Banshee bikes launch 155mm Titan 29er

Banshee have a new long-travel mountain bike for those who prefer their enduro rides on an aluminium frame, rolling 29er wheels.

The Canadian bike brand specialises in producing aggressive geometry bikes with a predilection to improving descending confidence.

Featuring an entirely redesigned frame and suspension system, the Banshee Titan offers an array of contemporary design details and impressive downhill trail riding potential.

Banshee is rare amongst mountain bike brands, for remaining steadfast in its commitment to aluminium as a frame material, as opposed to carbon-fibre.

The British Columbia company believes that a marginal weight benefit, which is possible with a carbon frame, does not justify the increased cost. Banshee prefers to deploy its development resources with the goal of producing the best rear-suspension platform.

Banshee knows about mountain bike suspension

The company counts a former Rolls-Royce aviation engineer, Keith Scott, amongst its staff and as such engineering standard are high. Scott has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, with a thesis which specialized on suspension design. Unsurprisingly, Banshee bikes are regarded for their ride quality and active suspension kinematics over technical terrain, especially when descending steep and demanding trails.

An evolution of Banshee’s KS-Link suspension to KS2 has seen the rear shock moved to a reinforced cage, at the bottom of the frame. this reconfiguring of Banshee’s traditional suspension linkage, which placed the shock in the middle of the front triangle, has both lowered the centre of gravity and created space for a water bottle.

Banshee applies meticulous engineering standards to its aluminium frame design. It uses 7005 T6 grade aluminium and some of the parts are 3D forged to create complex yet robust structures.

Despite 7005 T6 temper auminium being challenging to work with, it possesses 12.9% greater strenght and 4.5% superior stiffness compared to 6061 grade aluminium.

The Titan classifies as a substantially capable 29er enduro bike, with 155mm of rear-suspension travel and the option of 150-, 160- or 170mm front forks.

Banshee have been considered in their design details for the frame. It features internally routed cabling for the drivetrain and rear brake. This creates a cleaner overall appearance and avoids cables damage during a crash, which is a risk with fully external cable routing.

The Banshee Titan will be available to South African buyers who seek a redoubtable 29er enduro bike with outstanding suspension kinematics. Recommended retail is R30 000 to R32 0000 for a frame, which includes a sophisticated Fox X2 factory rear shock.

Titan is available in medium, large and extra-larges sizes and three colourways: raw aluminium, anodized black and red. Banshee’s local distributor is Stoke Suspension Works, based in Woodstock, Cape Town.