30% off DJ wheels with a Fade frame! use code BANK30OFF
30% off DJ wheels with a Fade frame! use code BANK30OFF
by Ed Brazier July 21, 2016 2 min read
Every now and then a customer comes along with a really clear idea for what they want their new bike to be. Brett is a manager on the 3sixty Bicycle Stunt Display Team, a pro trials rider, and holder of multiple world records. So when he asked us to help him build up an Edit as an Enduro race bike, we knew it was going to be good...
Frame: | Airdrop Edit, size medium | |
Colour: | Orange with black decals | |
Forks: | DVO Diamond 160mm, black | |
Rear Shock: | DVO Topaz T3 Air, black | |
Headset: | Cane Creek 40 series ZS44/ZS55 | |
Stem: | Chromag BZA 35mm, 35mm clamp, black | |
Handlebars: | Chromag BZA Carbon, 35mm clamp, 780mm wide, 25mm rise, orange | |
Grips: | Chromag clutch, orange with black lock rings | |
Seatpost: | KS Lev 150mm with southpaw lever, 30.9mm | |
Saddle: | WTB Hightail Ti | |
Brakes: | Shimano Saint M820, 203mm front & 180mm rear ice-tech rotors | |
Wheels: | Atomlab DHR rims on Atomlab Pimplite hubs, 32h with Halo DB spokes | |
Tyres: | Maxxis Minion DHF 2.5 dual ply 3C front, Maxxis Minion SS 2.5 dual ply 3C rear | |
Rear Derailleur: | Shimano XTR 1x11 | |
Cassette: | Shimano XT 1x11 11-42t | |
Shifter: | Shimano XTR 1x11 | |
Cranks: | Shimano Saint M820 with OneUp 32t n/w chainring | |
Chain: | KMC X11SL Gold | |
Bottom Bracket: | Shimano Saint BB80 | |
Chaiguide: | OneUp |
The orange frame with blacked-out build kit looks great, and sets off the green anodised details on the DVO suspension.
Brett's done a lovely job on his garden too.
If you're a Shimano fan, it's hard to beat the combo of the XT 11-42t cassette and XTR rear derailleur. A good range of gears (although not quite as wide as the SRAM 1x11 offerings) and incredibly precise, reliable shifting. You can also see the awesome Saint 4-pot calliper lurking in the background. World-cup DH level stopping power on tap.
You have to be careful with colour co-ordination; it's so easy to overcook it. But we reckon Brett's got it just right with his cockpit setup. The finish on the Chromag carbon bars is lovely and the orange highlights tie-in with the frame nicely.
Brett chose the KS Lev dropper because the hose is routed into the seat-clamp area rather than beneath the saddle. This means there's no hose-loop to worry about and it keeps things nice and tidy at all times.
The frame's not too bad either.
You have to see the DVO kit up close to really appreciate the level of build quality and attention to detail. It's almost a shame to get it muddy. Brett's going to give the Diamond forks and Topaz shock some serious abuse over the Summer and report back on their performance. We've got high expectations.
It's a bit of an unusual build, but we love it. And it obviously works, because Brett's been smashing KOMs on it since he got it. And it just goes to show how versatile a platform the Edit really can be. Brett's taken it down a hard-hitting route, using strong build kit throughout. But how would you build yours?
Contact us for more info on custom builds.
Ed is the owner of Airdrop Bikes. A former web and graphic designer, he sacked off his job one day and decided to start up a bike brand.
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Dan Swallow
August 19, 2016
That’s frickin awesome! Great kit and love the attention to detail!