I learned so much from this forum, time to repay my dues! My 1 month in review of my favourite new steed - an Airwolf YFM-026[/size]
- Frame: Airwolf YFM-026 with headset and BB included. 29er, BOOST. Custom painted by Airwolf. I printed my own stickers and wrapped in 3M paint protection film
- Bar/stem: Airwolf ‘Newest one-shaped MTB bike handlebar carbon Handlebars with 2° degree stem’. 40mm stem and 800mm width bar
- Seatpost: Airwolf carbon post
- Fork: NOS 2018 Rockshox SID RL Charger, 100mm travel, BOOST
- Brakes: Magura MT Sport w/ Storm rotors. 180mm front, 160mm rear
- Wheels: Syncros (Formula) BOOST hubs and Syncros (Alex) 30mm rims from a 2019 Scott Genius
- Gears: Shimano XT 12sp shifter and Deore derailleur. SRAM GX cassette and X01 chain
- Crank / Chainring: ZRACE HARDROCK - DUB 1 x 10 11 12 Speed Boost Crankset Eagle Tooth, 175mm
- Pedals: Shimano PD-M785
- Tires: Vittoria Barzo 2.35
- Seat: Specialized Toupe
- Grips: Wolftooth silicone
What I’m aiming for I have been eyeing up unbranded frames from China for about 20 years. I really missed a 2013 Kona Hei Hei XC bike that I had sold and liked the idea of a hardtail to replace it. I wanted something light but capable, understanding that a 100mm fork that I found on sale sets something of a limit. I wanted to build it on a budget with a focus on function and value rather than bling and ultra-light weight.
I live on Vancouver’s North Shore which has a reputation for pretty gnarly trails, but wanted something that would be a blast on the less extreme trails that often get forgotten. That said, I know this bike will end up on some of the harder trails from time to time (see below!).
The frame, bar and seatpost were bought through the Airwolf store on Aliexpress. Their communication was excellent. It took about 6 weeks to arrive, but would have been quicker if I hadn’t had it painted. This is one of the few frames I could find with modern XC geo – notably reach, head and seat angles and BOOST. It was extremely well packaged with no damage. The only fault I could find in the finish is some rough edges in the head tube. I did not see any of the issues that some have reported about poor dropouts or fork crown hitting downtube (this is a large frame).
The crank was ordered from Zrace on Aliexpress. Their communication is OK, and I'm really pleased with them so far.
Other parts I either already owned, bought second hand or found on Ebay. The build went very smoothly. Any issues I had were definitely my error, not with the frame. The internal routing for the rear brake was a lot of work, but no harder than it would be on any other frame and it looks good once done! One thing to note: the other ports on this frame are designed to run inner cable only in the frame, as opposed to a full length of outer. This means I’ll need to do some fiddling if I want to fit a dropper post.
Initial impressionsThis thing is light! The frame comes in at about 1150g with hanger, thru-axle and seat collar. Built up, the bike is 19.6lbs without crank or pedals, so I’m expecting 22-23lbs once the new crank arrives. I’m really pleased with how it looks with matte black components and a bright colour on the frame. No-one really seems to notice my little stickers, which is fine by me. I know what they mean (UK riders may be familiar with the Mint Sauce font and quotes!).
Even with the 40mm stem, it’s quite long (size large and I am 178cm tall). The steering is really quick. The brakes didn’t work (not bed in). The whole thing feels ‘tight’.
First ride
I was in a rush. I needed to get up the mountain by 6pm and I didn’t get home from work until 5.15. I stuffed my backpack with shakedown test musts like a shock pump and multitool and sped out the door.
Coming from a big-ish trail bike the Airwolf immediately felt weird, with lightning quick steering and very fast acceleration. The beginning of the ride was mostly on road to get up the mountain as fast as possible, but the little sections of singletrack gave me an inkling of how this was going to be: playful and fast (and too long).
You’ll be pleased to know I made it to the trail head on time. Everyone was interested in the new bike (most of them knew it was in the works), and there were plenty of jokes about me emerging from the forest with shards of carbon fibre up my arse. I had promised myself that I would not go straight into the gnar with this bike, but the group was heading up to a black-rated trail (7th Secret). I figured I’d give it a go and tweak the bike as I went / walk if necessary.
The ride to the top confirmed what I’d found on that initial climb: a bike that is quick to accelerate and encourages you to fast.
The beginning of the ride down was a different matter. The top of 7th Secret is quite steep, rocky and rooty. It was also greasy that day. I had not had a chance to bed the brakes in and I am used to a 160/150mm bike with a 65 degree head angle so I was pleased that I managed to drop in to the trail without snapping me or the bike. After about 2 minutes I put the seat post in my bag because I couldn’t drop the seat enough. If I’m going to keep riding trails like this, I’d need a dropper. As the brakes started to bed in, I started to appreciate the quick steering on the tight switchbacks.
As 7th Secret merges into the lower trails, things start to mellow out. This is where I realized the bike is exactly what I was hoping for. This is no 90s alloy hardtail throwback – there is quite a bit of flex in the frame and it’s pretty comfortable for a hardtail. That quick acceleration is addictive coming out of corners! I’m sure the fastish rolling tires helped here, and it’ll be interesting to experiment with North Shore go-to Maxxis DHF and DHRs at some point.
From the first ride I learned a few things. First, I really like this bike. It makes the ‘easy’ trails a hell of a lot of fun, which is just what I was hoping for. I would far rather have this than a gravel bike, and it’s probably not much slower on dirt road.
Secondly, a little faith in the established Chinese manufacturers is probably warranted. I really hope this frame lasts and becomes great value. I don’t think it will take long for me to trust it.
Thirdly… rushing out for a ride down ‘big’ trails on a bike that isn’t really set up yet is probably not a great idea. Go and bed the brakes in, tighten any loose bolts and realize you need a dropper before you go out in public.
One month inI would highly recommend anyone looking at this frame to be careful on sizing. It's long. I have got the seat nearly all the way forward and it's fine now. Just after I got the YFM026 working a friend of mine bought a gravel bike and we went for a long but gentle ride. I loved it - fast, comfortable and light but much more capable than a gravel bike.
I have some fast singletrack trails close to my house and I absolutely love this bike there. So much fun!
A couple of tweaks to come! The bars are too wide. I'll cut them down to about 760mm. I have a seatpost shim on the way so I can install a dropper. A clip for one of the cable port covers has snapped and I also want some more to run full length inner cables for the gears and dropper. Airwolf have been really helpful and, after a bit of a language barrier, I think are sending some.
PicsLastly… pics! No post would be complete without pics of the bella machina.
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