First Look: Introducing Airdrop Bikes

Airdrop Bikes is a new independent mountain bike brand based in Sheffield. We're rider owned, small, and we do things our own way. Our bikes are simple, effective and above all, fun to ride. We develop our own frames, refining them on the trails of the Peak. Then they're built to order here in Sheffield. It's a bit different but it works.

Our first bike is the Airdrop Edit.

FEATURES

• 6061-T6 Heat treated alloy tubing
• 150mm plush rear wheel travel
• 27.5" (650b) wheels
• Built for 1x drivetrains
• Tapered headtube
• 142x12mm rear axle
• Threaded BB with ISCG05 tabs
• Replaceable dropouts
• Replaceable hanger & brake mount
• Designed in Sheffield

First impressions last. That's why we spent 18 months developing the Edit before going into production. Designed from the ground-up, it's a no-nonsense trail/enduro machine that's fast & fun to ride. Geometry is aggressive, with a long front-centre, 66° head angle, 435mm chain stays and a low bottom bracket for that 'in the bike' feeling. There's 150mm of plush, progressive suspension travel from a tried & tested horst-link rear end, 27.5" (650b) wheels and plenty of mud clearance. The spec list is just right. No fancy bells & whistles, nothing complicated or breakable. No marketing rubbish. It's just a great bike to ride.

OUR WAY

Mountain bikes are great. They're lighter, stronger and faster than ever before. But there's a catch: they're also over-hyped, over-designed and over-priced. Airdrop Bikes is here to change that. We believe in simplicity, quality and creativity. Where many brands strive to add more to their products, we're asking "what can we take away?".

Too many bikes are designed to sell. That's not the same as designed to ride. Designed to sell means as many features, bells & whistles as possible. It means complex linkages to dierentiate from the competition and new standards. It means graphics everywhere and pointless three-letter acronyms. It's overkill, it costs money and for the most part, it doesn't make the bike better. Our bikes are designed to ride. Sounds simple doesn't it. Everything we do goes into making the bike better, faster, more fun. It takes confidence, and it means the bikes really do have to be good. But that's how we think it should be, and we're sticking to it.

We develop our frames in house, and have them made in small batches. We build them to order in Sheffield and ship them direct to customers. This approach is more ecient and saves you money - but even though that's true, it's not really why we do it this way. This is the only way we can stay in control of quality and detail at every step, and it means there's a direct connection between the people that ride our bikes and the people that make them.

THE AIRDROP EDIT

The idea behind the Edit is to get back to what mountain biking is all about, to keep things pure and simple, with a bike that just works. We're not here to tell you what to do with it. Build a fast & light trail-centre ripper, a hard-hitting alpine slayer or an Enduro racer. We designed the Edit to be a versatile platform.

The Edit's geometry targets the steepest and roughest sections of trail, giving you extra confidence to go faster. Handling is sure-footed and predictable, so you can forget about the bike and focus on the ride. The frame is sti, so you can chuck it into corners, load up the tyres and find the grip. There's plenty of stand-over height so you can move around and stay centred, and the rear end is short enough to manual or pop over obstacles. The suspension delivers 150mm of travel via a Horst Link design, which has been around since 1985. It's a tried & tested solution which we've tuned to balance small-bump sensitivity against big-hit performance. It remains active under braking, and active enough when you're on the power to maintain traction.

A lot of people talk about the 'do anything' bike. That would be a big claim. But the Edit is perfect for the rides we do most often, and a bike you can enjoy for the whole ride. It may be simple, but it's effective.

Frame & Shock from £949 // Frame Bundles from £1449 // Bikes from £2499

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Contact Ed Brazier at Airdrop Bikes: www.airdropbikes.com