The Banshee Spitfire is a new frame that we are adding to our lineup next year. It will be a 5" travel aggressive trail / enduro ripping machine with adjustable geometry and a specifically tuned VF4B linkage.
The 2 shock mount positions will both give you 5" (130mm) of efficient but active travel, that will vary the geometry and feel of the of the bike significantly. See below for tentative geometry, (things may well change after some proper real world testing).
The Spitfire allows the rider to easily change the bike for a geometry setting to suit what ever trail you are riding on any given day. The first setting will feel at home on technical XC with a higher BB to give you more clearance and steeper head angle for those steep climbs and slow speed tech sections. The slack setting will drop the BB and slacken out the angles to better suit high speed flowy trails, as well as trails with technical steeps, where a slacker headangle offers you more control and confidence.
The Spitfire frame is lightweight but laterally stiff and stronger than most the competition (as per usual for Banshee!). This has been achieved by using custom hydroformed 7005 T6 tubing and internally ribbed seat and chain stays. By using IGUS bushings with direct grease injection ports, the pivots are stiff, light and easy to service. My large prototype frame weighed in at 5.62lbs (6.51lbs with shock mounted, and seatpost clamp). The relatively strong build I put together for testing (I like to push the limits of frames during testing), as seen here weighed in at about 28.1lbs.
Designed to be an XC / trail bike for downhillers, freeriders who want to get back to their roots on the trails and XC guys who want to step up to more challanging terrain (with great stand over, option of slacker angles, uninterupted seat tube, down pull front derailleur compatible and ISCG 05), the spitfire offers the usual banshee high performance, as well as being a very versatile frame.
Some more pics of my test build. I went for Gamut P30 single chainring option as it suits the local riding I have planned. Jay will be testing his with a front derailleur and tripple chainring, so we will have all bases covered. I'd like to thank Freeborn, Raceface, Gamut and Superstar components for supplying parts.
UPDATE:
I added the name and icon at the top
Ryan Daugherty did the graphics of the Spitfire. The icon is an impression of the back of a jet engine straight on. I think he did an awesome job
