Any opinions on an older Ti bike please

CAT69
CAT69 Posts: 376
edited August 2016 in Road buying advice
Just wondering if anyone owned or has knowledge good or bad if an early (2001/2) airborne zepplin.
I understand it was one of the more budget bikes in its day but considering one?
Thanks

Comments

  • Garry H
    Garry H Posts: 6,639
    Weren't they an earlier incarnation of Van Nicholas? I still see some being ridden around today.
  • alan_sherman
    alan_sherman Posts: 1,157
    Google tells you lots about this frame. In Europe Airbourne became Van Nicolas. Some failures in early models, but if it hasn't had issues by now should be fine.

    Nice frame, cheap, comfortable, not very stiff compared to carbon (but not a noodle either!). It no cracks or dents anywhere then would make a great club run / sportive bike / lower level race bike.
  • banditvic
    banditvic Posts: 549
    I've had one, great bike handles well and comfortable.
    Not much more to say.
  • CAT69
    CAT69 Posts: 376
    Thankyou
  • svetty
    svetty Posts: 1,904
    Van Nicholas will not honour any warranty claims on Airborne frames
    FFS! Harden up and grow a pair :D
  • horizon
    horizon Posts: 91
    It became the Van Nicholas Zephyr, which is still a current model, albeit with some geometry tweaks. The old decals come off with paint stripper and/or some gentle Scotchbrite - you can get current Van Nicholas decals from them, albeit at a price, or just leave it plain - I stripped all the decals off my VN, apart from the top tube one - looks a lot better to my eye. The whole frame should clean up as new with some Scotchbrite - one of the many virtues of ti.
  • keezx
    keezx Posts: 1,322
    The Airborne frames were made in Russia and welded better then the current Chinese ones.
    If it's fine after 15 years it will stay that way.
    Too many recent VN's failed allready.
  • coops1967
    coops1967 Posts: 99
    If the welds are ok are 15 years... then they'll be staying that way! A friend has the VN Zephyr and is a good frame apparently... so enjoy it.

    Strip off all the decals (use Isopropyl alcohol... i started removing the ridonkulous amount of decals on a Litespeed with nail varnish remover (!) then found the proper iso alcohol works a treat...) and give it a brush with the green Scotchbrite pad as mentioned... lovely.

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