First Ride: Boardman AiR 9.8
Boardman Bikes, the eponymous brand from former Tour de France Prologue-winner and yellow jersey wearer, Chris Boardman, has begun making a big push into North America throughout 2013. And now that 2014 is upon us, that push has grown even bigger with a variety of new and re-designed road bike models and greater availability in the States than ever before (click here for a look at Boardman’s 2014 lineup). We received a Boardman AiR 9.8 aero-road bike to test, despite the fact that the AiR platform has undergone some revisions for the 2014 model year. Still, we never pass up the chance to test a new bike, and this previous generation bike still showcases some of Boardman’s innovations. Here’s our first ride review.
THE TECH
The AiR’s carbon fiber frame was developed inside a wind tunnel to be aerodynamically optimal across the board when it comes to various yaw angles, making it what Boardman reps claim is ‘aerodynamic in real-world riding conditions.’ All of the tube shapes on our AiR test bike (save for the boxy chainstays), sport some sort of elongated, tear-drop shape profile to help smooth out airflow (the 2014 AiR model carries on this same design). A 1 1/8- to 1 «-inch tapered headtube adds some stiffness to the front end, which is only aided by a straight-blade fork. Our top-of-the-line AiR 9.8 test bike came fitted with a SRAM Red gruppo, Zipp stem and handlebar combination and a set of Zipp 404 tubular wheels. The 2014 AiR 9.8 will be available with either SRAM Red or Shimano Dura-Ace Di2.
THE RIDE
We first rode our Boardman AiR 9.8 test bike in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains before taking the bike back to RBA‘s home base of Southern California. That initial foray included plenty of climbing and a lot of descending, which aren’t necessarily the best conditions for showing off the merits of an aero-road bike designed to be fast on the flats, first and foremost. But what struck us what the stiffness in the AiR’s chassis, making out-of-the-saddle efforts on steep pitches very efficient for transferring what little power we had left after subjecting our lungs to high altitude for several days to the rear wheel. And while many aero-road bikes feature a harsh ride quality as a result of their unconventional tube profiles, the Boardman AiR had a terrific all-around feel (albeit on the stiff side) that was quite pleasant on rough descents. Likewise, a stiff front end was a welcome companion on said descents, letting us throw the bike into corners with plenty of confidence.
THE VERDICT
While we’re a bit disheartened that our AiR 9.8 test bike will soon be rendered obsolete, thanks to Boardman’s launching of an all-new 2014 lineup, we’re very pleased to see that the brand’s bikes perform well and look forward to seeing what their latest crop has to offer. The AiR platform has a great ride quality that’s definitely on the stiffer side, and it comes with some aerodynamic tube profiles to help aid in finding those marginal speed gains. Keep an eye out for more great bikes from Boardman in the coming year. And look for a full test of our Boardman AiR 9.8, along with an exclusive interview with Chris Boardman, in an upcoming issue of Road Bike Action magazine!
STATS
Price: $7700 (as tested)
Weight: 14.5 pounds (size XS)
Contact: Boardman Bikes
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