Banshee Releases the Enigma, an Alloy Hardtail Built for Versatility
PRESS RELEASE: Banshee
Banshee have just released the Enigma, the playful younger sibling of the much-acclaimed Paradox.
Featuring many of the same interesting details, but in a more compact package designed around 27.5" and mullet builds, the Enigma is designed as a fun do everything hardtail.
The Enigma can be set up as a mid travel 27.5 (140-160mm 27.5” fork) or as a short travel mullet (100-130mm 29” fork). The versatility of this frame really makes it stand out, from all day epics to hitting local jumps and pumptrack, the Enigma can span it all.
Built from 7005 T6 alloy using custom hydro-formed tubes for torsional stiffness where you want it, and FEA optimized 3D forged yokes and dropouts that deliver noticeable vertical compliance on harsh hits and vibration absorption, the Enigma delivers an almost steel like ride feel in a lighter package with greater lateral stiffness.
Sizes: S, M, L
Fork Travel range: 140-160mm 27.5” / 100-130mm 29”
Rear Wheel size: 27.5x2.6” (max)
Frame material: 7005 T6
Weight: 2.2kg (4.9 Lbs) Size Medium - Frame only
MSRP: $1099US / $1499CAN / €1049 / £949
(Frameset includes pre-installed headset, rear axle and seat collar)
http://www.bansheebikes.com/enigma
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Banshee has ways been a top pick for me. So much attention to the details. Keeping aluminium sexy.
The only real difference I see is a slacker HTA, slightly shorter CS, lower stack and designed around smaller wheels.
With that said, I want one.
Yet their hardtails have quite short chainstays (418mm for the Enigma, 425mm for the Paradox).
Not drawing any conclusions from that, I just find it interesting, as they're pretty much at opposite ends of the spectrum for their full squish, and hardtail offerings.
A superb frame design & construction provide a unique package which guarantees great uphill and even better downhill performance.
For me, Banshee has completely redefined the Hardtail-game!
The Enigma strikes to me as another awesome addition to an already outstanding bike portfolio.
Anyone know if they're offering colour options?
But the modular dropouts would still be a great hardtail feature. Width options, plus they could do sliders for SS.
There's a recent pic of my mini mullet Altitude in my mobile folder
I stand by my opinion but it's all good - our ideas of what's fun don't have to align in the slightest.
I still think aboot MM & SS'ing it with some tiny cranks but I need it for a trail bike at the mo :/
I love aggro hard tails. I have one of my own. But I don't get the point of this bike. If you want a hard tail, either you want a featherweight carbon frame to match your lycra or you want something cheap, rowdy, and somewhat unique. Steel fits the bill so much better than aluminum. A good steel frame probably weighs close enough to this, is cheaper, is easy to get custom sizing/geo, and has that magic steel feel. You can even get titanium frames that will be lighter and keep the steel lateral flex, and at the same time being super exotic without being exotically priced.
I say all that having spent a long time thinking about building good hardtails, and riding a very nice steel one myself.
@bentonfraser: just because it's not the answer you expect, doesn't mean it's wrong. We need to get past this hurdle that steel or ti are the only materials for a hardtail.
More like...and engineer sat down at a computer with engineering based programming, and engineered a bike himself. Which isn't always the case for every bike!
As an engineer that may seem like pretty low hanging fruit, but can your marketing girlfriend run a FEA analysis?
This. I've got a buddy who's job is selling, and training people how to use FEA software, and he was describing it to me a while ago. And from the sound of it, lots of engineers reach out to him for after sales support/etc. So I personally probably wouldn't say its just "designed with a computer".
Quick translation from my buddy for anyone who doesn't know the terms:
CAD (Computer Aided Design):
Basically designing the shapes, and how things fit together. Think really fancy google sketchup, where you make the actual design "blueprints", and how things fit together.
FEA (Finite Element Analysis):
Models how much the designs materials flex/deflect/deform under load. So the engineer can put virtual loads on the design, and see if its working the way they want. Its how companies design the amount of flex into the rear triangle, or make sure the head tube won't rip off when you hit a huge jump.
My wife works in marketing (specifically strategic and crisis communications) and I have background in applied mathematics specifically FEM and honestly her work can be harder than mine. Sure she doesn’t understand the functional analysis behind finite element methods (99% of engineers have no clue either) but I could not handle the constant stress of her job. All work is honorable homie, no need to put someone down because their profession requires different skills than yours.
Clearly the OP and yourself are in a bit of a different situation, where you are an engineer and marketing couple, or you're shacked up with a marketing person in an engineering field with engineering backgroud, but that is a minority.
We'll rewind to my original point. The OP trivialized the FEA bit. I don't think that's fair, as not all bikes undergo FEA. The guy who wrote the article is an engineer to the best of my knowledge, and he though it important enough to note. And having seen FEA being run myself, I think it's pretty interesting stuff that I certainly can't do!