Gutted - Last month I craked the top tube on my Airborne Lucky Strike.
Had the bike since 2004 and done many, many miles on it.
No other bike I have owned has come close to the Airborne for ease of acceleration, outright climbing speed and handling balance on singletrack.
As an old skool, long top tube, 21" frame, it was a bitch on any steep or steppy downhill stuff, but that was a limitation I was happy to live with...
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...but now I need to think about a replacement (ok I can't [i]afford[/i] a replacement right now, but I can [i]think[/i] about it..)
Anyway - what's good in the worldd of race geometry Ti hardtails?? Obviously the Airborne was at the "value" end of the Ti scale when I bought it, but I loved it and they way it rode very, very much.
I 'race' my 456Ti 20inch with f120's been very impressed. Would love a Cotic Soda frame but that's another big step up in price.
If were only dreaming then it would be a Moots YBB, preferably a 29er.
Not sure that the 456 / Cotic etc hardtails are the sort of geometry I'm after.
To get a ride feel like the Airborne I think it's going to need to be short rear triangle, long top tube and 80-100mm forks....
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If were only dreaming ...
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In that respect, an Independent Fabrications Ti Deluxe, with geometry based on my measurements might be the answer......
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....best not tell the wife or bank manager though....
Get the airborne welded?
Don't VanNick honour the warenties?
voodoo d-jab £1500 full bike. I have mine setup 100mm forks + short stays.
Get the airborne welded?
Have considered this - but it is a longitudinal hairline crack along the top of the TT - not sure how you would stop it poropgating further along... drill and weld??
Don't VanNick honour the warenties?
They haven't responded to my emails....
Do you have an email I can contact you on..?
Try Enigma
Do you have an email I can contact you on..?
just updated my profile
Whyte 19 Ti,
Charge Duster,
Lynskey Ridgeline 26 - cheap on CRC,
Van Nicholas Tuareg,
Genesis Altitude Ti.
All have racey geometry similar to my old Lucky Strike.
Van Nicholas Tuareg,
Doh - obvious choice really - isn't the Tuareg the old Airborne Black Widow (ie tweaked LS??)
My feelings towards VN might be being unreasonably influenced by the warranty situation though....
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All have racey geometry similar to my old Lucky Strike.
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Can I asked what happened to yours? Most Airborne riders I have come across seem to have a soft spot for their bikes
Why not get a custom? Places like Burls do Ti custom frames and not silly money. That way you could spec the geometry you wanted.
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Can I asked what happened to yours? Most Airborne riders I have come across seem to have a soft spot for their bikes
I'm a student and was seriously short of money. That bike was getting used the least.....
....I do miss it, it was 100% mint, no scratches and still on the original decals in mint condition. *sigh*
[EDIT] Yeah, the LS turned into the BW which turned into the Tuareg.
Have you heard of Global bikes?
They've been going for a long time and you can look at them at
www.rideon.co.uk/shop/ViewCategory.aspx?categoryId=76
TH 1.5 is sorted for 100mm forks.
The Singular Pegasus got a pretty good review in last month's issue
Don't know if they're still available, but I love my Commencal Flame Ti.
Same fantastic handling as the Flame, but more forgiving on the arse and less pinging off rocks at speed, plus adjustable dropouts for winter single-speeding or just to adjust the geometry.
Brill!
Andy
Ragley TD-1?? Long top tube, race weapon complete flyer on Singletrack, comfy, stiff, fun, light, geared or Singlespeed,climbs and descents bloody well, cheapish, designer answers your emails...i could go on
Needs to run the rigid fork but feels completely like a 26in bike but carries waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more speed 🙂
Twinklydave rocked his to 2nd at Mayhem and mine went round at a slightly lesser pace in the Singlespeed cat.
What did you end up getting?