First Look: Airdrop Release Updated Fade Dirt Jump Bike & Wheels
UK brand Airdrop has announced an updated Fade dirt jump bike, as well as an all-new Bank dirt jump wheelset.
The New Fade
The new frame is a revision of the current bike that includes new tubing, additional sizes, and three full builds. There will also be a frame-only option, which will cost £399 GBP. Full builds start at £1399 for the Luxe, £1699 for the Deluxe model, and £1999 for the Works edition. All builds will feature the new wheelset and are built to order in the brand's Sheffield warehouse.
The Fade is now available in two sizes - regular and long. The long frame size is closer to the current model than the new 'regular' sizing. The idea being that the different frame sizes are as much about riding characteristics as they are about fitting people of different heights - although that will of course play into it to some degree. A shorter bike will be more agile, whereas a longer bike will offer a more stable feeling. Naturally, the longer bike will suit taller riders but also people that wish for their dirt jump bike to feel more mountain bike than BMX.
Both sizes have a shorter seat tube, lower standover and cleaner lines than the original Fade. All bikes will be available in one of three powder coat options.
The Works addition bike features Ohlins suspension and costs £1999.
The Fade Deluxe costs £1699.
Bank/Motive Wheels
The new wheels from Airdrop use the Bank rim which is fitted to the Motive hubs. The hubs are available in two finishes: polished and matte splatter. The wheels will be built in the UK and are available separately. Airdrop is keen to point out that there will be a full range of spares available.
The wheels have a claimed weight of 1020 and 1260 grams for the front and rear respectively and are only available in 26". They use Sapim Race double-butted spokes and brass double-square nipples. There will be adaptors sold separately, but the wheels will come as 15 x 100mm and 135 x 100mm as stock. They will have a price of £399.
The Bank Rim, features some of the same trends and ideas that you might see in a standard mountain bike rim, such as being slightly wider than a typical dirt-jump rim at 26.5mm internal width. The rims themselves are 6061 alloy and feature a sleeved joint. The rim is internally reinforced, much like an alloy downhill or enduro rim. A rim only will cost £60 and weigh 634 grams.
The Motive hubs again use a 6061 alloy for the shell and feature a 7075 alloy for the axle and bolts. The driver assembly uses a hardened steel helical drive ring that remains in full contact with the ratchet at all times. There are 72 points of engagement. The hubs weigh 162 and 374 grams and cost £60 and £160 for the front and rear respectively.
For more information, please visit airdropbikes.com
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This site let's you check duties up front:
www.simplyduty.com
Rims seems to be rebranded spanks spoon 32s, same dimensions and profile.
Rear hub has similar housing to halo hub, maybe its based on the halo supadrive hubs, but with 72 not 120 points of engagement. So 5 degree vs 3 degree, might actually be good and strong hub.
Front hub, hard to say, smaller bearings than halo DJ specific hubs, hopefully strong enough not to wear out too quickly.
Shame they don't have any spare parts for hubs on their website. This would say much more.
He says:
The deluxe comes in at 10.76kg and the works at 10.98kg, both minus pedals.
Hope this info helps someone
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