See if we can't get some more Pathogen owners to chime in...
I thought the review in Decline was nice, but a little light (not sure what I expected). Always troubles me when they go on about the specs on a build that they create, and the critiquing in them sometimes casts a shadow over the product review in general. In this case, they refer to "stock wheels" - but they picked these wheels, they are not "stock" or spec'd by Airborne, and complain about how the bars were too low, but they were the ones who picked out FLAT bars
I feel magazines should do a sidebar to the review where they talk about the components they choose for a particular build.
In this case, I appreciate they try to come up with an "affordable" build, but still wish they'd keep all of that to a sidebar.
Found it funny they call out the head angle and geometry... ??? (IMO, its plenty slack)
Anyhow - I've ridden mine on a variety of terrain and really pushed myself on it. Like Decline notes, it feels planted on the trail. It doesn't skip around in rocky/rough sections, which I think can also be attributed to the X-Fusion shock a little bit as well as the frame. I found the settings on the shock to make sense, are easy to adjust (but the rebound is bit tricky to reach). Despite the 9.5lb frame, the bike is easy to maneuver around, even in slower technical sections, but speed is the Pathogen's friend (it IS a DOWNHILL bike, right?
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While it does plow through rock gardens/rough with ease and control, I wouldn't consider this a "plow bike" - because even at speed, it's very easy to move the bike around. Wouldn't call it "playful", but Decline nailed it with "responsive". Front end comes up easy when needed - and this where I really disagree with Decline - if the bike were slacker, it wouldn't handle so well and the front end would be more difficult to affect. The way it is now, it strikes a keen balance. It rides like a DH bike, not a freeride bike, which is a great thing. A new DH race series recently popped up for this season, and I think I can make to at least 2, of not three of the four in the series. Can't wait to get the Pathogen on couple of these courses.
Coming directly from the TAKA, the Pathogen is on another level. TWO other levels really. Those who cross over from the Taka will immediately notice the difference; longer, lower, faster and easier to move around. Not sure it's lighter, it will depend on the build, but it "rides lighter". Also the frame is very stiff front to back, no wobble or wiggle, even when putting power through to the cranks at max output.
My current build:
Mostly parts from Taka; Gravity cranks, Nuke Proof plasic body pedals with metal pins, 888 fork from Taka, Direct Mount stem from Function, RF Atlas bars, low-rise, generic seat post, Deity saddle, Elixr brakes, Vans waffle sole grips, Mavic DeeMax wheels, Maxxis DHF on front - 2.5 and tubeless, Michelin Wild Gripper 2.5 on the rear, also tubeless.
Future build edits: Saint cranks, Zee brakes, Deity bars, I-Beam seat and post (they are remarkably light - a great place to shave what can be significant weight).
That's about all I can come up with. Here's a quick vid from some shuttles yesterday on local-ish trail. First day out this year on the whole trail so I was a bit shaky, but the Pathogen was all there and allowed to shake out the cobwebs pretty fast.
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/93073835">Gravity</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/jerryhazard">J Hazard</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
