Description:The Scythe captures the spirit of toughness. It was made to be the tool of the trade for the modern day cowboy - be it rain, snow, hail or ice cold nothing stops Scythe riders from getting to the trails. Everything, on this bike is engineered to let you ride it hard, withstand the elements, and all with minimal maintenance... you don’t need treat it with any respect, but you can always count on it to get you home.
Frame: 7 and 8" travel, Freeride or DH settings, Turner 4bar pivot, custom hydroformed tubes w/built in gussets, ISCG05, internally ribbed seat and chainstays, 12x150 maxle comp. Sizes: 15, 15.7, 16 Colors: team black/polish, grey ano, black ano, white Weight: 8.4 [medium w/o shock] more here http://bansheebikes.blogspot.com/search/label/Scythe
Submitted by
Am3erSCYTHE
a Downhiller
from Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia Date Reviewed: August 12, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Mont Kiara
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Fakawi Bikes
Strengths:
very stable cornering, pedalling efficiency..the geometry is nicely designed...l like the maxle 150mm rear hub...with easy to find 73mm bb and the super strong 1.5" headtube...moreover, the bike is easy to handle n recover..
Weaknesses:
for the mean time, can't see any.
Similar Products Used:
haro extreme X7
Bike Setup:
Boxxer race, Shimano deore hydraulic. Syncros integrated stem, syncros bulk bar, n syncros 1.5" headset...mavic 721 rims with da bomb hubs, 09 DHX5.0, truvativ runktion crankset with the boxguide
Bottom Line:
such a good bike and worth the money spend...u can really save up weight...well a nice FR/DH bike for the reasonable price...7@8 inch setup for DH@FR...n this bike is easy to flick around....
Design wise also simple but everything is nice n geometry is also good...
banshee special tubing also provides stronger frame..no doubt if u have ever though of nuying this, go ahead..don't think twice...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
chris h
a Weekend Warrior
from england Date Reviewed: July 7, 2008
Favorite Trail:
kinver/cwm carn
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
Freeborn England
Strengths:
THIS BIKE IS TOTALLY SORTED IT CAN DO DOWNHILL BIG DROPS BIG GAPS YOU NAME IT
AND THE HARDER YOU RIDE IT THE BETTER.I HAVE THE TEAM BLACK AND POLISHED FRAME WHICH LOOKS VERY COOL.THE WELDS ARE FANTASTIC ESPECIALLY ON THE POLISHED PART AS YOU CAN SEE THEM CLEARLY.IT AS A REALLY PLUSH FEEL TO THE TRAVEL COMPARED TO THE SCREAM AND I FIND IT IS BETTER SUITED TO DOWNHILL THAN THE SCREAM WAS AND JUST AS CAPABLE OF BIG STUFF.THE HEAD TUBE IS HUGE AND I AM RUNNING 1.5 TOTEM SOLO AIR WHICH REALLY SUITS IT.THE SHOCK ADJUSTABILTY IS A BIG PLUS IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO THE HANDLING,EVERY ONE LOOKS TWICE AT THE BIKE AND ALWAYS ASKS QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.IN MY OPINION IT IS THE BEST EXTREME FREERIDE BIKE OUT THERE.
Weaknesses:
SHOULD COME WITH A FREE TRIP TO WHISTLER
Similar Products Used:
KONA STINKY BANSHEE SCREAM SANTA CRUZ JACKAL BANSHEE WILDCARD MY OTHER BIKE AND ITS AWSOME
Bike Setup:
SMALL TEAM FRAME SOLO AIR TOTEMS 1.5 STEARER,MAVIC 729S JUICY 7S,POLISHED DIABLOUS CRANKS DEITY BAR AND SADDLE AND OTHER STRONG STUFF
Bottom Line:
BOTOM LINE IS THIS BIKE IS BEEFY BUT WITH THE HYDROFORMED TUBES AND 1.5 HEAD TUBE IT IS VERY MODERN LOOKING,IT IS VERY QUICK OFF THE MARK AND IS THE PERFECT BIKE FOR STOMPING BIG STUFF,IT REALLY CO,MES INTO ITS OWN WHEN PUSHED HARD,THE DOWNHILL AND FREERIDE SETTINGS ARE COOL AND DO EXACTLY WHAT THEY SAY DO A JUMP IN BOTH SETTINGS AND FEEL THE DIFERENCE.I HAVE TRIED OUT LOTS OF BIKES AND NOTHING COMES CLOSE TO THIS,AND THE PRICING IS OUT OF THIS WORLD,I WOULD PUT THIS AGAINST ANY INTENSE OR SANTA CRUZ FRAME FOR QUALITY AND STRENTH AND THE SUPPORT FROM BANSHEE IS SECOND TO NONE ALL WITHOUT THE PISS TAKE PRICE TAG.NO ONE COMES CLOSE TO BANSHE AT THE MOMENT IN MY OPINION.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cooch
a Downhiller
from Brisbane, Australia Date Reviewed: June 12, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Mt Tamborine
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$2300.00
Purchased At:
www.brisbaneboutique
Strengths:
The paint is a huge improvement over the Banshee frames of old (Chaparral and Scream). The finish is gorgeous and is pure eye candy. The travel and geometry options are also excellent 7" or 8" travel at one end of shock and another setting at the other end, which drops bottom bracket 1' and changes head angle for downhill or freeride (higher setting). The frame looks extremely strong and I really can't wait to give it a thorough thrashing down our local trails. Finally, a normal seatpost. Huge headtube, which is fully finished, ready for headset install. Awesome welds with triple-butted hydroformed tubes, so it's also lighter (and stronger) than their older DH frames.
Weaknesses:
Cable routing is weird and not sure how it's going to hold out. Rear derailleur is along the top of the chainstay, then goes over pivot between chainguide and frame (I'm imagining lots of cable rub). Rear brake hose is similar, but you can't tuck it under shock mount. Hmmmmm.
Similar Products Used:
Banshee Chaparral, Santa Cruz V10, Kona Stinky
Bike Setup:
2008 Scythe in Medium. FUNN bars, stem, rims, seat-post, saddle and pedals. Hussefelt bb and cranks. Chris King hubs mated to FUNN Descenders with DT Spokes. CK headset.
Bottom Line:
Awesome bank for the buck, compared to Santa Cruz and Intense. Frame looks drop dead gorgous, paint a massive improvement on their older frames. Can't wait to get really stuck into it. Will write another review in a years time.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Don Cambell
a
from UK Date Reviewed: May 25, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Very stiff, Very strong, Fantastic suspension feel, Comfortable and fast geometry, Adjustable travel settings, The best build quality I have ever seen on a mountain bike, Looks great!
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Specialised demo 8, Orange 224
Bottom Line:
A great feeride and downhill bike. I swear that although this bike is slightly heavier than my 224 it is faster accelerating because it is so stiff. it also rails the corners like nothing I have ridden before. I don't ride up hill much, but this bike is veryy capable of pedaling if I do. (btw my frame came with a standard seat post, not telescopic like the last guys and was told all the frames came with regular seatposts)
A great bike, with a simple and strong design, and great geometry. I'm really really loving this frame, and can't rave about it enough! This frame is a keeper, and should last a handfull of seasons unlike my last couple of bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Evan
a
from Edmonton, AB, Canada Date Reviewed: March 31, 2008
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$4600.00
Purchased At:
Revolution Cycle (best shop around)
Strengths:
-great acceleration -extremely stable -corners really well -light -pedalable
Weaknesses:
-the stock tires fling soo much crap up in ur face -the saddle....hurts the rear end lol
Similar Products Used:
rocky switch 3.0 (which sadly got stolen, and thats y i have this now)
Bike Setup:
all stock cept for a dhx5,diablos cranks,saint breaks,e-13 guide, and saddle soon
Bottom Line:
i havnt gotten a chance to ride it that much yet, but from the little i have rode it, it blows my switch away. it is much more stable, has better handling, and is lighter than any of my previous bikes. the only thing i dont like on the bike now, is the telescopic seatpost...seriously...why did banshee feel the need to use one? the scythe has a full length seat tube. they should have just thrown in a reg seatpost, along with a quick release coller instead of the bolt one....thats the only thing holding this bike back, and its a minor fix.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Racer
from Australia Date Reviewed: February 4, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Maribor 2007 world cup course
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
Acceleration is a major strength - very efficent, Excellent geometry and travel options, very smooth bike over any type of terrain with minimal noise, Handles the tight turns quickly and with ease, loves to get air born. The Banshee Scythe is an extremely versitile bike that feels right at home in the air in, the rock gardens and in a race environment.
Similar Products Used:
Intense M1, Astrix Havoc, IronHorse SGS
Bike Setup:
Boxxer world cup, Fox dhx 5, Industry 9 wheels, Gamut chain guide, Straitline components, SRAM, Maxxis
Bottom Line:
An ideal bike for a serious downhill racer who wants to get results on tight, technical and pedally downhill courses.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Matej Charvat
a Downhiller
from Prague, Czech Republic Date Reviewed: January 28, 2008
Favorite Trail:
Champery
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Purchased At:
Engrambikes.cz
Strengths:
Torsional stiffness - Great acceleration Frame smooth lines Spectacular geometry Bike is really silent
Similar Products Used:
Kona Stab supreme, Kona Howler
Bike Setup:
Funn: full on-bars, hooka dh-cranks, grips, grippa-stem. RS Totem - 180mm Fox DHX 3.0 Mavic 823disc Sram shifting
Bottom Line:
Really good frame, especially the geometry is something new for me. I have never rde this kind of bike before. It's more movable than the DHbike. I'm using the lower BB set up with 170mm cranks and that height is also right for this kind of bike(you can pedal over the rocks and roots without worries). One of the really good things is it's acceleration - the power really goes to the terrain. The suspension seems to be not too sensitive, but when you ride - you don't feel like that.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Gjovalin Pepaj
a Weekend Warrior
from Germany Date Reviewed: November 21, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
stiff,light and strong great feelgood geometry travel adjustment fr/dh makes sense and a big different great suspention work (low ratio) great look (1,5" headtube, hydroformed downtube)
Weaknesses:
the bike steals your show! everyone is looking on the bike not on you :-).
the scythe is a pervect mix of a freeride and a downhill bike! drops, downhill racing,freeride action even pedalling up hill it do everything! i love my scream but i will never ride it again because the scythe is so much better! you switch the travel adjustment from fr to dh and you have a new bike. like dr jackle and mister hide! on the dh setup it is fast, aggressive, hard on the track ......a downhill monster. on the fr setup it is quick, easy to handle and you have this great save-feelgood riding feeling. do what you want the bike is with you !
i want to say thank you to jay, keith and everyone from banshee! you made a really great job creating the scythe. you support my riding by doing bikes like the scythe and the scream
ride on gjovalin
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Andres Rostant
a Downhiller
from Norway Date Reviewed: November 12, 2007
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Strong Frame Not too heavy Great Geometry Very stiff feel travel adjustability makes a HUGE difference and is GREAT! Low Gravity Center Great suspension performance looks great when built up
Weaknesses:
Everybody wants to have a shot riding it because it is so good
Similar Products Used:
Scream, demo 8, Big Hit, Norco Team DH
Bottom Line:
A great frame. better than frames twice the price. The Scythe is very strong and feels great when on the downhill, but also pedals very good to get to the top of the mountain.
I loved my scream, but the scythe is so much better. I can still do 10m drops, but the scythe is a lot faster bike, with better geometry.
I love my Scythe! Best bike ever for extreme freeride!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
What's New
»
Interbike 2008! Read news and info about new bikes and products from the upcoming show»
$
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
