Airdrop say the Edit is all about keeping things simple and creating a bike that just works. Its lines are certainly less swoopy and more matter-of-fact than most of the machines here, skewed towards function over form, which may not win the fashionistas over. But if you can look beyond the industrial outline, there are good things going on.
For starters, the angles feel great. The steep 76-degree seat angle improves the bike’s climbing prowess, especially when coupled with the stretched-out 640mm effective top tube of our large test bike. A reach of just under 470mm, wheelbase of 1,220mm and head angle of 65.3 degrees make it a confident descender, while the 343mm BB height (10mm drop) improves cornering confidence. Aim it down a rockstrewn mess of a downhill track and the Edit simply flies. Even at higher speeds, the fairly central rider positioning means direction changes and line corrections are a case of subtle weight shifts rather than drastically throwing yourself about each and every time the trail changes.
Spring in its step
The coil shock (the only one in this test) delivers a super-sensitive initial stroke that just keeps on gripping too. You’ll need to be patient with set-up – it took us a good few runs on different tracks to find a good all-round setting that we were happy with – and may need to buy a different weight spring, but once dialled in, the results are impressive. It’s a shame there isn’t a Lyrik up front, instead of a Pike, because the traction and balance would be even better.
It was on trickier, more technical trails or when speeds dropped off that our testers started to become less enthusiastic about the Edit. That traction-grabbing suspension, while feeling totally planted, does lack some of the pop and dynamism of its air-sprung peers, which can quickly take the edge off your excitement.
Airdrop have just unveiled a revised frame, the Edit V2, with internal dropper post routing, a lower seat tube and more standover height. You’ll need to be careful with the rear brake hose routing though, as we had issues with it buzzing the tyre.
Not as agile or playful as some, but we like its planted feel and long/low/slack dimensions
SPEC
Frame 6061-T6 aluminium, 150mm travel
Fork RockShox Pike RC Solo Air, 160mm travel
Shock Cane Creek DBcoil [IL]
Drivetrain SRAM GX (1x11)
Wheelset Hope Tech Enduro-Pro 4 wheels, Maxxis High Roller II EXO 27.5x2.3in tyres
Brakes SRAM Guide R, 180mm
Bar/stem Joystick 8-Bit, 800mm/Joystick Builder, 35mm
Seatpost/saddle RockShox Reverb Stealth dropper/ Ergon SMA3
Weight 14.5kg (L)
Price $4500