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I was looking around for a decent entry level bike that won’t fall apart after 5-10 rides like those walmart bikes. Bike is for me and my wife, and we probably won’t be doing any crazy technical riding, I like a little bit of technical though. I came across this bike and was wondering if anyone had any experience with it.
http://www.airbornebicycles.com/products/111-sabre.aspx
For only 250$ it seems like a good deal, but then again because it’s that cheap it seems scary, like it would be another throwaway like I’ve experienced in my last two bikes. We are both new to the sport and will be living in NC in the summer so lots of trails to ride on… I just want something to last for a few years until I’m ready for a real bike.
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looks like a pretty solid bike to me i bought a felt q 520 for 500 bucks and that bike is half the price. mtbgreg1 rides some airborne bikes he could help you out with further details or look up some reviews of this bike
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I would be carefull where I ride the bike. I bought my daughters some Trek bikes with similar components 2 years ago. On the gravel paths and smooth trails they are just fine and I am sure that bike will be fine as well, but you may find that it would be better to go up a notch simply because mountain biking is addicting and you may find yourself saying you like some technical riding and then you will be wanting to do more to the point where you are doing more than the bikes components can handle. Where in NC are you going to be living (and riding) this summer?
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Definitely better than a Walmart bike, and will be good for paved bike trail or fire road riding. Now the but… But if you plan to ride any real trails, you will find the 7 speed will leave you wanting, along with the brakes. On the good side though, the platform is solid. If you find that you like mountain biking, you can upgrade the components on this bike, where you really can’t on the cheaper, department store, bikes.
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In this price range consider used. Then you will have a frame worth upgrading your components. You can get so much more used and anything new will be a real disappointment when you get hooked on MTB like the rest of us! You can upgrade as the budget allows and learn what you like as you ride, so you can upgrade smarter.
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I see some of the components not to be the greatest but others have mentioned the brakes. My Trek Marlin came with the same Tektro mechanical brake and I find them to have plenty of power as long as they are adjusted properly. The thing you have to worry about the most with Airborne bikes is they are sold direct and you would have to assemble it or pay a local bike shop to assemble it for you. Then when it comes time for maintenance or adjustments that may be out of your mechanical ability (not saying you can not do any thing, I just do not know your ability at this time) I will cost you more then if you bought a bike from the local shop.
One other thing you can look into is start calling all of the local bike shops. I know a lot of the shops around me are taking in bikes on trade and offer them for very good deals. You can get a bike for close to half price if not better and they are all looked over, repaired if needed and set up by professional bicycle mechanics.
Lastly it is tough to buy a bike over the internet and get a good fit. Every bike is different even if they are all 19" frames they will fit different. That is one of the most important parts of buying a bike. If it doesn’t fit well it will not be fun to ride!
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I see that someone suggested to buy used and yes you can get a good deal however you need to make sure you test ride and make sure the components are in good shape. I had a friend who bought used and got an OK deal but by the time he replaced his casette, chainrings and chain he dumped an additional $250.00 in parts and labor in. Also check the Singletracks For Sale Forum. If you are looking for a 19" I just posted a Rockhopper. It is well above entry level and has handled well all over NC and N. GA. The bike is bored in my basement!
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"MTI" wrote
I would be carefull where I ride the bike. I bought my daughters some Trek bikes with similar components 2 years ago. On the gravel paths and smooth trails they are just fine and I am sure that bike will be fine as well, but you may find that it would be better to go up a notch simply because mountain biking is addicting and you may find yourself saying you like some technical riding and then you will be wanting to do more to the point where you are doing more than the bikes components can handle. Where in NC are you going to be living (and riding) this summer?
We are moving to Jacksonville, NC and going to be going to Wilmington for school. not to many trails over that way, but we will be heading to the western side often. I probably won’t be riding anything crazy until I drop about 30ish lbs or so. I just wanted to make sure I will actually be riding often enough to spend over 500-700 on a bike before I do that. I did find a few Trek bikes on Craigslist for around the same price.
Also, thanks for all the replies…this has got to be one of the best forums I’ve been on, I’ll keep an eye around local bike shops because I haven’t checked them at all yet, I would like to at least sit on this bike before I buy it….
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My Airborne Zeppelin Elite has very similar components, and so far it has been rock solid reliable for a whole season of use. At this price, basically you are paying for the components and getting a free frame. As a beginner bike, that is an awesome bike to start with.
If you decide to latter on upgrade some components (like tires or a front fork), it is also a worth while thing to do. For a Walmart bike, that would be a complete waste of money.
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I see some of the components not to be the greatest but others have mentioned the brakes. My Trek Marlin came with the same Tektro mechanical brake and I find them to have plenty of power as long as they are adjusted properly. The thing you have to worry about the most with Airborne bikes is they are sold direct and you would have to assemble it or pay a local bike shop to assemble it for you. Then when it comes time for maintenance or adjustments that may be out of your mechanical ability (not saying you can not do any thing, I just do not know your ability at this time) I will cost you more then if you bought a bike from the local shop.
Re: assembly: there is some assembly required, but they come about 90% assembled. It’s pretty basic stuff: stem, bars, seatpost, air up tires… that’s about it. It might require a tune up too… depends.
Re: bike in general: I own an original Airborne Goblin and have put a couple thousand miles on that bike. The frame has been bomber! I have worn out and destroyed numerous components… but that comes with the territory. No matter what bike you’re riding, you’re going to brake stuff. IMO, cheaper components will be heavier, and probably break quicker… but more expensive components will wear out eventually too.
This bike is definitely a pricepoint bike, meaning it’s meant to compete well with other bikes at this pricepoint. If you spend more money, you can definitely get better components… but if this is the amount of money you want to spend, you are probably going to get a much better bang for your buck with Airborne.
Hope this helps!
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It’s official, after calling around looking for used stuff with no luck I ordered 2 Airborne Sabre’s…..21" for me and 17" for the wife, they seem very solid and I was chatting with one of the guys there talking about fine tuning. They seem to do a lot of the fine tuning before disassembly and shipping so when you assemble it you should be all ready to go.
I think these will be perfect until we find out if we are ready enough to drop 4 digits into the sport. Thanks for all the replies and I’ll be posting some reviews and maybe an unboxing/assembly video when it comes in 😀
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"sk8fux" wrote
It’s official, after calling around looking for used stuff with no luck I ordered 2 Airborne Sabre’s…..21" for me and 17" for the wife, they seem very solid and I was chatting with one of the guys there talking about fine tuning. They seem to do a lot of the fine tuning before disassembly and shipping so when you assemble it you should be all ready to go.
I think these will be perfect until we find out if we are ready enough to drop 4 digits into the sport. Thanks for all the replies and I’ll be posting some reviews and maybe an unboxing/assembly video when it comes in 😀
Congrats on the purchase man, I hope you enjoy them!
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"sk8fux" wrote
It’s official, after calling around looking for used stuff with no luck I ordered 2 Airborne Sabre’s…..21" for me and 17" for the wife, they seem very solid and I was chatting with one of the guys there talking about fine tuning. They seem to do a lot of the fine tuning before disassembly and shipping so when you assemble it you should be all ready to go.
Congrats on the new bikes! When I got my Airborne, it came in a big box, and all I had to do was put the wheels, pedals and bar on. Everything else was setup, tuned and ready to go. You should be real happy with your bike! Make sure to check back in with pictures of them and tell us what you think!
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Major congratz on such an awesome purchase! I am sure that you will love these bikes. These are not Walmart toy bikes. They are well build and spec’d out for some serious riding. The biggest and most noticeable thing for me when I bought my Airborne bike was the huge step up to disc brakes. That made such a huge dramatic improvement for my riding.
If you need any assistance with setting up the shifters and brakes, don’t hesitate to ask me. I’ll be glad to help any way that I can.
Don’t forget to also buy a descent set of pedals. Most mountain bikes at this level do not come with flat pedals included.
Enjoy the new bikes!!
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Ride the heck out of them and have a blast!
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I bought one for my daughter, solid bike. Their service was great also, arrived with a broken derailer not sure how, was packed very well, but they sent a new one next day with free stickers as well. Have not got to ride much still snow here, but bike is well balanced for her and she loves geometry (17" really 17.5" and she is 5’3"). The frame is well made so as componets fail you could upgrade and ride it for awhile. Entry level this is the way to go, very easy to assemble much better than what you get anywhere else for the money. I also have a motobecane I like the online bikes so I can assemble, something to do. The airborne I think is a better bike.
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"rade8u2" wrote
I bought one for my daughter, solid bike. Their service was great also, arrived with a broken derailer not sure how, was packed very well, but they sent a new one next day with free stickers as well. Have not got to ride much still snow here, but bike is well balanced for her and she loves geometry (17" really 17.5" and she is 5’3"). The frame is well made so as componets fail you could upgrade and ride it for awhile. Entry level this is the way to go, very easy to assemble much better than what you get anywhere else for the money. I also have a motobecane I like the online bikes so I can assemble, something to do. The airborne I think is a better bike.
Glad you had great customer service!
However, I imagine a 17" frame is probably too big for her at 5’3" unless she has [i:28vcp3yh]really[/i:28vcp3yh] long legs and/or arms. I’m 5’7" and usually ride a 16" frame if I can get it. Sometimes I bump up to a 17, but sometimes that’s too big even for me.
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Yes to legs she has 30 stand over frame is 28.5. She doesn’t ride hard and is only 11 so figured as grew and progressed bike would be better. Keeping her old bike as well 15" but she felt cramped with seat at max and longer neck. You do have a good point to add to post 17" frame would not fit all 5’3" riders. I only got one year from the 15" prior year she was on 13". I’m hoping the 17" will buy a few years.
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"rade8u2" wrote
Yes to legs she has 30 stand over frame is 28.5. She doesn’t ride hard and is only 11 so figured as grew and progressed bike would be better. Keeping her old bike as well 15" but she felt cramped with seat at max and longer neck. You do have a good point to add to post 17" frame would not fit all 5’3" riders. I only got one year from the 15" prior year she was on 13". I’m hoping the 17" will buy a few years.
Ah gotcha, that makes sense!
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this will more than likely get some laughes but I ride one of the hated wally world bikes and in my humble opinion sometimes you have to go with what you can afford and I figure when I trash that one I can upgrade to something better
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I know that feeling! My son is 14 and has grown like crazy over the past couple years! He loves to ride with me, and it is hard to keep him in a bike that fits! I’ve had to buy the bigger bike and let him grow into it over a couple year period.
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"gunshow" wrote
this will more than likely get some laughes but I ride one of the hated wally world bikes and in my humble opinion sometimes you have to go with what you can afford and I figure when I trash that one I can upgrade to something better
No laughs and no hate here, as you ride what you can ride. It is all about fun and not what brand or look. When you loose this, then it is not fu anymore. I mean yeah, looks are sweet to have, but these days you have to stay in budget to survive… 😆
Bro, just have fun shredding on what ya have, and when its time, you will progress to something better. One thing for sure, spending thousands of dollars on bicycles was not in mind when this first started, it was all about fun. I still cannot justify spending over 2K on any bike, and I have never spent over 1.5K on any bike of mine and I have 6 bikes…
2 – DH/FR
2 – HT’s (one AM and one big hit FR)
2 – DJ’s -
the way I see it anything is better than sitting on the couch getting fat and lazy againbut in the future I will be looking for advice on a better bike for a 6′ 2" 215 puond guy
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"gunshow" wrote
the way I see it anything is better than sitting on the couch getting fat and lazy againbut in the future I will be looking for advice on a better bike for a 6′ 2" 215 puond guy
So very true!!! 😆 😆 😆 😆
6′ 200-210# rider here and loving it! 😄
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I think we have the clydesdale club here! Bunch of us are 6’+ and 200lbs+! Need to start a racing team!
Also, I think I had more fun on my cheap first real mtb. Over the years I’ve moved up, and my current bike cost $3k. I really don’t have as much fun as I used to. I think a part of this is that expectations go up, and you start riding more for competition (with yourself and with your partners) and lose the meaning of why you started biking in the first place.
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thats what Im all about having fun also why I also work in a daycare one of my jobs
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clydsdale racing team sounds like a lot of fun might have to warn other riders on a DH big guys coming through
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I ordered the 21" frame – 6’2" 260 lbs "hopefully get down to 220 once I start this new biking diet
" I have really long arms though….been riding a 19" and it seems small…..once we get into it though I’m getting a 29er -
have had fun and afew wrecks on my 29er works good for long legs went from 269# in nov. to 215# in jan. with eating better and exerctse not a great time for riding inSD those months
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"sk8fux" wrote
I ordered the 21" frame – 6’2" 260 lbs "hopefully get down to 220 once I start this new biking diet
" I have really long arms though….been riding a 19" and it seems small…..once we get into it though I’m getting a 29erGrab a longer neck to stretch out those arms it will make you feel less cramped. You can get one cheap on amazon 30.00 or so and a couple Allen screws done. I believe the airborne has a 60mm 31.8 mm check the specs before you order try 110mm. The bars are already pretty wide on the bike I think 640mm but wider bars might help to also about the same price. Thought I was going to get my daughter out on her new airborne this weekend and boom 15" of snow yesterday. So I guess snow shoes again.
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"sk8fux" wrote
I ordered the 21" frame – 6’2" 260 lbs "hopefully get down to 220 once I start this new biking diet
" I have really long arms though….been riding a 19" and it seems small…..once we get into it though I’m getting a 29erI ride a 21 frame. Perfect for me at 6’4" with long arms. I have tried 19, and I feel cramped on them as well.
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Took about 15 minutes to put together, everything is tuned up nice, just need to adjust the front brake a tad. Rides nice, feel so much better than my wally mart bikes…..
Very solid for 250$ with free shipping
Question tho…is it normal not to have a kickstand on your bike? lol
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15 minutes? Wow! Now that is a nice ride! These bikes come with no kick stand and no pedals. Like I said before, these are not toy Walmart bikes. These are very solidly built for serious riding.
Make sure you get some "Finish Line Dry Teflon Lube". Normal oil turns into a horrible caked-up mess when dirt and dust gets on it.
You should also break in your brake pads before going on the trails. You can do this by doing some good hard stops on the street. This seats them in properly, and keeps them from glazing up.
Have a blast with your new bikes…
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Question tho…is it normal not to have a kickstand on your bike? lol
Real mountain bikes never have kickstands, for 3 main reasons:
1. It will flop all over the place if you ride rough singletrack.
2. It’s unnecessary weight and serves no real purpose. A bike is for riding, not standing… and a tree normally does just fine.
3. If you fall and the kickstand happens to flip up, there’s the potential that you could impale yourself and die. -
"mtbgreg1" wroteQuestion tho…is it normal not to have a kickstand on your bike? lol
Real mountain bikes never have kickstands, for 3 main reasons:
1. It will flop all over the place if you ride rough singletrack.
2. It’s unnecessary weight and serves no real purpose. A bike is for riding, not standing… and a tree normally does just fine.
3. If you fall and the kickstand happens to flip up, there’s the potential that you could impale yourself and die.That’s what I figured…..I’ve heard if it has a kickstand when you buy it….it is usually a crap bike lol
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"sk8fux" wrote
[quote="mtbgreg1":2in5y8im]
Question tho…is it normal not to have a kickstand on your bike? lolReal mountain bikes never have kickstands, for 3 main reasons:
1. It will flop all over the place if you ride rough singletrack.
2. It’s unnecessary weight and serves no real purpose. A bike is for riding, not standing… and a tree normally does just fine.
3. If you fall and the kickstand happens to flip up, there’s the potential that you could impale yourself and die.That’s what I figured…..I’ve heard if it has a kickstand when you buy it….it is usually a crap bike lol[/quote:2in5y8im]
That’s generally a pretty safe assumption 😀
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For a real mountain bike intended primarily for trail riding, the kickstand, reflectors and "pie plate" can all go.
If you do end up night riding and/or riding some pavement, you can get a front and rear light for that.
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Congrats! You will need to let us know how you like them when you get them out for a ride.
And I agree on the setup. I was amazed how little I had to do when I got my Airborne.
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"gar29" wrote
Congrats! You will need to let us know how you like them when you get them out for a ride.
And I agree on the setup. I was amazed how little I had to do when I got my Airborne.
It rides great, The derailleurs could use some adjusting though, I got the rear going pretty smooth….haven’t touched the front yet. I was riding a really rooty trail and bent the back wheel already "15$ fix only" but that is lack of riding skills being on a actual trail for the second time only. The 7 speed isn’t that bad especially since it has that MegaRange gear for climbing. I was looking at all the components listed and it is pretty much identical to the specialized Hardrock for 550$….so buying two bikes for less than one identical bike is such a plus…
It’s crazy how you can get that real bike feel when getting on certain bikes compaired to wally worlds bikes….I always felt like I couldn’t stand up and pedal hard or it was going to break lol.
My 21" frame all setup is about 31 lbs…15 lbs lighter than my walmart aluminum.
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"sk8fux" wrote
I was riding a really rooty trail and bent the back wheel already "15$ fix only" but that is lack of riding skills being on a actual trail for the second time only.
Start looking and saving for a set of real wheels. Those wheels won’t last you longer than 6 months.(if you ride a few times a week) Your 6"2- 260. I’m 6’2- 275. Heed my words…
Learn how to "de-weight" the bike going over obstacles and they will last longer
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"Spartan" wrote
Learn how to "de-weight" the bike going over obstacles and they will last longer
Especially usefull to not destory saddle rails as well.
Sounds like you’re enjoying the new ride. Awesome dude!
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"jtorlando25" wrote
[quote="Spartan":2ckbxtaq]
Learn how to "de-weight" the bike going over obstacles and they will last longerEspecially usefull to not destory saddle rails as well.
Sounds like you’re enjoying the new ride. Awesome dude![/quote:2ckbxtaq]
And seat posts! Bent a few of those!
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Congrats on your bike! Got my Sabre a month ago too! 😃
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" I have really long arms though….been riding a 19" and it seems small…..once we get into it though I’m getting a 29er
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