Bike Setup: Combination of dura ace and ultegra with wheelsmith built wheels.
Summary: I have raced/ridden steel, fat tube aluminum, and carbon bikes since 1988. The Valkyrie is the best bike I have ever owned. Smooth ride, yet stiff and responsive. Titanium is great and the service/delivery at Airborne is better than the local bike shop. This bike has motivated me to get on the bike as often as I can and didn't break my budget now that I have kids.
Strengths: I love the smooth ride of titanium in combination with the stiffness and the corrosion resistance is great for a big sweater like me.
Weaknesses: I chose a set of wheelsmith wheels with my complete bike and was not completely satisfied with the quality.
Similar Products Used: Aluminum, steel, and carbon road frames
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Favorite Ride: any time I am on my bike, that is my favorite!
Bike Setup: 2002 Valkyrie Titanium Road frame, 50CM, with the natural finish. Shimano 105 components, Triple rin
Summary: This is an excellent bike, I so pleased with it. Handles great, so light and a great ride. I ride about 60 miles a week and do at least 3 road rides/races a month. My bike has always done a great job for me and flys down descents without a problem, no vibration. Airborne gave us fast, helpful service. I can not complain at all about the overall experience! Its great! I would not hesitate to recommend Airborne as their next bike consideration. The bike is a work of art! Thank you!
Strengths: Excellent cornering, super light and fast. Looks great! Super value. Customer service gets an "A".
Weaknesses: None...
Similar Products Used: I have a Bianchi Titanium mountain bike which I love. Also have a full suspension Cannondale mountain bike, but I only ride the Bianchi.
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Bike Setup: Mix of Ultegra and 105 drive train, Ultegra hubs, Open Pro rims, Ritchey WCS stem and bars, Kestrel
Summary: The Airborne Valkyrie is a high quality frame at a very reasonable price.
I bought the frame and fork for $699 from a retailer and built it up myself.
I agonized over whether to buy a beautiful lugged frame or a rust-proof Ti frame (I live in a very rainy area), and settled on the Ti-framed Valkyrie for its price/value.
I've owned Al and steel frames, but this is my first Ti frame. My impressions after nearly 2 months are that it is stiffer than either of my steel bikes, almost as light as my Al bike, and seems to transmit less road noise than any of my previous bikes--probably because of the carbon fork.
Fitting any bike over the internet requires more knowledge and care than buying from a good LBS. The Valkyrie is a compact frame (sloping top tube) which makes fitting a little easier for someone like me with a longer torso and shorter legs than average. It's best to keep in mind that a bike frame's main function is to hold your hands, butt and feet in optimum positions relative to each other, without being too heavy or too flexible. If you measure the "triangle" between butt, feet and hands, you can make most appropriately sized frames fit most people using stem, seatpost and seat position adjustments. I measured the "triangle" on my most comfortable frame, then bought the Valkyrie in the size best suited to duplicating my optimum "rider triangle" (54 cm).
My only fitting compromise is that I had to use 2" of spacers on my steer tube to get the bar height I find comfortable with the stem rise which "looks" best to my eye. I was a little cautious about using 2" of spacers, but the fork manufacturer (Kestrel) advised me that the Pro O/S with 1-1/8" Al steer tube can be used with up to 4" of spacers! When flexed in my basement, this setup is clearly more flexible than my previous quill-type fork setups. However, once on the road, the flex is not noticeable, even when out of the saddle while climbing steep hills.
I don't get any noticeable frame flex. With all my other road frames, I've been able to get the front triple derailer to rub while climbing out of the saddle. But not on this frame.
Some people have commented that they prefer Ti frames with brushed or polished finishes, but I actually prefer the media-blasted finish of the Airborne. It doesn't show fingerprints, and is very easy to keep looking clean and new.
Strengths: Well-built and finished with very clean weld profiles; good compromise between stiffness and suppleness; relatively light; finish is easy to maintain; frame/fork were a genuine bargain. I doubt that a boutique Ti frame would perform any better.
Weaknesses: Ti looks surprisingly good, but a shiny new paint job still looks sexier to me.
Similar Products Used: Crescent Pepita Special (1971); Rocky Mountain Turbo (1996); Cramerotti Gara (2000).
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Bike Setup: Dura ace hubs and BB. Campy Record headset. All other components are Ultegra. Mavic open pro rims
Summary: The Valkyrie is simply great, but the quality of the bike is not the best part about an Airborne. The fact that you can select each piece and custom build your bike is the best part. You can build it to your specific needs or demensions (to a degree). They review your selcetions before finalising the order which is helpful. They offer such a vast array of parts that you can build up a recreational bike or a ultra light high quality racer. The online feature where you select your parts is awesome. The price and weight of the bike changes with each selection you make as you make it. Their sight is great overall too. The valkyrie is a compact frame even though they don't call it so. I got a 58 cm and it feels a bit smaller that my other 2 58 cm bikes. At first I wished I had gotten a 60 but i just adapted to the new feel. For the price, this bike is unbeatable. Why pay double for another Ti bike when you can have an Airborne decked out in Dura Ace and Campy stuff for 2 K or so??!!
Strengths: Quality, customer service, turn around time on the order, PRICE!!!
Weaknesses: The decals are very cheesy...kinda like the stuff that covers up the numbers on a scratch off lottery ticket. They rub off almost as easily. Not exactlly a tradgedy. The WTB saddle that comes for free is a torture device and might as well be made of razor blades.
Similar Products Used: uh.....none. This is my first Ti bike. I do have a Specialized Allez sport. Is that similar?!
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Summary: Beginner Triathlete, desired a bike that I could ride on long road rides and in triathlons. Wanted titanium and minimum Ultegra for under $2k. Valkyrie has been great. Was a little nervous at purchasing over the internet without being fitted or test riding, however, this bike fits better than the Cannondale that I test rode. Very happy with the bike, when I upgrade in a few years I will definitely consider another Airborne.
Strengths: Light, Stiff. Looks Great!
Weaknesses: Disconnected from customer service with airborne during order process. They threw in a shirt to say "Sorry". Still have not received the tune up credit?
Similar Products Used: Trek, Cannondale
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