Airborne Hobgoblin First Impressions
We recently took delivery of the new Airborne Hobgoblin. I actually bought this bike for my wife, it wasn’t something that Airborne Bicycles sent over to be reviewed. But since we have it, we might as well share our thoughts on the bike.
As you may have read before, we reviewed the Airborne Goblin, the Hobgoblin’s (Hob) stable mate.
One of the things that stands out to me on the Hobgoblin is the internally routed cables. It’s a nice touch, and check out the fancy pearl navy paint job against the white graphics, sweet right?!
On LadyP’s first ride, she could not get over how smooth the bike is. Shifting was precise, braking was spot on and the suspension really excels on the downhills.
The Hob that LadyP has is the small, 15″. It seems to fit her really well. I even installed a 60mm stem on it to make the whole cockpit feel more comfortable. She was kind enough to let me ride the bike. In fact I’m planning on taking it out to Hurkey Creek in Indyllwild to do some XC riding over the weekend, and if time permits, hit up some DH trails at Southridge.
DH with the Hobgoblin? Well, ya. One thing I quickly figured out is that the Hobgoblin does REALLY well on descents. Not only is it a a fast bike, but it soaks up everything you roll on.
Price: $1749.95
Specs:
Frame 7000series Hydroformed Aluminum Dual Suspension 29″ with 100mm of travel
Fork RockShox Reba RL 29 Dual Air w/Lock-Out, tapered steer, 100mm
Headset Ahead Sealed Cartridge 1 1/8″ to 1.5″ tapered
Rear Shock RockShox Monarch RL with lock-out
Brake Levers Avid Elixir 3
Brakes Avid Elixir 3 Hydraulic Disc
Rotors Avid 180mm front, 160mm rear
Shifters SRAM X-7 2×10
F Derailleur SRAM X-7 2×10
R Derailleur SRAM X-7 2×10 Mid-Cage
Cassette SRAM PG-1050 11-36T 10-Speed
Chain SRAM Powerchain 1051
Crank SRAM X-7 2×10, 38/24 rings
Bottom Bracket SRAM PressFitGXP
Pedals NONE
Rims WTB SpeedDisc I-19 Alloy Double-Walled with eyelets
Hubs KT HiFlange Sealed Bearing 32H
Spokes Black 14g Stainless
Tires GEAX AKA 2.2″
Handlebar AIRBORNE Alloy 640mm wide, 15 degree rise, 5 degree sweep
Stem AIRBORNE Alloy +/- 7 Degree Rise, size specific
Saddle Selle San Marco Ponza Power
Seat Post AIRBORNE Alloy 31.6mm Diameter, 350mm Length
Extras Owner’s Manual, Clear Coat, H20 Bottle Mount
I’m looking forward to see what this bike can handle because based on my first few rides on it, the Hobgoblin should be able to tackle more technical trails as well as possibly do some light DH.
Check back soon for a full review.