UtahJohn

Banshee's main drawback is the seat post insertion depth is "not good". The rest is spot on.

@PatMAE: traditionally the bigger the size, the worse the handling, because for years mfgs used the same rear triangle for all models. Thank goodness that's finally changing, but seeing some provide a L/XL CS 10mm longer than the small is pretty comical. Those are rookie numbers.

@iantmcg: yes long CS is more stable, but a lot of folks miss the main point. Longer CS provide more grip of the front tire, which is mainly seen on super steep descents, and flat loose corners. Short stays will wash the front tire more than the same bike with a longer CS, since the rear tire has more grip than the front. Visualize a bike with the rear tire right under the BB. 100% weight on rear tire, 0 on front. Now infinitely long CS, the front tire has 100% weight and rear 0. It's about ratios, and balance. Prior to 2015, bikes had balanced weight distribution. Great cornering, but felt "top heavy" because the head angle was in the 69-low 70s, the tire was so far under you, you could almost not see the tire when riding LOL. The "Solution" as people started "enduro" was to put the front wheel out there, slacker head tube. And increased reach. this trend went overboard, and eventually you had these comical reach #s, and nobody every gave 2 thoughts about the CS, or the balance. And they'd wash the front tire if you weren't "over the front". Thing is, if the bike is balanced you don't NEED to be over the front, you can be centered and have all the grip in the world! Climbing the longer CS's keep the front wheel down, so it doesn't lift and wander, even with crazy HTA like 62-63. That's what Aston prefers. I came from a medium bike with 435mm CS, and last year switched to a medium with 460mm CS, and the difference is astounding. I no longer waste mental bandwidth "weighting the front" and just ride centered knowing the front is going to hold. If you ride super grippy stuff (granite, hero-dirt, etc) it probably doesn't matter, but if you ride skiddy stuff it makes a HUGE difference. Good luck.