Carrera Banshee xxx

arrogantowl

Hi Guys,

does anyone have any opinions on the new Carrera "Banshee xxx" i think the xxx is new for 2008.

Halfords are selling it for £999 at the moment (but not on their website yet)

I was considering getting the GT I-Drive XCR5 from (Halfords only) but the MTB chaps in the sore where poining out how much better the Banchee XXX is for the extra £100

I cant find any other reviews on the net about it, does anyone know anything about it and offer an opinion.

Cheers
O

mikeyg123

those mtb chaps in halfords will tell you that, because halfords make the banshee, and not the GT, so will get more money from you buying the banshee

Salsa

Oooh your so wrong, I worked in Halfords & we were never advised to sell any bike over another due to one having a greater mark up, in fact that sort of info was never passed onto us.
I sold people what we decided was the best bike based on their budget & what they wanted from a bike, that's it.

arrogantowl

Hi Salsa,

I would tend to agree with you here. The people i chatted to where genuine MTB enthusiasts, and did not really seem overbothered about towing a party line when chatting to me (i dont really think there was a party line anyway :-))

But these guys spent about 30mins of so just having a chat really, no sales pressure or anything like that. Anyway reg the GT XCR5 thats a bike the GT make specifically for Halfords, so ref markup etc...i would guess its about teh same as the Carerra one.

But my real question i guess was does anyone have any opinions they could share on the Banchee XXX since i have not purcahched a MTB for some while, im not clued up on what good and bad ref equiptment levels etc.....

Cheers
O

Salsa

Thats how it was at my store as well, I would tell people my honest opinion even if it meant I said a bike was crap. I'd feel much happier talking someone out of a poor bike & getting them a better one.

I was in Halfords today but they didn't have the Banshee XXX in stock or any details of it.
They did have plenty of last years Banshee X which was reduced down to approx £570 so unless they have changed something major with this years XXX version maybe decide whether the extra spec on the XXX is worth £400 or so to you, what that extra spec is though I am not sure. If you could post some details that would help, not sure whats going on with the Halfords site as they did have all the 08 Carrera bikes on there a couple of months ago.

arrogantowl

Salsa,

I will get the specs and post them to the forum. The halfords (in portsmouth anyway) had a product sheet for it, they where going to photocopy it for me, but their copier was out of toner.

Will go back in tomorrow or in a few days and see if they have got it sorted.

Reg

O

widsy

Hi

The XXX has Rock shox domain 318 (160mm), RS Monarch 3.1 rear, sram x9/x7 with triggers, Avid code 5 brakes,truvativ firex chainset , GPX BB, sun singletrack rims with Continental Vert tyres and a Truvativ xr finishing kit! hope this helps! the frame is the standard (heavy) Alu job.

widsy

As a side point, my local halfords is in Norwich they guys in there are very knowledgable and keen riders and are more than happy to tell you what is crap etc, i ride a Whyte 46 so halfords is not my normal port of call but my wife came away with a good bike that suited her very well!!

supersonic

They are two totally different bikes - the GT an all mountain/trail bike, the Banshee a Freeride bike. One may be better value, but doesnt make it a better bike for your riding. What terrain will you be riding?

The XCR Elite is the one to check out at 900 quid, as has upgraded parts fver the old one, ie a better rear shock and a RS Rev fork.

arrogantowl

widsy wrote:

Hi

The XXX has Rock shox domain 318 (160mm), RS Monarch 3.1 rear, sram x9/x7 with triggers, Avid code 5 brakes,truvativ firex chainset , GPX BB, sun singletrack rims with Continental Vert tyres and a Truvativ xr finishing kit! hope this helps! the frame is the standard (heavy) Alu job.

Cheers Widsy,
cheers for ther info, Halfords down here still dont have their photocopier working.
Cheers

arrogantowl

supersonic wrote:

They are two totally different bikes - the GT an all mountain/trail bike, the Banshee a Freeride bike. One may be better value, but doesnt make it a better bike for your riding. What terrain will you be riding?

The XCR Elite is the one to check out at 900 quid, as has upgraded parts fver the old one, ie a better rear shock and a RS Rev fork.

Hi there Supersonic,
well its hard to put a definate type of rideing i do. I guess i like playing around on local trails, thrashing away on the southdowns but really want to get into downhill.

Have not really dont it in any hard code stuff, but thought this bike is a good intro for this? Do you think it will be any good for the XC riding too?

M

supersonic

It will be absolutely atrocious for XC!

arrogantowl

in what way will it be bad, are we talking the weight here will make the uphills hard work? or is it a geometary thing?

i certainly do like the odd 40 mils XC ride (plenty of up and down) and just wanted a bike that may handle the down a little better than my current Hardtail

supersonic

Weight - and all that suspension movement. For that money a hardtail will be about FIFTEEN pounds lighter! Also slack angles dont turn as quick on the flat.

Sounds like you might be better off with something in between the two - 5 inch of travel at both ends, so good on the trails, and better on the downs.

andytxc

mikeyg123 wrote:

those mtb chaps in halfords will tell you that, because halfords make the banshee, and not the GT, so will get more money from you buying the banshee

Really? I work in Halfords and it would make no difference to me whether I sell a Banshee or a GT! Just make me feel better if I know the guy was happy and got a good deal!

Where did you get that information from anyway?

Steve_F

I ride the current Banshee X and although it is a heavy bike I still enjoy it and can't fault it on the way down.

Some of the parts haven't stood up well to the punishment but most of them are different according to your post above.

The GT is meant to be worse than the last model, brakes especially, might be worth asking if they have a cheaper old model available?

I'd personally be very tempted by the XXX and will be checking it out when it comes in BUT, I think I'll be spending more next time to get something lighter that's easier on the ups.

I suppose you could look at upgrading it a part at a time when something breaks like I'm doing and see if that'll cost you more.

heez29

mikeyg123 wrote:

those mtb chaps in halfords will tell you that, because halfords make the banshee, and not the GT, so will get more money from you buying the banshee

Actually mate thats not true. Those GTs are specific to Halfords its not like we buy them in etc. Plus didn't Halfords save GT from bankruptcy aswell?

Oh yeah usually the Carreras have a much better spec than the GTs which does help if you're looking for value for money.

On Topic..
The BansheeXXX does look pretty nice, just get em to order one in coz they wont be ranged to Halfords just Bikehut specific shops. We do that all the time, we ordered in a Stinky for the fun of it. We thought about th Stab Supreme but didnt that would never sell :P

supersonic

Halfords struck a deal with GT to help them get back on the map after the parent company went bust: they would buy lots of bikes off them, and use the name for a set period of time, for a cheap price. We still see it today - however the 08 Halfords GTs use 07 GT frames.

heez29

Yeh ive noticed that. The I-Drive XCR5 is EXACTLY the same apart from the brakes i think.
Not been in work for a while (like 3weeks :P) so i cant remember anything!

Hello There

Picked up my Banshee XXX today from Halfords and well... what a bike! Fork and rear susp. is smooth as you like and I am feeling absolutely great for buying this bike... it seems to give you soooo much confidence on a trail/downhill. Don't know what it is but its brilliant!

My advice... BY THE BANSHEE... YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

Steve_F

Glad you are happy with your purchase.

Did you ride anything else to compare it to and what's it like on the uphills?

I've got last year's X and had a look ever the XXX last week. Looks like a really good bike.

supersonic

Banshee uphill? You need to be fit!

Hello There

Had a Boardman Team MTB which I thought was really good but I had too many problems with it so I went for a completely different discipline of bike and on uphills I feel hardly any difference compared to the Boardman on the Banshee. Been out a couple of times today on the Banshee XXX - climbing then descending steeply and found it no trouble whatsoever! Hope this helps...

Lorax

Does anyone know if you can get a Banshee XXX in anything larger than a 17" frame? There's nothing on the website. I'm 6'3" so I'd need something rather bigger!

artillerydave

There is a review on it in this months MBUK nd it got 9/10 so must be half decent, saw one on the trails at CYB the other day and it looked like a nice bit of kit , good forks and spec but it is at the more harcore and burly end of the build spectrum so will be a little weighty compared to more XC machines.

supersonic

No doubt it is an amazing spec, and a great bike. For the right terrain ;-)

I've seen it, I like it, but I wouldn't have one for most of my riding.

Wooohooo!

Lorax... You can get a 19" version... I have it

shaun.webster-2009

Hello i bought the banschee just before christmas had some extras put on from Hailfords they messed it up spent £899.99 with a futher £250.00 you would think that things shouldn't go wrong 4 weeks before i got it then a futher 3 weeks and it still wasn't right!! unfortunatley now i'm saling it as i'm emigrating to austrila not even used