Airborne Zeppelin

Price Paid:  $1500.00 at Laguna Cyclery

Favorite Ride:
Santigo Canyon

Bike Setup:
Ultegra 9, Kysrium SL's, Principia full carbon fork, Ritchey Pro front end, Thompson Elite seatpost.

Summary:
This bike is a great way to get into titanium. The build quality is as good as a Litespeed, but much more affordable. The compact geometry provides a very comfortable ride, while still being a great climbing bike. The frame has amazing vibration dampening qualities-I didn't believe it at first-seemed like a low rear tire!

Airborne now only sells bikes in Europe, but the same company has launced Flyte Bicycles in the US. I hope their bikes are the same.

Strengths:
Comfortable ride, affordable, compact geometry looks great.

Weaknesses:
Frame weight over 3 pounds makes an Ultegra built bike come in around 18+ pounds.

Similar Products Used:
Scott CR1
Klein Quantum

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Airborne Direct

Favorite Ride:
zepplin

Bike Setup:
Campy record , ITM bars

Summary:
Purchased Zepplin 4 years ago.The bike frame cracked at the seat post toptube area. We made the mistake of taking it to a local dealer and he said it was from having the seat post too high and there was no warranty for this. we sent pics to Airborne later and they said it was a factory defect and promptly sent a new frame. Not only that be sold us a new carbon fork and all components to rebuild the bike for 1 1/8 headset at a very reasonable price.

Strengths:
Great looking new bike that has a great titanium ride.

Weaknesses:
None so far. Customer service on the warranty was great to work with.

Similar Products Used:
Merlin, Colnago, Calfee, Santa Cruz, Trek

Price Paid:  $2350.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
Food Park-Irvine

Bike Setup:
Ouzo Comp Fork
Full Ultegra
Velomax Circuit wheels
USE Alien seatpost

Summary:
I originally had a 2002 Zeppelin, but after about 2000 miles the frame developed a crack in the weld between the toptube and the seat tube. It only took my LBS a week and a half to get me up and riding on my replacement frame, thanks to the life-time frame warranty. These things happen and despite the cracked frame I really like this bike. I now have a 2003 frame as there were no more 2002s when it was replaced.

Strengths:
Great value for money. Ability to mix and match components. No extra cost for choosing online and buying through a local dealer (no shipping, but you pay sales tax). Great turn around on frame replacement. Great ride and handling.

Weaknesses:
My e-mails, before I bought the bike and when my frame cracked, were never answered. When I first went to pick up my bike at the bike shop they had sent the wrong frame size (could be the bike shop but they said it was Airborne).

Price Paid:  $2350.00 at Ambridge Bike Shop

Favorite Ride:
any road or trail in Colorado

Bike Setup:
2002 double Airborne Zeppelin
;Kestrel EMS pro fork;Terry fly saddle, Look pedals ;mavic ksyrium wheels

Summary:
A bike shop in Ambridge had 4-5 Airbornes on the floor. I was going to wait until I was 50 to get my dream bike, but my wife insisted now(47)was the time. I had a Cannondale R600 that was loosening too many fillings. After my first test ride, my reaction was " so this is what it's like to ride a great bike". My initial reaction has been true for every ride since. I ride in the Sewickley area (Indian for tar and chip roads). This bike is great at acceleration and cornering. I could have bought a higher end Airborne or the other titanium bikes,but this is all the bike you need.

Strengths:
Great price,solid,light,great cornering,great warranty & customer service ! Easy climbing for an old man.

Weaknesses:
some rattling coming from the Ultegra flight deck levers.

Similar Products Used:
Cannondale,Trek,no titanium

Price Paid:  $0.00

Bike Setup:
DuraAce/Ultegra mix
OuzoPro fork, Easton EC90 bars
DuraAce/Mavic OpenPro/DT wheelset
Flite saddle on Thomson post

Summary:
I got this bike near the end of the 2002 season. Rode it a bit, and then we had one of the nastiest winters in recent memory, so I didn't get to ride it that much. I rode it on rollers, but what can you tell about a bike from that?

Spring is here, the bike is back out, and life is good. I've been on a number of rides and am bringing the mileage up, and the more I ride the better this bike gets. It just simply glides. Riding with a friend, I commented on how road riding is just like gliding. He looked over from his Cannondale and said "Yeah, maybe for you." I guess the road wasn't as smooth as I thought. I couldn't tell. He wasn't much happier when I disappeared on the next uphill.

This bike is just awesome, plain and simple.

Strengths:
Nice and light for a big 61cm frame. Good and stiff, sprints like mad. Magic carpet ride quality. Looks awesome.

Similar Products Used:
Cannondale roadie