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Airborne
Lucky Strike Bike
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Submitted by
tojnom
a Cross Country Rider
from columbus, oh
Date Reviewed: February 2, 2008 | | Favorite Trail: | Snake Hollow | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2500.00 | | Purchased At: | Airborne | | Strengths: | Extremely lightweight, great for ascending/descending, handles well on a variety of terrain/weather conditions. | | Weaknesses: | Some excessive vibration over loose rock/gravel. no disc brake option, graphics are a little corny, average welds | | Similar Products Used: | Jamis Dragon Team
Several Trek models | | Bike Setup: | All XTR components, Crossmax wheelset, King headset, 80mm Rockshox, Thomson seatpost, easton handlebar | | Bottom Line: | This is a great bike for anyone who rides XC on a regular basis. I used this for racing, weekend trips/daily rides, all four seasons in all conditions. I've never needed to replace any of the components, expect a new chain once a season and a different wheelset. Now I use this as a backup during winter/muddy months. For $2500 and a decade of abuse, it's been an awesome ride! | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike Foreman
a Weekend Warrior
from Oakland
Date Reviewed: October 24, 2005 | | Favorite Trail: | Any & all single track in the East Bay or Marin. | | Duration Product Used: | More than 3 years | | Price Paid: |
$2300.00 | | Purchased At: | Airborne | | Strengths: | Cornerning, climbing (in or out of saddle), geometry, weight & balance | | Weaknesses: | Hmmm...can get a little jittery on long, steep, loose fire road trails. Tends to loose the line when there is lots of loose rocks, while going around a turn. | | Similar Products Used: | Any GT bike & Yeti | | Bike Setup: | Mixture of XT & XTR, Spinergy SPOX wheelset, SID world cup & bits of carbon (seat post, handlebar). | | Bottom Line: | This is a follow-up for me, since last time I wrote I was still pretty new on my bike. I also felt inspired because of the guy from China writing in - NICE!
This bike rocks! Comming from a BMX background, it has all the right geometry angels to give you a really confident feel. Great corning (especially during high speeds). Great on switchbacks. Easy transition from one position to another. Speaking of transition, this bike really forces to you be in the right position according to your trail sitiuation. If not - you are going to loose your line or fall. Once you get your form down, you can fly!
I have one of the earlier models (before the sale to Huffy), so the welds are a little bulky, but I like it.
Bottom line is this bike is a great deal (almost sad to say "for the money", but we all know there are more expensive bikes out there) & once you get your components on, it will ride like the wind. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mikael Arnesson
a Weekend Warrior
from Avesta, SWEDEN
Date Reviewed: March 24, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$2500.00 | | Purchased At: | airborne europe through retailer | | Strengths: | Felt right first time testeng it. Smooth ride, Quick response when steering. | | Weaknesses: | Don't know of them yet...(don't believe there's some) | | Similar Products Used: | 99' Nishiki Timbuk
00' GT Backwoods | | Bike Setup: | LS 19", SID SL fork, Shimano WH-M575 wheels with WTB 2.1" Nanoraptors; XT-drivetrain, XT-levers and front derailleur, XTR rear derailleur; TIME ATAC pedals; KORE Lite 3 120mm Stem-Lite riser handlebar- and LITE 2 seatpost, WTB Speed-V saddle and headset; AViD discbrakes with SD-5 levers. | | Bottom Line: | I really love this bike, the finish of the frame is great- the ti look is mucho great'oh. The welds are very clean and the tubing is very,very nice...
I'm 6'15 feet tall, inseam 35.5 inches so the 19'5" frame with a 120mm 0 degree stem are perfect for me.
************************************************************
-Thanks Jamie Raddin & co. for this great frame.
Mikael ,
a weekend warrior from the middle of Sweden.
:) | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Car Benz
a Cross Country Rider
from Changsha,Hunan,China
Date Reviewed: March 2, 2001 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Strengths: | Good for the price!
Ti frame is not as stiff as a GT Al ones. | | Weaknesses: | not detailed enough,the handcraft is not very well at some
corners. | | Similar Products Used: | Wheeler Ti,GT avanche,DBR WCF 6.1,DBR TT-lite,Giant XTC
| | Bike Setup: | XT system with XTR shift levers and CN-7700, 517CD on DT Onyx, SID SL, WTB sst.x seat, AZONIC riser bar, WTB Velorapter tires, | | Bottom Line: | In China, you can buy Litespeed, but cost as times as this much! The frame is made in China, so I bought it at a lower price then you. Actully the Airborne frames are not allow to be sold in PRC, because the company can not earn much money, they would rather take it over the sea, to the other side of the world. So there is a problem: we haven't got any costmer service!! But any way, take a rest over the night on a train, the next day you can get to the company in Beijing. The number of Lucky Strick is not very large ----there are 1'600'000 people in Changsha(the city i live), but there is only one Airborne LS in the city! There are some GT Avanche, some Giant Al frames such as XTC, but nothing better.There lots of DBR WCF and DBR TT-lite here,because they made in China and very very cheep-----$50.00!
I like the Airborne bike very much. I am only only 16 years old and a high school student, so I am not as stronger as people in there 20s, so I need some lite frames.In this case,I used a Wheeler Ti frame----only 3 Ibs! But the frame is as soft as the suspension of a Lincon Towncar.The Airborne is a good Ti frame contains both lightweight and stiffness at same time.When you want to climb, it goes like as someone is pushing you up to the hills. I have never had this kind of felling on my GT Avanche LE. When you goes down the hills or stairs, it goes like as it has a rear suspension.-----This is the features of Ti frame.
If you just want a good frame, take one and have a try. If you want a luxury frame, go and take the Litespeed of some thing like that.
Because of the hard school work, I don't ride it everyday. Instead of it, I take a look on it everyday----Yes, the Airborne Lucky Strick looks nice!
Thank you for reading my review! I am now studing in a foreign language shool and learning English. So there lots of mistakes in ther airticle above, I am sorry.
As the only review from China in MTBR.com, you can see some thing about the MTB sport in China. I am very pleased to meet all of you as friends. Please send me your opinion at Car_Benz@21cn.com, thank you!
By the way, welcome to China, there lots of trails down the infitive land. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael Foreman
a Cross Country Rider
from San Francisco, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: January 30, 2001 | | Favorite Trail: | Pebble Beach Forest (back yard) | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$2300.00 | | Purchased At: | AIRBORNE.NET | | Strengths: | Good shock absorbtion, incredible geometry, good customer service, GREAT DEAL.
PS: you don't get weird looks from some YUPPIE bike store worker who's never seen a blk person riding a mtn. bike when you buy online. | | Weaknesses: | Bike seems to have trouble holding tight line while turning on high speed open fire roads (or San Francisco hills with slick tires). | | Similar Products Used: | All high end GT bikes since '94.
$1,000-3,000. | | Bike Setup: | 16" frame (better handling), XT drive train, avid brakes, syncros stem, icon post, Spinery SPOX tires, CK head-set. | | Bottom Line: | I am SOOOOO glad i did not read the reviews before buying my bike. I only read MTN BIKE mag's review and i was sold. No, it's not a seven, but then again i'm not Donald Trumb either. I've been riding bikes since i was about seven years old and the LUCKY STRIKE is on of the best i've ever owned. It corners like a 90 degree angle and climbs like a son of a' b*tch.
This bike will last forever and has made me a better rider...and that's the BOTTOM LINE!
PS: Anyone in Nor Cal want to go for a ride? | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Doug Sloan
a Racer
from Fresno, CA USA
Date Reviewed: February 23, 2000 | | Favorite Trail: | San Joaquin River Trail | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Strengths: | Fantastic bike, especially for the money; very light - 20.9 pounds; saves money by picking the components you want from the get go, rather than having to replace stuff; understated good looking bike. | | Weaknesses: | Everyone will want one - there goes any advantage | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized Ground Control; Bianchi road bikes | | Bike Setup: | The lightest of everything from Airborne's selections; 18" Ti frame; SID SL fork; XTR/Gripshift SL; Bontrager Racelight wheelset; Avid Mag brakes; carbon handlebar | | Bottom Line: | People can't believe how light this is, and for not much more money than some other companies' Ti frames alone! Airborne's website showed it would weigh 20.6 pounds; my scale and a bike shop's scale both had it at 20.9 pounds (the bike shop said they had never seen a mountain bike that light).
The bike came ready to ride after 10 minutes of unpacking and installing the stem, pedals, seatpost, and front wheel; I mean, "ready to ride!" No adjustments whatsoever needed. Man, is it light - can't quit picking it up; received it on Friday, rode it on Saturday, and raced it on Sunday; everything worked perfectly, even in the race that was 90% mud. The bike is so light you can hop it over many things you might otherwise have to ride around or through; on my first ride up a steep single track I have ridden a thousand times on my full suspension 29 pound bike, the same gear ratio I usually use, ordinarilly pushing it to the max, was incredibly easy on the Airborne. The thing handles like my 16 pound road bike, too; you think it, it goes there; the Ti frame absorbs most bumps and chatter - don't miss the full supsension at all (selling the latter now).
Ordered the bike late on Friday, received it the next Friday, although should have been here on Thursday but for a shipper problem. Good communication with Airborne; they were very helpful and informative. I do feel guilty not supporting local bike shops, but they can't do this - put a bike together with exactly the parts you want, and show you the weights of everything, and for this kind of price. I was hesitant to buy this way (internet), but I have been buying computers from Dell this way for years. No messing around - just spec what you want and you get it. All costs and specs known as you go. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ed Bedford
a Cross-Country Rider
from Woodland Park, CO
Date Reviewed: December 14, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Bottom Line: | My $700 dollars bought me a titanium frame that looks good, is strong, reasonably light, won't rust, mates up well with all my components, won't wear out in my lifetime, climbs and decends very well and, most importantly, got my spouse's blessing to purchase. I believe it's a good deal, not perfect, but it has made me a better rider -- period. What more can you expect from a bike frame? Just one last comment. A bike mechanic for a shop that sells Lightspeeds took mine for a quick spin. After that quick ride he looked it over, commented it compared well to a mid-range Lightspeed hardtail, and was CONSIDERING a Lucky Strike frame for himself. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Berkeley, CA
Date Reviewed: December 4, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
light, laterally stiff, superlative bump absorption, inexpensive | | Weaknesses: |
not assembled correctly upon reception | | Similar Products Used: |
Performance M304 (True Temper) | | Bike Setup: |
19.5 frame, XT cass. & bb, rest is LX, Bonty Race wheels, SID XC, Airborne saddle, Bonty RE-1 pedals | | Bottom Line: | To Mike, a cross-country rider from Kent: I hope you reconsider your claim of fake reviews, which the people at mtbr.com have done everything to refute, including checking for unique dns addresses. Did you ever think that, just maybe, Airborne buyers are just a little more educated than the masses of people buying those other bikes?
I've owned my Lucky Strike for several months now and can't say enough good things about it. It corners quickly, descends confidently, and climbs (to steal a phrase) like a monkey on crack. It's everything I could possibly ask for at a price I can afford.
The only complaints I have are that it was not adjusted correctly when I received it. On both front and rear brakes, the cable arm (with attaching bolt) pad was touching the rim, the grips were on the wrong sides of the bar and not rotated correctly, and the chain rubbed the front derailleur when in the top two gears. Also, from a purely physiological standpoint, the saddle flares out too wide for my narrow hips and the long bar ends are way, way too short for my big hands. Then again, I'm 6'2, 200 lbs. On a positive note, the bike corners like it's trying to please you and comes back for more, no matter what one does to it.
This is a follow-up to my earlier review, as well as a replacement, since I can't seem to find my last one... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
dave
a Cross-Country Rider
from tampa, fl
Date Reviewed: November 8, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
all of em | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
ti damps nice
bump absorption
geometry
purty finish
huffy buy-out (who cares?) | | Weaknesses: |
people who cry about huffy buy-out (who cares?)
very poor attention to
assembly details
cable routing | | Similar Products Used: |
trek 8500shx alum
jamis cro-mo | | Bike Setup: |
lx/xt
zoke z-2
bonty race lite wheels | | Bottom Line: | ride is excellent. can non-pros really tell if the monostays are not aligned? does it matter?
frame is very resillient. crashes have only caused very minor scratches, which can be buffed out. IF YOU ORDER A COMPLETE BIKE, MAKE VERY CERTAIN YOU TRIPLE CHECK EVERY LAST FASTENER FOR TIGHT. my bike was delayed in shipping for who knows what reasons (huffy buy out, parts back order, spec switch, etc.) and STILL was not even close to adjusted right. BE VERY THOROUGH. it seems like mine was the exception in these reviews, but...frame: 4.5 dung heaps
assembly: -1.5 dung heaps
customer service:.5 dung heaps
customability: .5 dun heaps | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Derek Mattice
a Cross-Country Rider
from Brighton, MI
Date Reviewed: November 2, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Island Lake Rec, | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
None | | Weaknesses: |
Worst $700 I ever spent! | | Similar Products Used: |
iant MCM carbon
Trek 9900 OCLV
CAnnondale CAD4 | | Bike Setup: |
Airborne LS w/ Manitou SX Ti | | Bottom Line: | Poor customer service and a bad reputation, plus the bike rides like it has no spirit whatsoever! | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Turk
a Cross-Country Rider
from Atlanta, GA
Date Reviewed: September 21, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
price/quality ratio | | Weaknesses: |
unalighned monostay extensions, blow-to-the-ego Huffy buy-out | | Similar Products Used: |
moots, litespeed, etc | | Bike Setup: |
'zokes Z3, XTR/LX, Rhyno lite/XT hub--rear, Synchros xc/King hub--front | | Bottom Line: | I thought i'd share the following e-mail response i received from Airborne--
Yes it is true! The parent company of Airborne Direct (American Sports Design) has been urchased as a subsidiary of Huffy Corporation. Our
warranty will not change. Our current warranty does cover the frame of the bike for the lifetime of the original owner. The warranty only covers a
manufacturing defect. It just so happens that this is the same policy that Huffy Bicycle uses.
We have moved to Springboro Ohio to the Huffy Tech Center. By doing this, we are able to use there testing facilities. We are also able to take advantage of some of Huffy Bicycle's distribution.
Sincerely,
Michael Wuellner
Customer Service
Airborne DirectOK, true, riding around a bike made by a company now owned by Huffy will be rather ignomious, but gosh, i've always wanted to own a high-end huffy. Regardless, after riding it almost every day (commuting and weekend XC/racing) i still love this bike, unaligned monostay extensions and all. I still love the feel and performance of the frame and i'm still happy with the service i've received from the company. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sean ONeil
a Cross-Country Rider
from Missoula, MT
Date Reviewed: September 3, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
secret creek | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
material, price, geometry, customer service, ease of selecting components | | Weaknesses: |
jealousy and envy created by yuppie-brand loyalists who overspent and received similar quality and inferior geometry | | Similar Products Used: |
various from $750 to $2500 US | | Bike Setup: |
18 Lucky Strike, Marz Z2 BAM, SRAM 9.0 ESP rear der & shifters; XT front der & bottom bracket; King headset; Icon stem & seatpost; WTB SST X saddle; Avid 2.0 levers and Arch Rival 50 calipers; Bontrager Mustang ASYM w/ DT 14-15 and XT hubs | | Bottom Line: | It's a true pity that people like ISC below need to degrade this incredible piece of equipment. The welds might not be as pretty, but where is ISC's proof that they aren't as strong, as those on a Litespeed or Seven or Merlin or other yup-cycle? I would be happy to examine my Airborne in view of real facts and proof submitted by ISC or any other disbeliever, but until I see such proof, I stand my my earlier review that proclaims this bike the best value on earth. I also stand by the fact that this bike's handling is much better than that of the litespeed or the merlin or the seven, even if I don't have a BMW to mount my Lucky Strike as another symbol of consumerism rather than riding skill. If you want a piece of show-off equipment, go ahead and spend $4000 on a merlin, seven or litespeed. If you want a great Ti bike that is worth more than its cost and handles better than bikes costing thousands more, get this one! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
isc
a Racer
from San Diego, CA
Date Reviewed: August 13, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
tested or demo'ed only | | Bottom Line: | It's great if you guys like the Airborne bikes, no problem here, but there's a reason they're only $600. I'm not intending to badmouth their bikes, just open your eyes.
Airbornes are mass produced in the orient with low grade 3/2.5 titanium, and if you look at the loose welds, uneven headtubes (not faced properly), and badly chased bottom bracket threads, you'll see the lack of quality. Also the dropouts are not typically straight. These factors make for a poor handling bike. Welds on titanium are crucial and should be even and as close as possible. Look at yours and then go look at a Litespeed or Moots. Also, Airborne doesn't use 6/4 ti in the bb shell or dropouts like high-end companies such as Litespeed.
I'm happy that you guys like the bikes, and they may ride nicely, but don't be fooling into thinking that they're top quality frames. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chris Stubbs
a Cross-Country Rider
from Apple Valley, CA
Date Reviewed: August 3, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
too many to pick one | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Price; customer service; weight; frame responsiveness; shock dampening; excellent climbing ability. | | Weaknesses: |
Only a few small ones: minor shipping problem; rear brake not adjusted well; cable routing. | | Similar Products Used: |
Schwinn Homegrown
GT Avalanche
Specialized Rock Hopper
(I've never ridden a Ti frame before this Lucky Strike) | | Bike Setup: |
- 19.5 Lucky Strike
- XT Drive Train and Brakes
- XTR Cassette
- Bontrager Valiant Asym Rims w/XTR Hubs
- Manitou SX Ti fork
- Rock Shox Suspension Seat Post
- WTB SST.X saddle
- Bontrager RE-1 Clipless Pedals
- $2,100; 24.3 lbs total | | Bottom Line: | The Decision: After deciding that my riding style and needs were best suited to a hard tail rather than full suspension, I had to choose which hard tail to buy. It quickly became apparent that I wanted either titanium or high-end steel, because I find aluminum frames just too stiff. That's when Airborne and their killer web page stepped into the picture. Being able to completely customize your bike like that is just too cool, and must be the wave of the future. At the last minute, my local bike shop offered me a great deal on a new Litespeed Obed w/full XT componentry. So, I called each company. Airborne gave me a candid comparison of each bike, and basically told me that the bikes were probably equal performers. Litespeed told me that I shouldn't buy an Airborne because their frames are made in China. No assessment of the two bikes' pros and cons from Litespeed. So, I nervously took the plunge with the Lucky Strike because I felt that everything else was probably about equal, but Airborne's customer service was better and their bike was still a bit cheaper.The Bike: Now that the bike has arrived, I feel that I made the right decision. It's beautiful: nice welds, excellent finish, great artwork from WWII era, tuned well, excellent geometry.The Ride: The ride of the Airborne Lucky Strike, which is really what counts, is phenomenal. The bike is rigid in all the right places, but flexy enough to absorb the bumps -- the reason I wanted Ti in the first place. The bike is responsive, lively, and handles well. The Ti frame absorbs the small bumps, chewing and eating the washboard for brekfast. If you want a super stiff ride, this probably isn't the bike for you. But who wants to have a sore butt? Because it is so lightweight, it accelerates and climbs like a beast. Sprinting and bunny hopping have new meaning for me now. I am probably only riding this wonderful bike to 25% of its potenital -- I look forward over the next few years to a beautiful relationship as I really push my and the bike's envelope.Negatives: I have only a few minor complaints about the Lucky Strike bike. First, during shipping, the front wheel (which was detached from the bike) wedged itself firmly on the crank arm. It was a bummer to separate these two and scratch up my beautiful XT crank. Second, the rear brake was not well adjusted when I received the bike and needed some minor tuning. Finally, and the only structural comlaint I have, is the cable routing on the bottom of the bike's top tube. This will make long carries more difficult than they have to be.The Detractors: Airborne seems to take a lot of grief from the bike world by people who have NEVER ridden a Lucky Strike. No one I know of who has ridden or owned one has criticized it. So, I can only assume that the detractors (who have never ridden a Lucky Strike) are in some way threatened. This stands to reason: here's a successful, upstart company with innovative marketing who is cutting the retailers out of the loop --- and stealing their business in the process! So all Litespeed could say was that Airborne frames were manufactured in China -- they offered no real criticism because there really isn't any. (Note: they didn't complain that Shimano parts are manufactured in Japan. Hmmm...). As far as the recent Airborne acquisition by Huffy goes, I have reached a point of comfort. I have spoken with the folks and Airborne: their sale to Huffy will improve the product, increase the product line, and provide even better customer service. Nothing about the Lucky Strike will ever be like or be marketed like Huffy bikes. (Note: just because Chevy owns Corvette, doesn't mean that Corvettes will look or drive like the Sprint. Get it?). I was disappointed that the Sept. '99 issue of Bike magazine gave the Lucky Strike a lukewarm review. But, they appeared to be comparing apples and oranges, pitting the Lucy Strike against much more costly Ti bikes. Sentences like the Lucky Strike's ride isn't quite as lively or refined as its pricier competition is an example. I would hope that if you spent $4,000 for a Moots or a Seven that it would have a nicer ride.If there are any disbelievers in what I am saying or in my review, or if you just want to know more about the Lucky Strike, feel free to e-mail me at estubbs@sprintmail.com. This is a completely independent review and I am in no way connected with the Airborne company, except that I own one of their awe-inspiring bikes. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brad Davis
a Weekend Warrior
from Overland Park, Kansas
Date Reviewed: July 27, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Smooth but stiff ride; Excellent price; Quality customer service and staff; Every imaginable part configuration available; Sharp looking | | Weaknesses: |
Braze on bolts are a little short (can't mount a water bottle cage and pump bracket together) | | Similar Products Used: |
Specialized Rockhopper FS, Specialized Stumpjumper M2 | | Bike Setup: |
19.5 frame, LX & ESP 9.0 drivetrain, Avid Arch Rival Brakes, Sun/Ringle RPM Wheelset, Marz. Z2 BAM | | Bottom Line: | If you are in the market for a high-quality Ti bike at a great price, look no further. My Lucky Strike arrived right on time, well packaged and was ready to ride after installing pedals and the front handlebar. I should also add that the drivetrain was tuned perfectly. The ride can only be described as awesome, stiff but not bone jarring rough (it makes the Stumpjumper feel like someone is beating you with a bat). This bike climbs like a mountain goat and is solid on downhills. I have found myself making quite a few climbs I never used to and bombing through some downhills that used to throw me (some of this may be attributable to the Z2 up front as I moved up from a RS Indy). I can not say enough positive things about this bike, it is an improvement in all aspects over every other bike I have owned or ridden. On top of that, it looks great--gets lots of looks on the trail!As for the riding position, if you are tall or like a stretched out position, the stock 120mm stem will probably be a little short--go with the 135mm. (Don't worry, this does not significantly slow the steering responsiveness of the bike in my opinion). Don't let people tell you that you will not get good customer service from a mail order bike company either. I busted my rear der. about a month after I had my Lucky Strike. I called the company from my car on the way back from the trail and they shipped a new der. that day via Federal Express, no questions asked. That is customer service! Airborne is staffed by a great group of people who are very professional and want to provide you with a high quality product. Jamie Raddin, the owner and president, has assembled a great staff and is a top-notch customer service person himself. Go straight to the Airborne website now and put your order in, you will not be disappointed!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
john langlois
a Cross-Country Rider
from westfield, ma
Date Reviewed: July 12, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
ALL OF THEM!!! | | Duration Product Used: |
tested or demo'ed only | | Strengths: |
SMOOTH RIDE, RELATIVELY LOW COST (IT IS TITANIUM), NOT TOO FLEXY,LIGHT WEIGHT, EXCELLENT WORKMANSHIP | | Weaknesses: |
A TAD FLEXY, FORK SLIGHTLY UNDERSPRUNG (MARZ Z2) | | Similar Products Used: |
1998 LUCKY STRIKE, LITESPEED TELLICO | | Bike Setup: |
1999 LUCKY STRIKE, FULL XTR SET-UP, BLACK MARZOCCHI Z2. | | Bottom Line: | EXCELLENT RIDE, I AM IN THE PROCESS OF BUYING ONE MYSELF. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BIKE OR FRAMESET TO ANYONE AND EVERY ONE; ESPECIALLY THOSE ON A RELATIVELY LOW BUDGET AND NEED THE RIDE OF A SMOOTH TITANIUM RIDE. TRY IT YOU'LL LOVE IT! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jim Thilmany
a Weekend Warrior
from Chicago, Illinois
Date Reviewed: July 1, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Des Plaines River | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Product cost, quality of welds, knowledge of sales people. | | Weaknesses: |
Decals, front badge. | | Similar Products Used: |
Fisher Paragon, Schwinn Mesa, Trek 7000X. | | Bike Setup: |
19.5 frame, XTR crankset, front derailleur, Sram 9.0Sl ESp rear derailleur and shifters, Spin wheels, Syncros stem, King headset, USE SX seatpost, WTB SST X saddle, Time ATAC pedals, IRC Mythos Slicks 2.1. | | Bottom Line: | Have been riding the Airborne since January. Have ridden in all weather types, rain, sleet cold, heat. The bike has never let me down and always seems to know where to go. have had the best rides of my life, (4 years riding). The bike does not creak like my Paragon did, no flex in the bottom bracket area. When I need to stand on it it takes off. Have been able to cut minutes off of my personal best times for training efforts. When going off road the bike tracks well even running slick tires. My friends were amazed with the quality of the bike and the light weight. They now want to purchase on to keep up. Crashed my Fisher two weeks ago on a training ride, (needed to compare times) and will look at the new Black Widow from Airborne as this has been a great ride. They have not let me down with the quality or performance of this frame so far. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Sev
a Cross-Country Rider
from Cheshire, CT
Date Reviewed: June 3, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
stiff, responsive, smooth welds, cheap, light, balanced, nimble | | Weaknesses: |
cheap decals, no disc brake mounts, missing parts when it showed up | | Similar Products Used: |
specialized M4
cannondale F3000
Iron Horse Team Bike | | Bike Setup: |
manitou sx carbon, king headset, ct2 bar, airboren ti bar ends & stem, odi lock-on grips, full xtr, bontrager race-lite wheels, michelin wildgripper comp s tires, air-b tubes, gore cables, thompson seatpost, selle itialia flite seat, rollamajig, 747 pedals | | Bottom Line: | i can't say enough about this bike. it rockets up climbs, it is agile and doesn't have to be powered around turns, rather, finessed. it decends super fast and is ultra responsive. it is incredibly lite at 20.3 pounds (yeah i'mm a dork i have a digital scale in my garage) however, the decals are very poor. the dacal on my right bar end is already almost completly gone and the women on my top tube are falling apart. this is only after a month. other than the decals performance wise this has been unbelievable. i've ridden about 300 miles already. the only other problem is that my barend shifter didn't come with the bike but that was cleared up quickly and i got it about 5 days later. overall this bike is awesome | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George Worthington
a Cross-Country Rider
from El Segundo, CA
Date Reviewed: May 27, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Backbone - Santa Monica Mtns. | | Duration Product Used: |
1 Year | | Strengths: |
Quality Titanium, at a great price! What more needs to be said. | | Weaknesses: |
None. (Used to think it was a bit edgy on the downhills, time has proven me wrong). | | Similar Products Used: |
Friends have Lightspeeds...they spent a lot more $ than I did for an equivalent frame. | | Bike Setup: |
Airborne Lucky Strke Frame, seat and bar ends. Full XTR component set. 98 Marzzochi Z2 Bomber. Panracer Fire Xcs. Mavic 217's with XT hubs (upgrading soon). Titanium seatpost. Frog peddles. | | Bottom Line: | Ok this is an update from my review last year. I bought an Airborne frame late last summer. The deal seemed too good to be true, but I took a chance. After all, if I wasn't happy and had problems with the folks at Airborne, I figured my credit card co. could refund my money...I love this frame. Over the past year I have put a lot of miles on it and it has withstood some regular abuse like a champ. My 1st review mentioned the one unknown with this frame was durability.
Well, one year later I feel that has been answered - I don't have any complaints. Heck, that front decal badge people complain about (so did I) is still firmly afixed to the front of my bike. ???? Frankly I'm a bit puzzeled by that (thought it would fall off a long time ago), but hey, who's complaining? The stickers on the other hand, well they looked good for a while, but I've scraped them up but good now. *shrug* Who cares, the bike still looks great and at least it doesn't look like its ridden by a street pansy. Besides, I can guarantee a painted frame would look a lot worse by now. This bike climbs like a goat and has great handling and control. A great frame all around. I used to salivate at Merlin's but after owning my Lucky Strike I could never see paying that kind of cash for a titanium bike. For those who are angry at people like me buying bike parts off the internet, grow up - why pay retail if you don't have to? If you live in Southern California (just moved down here in January from Washington) drop me an email if you'd like to meet for a weekend ride and take a look at the bike yourself. Enjoy! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a Cross-Country Rider
from Kent
Date Reviewed: May 24, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
VICTOR FALLS | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
CHEAP | | Weaknesses: |
CHINA | | Similar Products Used: |
DEAN COLONEL | | Bike Setup: |
MANITOU X-VERT XT GROUP | | Bottom Line: | JUDGING FROM THE CONSISTENTLY CORRECT GRAMMAR AND
SPELLING IN THE REVIEWS I SUSPECT THAT AT LEAST
NINETY NINE PERCENT OF THEM PHONEY. TOO BAD. NICE
ENOUGH BIKE. OBVIOUSLY FAKE REVIEWS...... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
G.Fox
a Racer
from Connecticut
Date Reviewed: May 19, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Whakarewarewa, N.Zealand | | Duration Product Used: |
6 months | | Strengths: |
Frame Design, ride characteristics, balanced feel | | Weaknesses: |
Very minor: Only the decals and headtube badge could be improved. | | Bike Setup: |
ESP shifters, Manitou carbon fork, 517 rims, all else XTR or Airborne | | Bottom Line: | Just raced the Lucky Strike in my first race of the season (missed a couple races due to business trip!). This was most in-control, efficient race I've ever done. The bike handled superbly. Very nimble on the fast descents, tricky climbs, and technical rocky areas (nice & light for the portage spots over large boulders too).Afterwards, I had lots of other racers checking out the bike saying they were really curious because they had only seen them in the ads. They were very impressed with the quality, not to mention the price for such a high-spec bike.Bottom Line: I'm psyched I bought this bike! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Stamstad
a Racer
from Covington, KY
Date Reviewed: May 5, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
Iditarod | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Similar Products Used: |
Litespeed Obed
McMahon Ti
Ritchey P-20
3D Easton | | Bike Setup: |
XTR
Cane Creek Wam
Hutchinson tires
White Brothers UL72
Thudbuster | | Bottom Line: | Disclaimer: I am a professional cyclist and now ride for Airborne Cycles(along with Chevy Trucks). But I received my Lucky Strike In January, no questions asked, and no commitment to them. I was very skeptical of an inexpensive titanium bike and went immediately to MTBR to check the reviews. I was pleased, not only at the positive reviews of the bike but the high regard for the company and their customer service. I have had Ti bikes in the past and have been disappointed in their stiffness or lack thereof--I always feel like I am riding a dead bike. Because of the oversize stays and smaller rear triangle the Airborne is plenty stiff. In fact it rides better than any Ti bike that I have ever raced. And it rides as well or better than any bike of any material that I have used in my many years of racing. I have ridden it in a variety of conditions including the Iditasport Extreme(320 mile race along the Iditarod Trail in Alaska in Feb). But riding on snow is easy. The real test came this past weekend while riding in the Pacific Northwest: gnarly roots, mud, fast singletrack. The bike was perfect. I even had a PR for my favorite descent--knocked a full minute off of my previous best.The best thing I can say about it is that, from the first ride I felt perfectly comfortable and in control--like I'd been riding it for years. This is an awesome bike, you won't go any faster on anything else--and it is dirt cheap. One more thing: these bikes come incredibly well assembled. Bolt threads are coated, gears are adjusted, bearings are greased. All one has to do is slap on the bars, pedals and front wheel and it is ready to race.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt Harris
a Cross-Country Rider
from Virginia
Date Reviewed: April 2, 1999 | | Favorite Trail: |
gauntlet | | Duration Product Used: |
3 months | | Strengths: |
Light, fast, responsive, worth every cent I paid.It weighed lighter than advertised. It looks sharp. It puts my fried Jeff's bike to shame. | | Weaknesses: |
The little lady sticker on the right side rubbed off. | | Similar Products Used: |
Cannondale, Trek, Specialized | | Bike Setup: |
XTR SID | | Bottom Line: | The bike simply kicks ass. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chuman
a Weekend Warrior
from Glendora, CA
Date Reviewed: April 1, 1999 | | Duration Product Used: |
less than 1 month | | Strengths: |
Variety of options
Price
Service | | Weaknesses: |
Order status still not up on the web...yet. | | Similar Products Used: |
Schwinn Moab 3
Trek Y
Cannondale V | | Bike Setup: |
Answer-Manitou SX Carbon, Race-Face Crank, Rings, Seat Post & Ti BB, Avid SD-Ultimate Levers&5.0 Brakes,Easton Carbon HB, ATAC Carbon Pedals, Terry Liberator Ti,CC AeroHeat Ti, PanaracerXC Fire, rest XTR... | | Bottom Line: | Overweight and feeling the age. But got to the top and back trough basic trails, mud, rocks faster and recovered sooner and still had money left for the wife and kids.Minimal flex and did not miss my FS at all. I know what plush is now with the SX Carbons. Avid levers and brakes are sweet. Overall solid feel may cause over extension of limited skill levels.Could have bought any Ti bike, but will buy Airborne again. The closer was their service.
They took the time to listen, giving you what you ask for...what a concept.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jerry Dudley
a cross-country rider
from Clarkdale,Az.
Date Reviewed: March 5, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
You can drive a 20+ geared,split axled vehicle...but after all,you're still in a semi-truck.Ever drive a Tercel for a while,then hop into a Porche for a spin?That was my first reaction when I climbed on my new Lucky Strike and hit the hills.I live and ride in central Arizona;high desert,ponderosa pine forests, red slickrock...the type of terrain which gives you opportunity to test your machine in wonderful diversity.Airborne has met every obstacle with applomb.I clear spots I never could get through before.I suppose it could be psycological. Who cares...the ride is phenominal.When I showed it to a machinest buddy of mine,he goo-gooed over the cute stuff a little,then he checked out the frame.I think the definative term was WOW!I seriously can not pan the bike in any way...and I assure you,I drive the piss out of it.I weigh in at 190#,and on a long,hard 15 mile down-the-mountain grind,it has thus far reacted as well as any full suspension bike around.Full kudos and five scorching chilies for Airborne! As to the service....How do I love thee,let me count the ways---Way to go'guys
Any one interested in contacting me via jdudley@wildapache.net feel free. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Paul
a cross-country rider
from Santa Barbara, CA
Date Reviewed: January 27, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Though I have not looked at the Airborne frames. I did check their website to find out where they are manufactured. According to their website, they are manufactured in China by a large aerospace concern. I used to work for Performance, and owned and sold the Performance branded Ti frame that was also made by an aerospace concern in China. I don't know for sure if it's the same one, but what I experienced with my Performance frame was that it was light, it rode well, and it cracked after about 4 years. The crack originated at a contaminated weld where the monostay met the seat tube. Most of the frames that we had at the Performance shop had contaminations in one weld or another. If they are manufactured by the same group, I hope that the QC problems in the manufacturing have been taken care of in the intervening 4 years. I would suggest examining the welds on your frame for any discolorations (usually gold). It may not ever cause a problem, but if there are going to be any, they will be in those spots. If anyone has any comments please let me know. I am not trying to flame Airborne and what they're doing. I sincerely hope that they don't have the same problems we had. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
SteveS
a
from weekend warrior
Date Reviewed: January 27, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Thank you Paul for your review of a Performance frame from several years ago, possibly made by the same factory, or at least some factory in the Far East. It really is amazing that you were not flaming Airborne with the 3 chile review of a bike that you don't own or ride and it would appear, have never seen. It seems like the owners of MTBR are not concerned with the continual posts like yours that are clearly in violation of their own rules of review. Since I am the original reviewer of the Airborne frames, I have reviewed my welds continually and they are fine. It is doubtful that there has been even ONE legitimate negative review of an Airborne by an owner but continually illegimate reviews such as yours. Wonder why that is? My opinion was and still is, that the competition can't take the heat of Airborne's lower prices and numerous owners volunteering their email addresses and even phone numbers for people with legitimate questions to contact. It has been the better part of a year since my review, at that time guys like you said remember Wolf Creek (or some such brand) and said that Airborne wouldn't be around in a year. Well, my guess is they are doing fine, selling well, and are going to do fine in the future. Oh, and by the way, I just got an Airborne Zeppelin, the first one bought in the US, and it is going to kick some competition tail. The road frame is better looking than the mountain and yes, I have studied the welds.
Thanks for the Performance frame review but really, it belongs in the Tech Talk Forum. This area is suppossed to be for owners giving insight to potential buyers.
T | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
SEAN TOLY
a cross-country rider
from SAN DIEGO
Date Reviewed: January 15, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
HEY EVERYONE. WELCOME TO THE PAGE. I HAVE BEEN READING THIS SINCE I PURCHASED MY AIRBORNE IN JUNE 98, POSTED ONE OF THE FIRST REVEIWS. THERE ARE 400+ MILES ON THE LS SINCE THEN, MOSTLY OFF ROAD. LOTS OF CLIMBING AND FIREROAD DOWN HILL. THIS BIKE IS STILL EVERYTHING I WANTED IN A TI BIKE.
I PURCHASED THE LS AFTER REVEIWING AND RIDING THE COMPETITION. STILL VERY HAPPY WITH THE DECISION TO GO AIRBORNE. EVERYONE THAT LOOKS AT IT OR RIDES IT COMPLIMENTS ME ON THE THING AS THOUGH I HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT. KUDOS JAMIE
IT COULD BE LIGHTER BUT I NEED A VERY STRONG AND DURABLE BIKE WITH MY PAST HISTORY OF BREAKING OTHER FRAMES, ALUMINUM AND CARBON. THIS FRAME NOT ONLY LOOKS GREAT BUT HAS ALL THE FEATURES HARD CORE ENTHUSIAST RACERS NEED. AND IT RIDES EVEN BETTTER. SO IF YOU HAVE READ THIS FAR AND WOULD LIKE INFO EMAIL ME OR TALK TO AIRBORNE, ONCE THE THING ARRIVES I THINK YOU'LL AGREE. GO FOR IT. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bob Rebolledo
a cross-country rider
from Park City, Utah
Date Reviewed: January 14, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
The evolution of this MTBR site is a lot a fun to observe. Although not as sick as the Rock Shox SID site, its almost as dynamic. Anyway, I've owned this bike since summer and posted one of the first reviews here. Bottom line, it still stands, 5 chillies. It's all real, contact me and I'll tell you so personally. I am an advocate for this product, because it is such a stand out that I do want to see it succeed (it has already) and because this can potentially be a catalyst to drive down the ti market price so that more riders can experience it. I may be wrong, but generally retail mark-ups are 2x. I suppose I could feel bad about LBS owners taking a beating, but that's life in American business. Besides, while there are good LBS people I'm sure, I very rarely get one to deal with. I usually deal with someone who can barely communicate like an adult....or isn't an adult at all. That's why I bought every tool that I would ever need in order to avoid this crap shoot when I need service. If you do deal with Airborne, you'll be an advocate too. Its all there and you have nothing to lose by trying it for yourself except perhaps some sort of bias. I got a kick out of Jamie's review and the one chillie he gave his own bike. Great bike, great price, great service... period! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Turk
a cross-country rider
from Atlanta
Date Reviewed: January 13, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
OK, Greg, let me take a stab at it: Despite some minor problems experienced by by a few people (in my case, the mono-stay extensions), the frame and apparently the build-up Airborne offers is an extremely good value for what I still consider to be a high-end frame and a very very sweet ride. You know, the whole 5-stars because of the quality/cost ratio. Kinda follows the argument that the perfect $6,000 bike isn't the perfect bike because it costs too damn much. Why do all the reviews sound the same...gee, it could be that a lot of Airborne customers have the same experience. As far as other helpful people out there ?huh? My understanding is that Jamie has a small staff. He and Doug are the primarly sales points, I think. A little too intimate for ya to be dealing directly with the owner of the company? Trek, Fisher, et al. can handle that problem for ya. The larger question is, why do people who haven't even touched the bike insist on reviewing it? Regardless, I suggest that anyone considering an airborne find someone near you that has one, ride it, then decide, then review. And so I won't be accused of loading the deck, here's 2 stars, though I still consider this a 5-chili ride. | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
George
a cross-country rider
from Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: January 8, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Hey, it’s been awhile since I've checked this site and reviews. Winter time, haven't been doing much riding the past 2 months....harder to motivate in the cold NorthWest rain. Anyway, I'm just going to comment on the conspiracy freaks who believe Airborne is padding these reviews. All I can say is my review is real and my experience can't be unusual. This bike has been great, quality frame and now that I've put A LOT of miles on it, I have no doubts on frame durability, it is solid. See my previous review from last Sept. for specifics. BTW, that front decal is still on the bike, guess I was wrong to think it was going to fall off. Anyway, I'm moving down to Southern California in a couple weeks and am looking for some good rides in the area. Anyone know any good ones, drop me an email. If you doubt the authenticity of my review, drop me an email I have no problems communicating with you. These bikes are a phenomenal deal, get 1 yourself - its a 10 day risk free maneuver - and you too will be a believer. George
PS: My email will change soon (local ISP) so another address is GeorgeWort@juno.com
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Turk
a cross-country rider
from Atlanta
Date Reviewed: January 4, 1999 | | Bottom Line: |
Dear Tom and other visitors,The true purpose for this area of the web site is to allow customers to post reviews about products they have purchased. It is unfortunate that more and more it is becoming an area where visitors post negative remarks about the improbability of our customers’ experience. It is truly frustrating to see the continuing dialogue of unbelievers. We have a great product and an experience that people are excited about. Just because reviews about our products don’t fit the simplistic mold of what others post about their bikes and their LBS experience, is no reason to think that we must be a bunch of phonies. We have a number of customers that are very strong advocates of our products and want to see us succeed. The philosophy of my company is to bring to market the best products possible and sell them directly to the consumer at a very reasonable price. The consumer is able to interact directly with the manufacturer and is able to spec a bike precisely to his /her preference at prices that are well below what any other manufacturer is able to offer. In addition, as a manufacturer we are able to quickly take care of customer service and component warranty issues that would take most bike shops weeks to deal with.MTBR has audited our reviews because of the overwhelming responses we have received, and they determined that all of the IP addresses from each of the reviews to be unique. That in it’s self does not verify our innocence, but it does validate that all the reviews were sent from unique locations. Please contact Chuck Espiritou of MTBR if you would like to confirm this.Wouldn’t it make sense that with the tens of thousands of dollars we spend in advertising (in Magazines such as Mountain Bike, Bike, Mountain Biking, and Mountain Bike Action) that we might actually be selling a few bikes?With Our 10 day 100% money back guarantee, is it not conceivable that the majority of our customers are satisfied with their purchase? And of these, would it not be conceivable that some of our customers frequent MTBR.com? Because my company is organized to put the needs of consumers first, we have very few customers that do not have good things to say about Airborne. In fact, it is our goal that every customer has an experience that is note worthy. It is the sales channel and the manner in which we do business that allows us to ensure our customers 100% satisfaction with our products. You might consider looking at the reviews and comparing them to our pilots page; where pictures of the owners are posted. You might even consider contacting some of our customers to confirm their experience before jumping to conclusionsIn regards to the bulletin board, yes it is unique to have a customer go to this length to create this. But if you look through the postings you will find constructive remarks both positive and negative about our products. It is just as easy for us to create our own bulletin board, and we will have one on our new web site in February. Why would we go and coerce someone to create one for our benefit, when we can just as easily do it ourselves on our own site? Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any other questions as to our legitimacy or our products. I would be happy to speak to you in person. Sincerely,Jamie Raddin
President / Owner1-888-652-8624
1-608-229-2453
1-608-229-2454 Fax1010 Stewart Street
Madison, Wisconsin
53713www.airborne.net
jamie@airborne.net
Date: December 21, 1998
Time to eat major crow after spouting off about the perfect alignment of my 18 frame (review Dec. 3 1998). (I am also posting this in the MTBR frames section) The problem appears to be the downward-sloping top of the seatstays (the monostay extensions). As Aaron suggests (Dec 2 1998 review), viewing from the front of the bike, looking down past the seat, and using the top tube as a visual line: the monostay extensions do not angle off the monostay at the same angle, a difference of perhaps 2-3 degrees. When my LBS built this bike I asked them to look carefully at the frame, especially the welds and alignment. So much for their eyeball. Although I am no gearhead, I looked at the same items, and even took measurements with a micrometer, e.g., to see of the hub centered between the both sets of stays, but I don't recall sighting the seatstays down past the seat. Viewing from the rear, the seatstays seem to be in alignment, and the drop-outs also align. There's no play in seating the axle of the rear hub, and the rear wheel is aligned. It would be easier to notice any negative effect on a road bike, riding straight lines at high speeds on narrow tires. Bothersome? Yes! Does this have an effect on the bike's mechanical alignment? I honestly can't tell. I wrote Airborne about the problem. Here's President/owner, Jamie Raddin's, reply, in part: We have become aware that on some of our frames, the “mono-stay extensions” are not 100% horizontal. This is not an alignment issue that affects the handling, geometry, or performance of the bike in any way. As we have recently become aware of this, we have instituted additional quality control checks both at our factory and our Madison office. We have not intentionally shipped anyone a frame or bike that exhibited this asymmetric extension. Our Lucky Strike frames are extremely difficult to manufacturer with the number of tubes, welds, and alignments that are necessary. I would like all our frames to be mechanically perfect, but we are still dealing with a hand made product....If this is an issue on your particular frame, and you would like it replaced, we will gladly send you another one at no charge for you to swap out.
To paraphrase another lucky strike owner, OK fine, but either way, airborne's product's quality will be compared to others (seven, kona, moots, merlin), and swapping frames would still cost me money (about $100 for tear down, rebuild) and time off my bike. I am not willing to go through that for what appears to be a cosmetic defect. Should Airborne have caught this problem? Of course. Does this experience change my rating of the purchase? Of course. But it hasn't changed the performance of the bike...but time will tell if it's more than a cosmetic problem.
One final note, which I append without editorial comment: For my trouble, and apparently my decision to not swap the frame, Doug, another Airborne employee sent me me an Airborne hat and a card. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Roger McGehee
a cross-country rider
from San Anselmo, CA
Date Reviewed: December 21, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
When the components began to wear out on my OCLV, I started shopping around for other high-end bikes. I was looking for something that absorbed shock and was light like my OCLV, but that was better at climbing and turning. Everything I looked at was in the $3000 - $4000 range, which was a bit steep for me.
Then I saw an ad for the Aerborne in a biking magazine, and checked out the home page. I was impressed by the fact that I could buy a Ti frame and high-end components for the price of the components alone! I figured that I couldn’t lose, and sent for it. Jamie and the rest of the staff were very helpful in helping me to choose the correct size and were very flexible with the components. The bike arrived just minutes before I was due to leave on a biking adventure to the High Sierra. I only needed to put on the wheels and handlebar -- it was fully built and lubed and adjusted!
After two months of riding my Aerborne, I have discovered that it is a MUCH better climber than my OCLV -- both in and out of the saddle! Although it does not absorb as much shock, it is much more absorbant than aluminum. But the real advantage of the Aerborne is the way that it cuts through corners. Because of its stability and geometry, the bike seems to turn itself. The bike’s stability also helps me to relax on technical downhill sections, resulting in faster and safer riding.
High-end components are pretty similar; what makes a bike is the frame. The Aerborne is definitely a superior frame on which to hang those high-end components!
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mitsuya Tsudzuki
a cross-country rider
from Takaradzuka,Japan
Date Reviewed: December 13, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
JAPANESE
Norigokoti : Hijouni Ti rasii norigokoti desu. Merlin to kuraberuto sukosi yawarakai kedo.
Siage : Cyuugoku-sei towa daremo wakarinasenn. Ii sigoto siteimasu.
Juuryou : SID-SL+99XTR+Cross MAX de 10.8Kg.Maa konnna monndesyouka.
Sonota : Okuttekita hako kara dasite 30pun de noremasita. Yunyu surukoto niha nanimo monndaiha nakatta desu.
Kekka : Hobo kannpekina Ti Bike ga \370.000($1=\120,souryoukomi)de teni hairimasu.
Mosi kojin yunyuu wo okanngaenara otetudai itasimasu. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
tonebone
a weekend warrior
from Singapore
Date Reviewed: December 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I lie in Singapore and seriously needed a bike upgrade to get over the Asian pneumonia we have here at the moment! I had a fair amount of dialogue with Jamie Radin at Airborne who as everyone knows is the ultimate model of client service. Having messed him around for quite a while, I finally decided to go for the frame only option - this probably cost me more in the long run but I did not want to fart around exchanging components over such a great distance - too impatient to hang around. I had the bike built up by Colin and John at Bikehaus here in Singapore (who are first class operators) over a beer or two one night at the shop - are they liscensed!?? I had the bike assembled with a new SID F/S, Mavic 517's and a mix of XT/XTR components, all 99 9-speed, King H/S and a mix of Syncros and Thompson S/P, stem and bars.
In view of recent business travel I have only put on 50 odd miles in jungle trails and XC but these have been exceptional and no comparison with my previous Trek dinosaur.
Fast rough XC is smoothed out and speeded up and the bike is lighter and
much more aggressive when climbing and I can get up the hills at much
greater speeds. I can point and shoot on the downs, and it glides over the
rougher parts with absolutely no drama. On the tight/steep technical bits
it is beautifully balanced and sure-footed. I have only had one drama (over
the bars!) which was on a slow steep downhill deep rutted section when I
got my weight wrong and then jabbed on the front brake - we all have our
moments!
The long travel SID seems to be a very complimentary partner to the frame
and blends in well to the overall effect. I read a lot of duff reviews
about the SID but I think it is superb and although the shock received bad
press from heavier riders, I do weigh 86 kilos.
The frame soaks up a huge amount and seems to have a perfect balance of
tension and flex. When you lift up the bike the whole assembly feels taught
with a real sense of purpose and ready to fly!
Some people on the trails have known the Airborne and commented on it and
asked whether I got it in Singapore, so obviously the marketing is working!
As I mentioned before, the frame does look terrific and the only complaint
is the H/T decal which insists on lifting, but Jamie has sent me a couple of spares just in case - might put one on the front of my car to see if it improves the handling!
Overall rating.........nothing else but 5 flying chillis......... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bill Wolf
a weekend warrior
from New York City
Date Reviewed: December 8, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
So far I love this bike.Got mine set up with XT, Manitou SX-Ti, Sun Ringle, C King, Grip shifts, & Ritchey semi slicks. Blue forks, blue headset, blue sidewalk tires. The bike looks great and is pretty light. The geometry is just perfect for me - something I was _really_ worried about when it came to mail ordering a bike. I tried many of the major brands in the stores and was disappointed with each: Fisher, Cdale, GT, Specialized, Trek, Klein... Even though one of the dealers (Toga in NYC) was great and set each up with my clipless pedals I couldn't get comfortable on any of these bikes. Each left me feeling that something was missing. I like a bike where my weight is somewhat further back - I don't want to feel like I'm going to go over the bars. Plus I like the feeling of being able to get the front wheel off the ground easily and I'm not too strong above the waist.After looking at reviews & mags for like 3 months I finally just decided to take a chance. Bottom line is it fits like a glove. Jamie recommended some minor tweaks such as spacers in the headset due to my size & general dimensions. That might have helped a little, but more important is that I had a good idea about what I was after and airborne was responsive to this.When I started looking for bikes, I had no idea how much simple things like size and rise of the stem mattered. No bike dealer ever mentioned swapping one (although I’m sure they would have if I asked). But Airborne asked questions regarding those things right up front. Cust service was outstanding.Gripes? None except the headbadge is crappy. No big deal, there’s enough decals on the thing already. BTW, my serial number is stamped on the bottom of the bike – not a clear decal.So the bike looks great, rides better, and even though I still have a bit of a hard time justifying spending 2 grand on a bike, for what it is, it's a real bargain compared to their competition. It’s good on the hills and really accelerates well. And it’s faster than a greased gerbil up Richard Gere’s ass. I might even buy one of their road bikes.
| | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Turk
a cross-country rider
from Atlanta, GA
Date Reviewed: December 3, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Hey Aaron, my frame is perfectly aligned, confirmed by my LBS. Call up Airborne and I am certain they will replace your frame. Not responsive? Too soft? Bullocks! Get yer frame replaced, ride a few other ti frames and then weigh in with yer new review, whether or not you are still disappointed. I'm seriously and genuinely interested in your opinion, but I think your experience may constitute a statistical outlier. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Eric
a cross-country rider
from Buenos Aires Argentina
Date Reviewed: December 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I want to buy a Ti frame for my new bike I saw The Airbone Ti frame
and for the price I think it's a great deal, but many people are
not in agreement with this frame.
Anyone can say to me buy it. It's a big deal.Thanks | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Aaron
a weekend warrior
from Illinois
Date Reviewed: December 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Everyone is right about Jamie and the people being friendly. But the frame isn't that great. Too soft, not responsive, and not in alignment! Everyone who owns one, take a look at the seat stays from the top (look past the saddle towards the rear hub). Are they aligned? Mine wasn't. Components are components, and up to you to decide what you like. Maybe I just don't like the feel of Ti. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Kefer
a racer
from PA
Date Reviewed: November 30, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I got a Lucky Strike with '99 XTR and Ti SID about 6 weeks ago. I've ridden it about 20 times and I think it's great. Much nicer than my previous Cannondale F2000. The Frame looks great. Welds look fine. Not as nice as my wife's IBIS Ti, but as nice as the Litespeed welds I've seen. I think its a great deal as a frame or whole bike. Rides Great. I give 4 stars if price is no object, but 5 if you count the cost.
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Submitted by
Fox
a
from racer
Date Reviewed: November 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well, this is really turning into quite a flame fest. Here's my review. And, no, I don't work for Airborne, nor am I affiliated with them in any way. I recently bought one of these controversial bikes. Quite simply put: I love it. Sure, it may not be as posh as a Merlin or Seven, but I think the reason it's getting so many 5 star reviews (including mine) is the fact that you're getting a LOT of BIKE for the MONEY. The welds are fine! And I used to be a welder so definitely can spot a bad weld cosmetically (a better test is to use an x-ray of the weld, but no need to get into all that). So, it's made in China. Big deal. Look around. Got any other nice products in your home that say Made in China? I'll bet you do. Maybe you'd getter a slightly better, or more noticeably better, frame built in the US, but in my opinion (and my budget) it's not worth all the extra money.The ride is outstanding. The bike handles great and has that supple feel of Ti. It's light, nimble and responsive.It is also true that Airborne is very responsive to their customers. After receiving the bike, I decided I wanted to swap the headset, the fork and the stem. Airborne had no problem with this. They were very quick to respond and they also paid for all the shipping. I'd expect nothing less from a company that sells bikes to people sight-unseen, but I'm just saying it was a pleasant experience. No hassles.I am very, very pleased with the bike and the company. If you don't believe me, well then that's your problem. I've spent enough time here, time to go out for a ride! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ed
a cross-country rider
from Telluride, CO
Date Reviewed: November 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I bought my Lucky Strike in October 98-fullyloaded,xtr,sid, all the goodies but the remote shifter. What a deal!!! Have ridden technical single track in Telluride,Durango, Moab and Fruita. It couldn't be much better. Easy going uphill and just as easy going down. For all you disbelievers out there you obviousley haven't been on one of these bikes. The customer service from the staff at Airborne will guarantee their sucess in the years to come. Congratulations to Airborne for creating a winner!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Turk
a cross-country rider
from Atlanta
Date Reviewed: November 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Sorry, I know some of these guys, and their reviews are not fake. Moreover, THIS review is not fake and the bike's for real. Background: I bought just the frame, put an old XT/XTR gruppo, zokes Z3, bonty stem, bar, & Mavic X's from a Fisher Zig (Easton elite) frame i totalled. I've ridden the hell of the lucky strike the past few weeks: lots of x-country, a little nasty downhill (not enuf to make a judgement), and--after switching out to semi-slicks--5 days a week on the road (commute to work). I've also ridden a merlin and a seven (both borrowed for a weekend of racing) and a tested (short rides) a few other high-end ti frames w/similar packages. Bottom line: this has been a joy to ride, it climbs better, goes faster and is so much more responsive than the Fisher and compares so nicely to the merlin, moto, et al it has shocked the hell out of me. If you want pretty welds and have $3000+ to spend, by all means, buy yer fred-mobile. Yes, time will tell if this frame holds up, but I consider the best $600 i've spent in a long time. You may not like the fact, but the Chinese aerospce industry is making a great frame, and Airborne is asking a very very very fair price. And, yes, Jamie, Doug and Sue at Airborne provide *high-end* customer service. And the bike is sexy as hell. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
a.w.
a cross-country rider
from l.a.
Date Reviewed: October 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I first saw a Lucky Strike at a local bike shop months ago. I blew it off. A Ti bike for $699? Please! Then I read the review in MBA. That caught my attention. Too good to be true, I thought to myself. I checked out the reviews at mtbr.com. Everybody raved about this bike. Everybody! I still couldn't pull the trigger. It smelled like a conspiracy? I put in a call to the FBI, but all of the agents were busy. Hmm... coverup? So, I called Airborne and spoke to Jamie. Over the phone, using dulcet tones and a hypnotic friendliness, he managed to brain wash me. Suddenly, I had to have one... I could no longer fight it...I bit. He assured me (as only he can) that everything would be alright. I waited... A couple of weeks later, there was a knock at my door. A man in a dark brown uniform handed me a huge box, smiled, then vanished...Inside was an 18 Lucky Strike built with XTR, SID XL, Race Face, Thomson and Cane Creek Ti wheels. Damn! My hypnosis worsened... I felt dizzy. I had to ride it, now... I put it together in ten minutes. Everything was good to go. Off I went...This bike is the cat's meow. Best bike I've thrown a leg over. Light. Quick. Solid. Steering is laser-quick, not twitchy, but keeps you honest. Climbs like scared cat. Goes down like... well, it goes down nice. I think I'm being followed. I think it's the bike. Maybe this thing is classified top secret. I'm in too deep. Who can I trust..? Jamie's words rattle in my head I think you'll like it. You won't be disappointed... Jamie! It's Jamie, he's the mole. All I can do now is ride... The truth is out there, somewhere... | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Bradon
a cross-country rider
from Nevada
Date Reviewed: October 9, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I purchased my Lucky Strike with XT groupo Mavic crosslands and a SID several months ago. I wanted to put a few months of ridding on it before submiting a review. I too was apprehensive about the whole mail order thing and the price seemed to good to be true. However, after talking with the owner Jamie and hearing about the ten day return policy I went for it. The bike arrived almost completely assembled all I had to do was put on my pedals and attach the wheels and handlebar. This bike climbs like a mountain goat. I found myself going up hills in my middle or even big ring that before I had only been able to climb in the small ring. One of the reasons I purchased a hard tail is because I wanted a simple bike that was easy to maintain but climbed well. The Lucky Strike fits the bill. Even on our rocky fire roads I was able to keep from geeting bumped off my line. If climbing is important to you then you should consider a Lucky Strike. I have to aggree with some of the other reviewers when they complain that the bike seems skiddish on the downhills. Maybe it's just me but, the syncross handlebars seemed narrow and flighty. I really noticed this at high speed. It seems that when I stand and get into a full sprint at high speed the front end seems to wobble a little (almost like the wheel is out of true). I must say that the problem is not a procnounced as when I first got the bike. It's just going to take a little getting used to. Overall I'm giving the bike five stars. The benefits of powerful climbing, light weight and great price far outweigh a little skidishness (I could just buy a longer handlebar!!!). The customer service was amazing. If you are looking for a good deal and want a serious cross-country hard tail. Consider the Lucky Strike.
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Submitted by
JAZ
a cross-country rider
from New Jersey, USA
Date Reviewed: October 4, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Three cheers for Airborne and owner Jamie. I ordered a 19.5 Lucky Strike frame (lousy cigarette reference but...) with a Z2 and a King headset. I received the bike in good shape and built it up with new wheels and old parts from my tired old bike. Unfortunately, I just couldn't get comfortable on the thing. Something about wheelbase relative to seat tube height maybe? Anyway, I took three decent rides on it within a week and decided that I just wasn't in love with it. The frame looked great, price was reasonable and felt solid but I think I've decided to go fully. I ride a lot but don't have much money to blow on bikes I don't love. Jamie responded promptly to my phone call (from the World's in Canada) and was polite, helpful, responsive, and seemed truly interested in what I didn't LOVE about the bike. He issued a call-tag number and UPS came and got the frame (minus fork etc which I needed anyway and will put on the new ride eventually).Airborne stood behind their product as well and made good on their return policy without hesitation. As for grumpy LBSs, try providing better service, competitive pricing and less attitude and you'll win back my business (not holding my breath for that though). Folks who want to try a Ti frame should absolutely consider these things and rest assured that the product support is (and will) be there. 5 Stars for customer service alone. I'm not rating the bike because it just wasn't for me. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
sodes
a cross-country rider
from palo alto
Date Reviewed: September 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had my Lucky Strike for a couple of months now. After an apprehensive purchase process (without the benefit of so many reviews) I bought a full up XTR version - it was approximately number 75 out the door. For this level of purchase, you need to evaluate the service and support of the company as well as the bike itself. I worked with Doug on configuration and post sales support - he was helpful in component selection and very flexible with options. The Airborne people seem eager to please and are trying to develop a great reputation. The only question is long term support - however a number of other smaller manufacturers seem to making a reasonable go of it so I assume Airborne will as well.I purchased the XL version. First observation was the top tube measurement on the website was measured along the actual top tube, not the center to center, parallel to the ground measurement the diagram implies. Thus I ended up with a stem 20mm too long - even for a streched out Norba feel. After a quick (3 day) component swap, I was in business. Assembly of the bike was quite good - no further tweaks were required. Second observation on the geometry is the 72/72 configuration makes for a bit of twichyness up front. This is not a bike you want to be day-dreaming on.Now to the riding - this bike rules uphill. I am doing climbs in the middle ring instead of the granny, I am accelerating away from my friends and I am generally shocked how often I find myself in the big XTR front ring and just powering away. Anybody claiming loss of power due to frame flex in this bike is smoking something. The Airborne bar ends and streched out position are just great for cranking out the speed.Downhill is a different story. I have been riding FS for a couple of years and titanium or not, this baby is rough coming down. Dialing in the SID takes a while - but that helped. The downhill is made tougher as the twichy handling and streched out position combines to make for some scary stuff. At least on my bike, it can be tough to get behind the saddle. As I get my HT skills back, my control is improving, but I have taken a monster spill after a front tire washout on a section of trail I ride twice a week on my FS and never even thought about before. I am giving the Airborne 4 stars, since I would like a little more predictability in the handling. I have no reservations about the company or the quality and am overall very happy with my purchase. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dennis
a weekend warrior
from Virginia
Date Reviewed: September 28, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I decided to wait until I had a couple rides on the Lucky Strike before I wrote. I must say the bike handles and climbs better than I thought. The ride is great and the responsiveness is sharp and controlable. My only frown is the front brake squeaking when engaged. (XTR group) The customer service in my opinion is unmatched. I have talked with doug and sue who are both experienced and helpful. I did not like the skewers that were on the bike and was sent new mavic skewers in two days. And then they wanted to know if there was anything else they could do. I would encourage anyone who is looking for a top end bike to get the Lucky Strike. You will be very happy you did. I wish there were more chilis to give. It is definatly a 10 chili smoker. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Seth
a cross-country rider
from Tempe, AZ
Date Reviewed: September 25, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well I have to post another review of this bike and company. I've had the bike since the middle of July and all I can say is awesome!!!The ride: The bike seems to float up hills -- it is very nimble and agile it holds a line wounderfully but for those times when you just lose you line it is very forgiving. The ride is not the least bit flexy, it has a very rigid BB and head tube.The bike is a down hill monster -- I previously had a full-suspention bike and this bike is a little rougher (obviously) but it still absorbs the hits and tracks like it is on a rail. I don't think I have ridden a better all around bike. All the benefits of a full-suspention bike with none of the weight.The geometry: Nice, comfortable, laid back yet still aggressive geomerty. You can go out with your riding buddies and kick their asses all over ther trail and on the same bike go out with some novice riders and have some fun on a nice leasurely ride.The company: Well I have to admit that I am probably one of the biggest pains in the ass when it comes to what I ask for and expect from a company I deal with. But Jamie and Airbore have bent over backwards to make sure that no matter what the problem I hang up the phone with a satisfactory result from every interaction. He return calls and e-mails promptly and happily.Draw backs to owning an Airborne: EVERYONE WANTS TO RIDE IT!!!Solution to the draw back: Have them set your bike up with some Time ATAC peddals and no one elses peddals will fit and whalla someone either has to be th same shoe size or a really good friend for you to go through the hassle of changing you peddals.Seriously though I have no complaints about the bike except the decals started to come off but I sent an e-mail and some new ones were mailed to me.Great job with the bike and the company!!!Five whopping chillies!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Chewie
a cross-country rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: September 16, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This will be my final review on the LS. I don’t want to skew the ratings too much.First, a few updates on the bads from my last review. While I still believe the head tube badge to be a bit sharp, its quality is no worse than most of the others I’ve seen. Trek is the only exception to this, they use what appears to be a high quality, full-metal badge (i.e. no foam backing). As for the other decals, all of them (minus the Vargas girls) appear to be very durable (see Mt. Bike Action, Oct. ’98). After reading my last review, Jamie Raddin promptly sent me a new Vargas girl for my top tube. He said that the Vargas girls are more difficult to adhere to the ti since they are graphic intensive and a different type of decal. I don’t know about that but I do know that I had new decals for free four days after I wrote the review.The more I ride this bike the more I love it. I only want to address one aspect of its performance in this review, downhilling. I feel I covered everything else in my last review. I encountered one hiccup while riding some pounding downhills this w/e, my D-C headset would not stay tight. I talked to Doug at Airborne and he was ready to send me a brand new headset and ready to pay for an LBS to install it but before he did that I wanted to replace the stock headset cap with an alloy cap. Problem solved. I would imagine that Airborne would have sent me an alloy cap if I had asked but in my impatience I didn’t feel like waiting four days for it to arrive so I splurged and spent the $2.99.Now for the ride itself. I was hesitant in my last review to give the LS five chiles for DHing. After this weekend I’m convinced it was due to the lack of familiarity I had with the bike. The LS provides a TON of feedback on the downhills but it isn’t harsh (for a hardtail) and anytime I found myself in extremis the bike quickly responded to my inputs. The rear tire seemed to let go early under moderate braking but I’m sure that was due to my choice in rubber (‘raptor). I found myself seeking out the babyhead peppered downhills. FIVE CHILES w/ no hesitation this time!
Date: September 9, 1998
My LS finally arrived in the mail (no fault of Airborne) and I promptly put 50 single track miles on it.I'll start with the bads. First, the quality of decals are questionable. I removed the head tube logo before I even had the bike assembled. It was very flimsy and would have been destroyed the first good whack it took (reminded me of a beer bottle label). What concerned me most about it was the ends of the decal were vary sharp and presented the possibility of lacerations to the inner thigh (however remote). The other decals look good but despite the rave reviews from Mt. Bike Action praising the durability of the decals, I chipped the Vargas girl on the right side of the top tube when I leaned it against a tree. Second, the Oury grips are awesome, they are tacky and provide the right amount of squish. My one complaint, the ridge. It dug into my hand and accelerated hand fatigue. Once I trimmed it off my hands felt immeasurably better. They honestly have the best feel of any grip I've used. A previous review mentioned the asymmetric welds. The welds on my bike look good although they aren't the perfection you might find on a Merlin. They are uniform in color (shiny like Ti welds should be) and aren't too beady. It doesn't matter a whit to me.Now that I've gotten that out of the way, the goods...Just as every other person that has written a review about the LS was skeptical of a premier Ti frame for $699 I was hesitant and did more than my share of research before ordering. Needless to say I was more than pleasantly surprised.The overall ride is very supple. My tailbone and back benefit greatly from the absorption capacity of the titanium. Contrary to this feel the bike is very snappy and can be quickly tossed through turns. Power transfer is very noticeable and comes in handy when popping the pedals through a 180, climbing, narrow switchback. The LS performs great on the single track. It is very quick through the turns and the front end comes up easily simply because it is light so it is easy to stay on top of the big roots & rocks. The handling might even be better with a shorter stem (I'm 6'2 on a 19.5 frame so I went with the 135mm stem).On a 1-10 the bike descends at about an 8.5. It is a little jumpy on the big hits but it is easily controllable and because of its handling it is easy to pick a good line. I think some of my reservation about giving this a 10 is because I'm used to a full suspension bike where I would just point it downhill and roll with the punches. I'll have to do more riding to fully form my opinion about its dh capability because while I don't feel like I'm descending as well although I am now faster than my most regular riding partner with whom I was formerly equal. If this is due to my new found aggression with a new bike under me or a testament to the LS's ride quality I might never know.Now for the good stuff. This bike is a rocket, it loves to gain altitude. When I think of the climbing capabilities of this bike I think of analogies like mountain goat, scared squirrel, scalded rabbit or space shuttle. I was so used to consciously weighting the rear wheel on my previous bike that when climbing on the LS I pulled the bike up over my head and landed on my back on the first steep hill I encountered. After that I gave barely a thought to the rear wheel. Climbing quickly developed a natural feel to it. I have been cleaning formerly unclimbed sections of trail. I cannot say enough good things about the LS's ability to climb. I have always loved uphills and ascending is this bike's forte.I was going to put 4 chiles b/c of the decals and grips but in the big scheme of things they just don't matter. You can replace the grips for $10 (or trim them like I did) and the bike will perform with or without decals (might actually weight 1/10th of a gram less, if you care!). 5 CHILES!!! If you have the means, I definitely recommend picking one up.
Date: August 18, 1998
I recently purchased an Airborne Lucky Strike sight unseen. I hope to detail my reasons for purchase here.A little about Titanium (Ti). Ti exists in two forms known as alpha (molecules in a hexagonal form, like a bee hive) and beta (box form). Alpha exists at temperatures below approximately 883 degrees C and beta above that. Other elements are added to either raise the temperate at which alpha is stable or lower the temperate at which the beta transition will occur. Aluminum is used for the former whereas vanadium is used for the latter. So, when you refer to 3Al-2.5V Ti you are referring to a strong, alpha-beta type Ti alloy containing 3% aluminum and 2.5% vanadium. Commercially pure Ti (CP) (100% Ti, no other metals) has a tensile strength of about 55-70 ksi (thousand pounds per square inch) whereas 3/2.5 has a tensile strength of about 120 ksi. This is the number with which you are concerned when it comes to frame durability. The higher the tensile strength, the more durable the frame. There are other factors that play into this but that is generally it.The LS is mostly 3/2.5. The parts that aren't: bottom bracket, head tube, dropouts, all of which are made of CP. These are my areas of concern when it comes to this frame. The head tube is 2.7 mm thick which is between .5 and .7 mm thicker than most other Ti manufacturer's head tubes so that should compensate for any weakness using CP Ti. The dropouts are 7mm thick CP which is plenty thick. I'm not sure if I subscribe to Airborne's claim that you shouldn't use 6Al/4V for reasons of skewer slippage but the dropouts should be tough. As for the BB. It is 3.4 mm thick of CP Ti. Most manufacturers use the same thickness of 3/2.5. If a point is going to fail, this is it.I talked to the engineers at a very reputable US Ti company to get their opinion (off the record of course). They said that Ti bikes are overbuilt and in general are tough as nails, theirs or anyone's. I asked one engineer if he had heard of the Lucky Strike and he replied, If the frame is as good as they say it is an awesome deal, I would have a hard time passing it up. They also stated they didn't think the BB would be a problem.I also spoke to a managing editor at a major bike magazine which is publishing a review on the LS in October. He said, All of us here loved it. It rides as good as any top end Ti bike.Ultimately, this is why I purchased a Lucky Strike. I could not even come close to matching Airborne's price. I bought a full XT bike w/ 517 rims, a Mythos XC up front and a Raptor on the back. Odd combo (they don't even match) but the Mythos XC is the best front tire you can buy and Raptor is the best rear if you ride in the Pacific Northwest which I do. Airborne has such great prices that I would be hard pressed to buy just the components by themselves for what I bought the whole bike. Even if I destroy this frame and Airborne goes out of business so I can't get a new one, I can still buy a new frame, build it up using the components I purchased on the Airborne and only have spent as much as I would have if I had purchased it from the beginning.Last note, Jamie Raddin, the owner of Airborne, is awesome at customer service. Of all the bikes that he has sold to date, none have been returned. I have no doubt that if one ever is he will break speed records fulfilling the warranty.
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Submitted by
George
a cross-country rider
from Seattle, WA
Date Reviewed: September 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had my Lucky Strike frame for a little over a 6 weeks. So far I have been completely satisfied with the purchase. So...onto the overall review.Like everyone here, pretty much everything I've got to say is good. I ordered the frame in the evening (Pacific time) and also emailed asking how long it would take to fill the order. When I got into work the next morning, I had an email from Jamie at Airborne stating that the bike had already been shipped out and he also gave me a UPS tracking number for the package. Several weeks later, when I called the factory with a quick component sizing question they had it answered immediately. I give 5 chilis for service.The frame arrived and looked great. Initially I was a bit sceptical about the decals. They were a bit tacky to touch like they hadn't been put on properly and wouldn't last. Luckily this turned out to be wrong. After a couple days out of the box in the air, the decals lost that sticky feeling and so far have withstood some pretty tough abuse without damage. The front metal decal looks good but I have to agree with that other reviewer who mentioned the edges were sharp and although unlikely, could cause a laceration (it also doesn't appear to be too well stuck on to the frame - but hey...I've had some pretty big wrecks with it already, and its still on)!! For looks I give this frame 5 big hot chilis!Alright now for the real stuff: Performance. I decked out my frame with a full XTR component set..wish I could have bought the XTR bike from Airborne(great price), but I had too many parts sitting around so I just decided to build the bike myself. Marzoochi Z2 Atom Bomber, speedplay frog peddels, and some bomb-proff mavic 217 rims and xt hubs. This bike is light. Just like others have mentioned, the Lucky Strike is nimble and damn fast. I swear that this bike almost seems to climb the hills by itself. Overall - unbelievably fast and agile on the climb. 5 chilis for the climb. Downhill? Ok, I've got to admit that I'm still trying to get completely comfortable on the downhill with this frame. I switched from a GT full suspension bike that had fostered some bad habits because it was so forgiving you could just point it straight down and hit everything on the way without fear. The airborne on the otherhand seems to require some real finese and I've wiped out bad because of oversteer more than a couple of times. I think I've gotten over that, but it still seems to be really touchy on the slopes. Downhill - Well I'd say three chilis, but most of my problems are probably due to my own bad habits so I'll settle with 4 chilis here.
Cross country? Hey, this bike powers up and is a breeze to ride. Heck, I've been out road riding and have passed quite a few roadies much to thier ire. Flat terrain: 5 chilis.Frame durability: Well, this is obviously the one area that none of us has a real clue about. Guess we'll find out over the next 6 months to a year. Nothing that I've seen so far has lead me to believe anything other than this bike is solid and will withstand major abuse and keep on riding. The quality really looks good. I truely believe the folks at Airborne would quickly replace a defective frame if one ever pops up.The value. *grin* Who are we kidding? This frame is a @#$&$&@ Steal!!!!! $699. I only wish they would quickly raise the prices now, because everyone will have one of these bikes soon and then I won't be the only kid on the block with a shiny new Ti Lucky Strike frame! *grin*Overall. Hey what else could you give this bike, but 5 huge, dripping, red hot flaming CHILIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Martin Kline
a cross-country rider
from Atlanta, GA
Date Reviewed: September 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I've had my LS/XTR with Marz. atom bomb for the past couple of weeks and have had an opportunity to put approximately 150 miles on it in all kinds of terrain - single track, gravel unpaved roads, hilly firebreak trails and the pure, paved road. It outperforms any of my previous mtn bikes as far as comfort and handling. I was really agonizing over whether to move into rear suspension but as an OLD HARDTAILER (age 54) and because monster downhill riding is best left to those strong of heart and truly fearless - I opted for a light titanium frame with all the goodies to give me any advantage in climbing and bumpy XC. The frame was a pleasant surprise and all I can say it gives a great deal of comfort under any conditions - actually, I expected it to be so rigid and stiff that it would jar my fillings out - but the design gives a smooth, even, almost supple feel to the rider under the most jarring conditions - congrats to Jaimie in coming up with a design that is affordable and really makes a difference. As an old dirt motorcyclist, the conversion to pedal power several years ago convinced me to buy the best as something better came out - so I've gone from Fisher to Giant to Cannondale (a few others in between) back to Fisher and now finally feel that Airborne with Jaimie and Doug have answered my needs. This bike is not only a treat to ride but its appearance is outstanding and I love the comments from my old cronies with their rear suspension goofy looking heavy equipment - hardtails forever. I have to make a comment about one of these reviews I read before I typed this. Someone was complaining about the decals and went to the trouble to remove them with a razor blade or something worried about lacerations from a sharp edge from one of the decals- was this for real? - get a life - you must be losing electrolytes or something from too much sun. The product is superb and the people behind Airborne do everything to make a buyer happy - I'm sure they'll send you more decals if needed. A first class company with first class people. I am careful to recommend anything to anybody but I would not hesitate to send someone to Jaimie, Doug and Airborne for the best product on the market. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
John Mason
a racer
from Ireland
Date Reviewed: August 27, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I was a little sceptical at the idea of a $699 titanium frame,when i first noticed Airbornes advertisement. Up to then the cheapest ti-frame i had come accross was in the $1000 price bracket. Due to the fact that i am a Cross-country racer, one of the most important characteristics for me when choosing a frame is how well it is going to climb. I have always ridden an aluminium frame and enjoyed the liveliness it displays on fire road climbs. The second weekend I had the bike i ventured up to Plattekil Mtb/ski-resort in the Catskills to test it out. The 18 inch frame was terrific on the steep ski run climbs with almost no noticeable flex at the bottom bracket. But what really caught my attention was how forgiving the ti-frame was, on fast technical downhills, of which there are plenty of in Plattekil. I purchased the Bike with a full XTR groupset, Crossmax and RockShox SID. Having raced mountain bikes for the last 4 years and now at Pro-elite level in Ireland it is not to often that you find people who know exactly what you want when it comes to buying a top end race bike. The people at Airborne however are the exception to the rule they were extremely helpful especially Jamie Reddan who has great product knowledge.The customer/technical support at Airborne is second to none! The price! What can I say other than its unbelieveable. When I mentioned the price to some of the bikeshops here in New York they just threw their eyes up to heaven in disbelief. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Rick G
a cross-country rider
from Rochester, MI
Date Reviewed: August 26, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Like most of the reviews here, I too was a bit leary of a $699 Ti frame. After calling to get some information on sizing and asking about their return policy, I ordered my 18 frame. It was at my door 48 hours later. I built up the frame with full XT comp.(from my older Gary Fisher-joshuaZ2) and went to test it out. The ride was unbelievable, it was a whole different world than what I was used to. Other bikes i've owned have been the Diamond back-apex(chromo), Cannondale-mx500(allum) and of course the Gary Fisher(full-suspension allum.). I am very satisfied with my purchase. I am sure I will enjoy riding this for many years.
I guess I should say something negative about the frame so everyone doesn't thing its a frame without faults. I would have to say that the welds although nice and strong looking, are not cosmetically perfect. On the rear triangle, the welds on the left side do not exactly match those on the right. This I am sure has nothing to do with ride quality or the strength of the frame, but I had to think of something negative to put in this review. Buy it, you will be happy.
My room mate also has a Fisher, and after riding my bike, wants to get one as well.
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Submitted by
Nino B
a cross-country rider
from White Plains, NY
Date Reviewed: August 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have the lucky strike frame now for about 500 miles. I had the airborne people build it up with XTR, Xmax and a White
brothers sc70 fork, the bike is nice and light and built to climb and descend the long steep hills and valleys in the Catskills
mountains north of nyc. The roads are a mix of blacktop, gravel and rutted dirt farm roads. This is the third mtb that I've owned
to ride the area and the airborne is by far the best, really a great bike. It's a wonderful climber, stiff and lite, the frame make
some long 3-5 mile long steep climbs seem easy. and in the fast downhills the frame and front shock absorb all the bumps and
rutts while maintaining good feedback and outstanding stability. In the tight spots, the steering is nimble and quick.
All around a winner!
Jamie and Doug at airborne are both a pleasure to deal with and are very helpful with all the follow up questions.
I'd buy another one with out any hesitation. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Michael Treffinger
a racer
from Wellsville Pa
Date Reviewed: August 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I recently purchased a lucky strike frame and have so far put two races in on it. My first was a NORBA National at Seven
Springs. I just built the bike two days prior to the event and had no idea how it would handle. My first ride on it and I was sold.
This frame handles! It does everything Airborne says it
does and more. The ride quality of this frame is exceptional. I built mine up with a SID and Crossmax wheelset. The weight of
my bike is 21.75 lbs. It feels great on those long climbs and comes back down them with confidence. Also this frames attention
to detail is top notch. From it's S Bend stays to it ovalized top tube this frame is a beauty. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Trish
a racer
from South Carolina, USA
Date Reviewed: August 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I am the contest winner from July 4, 1998. Yes, I exist. I've been riding my Lucky Strike for about a month now and have been loving every minute of it. My previous bike was a Fisher Paragon that I liked. I had a few issues with it, and the small size frame was a bit big for all 5'3 of me. I am riding a 14 Lucky Strike.Geometry: The most noticeable thing is that the top tube is much shorter than the Fisher, which makes the reach to the handlebars more comfortable for me. The head tube is also about 1/2 inch higher. Coupled with my Z2 BAM, this puts the front end geometry in line with a hybrid, forcing me to sit up more and put more weight on my sit bones. According to my sports physiologist, this will help my RSI. The chainstays are short enough to allow for quick climbing and fast descending. I must admit that the new geometry is very comfortable. I have been able to ride the technical trails that I was riding on the Fisher in no time.If I had one word to describe the geometry, it would be nimble. This little bike darts in and out of tight singletrack and handles very quickly. I easily adjusted to the feel of the Lucky Strike.Feel: The first thing I noticed was that the ride was not nearly as stiff as the Fisher and that my rear end was not getting beaten. This frame flexes, which I am still getting used to. What a great feeling! I don't feel every little bump travel up my spine like on an Aluminum frame. Also, I find that I don't get as fatigued as quickly. After riding a Titanium bike, I may not be able to go back to any other frame material. What my friends are saying: (before riding it) Pretty Bike, I like the finish and the graphics (after riding it) Nice ride, Feels like a high end Ti bike, Are you going to sell this bike? I want to buy it, Can I take it home with me? I must say that I agree with them all!Customer Service: In addition to winning the bike, I purchased some components from Airborne. Jamie, the owner, is simple wonderful to work with. He is one of the few people in the bike industry that still believe the customer is always right. He and his associates personally answer the phone and respond quickly to email. The customer service is unparalleled.Concerns: The close proximity of the chain stays to the rear wheel concerns me a bit for muddy conditions. There is not as much clearance as there was on my Fisher. I think this will be alleviated when I buy 1.9 tires. My current set up runs 2.1. Also, the cable guides situated on the under side of the top tube are a bit sharp. I have to be a bit careful when carrying the bike.Overall: This bike is a great value. Nothing in this price range will give the same ride quality or frame quality. I can't wait to start racing the Lucky Strike. For the rest of this season, it will be both my XC and DH bike. I am sure that it will handle both well!
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Submitted by
Bob Rebolledo
a cross-country rider
from Litchfield, NH USA
Date Reviewed: August 18, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
When I started looking for a Ti based bike, I poked around in this web site and found this bike had 3 reviews, all 5 chilies...great rating...few samples. Well now that I have been riding my Lucky Strike for two weeks, I feel compelled to add one more to the growing number of riders buying (and reviews) this bike. I bought the XTR, with a Bomber 2 shock and Crossmax wheels. This bike is like owning a sports car. The looks are great as everyone here remarks...more importantly its handling is remarkable. I noticed that when I ride out of a slow technical turn the acceleration is striking to me. I don't know how much of this is due to the low wheel mass vs. the overall lighter weight compared to my old steel bike..or frame response...but who cares. Also, on technical climbs, I find a don't need to carry a lot of speed up the hill to clear rocks and roots, I can actually crawl and pick my way due to the acceleration and agility. In summary, this thing is quick and handles great. I think anyone who wouldn't buy this bike because the frame is made in China is a victim of Merlin propaganda. This frame is perfect looking, riding and I can't image it failing. With the money you save over a Merlin or Litespeed you can afford the XTR group,a great shock and great wheels and still have a lot of money left over. I also agree with the other reviews that Jamie at Airborne is excellent to deal with. I love every aspect of this bike (so far) and feel great about the decision to buy it over other Ti bikes. Don't be shy on this one, you'll get an excellent value and outstanding performance...this is a find! | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
David Bryant
a cross-country rider
from Tujunga, CA
Date Reviewed: August 15, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I got my Airborne last month and have put about 200 miles on it and still am impressed every climb. It makes the long climbs feel alot easier and it bombs
back down just as nice. I got mine with the Manatou SX-ti fork and XTR group and it weighs in at 22lbs. (18 frame) Its great to look at and even greater to ride. My friends are drooling but they will just have to order their own.
I must agree that Jamie is one of the easiest to work with people I have dealt with in the bike world. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Tony Vourax
a weekend warrior
from Denver
Date Reviewed: August 10, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
This was my first adventure into the mountain bike world and I decided that I would leave no stone unturned in my search for the ultimate hard tail. After consulting countless hardcore mtn bikers and finding what equipment would be at the top of their wish list and what is a necessity in a frame - I struck gold at Airborne. Serious about my equipment, I traveled to Madison, WI. to see first hand the product and meet the company personnel. Let me say that Jamie Raddin has to be one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure of dealing with. I called ahead for a test ride and they built up a bike to my specs (full XTR, Marzocchi Z2 BAM plus all the other primo goodies). As I looked the bike over all I can say is that the attention to detail is what sold me on the bike. I was awed at the beauty of the brushed finish, how the cables are routed and the excellent graphics. After the test ride with Jamie through some single track I was convinced that I had to tote it back to Colorado with me. I get a lot of “Nice ride” from other experienced riders and when I tell them how much it cost they look at their bike and shake their heads. I have since assaulted many a hill, powered over switchbacks & blasted downhill faster than I ever thought I would try. The ultralight frame inspires me to push the envelope because it feels so solid beneath me. I have also met my demise with a couple of granite road blocks, picking myself up I only hope that I hold together as well as my bike does. At 6’3” and 225 lbs. I basically brutalize this bike and it has not even whimpered once. You’ve got to challenge yourself everyday - and my Lucky Strike allows me to do just that. Major kudos to Jamie and company for an awesome product. Be careful if you buy a bike without looking at Airborne’s hardtail because someday we’ll meet on a summit and just like all the other riders - as I pedal away you’ll be standing there looking at your bike and shaking your head. | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Seth
a cross-country rider
from Arizona
Date Reviewed: August 2, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Well, I've had my bike for about a month now and have had ample time to ride the hell out of it and do everything I could to find something wrong with it. It flexes in all the right spots, is stiff where it needs to be and takes the edge off some rough sections of the trails. It tracks wouderfully and the geometry is awesome!!! My wife thinks I look so sexy on it she lets me take it to bed with us!!!!!:) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Frank Zealo
a cross-country rider
from Europe
Date Reviewed: July 23, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
I have ridden many titanium bikes, and all of them compared relatively well to the metal matrix and aluminum frames that many other X-country racers use. I am impressed with the impeccable handling capabilities of the airborne and would like to see a titanium bike that handles better. The Marazocci shock just soaks up the bumps. Having ridden it on road and off, I do believe that the airborne lucky strike is the best X-country bike that I have ever ridden. The aesthetics of the airborne is extremely well thought out. You have to admit that it even looks fast standing still. Overall I would have to say that I love this bike and I will continue to for many years to come. :>) | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
sean
a cross-country rider
from san diego ca usa
Date Reviewed: June 22, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
Hi, I would like to say my review is not an advertisement, and for the people who cast doubt on someone who can applaud an outstanding product. booooo to you. This frame with the basic recommended components shimano xt/xtr , marzocchi and race face emebellished with the seat and barends is an out of the box arsonal ready to leave your freinds staring at your back all stay and drooling over the rear stays saying to them selves when can I get one. Then once they finally are able to catch up from being ripped on they can only stare at that ovalized, swaged and tapered titanium with the killer grafix and say, man, what a swell bike it looks really comfortable under you. I say all this with several years of experiance on/off road racing and touring with the primary focus to have fun and enjoy the comraderey and lively competition of the people you meet. Other cyclists are a breed all together different and we need to stick together and keep the trails open. Also I have a team rts and trek carbon 8700 both of which are nice but are as they say for sale. So I'll put another 20-30 hours on it again before another reveiw but it defitnately is the big mans bike for serious singletrack shredding and climbing. READ:::: no bottom bracket flex. sitting on the bike and wiggling the steering bar ends versus the seat/butt junction is assinine. Ask any accomplished frame builder. One other factoid Jamie Raddin at Airborne is one of the nicest and most conciderate people you'll ever have the pleasure of doing bussiness with.
So to all the nay sayers keep your bikes and stay out of the way, because the Lucky Strikes are on a bomber run.. ....... SVTOLY@AOL.COM | | Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve
a weekend warrior
from USA
Date Reviewed: June 1, 1998 | | Bottom Line: |
After some discussion here on the 'net I got the Airborne on impulse, partly thinking that if I did not like it's looks that I would send it back. In this case I went for the high zoot XTR version for a complete bike. Though I have only had it for about two weeks, I thought I would write a review after having ridden it both on-road and off-road, as there seem to be a number of people inquiring about this frame.
Simply put, the frame is in my opinion striking. It has a brushed finish which I think is prettier than the bead blasted finishes common to titanium frames, though the brushed finish is less flashy than the polished frames offerred by Litespeed and a few others. Whoever designed the Airborne did a far better job at aesthetics than most of its competition. The decals stand out from the crowd and it even has a metal head tube badge, not a cheap sticker. The look is of a much more costly bike than the $699 frame cost. In my opinion it can hold its own in looks with any frame.
You can read the specifications on the frame at Airborne's web page so I will not repeat them here. My 16 frame weighs right at 22 lbs. Very light to me. I particularly like the DeKerf inspired seat stays and the curved chain stays that remind me of a style used by Serotta for road bikes in the past. These stays are not delicate, they are massive and muscular looking. For the weld worshippers out there, I did a lot of research the past few weeks looking at every titanium bike that I could get close to in order to compare the weld quality of the Airborne to it's peers. In my opinion, Merlin makes a prettier weld. (That being said, I asked the owner of the Merlin how he liked his bike and he told me he as disappointed as the bottom bracket had cracked on his previous Merlin frame, without the bike ever having been wrecked, and he had a hard time getting warranty replacement from Merlin. He said that it took him 3 months without a bike before he received a replacement. This was on a road frame that would not have the stresses a mountainbike might enjoy.) The only reason I mentioned this was to show that even a ti frame that costs $1500 for the frame alone can fail, so weld appearence alone is not a sufficient test of quality. The welds on the Airborne look just fine.
Like it's immediate competition, the Habanero, the Airborne has massive drop-outs. To me the two bikes look the same in this area. If someone does not like this look, then they might be disappointed, but only in this area because the rest of the bike looks so good.
Having ridden both on the road, with a fairly fast crowd, and off-road I think my impressions are well-founded. This bike is a climbing delight, better even I think than my TREK OCLV road frame that weighs less than 20 lbs.! In order to test the shock absorbing quality of the ti frame, I did not used my Giani suspension seatpost knowing that I ran the risk of lowback pain if the bike was too stiff or rough. I am happy to report that my back did just fine, the bike was very comfortable over rocky terrain. Though I am new to mountainbikes, I would say the handling of the bike in twisting trails was excellent. Found myself trying to do things that require more skill than I have acquired.
Airborne supplies a titanium railed saddle and titanium barends with each frame. As I am particulary critical of saddles and have gone through a large number, the Airborne saddle was very comfortable. Enough so that I may put another one on my road bike. Both saddle and barends have the cool-looking Airborne logo on them.
From the Airborne's brushed finish, over-sized and ovalized main tubes, DeKerf style seat stays and curved chain stays, this bike looks classy. I just sit back and say to myself Man, that bike looks good. The bike looks as though it costs far more than it does. So much so, that when Airborne comes out with a road model, I will probably add it to my fleet.
Rarely have I ever recommended something, a bike, as unreservedly as I do this one. Unless you need to spend thousands (!) Of dollars more on the detail work of a Seven or something, I can not see how anyone would be disappointed in this bike.
As I have only had it a short time, I can not speak on the frame's reliability, though it looks bombproof. I will report in later to evaluate it again after some time. Until then, I give it an easy 5 chiles and say don't hesitate, just go for it. | | Overall Rating: |
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