Airborne Toxin - Review
In a time when mountain bikes with prices reaching into the five figure realm are becoming more and more common, Airborne Bicycles has chosen to take a different route, offering consumer direct sales of bikes that are spec'd to offer the highest value to performance ratio possible. The Toxin, Airborne's 7” freeride / park bike retails for only $1750, a very low price, especially considering that there are suspension forks on the market that cost more than that. Value pricing is all well and good, but how does a budget freeride bike handle on the trail? To find out, we headed to the Whistler Bike Park to put the Toxin to the test.
Airborne Toxin Details
• Intended use: DH / Freeride
• Wheel size: 26"
• Rear wheel travel: 7"
• Aluminum frame
• RockShox Domain fork
• RockShox Kage shock
• Sizes: S, M, L
• Weight: 38.75 lb (size L)
• MSRP: $1749.95 USD
Frame and Suspension Design
Despite its wallet-friendly price, the Toxin still has many of the same features you'd find on much costlier bikes, including a tapered head tube, a 12x142 rear thru-axle, and even a PressFit GXP bottom bracket, one more sign that the demise of the external, threaded bottom bracket is unfortunately approaching faster than ever. A closer look at the 6061 aluminum frame does reveal that the welds aren't quite as clean as what you'd typically find on higher end bikes, which doesn't necessarily mean they're not as strong, but there a few sections where the term 'stack of dimes' would be a stretch. The housing for the rear derailleur and rear brake housing is routed underneath the downtube, a configuration some riders frown upon, but one that we've had very little trouble with.
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 The Toxin uses a link driven single pivot suspension design, with a short link that extends from the seat stays driving the red link, which in turn activates the rear shock. |
As far as the Toxin's geometry goes, with a 65° head angle, 427mm chain stays, and a 444mm reach for a size large, the numbers fall right in line with what we've been seeing lately on enduro race bikes, although those bikes typically have 27.5" wheels, and with a weight of nearly 39 pounds, the Toxin is definitely intended for going downhill with as little pedaling as possible, placing it decidedly into the freeride side of things. The Toxin relies on a linkage activated single pivot design for its 7” of travel, with one link mounted above the bottom bracket that is driven by another short link mounted to the seat stays. A 180mm, coil sprung RockShox Domain takes care of the front suspension, while a RockShox Kage R handles the rear.
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 | That's the key to enjoying the Toxin - finding the areas that it excels in, and realizing that while it may not provide as smooth and refined of a ride as more expensive bikes, it'll still get the job done. |
Whistler is a mountain biker's Disneyland, but I'll admit to feeling a little nervous about tackling the bike park aboard the Toxin. It wasn't that I didn't think the bike could handle it, I just didn't want to end up like the kid at the amusement park who gets stuck on the bumper car that refuses to budge, or gets relegated to riding the spinning tea cups while everyone else heads off to the roller-coasters. As it turned out, most of my worries were unfounded, and A-Line and Dirt Merchant, Whistler's classic jump trails were no problem aboard the Toxin. Those trails are filled with plenty of features to get accustomed to a bike's handling in the air – hips, stepdowns, step-ups and big floaty tabletops await around every bermed corner, and the Toxin was able to take them all on without issue. Despite its portly weight, the bike jumps well, and felt predictable and stable during takeoff, in the air, and when touching back down to earth. The lack of a clutch type derailleur does mean it's a little noisier when rolling through the braking bumps, but the chain guide helps to reduce the amount of chain slap and drivetrain noise.
However, when things got steep and technical it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, and the limits of the Toxin's parts spec began to shine through. The two piston Avid Elixir 3 brakes, while fine on the smoother and flatter trails, don't have enough power to instill confidence when the trail angle steepens and the difficulty factor increases. The suspension has its limits as well, and with only a few possible adjustments, there's only so much you can do to improve the ride of the bike. The Domain fork and Kage shock are fairly rudimentary, and short of changing the rebound or the spring rate there are no other alterations that can be made – the high and low speed compression are pre-set from the factory. This lack of adjustability meant that venturing off the beaten path led to a few 'interesting' moments, as I found out when I headed down a short, tricky section of trail located just off of a popular warm up run in the lower section of the bike park. Although short, riding down this trail is like riding down a flight of stairs, if each step was three feet tall and covered with roots. Things started out fine, but the multiple impacts in a row combined with the steepness of the trail soon had me feeling like I was aboard a runaway train, and I started trying to figure out which tree would best cushion my fall. Luckily, I somehow managed to ride it out, but it was an illustration of the Toxin's limits – the bike doesn't have the high powered brakes and refined suspension that would have allowed me to cruise down this portion of trail with ease.
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| The Toxin was happiest on smoother, jump and berm filled trails. |
What exactly is it that makes a base model fork or rear shock ride differently than the higher priced offerings? It's how the suspension feels as it goes through its travel, with the more adjustable suspension components making it possible to have a softer initial portion of the stroke, a more supportive middle section, and enough ramp up at the end to prevent harsh bottom outs. This isn't possible with the Domain and the Kage found on the Toxin, and they both have a 'springy', undamped feel, with not much difference between the beginning, middle, and end of the stroke. Since there's only a basic rebound damper and a spring doing all of the work, it's not surprising that they feel this way, but it is one of the factors that affects the bike's performance the most, and gives the Toxin a harsher ride when it's ridden through really rough terrain.
The bike's geometry felt familiar enough that I consistently found myself heading into technical sections of trail without a second thought, but sections that required extended braking or were full of chunky roots and rocks would remind me that I couldn't let it all hang out. Still, I was able to successfully navigate the tricky bits of trail in Whistler's Garbanzo zone, and as long as I managed my expectations it was smooth sailing. That's the key to enjoying the Toxin – finding the areas that it excels in, and realizing that while it may not provide as smooth and refined of a ride as more expensive bikes, it'll still get the job done. Its trail manners are closer to that of a sturdy all-mountain bike than a downhill machine, but that will likely help riders who haven't ridden a downhill bike feel right at home.
Component Check
Shopping for a new downhill bike can be a confusing process, and at the higher end of the scale it's harder to differentiate the subtle nuances between one bike and another. With a bike like the Toxin, it's a little easier to see where the cost savings come from, although it's still pretty amazing that the entire bike can be had for less than $2000.
• KORE aluminum platform pedals: While it's nice that the Toxin's price includes pedals, the ones that come on it look like they're straight out of the late '90s, and are three times a thick as most modern offerings. This extra height means more pedal vs. ground encounters, as well as an increased likelihood of the pedals rolling underfoot.
• Grips: The grips aren't lock-ons, and they're extremely thick – they feel as big around as a soda can, which may work for some riders, but I'd spend the money to swap these out for a set of thinner lock-ons before hitting the trails.
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| The brakes and suspension weren't quite up to the task on the more technical trails, but it was nice to see a chain guide in place on a bike at this price. |
• KORE Torsion Bar and B18 stem: We've had $8,000 enduro bikes show up with 80mm stems and 711mm bars, so it's nice to see that Airborne made the right decision by speccing the Toxin with a 50mm stem and 800mm wide bars.
• Maxxis Minion DHF tires: Tires aren't a place to skimp, and luckily Airborne has shod the Toxin with one of the best tread patterns around, a set of 2.5” Minion DHF tires. They might not be the higher end, EXO casing, triple compound models, but the tread pattern is still the same, and it's an excellent choice for the bike.
Pinkbike's take:
| For the rider who's looking to test the waters of mountain biking's gravity fed side, but isn't quite ready to dive all the way in, the Toxin could be a good first step, although it probably won't take long before those lighter weight steeds with more tunable suspension and better components start looking mighty tempting. It's worth mentioning that while Airborne's consumer direct business model does allow the Toxin to come in at a very low pricepoint, you won't have the same level of personalized support that a good local bike shop can provide. For some riders this isn't an issue, but others take comfort knowing they can get the service they need just down the road, rather than emailing or phoning someone they've never met before. There's no denying that mountain biking is an expensive sport, so if purchasing the Toxin enables you to have more money left over to take a road trip to the bike park, or be able to ride more and work less, then by all means, go for it. - Mike Kazimer |
www.airbornebicycles.com
Author Info:
Member since Feb 1, 2009
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I work in a bike shop - when the groms come in with their money for a new downhill sled (because it seams that every 15 year old rides downhill haha) i always ask them if they have extra money saved up for when they rip their derailleur off, blow their seals, smash a lever/shifter or shred a tyre and spare cache for tubes.
Jake - friend of mine started did the same, tried his a couple of weeks ago and it can really hold its own between newer bikes. I still think the Sunday is one of the best handling bikes around to be honest.
I think it's important to have a quality bike offering for 2k or less. The industry still makes money... a bike like this is meant to be bought and upgraded as you've got the money. Buy the bike in year 1, buy a nice fork in year 2, get a new shock and brakes year 3, etc.
Just like a poor man's sports car (like the mustang or camero), it's meant to be attainable on the cheap, and easily upgradable. It's a bike for the working class who might not have a hook up at a bike shop. I assume most of us here have that, having worked at a shop or knowing many who do. Not everyone is lucky enough to have that kind of contact within the industry.
Moral of the story?
Be the deals you want to see in the world.
Hmmm but it's not really the same thing at all is it? Give this bike to any rider and allow him time to adjust and he will probably set a time within a couple of seconds of his best time on a top of the line Santa Cruz. There is a reason some of the best riders were winning on lumps of shit in the lower categories when they were young and that is because Mtb is 98% about the rider and not the bike. Particularly when people are starting out and don't know how to set up a bike or even ride it properly. A moto is much more equipment dependent.
You see people buy new bikes all the time and their performance only marginally improves if at all. And I'll bet most of the performance boost is psychological.
Truth is, we MTBers are some spoiled brats. We're not happy unless we've got the latest and greatest, no matter the cost.
Oh wait, I forgot you knew nothing about the cost of making frames.
You can't compare a mail order company to Santa Cruz or others. Airborne isn't building prototypes and having their guys ride them and refine them before going into production. They are buying a proven older design. That's it. That's why it's cheap. Zero investment. But it's a good thing because it can get people into the sport who may have initially been put off by high prices. Not many people who buy one will buy a second airborne.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xreZdUBqpJs
I like carbon and i am all for it but a) 99% of riders dont need it b) it makes a barely noticeable difference to times even to an elite/professional rider c) why are we talking about carbon when there are plenty of expensive Aluminium bikes out there too? Feck it there are even more expensive materials out there that offer benefits to riders, why not make bikes out of them?
If this conversation was happening in athletics it would sound ridiculous. A pair of high quality $400 running shoes might help Usain Bolt run the 100m in 9.75 as opposed to 9.85 which could be the difference between 1st and 2nd. Put those same runners on Billy Slow over there and he might go from running 15.5 to...15.49. He's still going to be fecking slow as his technique is still shit. And i bet the cost of producing a $400 pair of runners isnt that much more than a $40 pair either.
"It's worth mentioning that while Airborne's consumer direct business model does allow the Toxin to come in at a very low pricepoint, you won't have the same level of personalized support that a good local bike shop can provide. For some riders this isn't an issue, but others take comfort knowing they can get the service they need just down the road, rather than emailing or phoning someone they've never met before."
Is it REALLY worth mentioning that? I have learned a lot about bikes, service, etc on Pinkbike, the web and from people I have met on the hill and now feel comfortable servicing my own bike... and before that, GOOGLE. If someone is buying direct from online, they should be well aware of the fact that their LBS will not likely provide free advice and service. The money saved in buying direct should more than cover any minor maintenance required from their LBS.
This rant is not because I dislike my LBS, in fact, I like them very much. I am just bothered by the constant bombardment with respect to LBS'. E.g. needing to run to my LBS for every little question I have, or paying MSRP because that is the right thing to do, etc.
Thanks for the review. Leave it at that.
-A
I definitely see your point, and like I said, I do like my LBS. My (anecdotal) experience has just been that the LBS is pushed at every opportunity possible, without question about the relevance or what impact it has on the sport, e.g. accessibility to new participants, entrants, or self-education.
It's nice that Airborne will sell direct, but I'd still rather not have to wait 2+ weeks for shipping anytime a part breaks to get it replaced, and then pay a bunch of money to the LBS to put the bike back together because they get no benefits from helping that manufacturer out.
I take your point and I am happy to hear that you are able to find faster, cheaper and better service when you purchase from your LBS. As I said twice before, I like my LBS and I think they play a critical role in helping the sport in my community (I do in fact buy from them quite often, especially when price is competitive and I want to "see the part/item" before purchase e.g. pedals, tires, protection). Unfortunately, I can't say that speed or price advantage is something I have have personally experienced.
The way you view something and the way you treat it can be two very different things. For example, I think running tubulars, especially outside of track racing, is a terrible idea. It's a lot more work for a small potential payoff, and a larger risk of failure. But if you as a customer understand the pros and cons and want to ride on tubulars, I'm more than happy to glue them up for them. A bike shop, like any company, should act to best further its own interests, which means creating happy customers. If I'm a dealer for X brand, I know I can make my customers happy riding those bikes because anytime they have a problem, I can probably fix it for them for "free." If you bring me a Y brand bike I don't sell, I'm still going to try to help you and get your bike fixed- you are still my customer and I still want your business, but I can't fix it for free anymore unless the manufacturer is going to reimburse me for my time. People much prefer "Your bike's all tuned up and ready to go, and it's free" to "Your bike's all tuned up and ready to go, and your total is $100"
The difference in total price on this very same bike w/ Shimano brakes != the difference in price between Shimano brakeset and Avid brakeset. To a product manager sitting at a computer spreadsheet, seeing the MSRP jump even a small amount likely breaks (brakes!) the deal.
Also, why can't avid just make a decent set of budget brakes?
& it get's even more complicated from there, especially for non-direct brands. (Retailers want you to build in a decent amount of profit into the final price, so that they can put it on sale & still make money.)
Plus, put a significantly skilled rider on these bikes and they'll wipe out 98% of the worlds population in competition. Case in point, Barry Nobles, and Caroline Buchanan. Both Airborne sponsored riders, and both riding these frames to very good results. Props to Airborne for opening up another avenue for more people to join our sport without the significant financial obstacle.
I agree with the complaint about the consideration that it's direct order and not supporting your LBS. I want to support my LBS, but when shops mark up prices (either because it's a shop or because all bikes/parts in Canadialand have huge mark up compared to American prices) a ton, I'm ordering online almost every time.
Few months ago people were talking about demise of 26" bikes.
How it happenes, that we are commenting reivew of such a bike now ?!?
I definitely see your point, and like I said, I do like my LBS. My (anecdotal) experience has just been that the LBS is pushed at every opportunity possible, without question about the relevance or what impact it has on the sport, e.g. accessibility to new participants, entrants, or self-education.
here are a few videos from my channel showing what I have put it through.
youtu.be/jOyOfF-IwlQ?list=UUZL3db5z2vJQVzRgw9B8QgA
youtu.be/E7NYPjNeh1k?list=UUZL3db5z2vJQVzRgw9B8QgA
youtu.be/GfmNqND2Bs0?list=UUZL3db5z2vJQVzRgw9B8QgA
And if you are interested in the specs of my rig...click here :
www.vitalmtb.com/community/FuzionTheAce,17886/setup,26020?scope=newest&query=airborne+toxin&riding_types%5B%5D=5
@Protour, Very weird angle indeed..glad u like the vid
@j-t-g, That was the main reason for this build to show that a great ride and uber fun can be had on a budget...If you do your own research
Bottom line guys is that I am in love with this bike
Oh you guys like trails to be easy???
Not that I want my equipment to hold me back all the time, but riding basic equipment can be super fun, and forces you to look at the trail differently. I love riding my cyclocross bike on techy singletrack, cuz even though it's way harder the trail looks completely different on that bike. If nothing else, the Airborne is an awesome bike to get out, throw it around, and learn to choose the right lines, and I think it's awesome that PB reviewed it!
Who is correct? This bike with motion control damping is a no-brainer purchase
Aside from that, second hand is the way to go, the quality bikes you can get even after 7-8 months 1 or 2 years is amazing, especially in 26"
Anyone starting out should look at second hand have someone who knows bikes friend etc check it over for worn out link bushings, bearings, drive train, brake lads though easily replaced, suspension look after no gauges in stanchions or too rough on shuttles etc.
Most DH bikes are a steal right now second hand.
Still props for a brand trying to keep costs down def a market, but at this level Zee brakes imo minimum level of std to support the shot that bike could potentially get young groms into.
Any chance you guys will have a similar review on the Pathogen?
The suspension and brakes are easily upgraded, probably still for less than that used bike. A novice gravity rider like me won't even warrant replacing them right away, if even at all.
If you want a fully custom build, a $900 frame is a very good value. The sky is the limit after that.
I really love the model Airborne is going with here. I think they could sell even more if they offered a better spec version for $2000 or even $2250 while still keeping this $1750 base model. A few frame color choices would really increase popularity as well.
Out of the box.
He sent it away and they (airborne, aka huffy) gave him new one. This one was put together by the local LBS and the rear coil spring still rubber the fram, but.....if you turn the rear spring to just the right spot it will not rub.....
if you spend a couple hundred more, you get a bike that will most likely be flawless, and will also have support of the LBS if things were to go awry.
jmho
I found a Trek Scratch Air 9 ($5000 msrp) for $1700 USD used and it is awesome.
Don't matter.
Go ride your dam bike.
That's definitely not the usual chrome plating
I've got one so I can tell you its freaking heavy...;-)
are they made by slave childrens???
and 26 aint dead......its dying