken from official Maxxis 3D files)

Straight away this table is likely to cause some confusion... because as you can see, none of the rims or tires match up to their name sake. You can find out why this is the case by reading from a master of bike knowledge Sheldon Brown.

However, one point to notice is that while 650b is marketed as 27.5", it is only 1" larger diameter than 26", and 1.5" smaller than 29", so it is significantly closer to 26" than 29.  The 650b tire (often marketed as the 27.5") does not actually fall equally between the 26" and the 29" tires, so the characteristics of the 650b are far more similar to 26" than 29" wheels.


Weight:

Static weight

Obviously, tire and wheel build weights can vary significantly for all wheel sizes. So I'm sticking with 2.3" wide High roller II 3C/EXO/TR. For the wheels, I will use Stan's ZTR Flow EX wheels for each size.

Static weight (the weight of an unrotating wheel) is often emphasised by marketing teams. But it only really matters when you lift the bike on and off a rack or carry it on your back. However, static weight does have an effect on the...

Moment of Inertia

Moment of inertia is resistance to angular velocity change about an axis of rotation. Basically, the higher the moment of inertia of a wheel the harder it is to accelerate (and decelerate). This is far more significant than static weight when riding a bike.

Moment of inertia is related to both radius and mass, as Moment of Inertia (I) = Mass x Radius². A low moment of inertia results in a fast accelerating wheel (easy to start spinning). The flip side of this is that a high moment of inertia is harder to decelerate (harder to stop spinning), and so the wheel will carry the speed better once rolling if all other factors are equal.

The below table shows approximate moments of inertia by using the BSD as the effective rotational radius for all wheel sizes. 

What these numbers illustrate is that if you ride flowy trails that do not require lots of braking and accelerating back up to speed, then a larger wheel might be a better choice. However, if the trail demands regular braking and pedaling up to speed again then a smaller wheel might be better suited.

If using the same effective components, then as the wheel size increases the weight and inertia increase accordingly (as you would expect)... but because inertia increases at a rate that is proportional to the radius squared, it goes up more steeply than weight as the wheel size increases.

Strength:

A factor that is strangely often overlooked by marketing teams is that of the strength and stiffness of the wheel. I find this particularily strange as wheels cost a lot of money, and are subject to a lot of abuse, and personally the lifespan of a wheel is a significant factor to me when chosing what set to invest in.

If comparing like to like wheel builds (same rims, hubs etc), smaller wheels will always inherintly be stronger than larger wheels. This is due to wider gaps between spoke eyelets and poorer spoke triangulation etc. So strength to weight ratio is something that will always be won by smaller wheels.

It is however easy enough to compensate for this by getting stronger and stiffer wheels, but they do generally either weigh, or cost more. So something has to give.

It doesn't stop there....

Weight, dimensions and strength are obviously very important factors to take into account when considering what wheel size to choose. But... there are other factors too! And if this mini-blast of physics chat hasn't put you off too much, stay tuned for future blog posts about topics where bigger wheels have the advantage."

Ian Hylands Joins Niner Bikes

Niner Bikes welcomes Ian Hylands as full time Photographer and Videographer for the company. Ian comes to Niner with an impressive portfolio and significant experience as an influential image maker in the cycling industry.

Ian’s work speaks for itself – he’s had images in every major US mountain bike publication and his pictures live on the computer monitors of cyclists around the world. We are really excited to bring him on board.” said Niner Marketing Manager Carla Hukee, “This signals a new capacity for great content from Niner Bikes”.

Ian will be based out of Niner’s Fort Collins, CO office.

Niner Bikes was founded 2004 in Southern California and is headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The company is dedicated to the ideals of passion, commitment and 29ers only.

http://www.ninerbikes.com

https://www.facebook.com/ninerbikes

Brian Buell Takes On new Zealand

Deep in the heart of the Wairoa Gorge outside Nelson, New Zealand lies the most developed, and in my opinion the best trail system I have ever experienced yet nobody has ever heard of it. This private bike park that is in its final stages of development was opened for the first time to the public this past weekend as it was host to the Dodzy Memorial Enduro. Finding your way to the venue was half the battle, and once you arrive on the property you are greeted by some of the steepest hillsides that all converge on the Wairoa river below. It was hard to imagine building bike trails in this unforgiving landscape, however what I saw that weekend opened my eyes on what can be built if provided with the proper resources and trail building knowledge. This race was held in tribute to Dodzy, the mastermind behind this trail building operation and a prominent figure in the NZ mountain biking scene. The race sold out, but I was instructed to sign up immediately once I arrived in NZ as this was an event/experience not to miss.

Everyone was buzzing come Saturday morning as fellow riders of all levels lined up promptly, early in the morning to fetch a shuttle ride up to get their chance to sample what all of the talk was about. The shuttle ride was a fantastic adventure in itself as the Land Rover's powered riders up out of the valley floor, climbing thousands of feet to our drop off point and stunning views of the Ben Nevis region. Groups of riders had to be organized and led by a Guide. These guides are also the trail builders and without their guidance trying to navigate and find a comfortably safe pace down the trails would be a tough proposition. I cannot describe how impressed I was as a fellow trail builder with the quality of work that these builders put into this place. They went above a beyond, utilizing the great resources that they had at hand to make many of our dreams a reality. In short, these trails were the most flowy and fun works of art I have ever lied eyes on. It was all built with a purpose and every turn complemented the next while the use of steep hillside was blended together to create what felt as a giant pump track no matter what type of trail difficulty and terrain. I could gush about these trails all day and the amount of trails seemed endless, but it being a race weekend my focus was between the tape and the trails I needed to do my best to conquer.

I was in the que promptly at 8:30 and didn't stop riding until last shuttle mid afternoon. I was told by a fellow rider that I had the most massive grin on my face after my first run, however I've probably never seen so many people giggling and grinning ear to ear. The best part about New Zealand is that you cannot pinpoint exactly one type of terrain even in a small area as the landscape constantly changes between all climate spectrumes. So the trails were all varied and you had to be a true all mountain rider to really master them all without worry. I completed 4 runs on the day top to bottom and each one felt better than the rest as I latched tight on the back wheel of some insanely quick guides and did my best to learn the trails and pick out points of interest all the while riding on the limiter. I was slightly concerned for the safety of some lesser ability riders due to the dangerous and exposed pitch, but these trails proved to hold up and wear in well as only a few bumps and bruises were sustained on what was unanimously felt as the best day of riding ever! Everyone gathered later in the heart of Nelson to share a brew and exchange stories of the day, and to also come together in celebration of Dodzy's life.

The sun had yet to hit the valley floor before we were being whisked away back up the hill for our first race run of the day. The racing format consisted of 3 timed race runs and the combined provided the overall race winner. Coming into this race weekend I didn't have any big goals as I had only been on the bike for a week, but I felt like I got a solid training block in while in Queenstown and was keen to give it my all and to see what my new Banshee Prime could do. One goal that I did set for myself was to just ride rather than racing these trails as the consequences of riding off trail could be spectacular. I nearly missed my start as I was chatting with newfound friends up top and taking in the views, but once I was in the gate and pushed off I quickly found the zone. This windy, tight and rather slick track named Creamed Rice didn't leave anytime for the mind to wonder, only to react. I dove into the one steep and rooty right hander that I had highlighted and once clear, it was a blur of pine needles, rocky hardpack and one hell of a road sprint to the finish. The seeding was completely random, however the organizers tried their best to organize the fastest riders together, but being a rather unknown from the states I was slotted right into the mix and had to work my way through traffic and dust. After a stage 1 victory over a large field with world cup level riders, I was now known and once in the que for the 2nd run, riders situated themselves around me to help provide a clear path to the finish.

Stage 2 started midway down the mountainside and riders quickly started moving in 30 second intervals. Holly greeted me at the start to get a shot of me sprinting out of the gate and onto a bench cut masterpiece that paralleled the steep and windy road down. The somewhat dry track called Kurtology wove between tight trees and had some incredible G outs and some sneaky line choice. My Fox Suspension absorbed every bump and the Prime accelerated like a drag racer after every pump. The trail dropped onto Quattro track, descending into the trees and valley floor while scenes of Jedi Speeder bikes ran through my head. It was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my racing career and I could not stop talking about it to fellow racers preparing to make their way up for their race runs. A short break to allow all riders a chance to make it down the hill and we were being shuttled back up for the third and final stage that would bring us all the way down the hill in one go. Starting on a trail named Slippery Waka(a large chicken like native bird) for its slippery and rooty nature and tough flat turns, this proved to be the hardest part of the race for me as I made numerous mistakes due to poor line choice. I was ecstatic and slightly anaerobic once I reached the flow trail of Bermed As. My quads and calfs burned as I pumped, jumped and cautiously navigated hairpin corners. The track is well ridden and fast, most likely a favorite afterwork ride by the trail builders, but it was real loose through the corners with renegade rocks just looking for a front wheel and heart to break. The end was in sight as I sprinted a blocks length of road and turned down onto Kidknappers, the 12 loosest, steepest, shall rock littered turns before the finish line sprint. My Shimano XT brakes eased my mind as I knew I could go hard into the corners without failure to slow up. The finish arena is extremely exposed, and the growing amount of spectators observing from across the road took in all of the excitement until the last rider made his way down making for a ruckus and wild atmosphere. I was extremely knackered as they say, and utilized the frosty river below the finish to relieve my screaming leg muscles, enjoy the days achievements and take in the wonderment of where my journey has led me so far.

The event was a huge success, the shuttles and timing ran like clockwork as the race promoters had all the logistics figured out. It was an honor to be apart of this event as it was inspiring to see how many people one man could bring together through his hard work and efforts in the mountain bike community. A BBQ feast ensued down by the river as riders splashed around, friends old and new told tales from their day and with the massive amount of swag available, it seemed like everyone came away with something, but everyone came away with huge ass smiles on their faces. After my first event of the year in the books I was pleased to find myself in 6th place overall, a near 5 seconds from 3rd with a combined time of 28:12. The weekend was a great success, in the midst of their summer I felt like I wasn't far of pace in my riding, however I could do to find a bit more fitness. This recaps the best race weekend of my life, wish you all could have been there, and for those that were I'll hopefully see you next year!

Results

Race Coverage


Thank you all for your support as we look forward to more racing adventures like this one in 2013.

2012 Colorado State Champs - Telluride Team Geronimo

I packed up my bags, hitched the trailer up and got the wheels turning towards Telluride Mountain Resort for the 2012 Colorado State Championships. This small mountain town situated in the southwest corner of Colorado has played host to a World Cup and has been a mainstay on the Mountain States Cup circuit the past decade. The surrounding mountains tower above the historical mining town of Telluride, this place really is special and sometimes the views can even be distracting while trying to navigate down the course. The mountain has created a good system of trails in its developing bike park and the 2002 World Cup track still remains, but has seen quite a few facelifts throughout the years.

Two years have passed since I was last here and the track has since received some changes. The rocks in the landing of the road gap were to my delight removed and smooth rocks put in there place to provide an easy landing platform. Momentum Trail Concepts last year developed the bottom of the track with big berms, added track sections and time with steep chutes and tight turns. The weekend started out with some soaking rain that tacked up the riding surface creating hero dirt to end the day Friday. The rest of the weekend called for afternoon showers which could really shake things up if we were to race in the peanut butter.

There was once again a time trial Super D race that I chose to enter in for a bit of fun and practice towards the Big Mountain Enduro series later this year. There were a ton of dusty bermed turns and short sprints between to set the riders apart. It was a fun track to ride and I was excited to see if I could repeat my 1st place performance from last week. I had a great top section going and was riding well until I traversed across the open ski slope. I was looking ahead towards the entrance of the trees and then the off camber trail fell away beneath my wheels sending me sliding head first over the flesh searing rocks. After dusting myself off I hopped back on my bike with bars twisted 10 degrees to the left and rode hard the rest of the way to a 6th place finish only 4 seconds off the box and 10 from the win. As disappointing and painful as the race was I was stoked to see Teddy come across the line and finish 4th place overall less than a second off of 3rd.

Sunday morning rolled around and the aches from the previous evenings activities fallowed me up for my qualifying run. The rain had held off and the track was rough, fast and dry. I put together a clean qualifying run and ended up seeding in 2nd place .2 out of 1st. I knew I had to open it up throughout the turns and minimize mistakes for my final as I was tired from pedaling too hard out of every turn. Telluride local boy Jess rode very well in his first timed run since Angel Fire to seed 5th and Teddy who had been right on my tail seeded into 7th. With some good rides, we were looking at the possibility of 3 riders in the top 5, but first the Cat 1 15-18 junior riders were about to drop in. Both Roy and Tyler had crashed in their seeding runs and Roy was the first to cross the line and into the hot seat. He held the top position until Tyler crossed the line .05 ahead. Overall, Tyler would finish in 5th and Roy in 6th place. Congratulations to Roy who finished 2nd overall in the MSC Cat 1 15-18.

It was time to head back up the hill for my final run. In 2010 I had qualified 1st and was primed for a great finish and I ended up blowing my bead off the rim and awarded myself with an overnight stay in the Hospital. This thought had crossed my mind once or twice but I knew all I can do is ride and the rest will sort itself out. After congratulating the young junior rider who seeded 1st behind me, I set out of the gate far more focused and was riding exceptionally faster in the top section. I was riding loose, drifting past some of the spectators as I entered into the trees that took me down two years ago. I let out a little celebratory cheer as I smoothly rode past my old crash zone and blitzed into the rocks. I rode a slightly higher line than in practice and avoided many of the bigger rocks, but just as I thought I was in the clear, the all too familiar sound of the bead blowing off the tire rang true through the trees like a shotgun blast. At least this time I was still upright, body intact and ready to ride another day even though my day was done due to my rim losing the battle with a very sharp rock. Teddy had a safe run but left a little too much in the tank and finished 13th overall. Jess who had been gaining speed all weekend was looking for the podium but just fell short in 4th place overall, .8 off of the box.

It was another great weekend of riding and racing on some great tracks in arguably one of the most beautiful places in the country. There were some close calls and disappointment on my part with my DNF and fall in the Super D. The junior riders continued to impress and show their willingness to push themselves faster each weekend. Michael took this weekend off the rehab from a few bicycle get offs and to train for the upcoming Big Mountain Enduro Series races. Lear has been ripping it up in British Columbia, visiting Banshee headquarters and shredding hard in front of the camera. Thanks to all of our great sponsors for allowing us to perform at our highest potential and helping us reach our goals.

Ride On!

Brian