What’s in a name?
Over the last few years, bike companies have made a concerted effort to use a new software program called the Labeltron 2000 to name and categorize every single type of bicycle found in their product line. Fresh and sticky labels that read “Downhill”, “Freeride”, “Cross-Country”, “All-Mountain”, “All-Mountain light”, “Enduro”, “4X” and “Slopestyle” grace the pages of glossy catalogues and flash websites found on the interweb.
The label Slopestyle conjures up different images for different people. Some mountain bikers see Slopestyle as a passing fad where mountain bikers do dated BMX tricks on really big jumps, while others see Slopestyle as the progression and future of mountain biking to the mainstream. For me, I see Slopestyle as a venue to create a lightweight and versatile ripper of a bicycle suitable for an assortment of different terrain. Slopestyle bikes often make great versatile rigs, especially for smaller riders. And for me, most of the features I look for in a bicycle are found in Slopestyle labelled bikes.
Full seat tube (14.5”)/ Yes
Low stand over (27.4”)/ Yes
ISCG chainguide mounts/ Yes
Slack(ish) head angle (67 degrees)/ Yes
Light weight (8.92 with a DHX air 5.0)/ Yes(ish)
Decent top tube length (21.9” for a small)/ Yes
Short chainstays (16.8”)/ Yes
Low bb height (13.9”)/ Yes
1.5 Head tube/ Yes
Spec wise
I have my Wildcard built up to be a versatile little rig that can climb up Fromme comfortably, and with the drop of a seat post, bomb down Whistler’s finest trails. Suspension wise, it’s equipped with a Fox Float 36 and DHX air 5.0. A Chris King 1.5 Devolution headset, Thomson X4 stem, and Easton Havoc bar keep the cockpit tight. Juicy 7’s with Goodridge housing slow me down in style, and Sram X.9 and X.0 keep my shifting needs happy. Hadley hubs, Mavic EN 321 rims and Bontrager Big Earls keep the wheels spinning. Truvativ Stylo cranks, E-13 LG1 guide and Atomlab pedals keep the cranks turning. A non-bling notable includes an OEM speced seat post (gasp!)
Geometry wise
The sum of the parts above result in a tight little package with a 67 degree head angle, 27.4” stand over height, 13.9” bb height and a 34.63lbs digital scale weight. Overall, I’m happy with these numbers, but woud be happier to get my Wildcard down to sub 34lbs.
But how does it ride?
How a bicycle rides can be very subjective. One rider’s claim is another rider’s joke. Don’t laugh; remember how well 24” rims and dual 3.0 tires rode? That’s why I find it is essential to give set up numbers.
I run a fairly firm set up for my 160lbs weight. I run 6.3” of travel in the front via a Fox Float 36 and 5” of travel in the rear via a DHX air 5.0. I set up my DHX air 5.0 with 175psi in the main chamber, 150psi in the boost valve, the bottom-out resistance fully cranked, and my rebound set at 8 clicks from the fastest position. Ordinarily, I run my rebound fairly slowly, but on the Wildcard, it begs to have the rear end lively to pop off jumps.
Climbing
The Wildcard has the benefit of a near full seat tube length. At 5’7, I have enough seat post on the small frame to get full leg extension for extended climbs. With a fairly steep seat tube angle of 73 degrees, the Wildcard allows me to get centred and also over the front of the bike if need be for steep climbs. This puts me in a comfortable position for cleaning Fromme’s switchbacks as well as tackling more difficult uphill trail conditions.
The DHX air is a great match for the Wildcard. I made a deliberate effort to climb while sitting and standing, combined with and without the propedal lever engaged. To my surprise, the Wildcard climbed amazingly well and exhibited minimal to no suspension bob (with the propedal lever engaged). Given the right gearing, the Wildcard is capable of taking on extended climbs, and with the right build kit, would even make a decent All Mountain style bike.
Descending
The Wildcard loves to be ridden hard. With a 67 degree head angle, short chainstays, and a relatively low bottom bracket height, it absolutely rails. One of the first things I noticed while riding my bike on A-line was how comfortable I was getting my weight over the front wheel and really digging into the turns. I felt like I was riding in the bike, rather than on top of it. Cornering in the Wildcard feels like being in a powerful, quick steering, low slung sports car with deep bucket seats and a full tank of gas.
The Wildcard is very stable in the air. It has plenty of pop off the lips and is easy to toss around for whips and transfers. The travel ramps up nicely and provides a firm platform to boost jumps with.
Banshee is a great company to deal with. Their customer service is absolutely amazing. Any questions I had regarding the Wildcard were quickly answered with a prompt, polite and enthusiastic response. It’s great to see rider operated bike companies like Banshee out there in full force, and the passion and enthusiasm they bring to the sport. This is something big bike companies should take note of.
Price. At a MRSP of $2056 Canadian dollars, the Wildcard isn’t exactly a bargain. At this price point, there are plenty of other options worth looking at. Expensive tooling, high-end quality and production, extensive research and development, and limited runs all come at a cost to the consumer. But the old adage “You get what you pay for” can definitely be heard whispered throughout the trails. Whether you choose to hear the whispers or not is up to you.
The Banshee Wildcard is the real deal. It corners, descends, jumps and even climbs well. Whether these features equate to the ultimate Slopestyle bike, it’s not for me to say as I don’t think I can back flip X-up over a 30 foot gap well enough to properly put it through its paces. Fortunately riders like Banshee’s Alan Hepburn can put the Wildcard through its paces and seem to be doing a very good job at it too.
Banshee Wildcard Review- Part II of II
Generic seat post = Thomson Elite
Truvativ Stylo cranks = Race Face Atlas FR
8” front rotor = 7” front rotor
Atomlab (old school) pedals = Kona Wah Wah pedals (OMG, WTF, BBQ, A Kona branded part on my bike)
Worn 7spd Sram cassette and Sram chain = New 6spd chopshop Ultegra cassette with cross step Sram chain. Ask master mechanic Axx from Team NSMB for detailed setup instructions.
My Banshee Wildcard now looks like this:
and now weighs
If you look closely at the tires, you’ll notice that I’ve crossed over to the dark side. No more single ply tires, just serious DH meats. A Maxxis Ardent 2.4” with triple compound in the front and a 2.35” super tacky Highroller in the rear. Follow this thread if you’re curious about my decision to switch to DH tires.
http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=119401&highlight=2.35%22+tires
The result is a significant weight gain and a final weigh in at 35.38lbs.
With the new suspension setup, the geometry on my Wildcard has changed. The bb height is now at 13.75” and the head angle is 67.5 degrees.
The new parts and Suspensionwerx setup has made the Wildcard an even better ride. The suspension travel is way more active than before. This is great for descending and has made the Wildcard feel like a mini-DH bike when riding on the shore. A new air suspension sensation for me is having the little stuff soaked up while not bottoming out roughly on the big stuff. My previous air suspension setups have been on the firmer side to prevent harsh bottom outs. The steeper head angle combined with having the suspension sit in its travel, coupled with real DH meats makes the Wildcard carve bermed corners like it’s on rails.
The Fine Print
Well, you might be wondering if I’ve experienced any problems with the Wildcard. I’ve only had one minor issue so far. After a couple of really muddy rides last season, the Wildcard developed a loud squeak in the rear triangle. After a through cleaning and generous gob of Phil Wood grease, I have been squeak free ever since. This squeak free period has included some of the nastiest mud, and snow rides mother nature has graced us with.
The anodized black finish on my Wildcard has been very durable, but I have seen a few Wildcards with the wet paint finish that don’t seem to be fairing as well.
The Wildcard has been a fun, solid, and reliable ride. It’s been relatively trouble free and with the right suspension tweaks, has the ability to be an absolutely amazing ride. The Wildcard has made me happy enough to keep it for another season. And for those who know and ride with me, that’s saying a lot.