Aaron's Bike

When Aaron first contacted us, he was having a bit of trouble finding the right bike. He was quite clear on his budget, and was getting frustrated with other companies either unwilling to change their bikes or pushing him to spend more.

That's not really a problem for us, since all our bikes are built to order. It's not much extra trouble to change components, and if that makes the bike better for our customers, we're up for it. So we worked up a custom spec.

Aaron lives in the mountains of Southern Spain, so he needed a bike that could take some big hits whilst remaining nimble enough to ride big days in hot conditions. And he didn't want to break the bank. So the starting point was the Rockshox Monarch RT3 rear shock and Yari RC fork combo. We went for 160mm travel up front, which slackens the head angle off to around 65.7.

The drivetrain is SRAM GX 1x11 which we've found delivers incredible performance at a reasonable price. The cassette is a little heavier than it's more expensive stable-mates but in the context of an overall build, it's not noticeable (and it's a lot cheaper to replace). We went for the stiffness of the Raceface Turbine Cinch cranks, paired with a direct-mount 32 tooth narrow-wide chainring. The 32/42 low gear is enough to winch up even the steepest climbs.

Aaron particularly wanted a good wheel set. For us it was a no-brainer to spec the Easton Heist 30 wheels which we're now fitting to the Edit Pro bike. The internal rim width of 30mm gives a great square profile to the tyres - in this case a Maxxis Minion DHF front and High Roller II rear. They come tubeless ready out of the box and you even get 5 spare spokes per wheel.

For the cockpit we chose the Joystick Builder 35mm stem and 8-bit alloy handlebar. The short reach of the stem complements the Edit's long front-centre perfectly; it's lightweight and strong, and it pairs up with the Joystick bars nicely. The bars give a full 800mm width and a comfortable sweep. It's a genuine all-mountain (dare we say Enduro?) combination.

Overall we're super stoked on Aaron's bike, and we definitely approve of his colour choice. But don't just take our word for it. Aaron sent us a nice email:

Why did l choose the airdrop edit. .. where do l start? 6 months ago l knew it was time for a new approach to the way l ride and wanted to improve my style and still keep the fun which is what is all about. I had a few bikes in mind (and there are some great bikes out there) but it was a case of buy off the shelf and a big list of what the bike could do.

But what about what could l do and where l could improve the way l ride. Then l contacted Ed and talked about the Airdrop Edit, for one what a fantastic looking bike, clean lines and it just looks right.

I told Ed my budget and riding style and the custom build he proposed was bang on and within the budget (other companies either refused to alter the bike or it was way over budget in the hope you would spend more).

So where am l now, my custom edit is on its way to me now in Spain ( probably the first) and l cannot wait to try it out on the mountains near me. Anyone considering buying a new bike should talk to Ed at airdrop as he honestly wants you to enjoy his product and endeavours to satisfy your needs.

Another happy customer. Good result. If you're like Aaron, and you want a bike built to suit your needs, why not contact us and see what we can do?