About a year ago I read a very positive review about the Airborne Goblin Evo. The bikes were sold out online and ever since then I have been stalking the local used bike ads hoping that one might pop up. (I joke with my wife that while other men might spend their nights lit by a dim computer screen searching for less savory topics, I will be looking at and for bikes. Every once and a while, just to keep things interesting, I lean over and show her my most recent find, joking that if we didn't have kids....but I digress.
A month ago the above bike popped up online and I texted the seller immediately and aggressively asked to meet him the next day to buy it. I could not be happier.
The first thing I noticed was how stiff the bike felt. With through axles front and back, there is little deflection from rocks and the bike just seems to go where you point it. For the price, the build is fantastic with a Revelation solo air up front and decent components through out.
The slack head angle keeps the bike stable on descents but takes some getting used to on tight corners. The bike needs to be leaned over but when it does it is predictable and corners well. I am not sold on the Maxxis Ardent tires yet, but those can be easily changed.
The seatpost angle is a little steeper then my other bikes, but steep is good in this case. This bike climbs like a beast. I feel more centered over the bike and the back tire holds like glue. However, with the steep seat tube angle I did add a dropper seatpost for descending. With the seat at full height, I felt a little far forward and it made it more difficult to lean the bike over in turns. Add the dropper and all that goes away.
I have only been riding it for about a month, but so far I am impressed.
