It's black, long, low and slack - my 2013 Banshee Rune V2

[Mindmap3]

Re: It's black, long, low and slack - my 2013 Banshee Rune V

Another update...

Got my BOSS forks and they're pretty good. I did have a minor panic when I pumped them up and tree was no damping. I checked the oil level in the damper side and the shop who serviced them before I bought them had neglected to refill them with oil. Topped them up and all seems good.

I need a few more rids to get them dialled in, but so far they're pretty good. Easily the best air forks I've used. The bike feels more balanced with air both ends although there is a bit more front end flex and the bike is more easily deflected in rocks.

I rode in the Peaks today and it was pretty grim; very windy and wet. The wind at the top of Stanage Edge was evil and the main descent was basically a stream. Here are a couple of pics:

I also treated myself to an X0 shifter in the sales and be hot to say the shifting is much better than my X9 shifter. I think I've done it wrong all these years, having had a nice mech and a cheaper shifter. Hopefully this will last longer than my X9 shifters that seem to suffer from dirt ingress and then jam.

 

[*AJ*]

Re: It's black, long, low and slack - my 2013 Banshee Rune V

You're impressed with the Bos then? The set I was looking at is still available and I'm tempted.

 

[Mindmap3]

Re: It's black, long, low and slack - my 2013 Banshee Rune V

You're impressed with the Bos then? The set I was looking at is still available and I'm tempted.

Yeah they're pretty damn good. Not quite as plush as my coil 36's but the nicest feeling air forks that I've ridden. With a bit more fiddling they can only get better.

Give them a shot, I doubt you'll loose any money on them if you decide that they're not for you.

 

[Moo]

Re: It's black, long, low and slack - my 2013 Banshee Rune V

Big thanks to mindmap3 for his help with sizing and measurement of his bike. Persuaded me to get this little beauty!

 

[Mindmap3]

Re: It's black, long, low and slack - my 2013 Banshee Rune V

No worries a all mate. Enjoy it.

That colour is gorgeous and would have been the colour that I'd hone for if it'd been available last year.

Let me know if you need anything else.

 

[Mindmap3]

Re: It's black, long, low and slack - my 2013 Banshee Rune V

Not too much to report really.

The Devilles have proved themselves to be a great purchase. The bike feels much more balanced with them due to both ends being air now. They're the best air forks that I've ever ridden and are properly plush but the do hold ip in their travel better than my Vans did.

Don't get me wrong, the 36's were great and were stiffer than the Devilles but I never found the sweet spot where they were plush and supportive; it tended to be one of the other. I think they look a bit better too, kind of sleeker.

One thing I do want to do us strip them right down tomorrow because every ride has been in grim conditions and I'm concerned that there is no oil in the spring side for lubrication. The damping side was empty after the shop 'serviced' them, so I imagine the spring side is empty. I'll do that in the morning and will get some pics.

Had a great ride at Coed y Brenin last weekend which was surprisingly not too grim. The Beast trail was awesome with some nice rocky, techy bits mixed with flowing singletrack that felt very natural. The climbs were tough though, especially on a single ring. Can't wait to go back again soon.

 

[Mindmap3]

A little bit of an update...

The BOS are still going strong although I did now a seal at BPW in March (they'd started to perish when I looked at them in more detail). So I chucked some Fox 34 seals in as this is what J Tech and co do. They were pretty easy to do, although pressing them in by bare hands took some doing! It also turned out that I'd been given dud info about using super light weight oil so I put some Motul 7.5w in as recommended by J Tech and they feel better than ever.

The bike has had a few minor updates in the shape do an SDG Ti Fly to replace my creaky Charge Knife in white and green, some green Superstar Nano pedals and some green Easton grips. The Vans grips were super cool but they wrecked my hands.

It's had a fair bit if use....Bike Park Wales, Cwmcarn, CYB, Cannock (the off piste stuff there is great) and Stile Cop. Still really really happy with it and it feels pretty dialled in now.

Here a few pics from a very sunny, dry CYB today.

The Easton grips seem really good so far; much softer, loads of grip and I like the raised flanges ad each end.

 

[Mindmap3]

Bit of an update...

I treated the Rune to a new XT cassette and Sram 1091R chain. I went to a Hopton add Eastridhge a couple of weeks ago and the weather was grim. My cassette and chain didn't look too clever. Hopton was was in the wet but I didn't really enjoy Eastridge.

I also changed the tyres to a Magic Mary up front and a Rock Razor on the rear..

The Hans Dampf's had started to go off the boil as they'd worn. Sone of the knobs had started to tear slightly which meant they didn't feel consistent to grippy like they used to. The Magic Mary looks monstrous so should grip like no mans business.

It's much more aggressive than the Hans Dampf

When the weather turns again, I'll stick another Hans Dampf on the rear because I don't fancy lugging a Magic Mary about on the rear!

I also switched the standard black XT hoses for sone white XTR hose but don't have any pics.

 

[Mindmap3]

Big change for me....I've ditched Sram mechs and shifters after mine years swearing by them. The Shimano clutch mechs are much better and virtually eliminate chain slap.

The bike continues to impress.

Had a great ride in the Peaks this morning...although I discovered the hard way that a rock is much better at stopping me than my XT brakes. I tried to cut a corner and a bit of heather was hiding a rock...my pedal / foot to this had me over the bars in seconds! Who needs brakes hey.

The rocky, old roman path down from Stanage was really, really overgrown; the brakes as above my head and I'm a smidge under six foot.

The Magic Mary tyre on the front is utterly brilliant, despite being a wet weather tyre it works in all conditions. The Rock a Razor rear tyre is pretty good in certain situations, but I don't like it in others. It's rubbish for riding down really steep, loose stuff. On the other hand it feels fast on dry, hard packed trails.