PRESS RELEASE: Airdrop BikesToday we're announcing the new Edit MX and Edit 27.5.
The Edit is a real rider's bike. It's the bike we ride more than any other, the one we always pick up. It's the perfect companion for a bit of everything; days in the woods, big pedal days, mountain missions, bikepark sessions or just clowning around down the local.
As with all Airdrop bikes the Edit is designed to put the rider front-and-centre. It's a bike that wants to be ridden and promotes dynamic riding. Rider engagement is the number one priority and keeping the rider connected to the terrain as they ride. A quirk-free kinematic and confidence inspiring geometry make the Edit a bike that's incredibly easy to get along with from day one. If you're looking for a bike that eggs you on to get creative with your line choice and rewards every input, then look no further.
EDIT FRAME FEATURES
Front Travel: 160mm (170mm option)
Rear Travel: 161mm (167mm option)
Frame Spec: 6061-T6 alloy with one-piece CNC rocker
Cable Routing: External with stealth dropper port
Rear End: 148x12 SRAM UDH Compatible
Weight: 3.75kg (S3, hardware included)
Wheel Size: Two frames available; MX for 29/27.5" wheels and 27.5 for 27.5" wheels. Both share the same rear-end but have dedicated front-ends designed to ensure there's no compromise on geo.
EDIT FRAME SPECIFICATION
Rear Shock Size: 205x62.5mm (161mm) / 205x65mm (167mm)
Bottom Bracket: 73mm BSA30 threaded
Chain Guide Mount: ISCG05
Headset: ZS44 / ZS56
Bottle Cage Mount: Yes
Seatpost Diameter: 34.9mm
Seatpost Insertion Depth: 255mm (S1) / 280mm (S2) / 310mm (S3) / 310mm (S4)
Brake Mount: Post 200mm
Rear Axle: 181x12mm with 14.5mm M12x1.0mm thread
Mech Hanger: Airdrop UDH compatible
Chainstay Protector: Airdrop Silencer TPE with alloy core
FORMATThe all-new Edit is available in both MX and dual 27.5 options. Dedicated frame designs for both options - no half measures here. 27.5" wheels have always been at the core of everything Airdrop, so developing this 5th iteration of the Edit was all about delivering an MX frame that didn't compromise on everything we love about 27.5" wheels. Both frame options deliver 161mm of rear wheel travel from a 62.5mm stroke shock via a four-bar Horst-link design. Shock stroke can be altered to 65mm to deliver 167mm travel. Frame geometry is optimised for a 160mm fork, but both frames can accept 170mm.
DETAILSThe Edit is the bike that started Airdrop and this 5th iteration is the best yet. More Airdrop than ever, it's the culmination of everything we've learned over the last 8 years. We really sweat the details and pride ourselves on delivering a no-nonsense bike that not only is a riot to ride but is also easy to live with and maintain. With that in mind we brought some key updates to the new bike:
UDH Rear EndWe have adopted SRAM's UDH hanger standard, which means spare hangers are much easier to come by nomatter where in the world you find yourself. It also ensures our frames are compatible with the latest generation of T-type direct mount drivetrain.
Brake MountWe uprated the frame to an integrated 200mm post mount. This Edit is a more capable bike than ever before, so 200mm rotors just make sense.
One-piece RockerOne-piece rockers are an Airdrop staple. The 6061 CNC rocker is a genuine one-piece design manufactured from a single alloy billet. The one-piece desig is critical as it ensures minimal lateral load applied to the shock and perfect shock alignment is maintained at all times.
Enclosed Rocker PivotRearward rocker pivots are subject to high lateral loads, and exposed to the elements. With our new braceless seatstay design we moved to a pair of 3901 double-row, sealed bearings to futher increase load capacity, and an enclosed pivot design to shield and protect from dirt ingress.
Oversized Seat TubeWe've moved to a bigger diameter, 34.9mm (internal) externally butted seat tube, meaning the Edit is ready to accept the next generation of more reliable, longer-drop posts. In addition to this the oversized tube increases strength and reduces tube deflection in this key area.
Silencer Chainstay ProtectorOur bikes are already known for being quiet but we felt we could do more. The new Silencer chainstay protector has been designed specifically to fit the Edit MX chainstay and features a sound-damping TPE outer around an alloy core. It's injection moulded to the shape of the tube so that the material memory will keep it wrapped rather than trying to force it open.
Dropper Post InsertionMaximising drop length at any given saddle height is a must for all riders. And for the Edit we worked hard to make sure all riders could maximise the drop-length-to-saddle-height ratio. To achieve this, we have shortened seat tubes across the board, increased reaming depths and offer customers a choice of drop length from 160-240mm in 10mm increments. We will also be publishing a user-friendly guide to saddle height & drop length.
External Cable Routing Cable routing should be clean and simple but also easy to work on. The new Edit has external cable routing, CNC guides and stainless hardware plus our new grooved chainstay yoke.
TubingAn all new 6061 tubeset, using a combination of extruded and hydroformed tubes with both internal and external butting, and a new CNC headtube. We worked hard to dial in the ride compliance and on-trail stiffness without sacrificing on strength and durability.
FinishesThe Edit MX comes in two options; a hand-brushed raw frame with a clear matte powder coat, paired up with a black ano rocker. There's a new colour we're calling Sean Grean which is a matte green powder coat, paired up with a silver ano rocker. The Edit 27.5 comes in the tried-and-tested matte black powder coat finish paired up with a silver ano rocker, just like it's big brother, the Slacker. All Edits come with a choice of silver or black brushed alloy head badges and ten different decal colour options.
ETHOSAt Airdrop we have a simple ethos: build the bikes we want to ride, and ride the bikes we build. All the bikes in our lineup reflect the riding we do and the way we see mountain biking. Our focus is always on fun above all else - smiles in the woods, getting creative and contributing to the culture of MTB.
GullystanWhat better way to launch the new Edit than to chuck it down one of our steepest local trails. Craig put a shift in to get Gullystan back in shape, so naturally, he had to ride it. We roped in our good friends at Steel City Media to shoot and you can see the result here. It could hardly be any more Homegrown than this: Airdrop staffer on a bike we designed, on a trail we helped build, just down the road from the workshop.
GEOMETRYWe believe in a more dynamic, higher engagement ride characteristic, so as with all Airdrop bikes the new Edit balances stability and manoeuvrability. This means more modest reach and wheelbase numbers than you might see from other brands.
Edit MX frames are available in sizes S1-S4 and Edit 27.5 frames in S1-S3, with different chainstay lengths for S1/2 and S3/4. We want riders to have a genuine choice on frame and wheel size based on their preferences. Complete bike customers are also able to specify bar width, bar rise and dropper length.
Edit MXEdit 27.5All measurements in mm (apologies to our friends in the USA)
KINEMATICSThe Edit uses a four-bar Horst-link layout and the kinematics are designed to complement our geometry. This means a quirk-free platform with ample support that delivers predictable traction yet rewards rider inputs. At 167mm rear wheel travel, the Edit delivers 25% progression.
BUILD OPTIONSFramesets are available with a choice of premium shock options and complete bikes in three build levels.
We pride ourselves on our build kits and only offer components we can (and do) run on our own bikes. In addition to this we offer a level of customisation to ensure customers get a bike that's ready to roll out of the box. Customers can specify spring weight, bar width, bar rise, dropper length and brake orientation, plus upgrade to our hand-built Reserve wheelsets and accessorise with CushCore, Ridewrap and Burgtec.
Edit 27.5 & Rockshox SDLX Coil RC2T
Frame, shock, spring, hardware, seat clamp, axle, UDH & silencer chainstay protector included
Weight: 4.78kg (S3)
UK: GBP £1799
Intl: EUR €1757 / USD $1870 / CAD $2570
Edit 27.5 & Öhlins TTX Coil
Frame, shock, spring, hardware, seat clamp, axle, UDH & silencer chainstay protector included
Weight: 4.66kg (S3)
UK: GBP £1999
Intl: EUR €1952 / USD $2078 / CAD $2855
Edit MX & Rockshox SDLX Coil RC2T Frame, shock, spring, hardware, seat clamp, axle, UDH & silencer chainstay protector included
Weight: 4.78kg (S3)
UK: GBP £1799
Intl: EUR €1757 / USD $1870 / CAD $2570
Edit MX & Öhlins TTX Coil
Frame, shock, spring, hardware, seat clamp, axle, UDH & silencer chainstay protector included
Weight: 4.66kg (S3)
UK: GBP £1999
Intl: EUR €1952 / USD $2078 / CAD $2855
Frame-and-shock customers have a choice of spring rate in 25lb (Rockshox) or 23lb (Öhlins) increments. Customers choosing Öhlins rear shocks can also select a 62.5mm stroke for 161mm rear travel or 65mm stroke for 167mm rear travel.
Edit MX Luxe
Forks: Rockshox Zeb Select
Shock: Rockshox SDLX Coil Select+
Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle 1x12
Brakes: SRAM Code Stealth Bronze
Wheels: WTB Proterra i30 Tough
Finishing Kit: Burgtec
UK: GBP £3699
Intl: EUR €3612 / USD $3845 / CAD $5283
Edit MX Deluxe
Forks: Rockshox Zeb Ultimate
Shock: Rockshox SDLX Coil Ultimate
Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle 1x12
Brakes: SRAM Code Stealth Silver
Wheels: WTB Proterra i30 Tough
Finishing Kit: Burgtec
UK: GBP £4399
Intl: EUR €4295 / USD $4573 / CAD $6283
Edit MX Works
Forks: Öhlins RXF36 m.2 Air
Shock: Öhlins TTX22 m.2 Coil
Drivetrain: SRAM X01 AXS T-Type
Brakes: SRAM Code Stealth Ultimate
Wheels: Hope Pro 5 / Reserve HD AL30 hand-built
Finishing Kit: Burgtec
Weight: 16.2kg (S3)
UK: GBP £5499
Intl: EUR €5369 / USD $5716 / CAD $7854
Wheelsets can be upgraded to Hope Pro 5 / Reserve HD AL30 or Reserve HD 30 Carbon on all bikes, which are hand-built to order.
Pricing: Prices are set in GBP. Exchange rates adjust daily, so prices can fluctuate. UK prices include sales tax. Outside the UK, prices exclude tax & duty.
AVAILABILITYAs a small (four people) and independent brand, we don't do continuous mass production. Frames are fabricated in small batches, typically 100 at a time. We then build bikes to order in our Sheffield workshop.
Preorders are now live for the Edit MX and Edit 27.5, with stock expected in Sheffield in January.
For more information head to
https://www.airdropbikes.com/
MTB has no reason to be anything else
I wish them the best of luck.
Vat + shipping
"All my life, I have searched for a car that feels a certain way. Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball. Not at last, I have found it. " - Homer Simpson
That clearly has nothing to do with your post or this article, but that was a great episode of the Simpsons.
Well done
So long as these bikes are reliable and well-supported, I can’t see anything trumping the Edit v4 for 27.5/MX Enduro options.
Starting on a 27.5 Super Deluxe frame-set, I’d build with:
Manitou Mezzer Pro fork
Project 321 / DT Swiss EX471 wheelset
XT 11s groupset
TRP Trail Evo brakes
The dream value build, right there.
I'll get back in my box and hope to see a demo day in the near future as it's looking like Airdrop versus Bird for me soon
It was on sale though, so turned about regural non-brexit price.
Great bike!
Showing the bike industry how it's done in terms of solid/sensible designs and realistic pricing.
Well done Airdrop.
This bike looks really really fantastic btw. Considering to order one despite the rear being a tad short and despite brexit...
Will there be a frame-only option (no shock) as well? Thank you for running this company and building these bikes!
Does anybody have any experience with warranties?
2 year warranty on the frame is quite short.
"Rear Shock Size: 205x62.5mm (161mm) / 205x65mm (167mm)"
Why would you ever run 161mm if 167 is achievable without anything fouling?
And just to clarify, the bike looks great. I love the general design ethos (external cables, 1-piece rocker etc etc), so I'm absolutely not hating on it. I just don't understand the choice to release it with an uneccesarily limited amount of travel. Just makes the bike worse for no reason that I can see.
I’m wondering about a double crown fork on the Mx version with a 27.5 front wheel?
Could be from 200$ ~ in the states plus shipping
What are the qualifications to be a real rider? Not be AI generated? Log at least three rides on Strava a week? Ride at least 80% loamers? Say "lets goooooooo" every two minutes? tag at least 10 companies in your Instagram posts so people think you are sponsored?