hta / bb drop / wheelbase (size large)
process: 68 / 35mm / 1173
sj evo: 68 / 35mm / 1183
prime: 67.5 / ? / 1185mm
bandit: 68.5 / 36.7mm /1161mm
did you run the numbers or pull that claim out of thin air? as you can see, the process is neither the longest, slackest or lowest bike in the bunch. i can't find the bb drop for the prime but i had one for a few years and it was LOW - i'd be willing to bet it beats the process on all 3 counts. and it came out 3 years before the process, which is a lifetime in mtb years
Nope, I didn't pull the claim out of thin air. I looked at different numbers that I feel are more important to judge how a bike will ride. It's completely subjective, so there is that.
I also included the Kona Satori, as it's the same vintage as your selected bikes. Who's late to the party again?? ;)
Here's the numbers I looked at:
hta/bb height (off the ground)/reach [HTML_REMOVED] stack (length/height of cockpit for standing descending) (size large)
- process 111: 68 / 335mm / 460mm [HTML_REMOVED] 617mm
- satori: 68 / 338mm / 440mm [HTML_REMOVED] 638mm
- stumpy EVO: 68 / 335mm / 435mm [HTML_REMOVED] 643mm (same ha, bb height, shorter/higher reach [HTML_REMOVED] stack)
- prime: 67.5-68.5 / 336-348mm / 440mm [HTML_REMOVED] 645mm (ha can be slacker, bb height higher, shorter/higher reach [HTML_REMOVED] stack)
- bandit: 68.5* / 333mm / 414mm(!) [HTML_REMOVED] 647mm (steeper ha, lower bb, much shorter/higher reach [HTML_REMOVED] stack)
Not accounting for stack numbers, to get the same-ish position for standing decending as the Process 111 with a stock 40mm stem you would have to run: 60mm stem on the Banshee, 65mm stem on the Stumpy, and 85mm(barf) stem on the Bandit. No thanks, I'll stick with my 111.
The new Banshee Phantom looks cool with comparable ha/bb/reach[HTML_REMOVED]stack and the new Transition Smuggler is basically a clone of the 111.
At the end of the day, I'd like to check out the new Evil, as I'd be curious to see how it rides, but the capable, short travel 29er is just a super fun type of bike.