Bird Aeris owners thread

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flag Bloggingfit
Posted: Feb 17, 2018 at 14:17 Quote
Rawkus777 wrote:
Wanted to take the AM9 for a demo but MBUK we’re taking it for the weekend so I ended up taking the 145LT for a shred instead.... freaking loved it! So now I’m torn between to two.
Pretty similar I terms of reach but the front end feels a little higher on the AM9 which I personally prefer. The AM9 pedals better overall but the 145 is a bit quicker getting up to speed. I ordered the AM9 frame myself the day they released but had already ridden the bike in September.
flag Rawkus777
Posted: Feb 18, 2018 at 10:37 Quote
Bloggingfit wrote:
Rawkus777 wrote:
Wanted to take the AM9 for a demo but MBUK we’re taking it for the weekend so I ended up taking the 145LT for a shred instead.... freaking loved it! So now I’m torn between to two.
Pretty similar I terms of reach but the front end feels a little higher on the AM9 which I personally prefer. The AM9 pedals better overall but the 145 is a bit quicker getting up to speed. I ordered the AM9 frame myself the day they released but had already ridden the bike in September.
Ah I have no patience haha. I really should give the AM9 a spin before pulling the trigger on either one. I currently ride a Jeffsy 29er but just find it lacking when things get steep and tech. I expect some nice photos when you get your bike built! Smile
flag Diabeast
Posted: Feb 19, 2018 at 10:51 Quote
photo

My new 145. I couldn't wait for an AM9 either but the 145 is already far more bike than my talent justifies.

Looking forward to next weekend at BPW for a proper test.
flag Pablo16v
Posted: Feb 19, 2018 at 12:28 Quote
Nice! I do like a black bike, in fact my raw AM9 will be the first non-black bike I've had in over 11 years.

I'm sure it will be in its element at BPW.
flag Rawkus777
Posted: Feb 19, 2018 at 23:37 Quote
Diabeast wrote:
photo

My new 145. I couldn't wait for an AM9 either but the 145 is already far more bike than my talent justifies.

Looking forward to next weekend at BPW for a proper test.

Niiice!! If I go with the 145 it will be a Black frame too. I’ve been lucky enough to have a go on one almost every weekend now as my friend has one and I never want to give him his bike back haha. What size have your gone for?
flag Diabeast
Posted: Feb 20, 2018 at 1:17 Quote
Rawkus777 wrote:

Niiice!! If I go with the 145 it will be a Black frame too. I’ve been lucky enough to have a go on one almost every weekend now as my friend has one and I never want to give him his bike back haha. What size have your gone for?

I'm 6'2-3" and when for the large. Fit wise it's great. I went for a 185mm Bikeyoke dropper which I initially thought would be too much of a drop but I still have about 4" of normal post showing and very glad I spec'd it.

It's yet to be ridden in anger but it's hugely confidence inspiring and well balanced but I am tempted to change to slightly higher bars. I went with the 35mm rise option but a tiny bit more would make it perfect.

Have you ever ridden the 120? I demo'd it at Swinley and i think I would have been just as happy with that for 95% of the time.
flag Thorjensen
O+
Posted: Feb 20, 2018 at 3:45 Quote
[Quote="Diabeast"]
Rawkus777 wrote:

Have you ever ridden the 120? I demo'd it at Swinley and i think I would have been just as happy with that for 95% of the time.

I came to the same conclusion and got the 120. I was sooooo tempted on getting the 145 as the HA was more like my former Zero AM and I really loved that bike, but I needed an do-it-all-bike - > a Bird fully.

The slack HA on the Zero did in some occasions make the front a little ferry like in twitchy placed but then you could move the rear pretty snap and easy on that hardtail. I feared that a similar HA and a more heavy and long CS on the 145 would make it even worse.

But I really hope the Bird makes a similar LT linkage for the 120, mabey to a 150/130 so that I can make my 120 even more descent happy on longer trips to the alps or other more descent friendly places. (pls do that linkage Ben and Dan)
flag Rawkus777
Posted: Feb 20, 2018 at 6:38 Quote
[Quote="Thorjensen"]
Diabeast wrote:
Rawkus777 wrote:

Have you ever ridden the 120? I demo'd it at Swinley and i think I would have been just as happy with that for 95% of the time.

I came to the same conclusion and got the 120. I was sooooo tempted on getting the 145 as the HA was more like my former Zero AM and I really loved that bike, but I needed an do-it-all-bike - > a Bird fully.

The slack HA on the Zero did in some occasions make the front a little ferry like in twitchy placed but then you could move the rear pretty snap and easy on that hardtail. I feared that a similar HA and a more heavy and long CS on the 145 would make it even worse.

But I really hope the Bird makes a similar LT linkage for the 120, mabey to a 150/130 so that I can make my 120 even more descent happy on longer trips to the alps or other more descent friendly places. (pls do that linkage Ben and Dan)

I have not ridden the 120 but if I am honest I am looking for a bike I can take out to the alps and chase my friends on DH bikes down on. The 145 I demo'd was actually the LT version with 160mm front and rear and it was an absolute weapon on the steeper more technical tracks at Forest of Dean. I was definitely quicker on it as I have a friend who races a lot and normally gets away from me when it gets steeper. This time however I was able to keep up everywhere! The small bump sensitivity and glued to the floor feeling was unreal! Literally cannot wait to sell my current bike and get a 145LT built up Smile
flag Pablo16v
Posted: Feb 20, 2018 at 7:29 Quote
[Quote="Rawkus777"]
Thorjensen wrote:
Diabeast wrote:


I came to the same conclusion and got the 120. I was sooooo tempted on getting the 145 as the HA was more like my former Zero AM and I really loved that bike, but I needed an do-it-all-bike - > a Bird fully.

The slack HA on the Zero did in some occasions make the front a little ferry like in twitchy placed but then you could move the rear pretty snap and easy on that hardtail. I feared that a similar HA and a more heavy and long CS on the 145 would make it even worse.

But I really hope the Bird makes a similar LT linkage for the 120, mabey to a 150/130 so that I can make my 120 even more descent happy on longer trips to the alps or other more descent friendly places. (pls do that linkage Ben and Dan)

Literally cannot wait to sell my current bike and get a 145LT built up Smile

Yeah the waiting part always sucks, but hopefully my AM9 frame will be arriving towards the end of March which isn’t too far away.

I did manage to sort out a shock for it today though, so that’s one of the items on my to-do list ticked off. I spotted a metric CCDB Air CS in the Pinkbike classifieds and as luck would have it the seller was Ben Pinnick from Bird, so it’ll be ‘winging’ its way to Bird HQ to be installed on my frame before it ships.
flag trickydisco78
Posted: Feb 22, 2018 at 10:51 Quote
I've also been looking at the aeris. The m/l looks good for me but that reach looks huge (481) . I'll be coming from a spesh pitch
flag Pablo16v
Posted: Feb 22, 2018 at 12:25 Quote
trickydisco78 wrote:
I've also been looking at the aeris. The m/l looks good for me but that reach looks huge (481) . I'll be coming from a spesh pitch

What height are you? Bird frames are a bit longer than most but I think they have the balance right, plus IIRC your Pitch was pretty long for it's time so it might not feel too weird jumping onto a 480mm bike.

I'm just over 6ft 1" and went for a large AM9, which has a relatively long reach at 500mm, but I'm going to run a 35mm stem instead of the 50mm I have now. Current bike is a large with 445mm reach.
flag trickydisco78
Posted: Feb 24, 2018 at 2:18 Quote
Pablo16v wrote:
trickydisco78 wrote:
I've also been looking at the aeris. The m/l looks good for me but that reach looks huge (481) . I'll be coming from a spesh pitch

What height are you? Bird frames are a bit longer than most but I think they have the balance right, plus IIRC your Pitch was pretty long for it's time so it might not feel too weird jumping onto a 480mm bike.

.



I'm just over 6ft 1" and went for a large AM9, which has a relatively long reach at 500mm, but I'm going to run a 35mm stem instead of the 50mm I have now. Current bike is a large with 445mm reach.
I'm 5'9 with 32" leg. Bird recommends the m/l for my height. Tried a 50mm stem on the pitch but it's just too short so prefer 75mm

Hopefully demoing one at Cwm carn,Wales next week
flag Bloggingfit
Posted: Feb 25, 2018 at 7:56 Quote
I wouldn't let the long reach put you off. Their bikes don't feel 'long' in terms of feeling stretched out because the total geometry is well balanced. When I first sat on the AM9 I had no idea it was 25mm longer than a MK1 Aeris and 50mm longer than my Remedy in terms of relative seat and bar position. You're not stretched out, just subtly further forward and more in the bike. I'm 5'9 and happy on an M/L frame for my 120 and incoming AM9.
flag Bloggingfit
Posted: Feb 25, 2018 at 8:04 Quote
Pablo16v wrote:
.
Yeah the waiting part always sucks, but hopefully my AM9 frame will be arriving towards the end of March which isn’t too far away.

I did manage to sort out a shock for it today though, so that’s one of the items on my to-do list ticked off. I spotted a metric CCDB Air CS in the Pinkbike classifieds and as luck would have it the seller was Ben Pinnick from Bird, so it’ll be ‘winging’ its way to Bird HQ to be installed on my frame before it ships.

My AM9 frame landed last Wednesday but they're keeping it quiet ATM but to being at the London Bike Show and not wanting to get swamped until they are back at HQ. I got a call as I've known the guys for years and only collecting a frame. Need to decide on a shock and pretty much decided on an X2 as they can get hold of these. Coil was a consideration and I really enjoyed on my Nomad 3 but the weight penalty is fairly substantial. The X2 performs very well as air shocks go and the weight save on an aluminium frame is enough to swing me.
flag Pablo16v
Posted: Feb 25, 2018 at 10:47 Quote
Bloggingfit wrote:
Pablo16v wrote:
.
Yeah the waiting part always sucks, but hopefully my AM9 frame will be arriving towards the end of March which isn’t too far away.

I did manage to sort out a shock for it today though, so that’s one of the items on my to-do list ticked off. I spotted a metric CCDB Air CS in the Pinkbike classifieds and as luck would have it the seller was Ben Pinnick from Bird, so it’ll be ‘winging’ its way to Bird HQ to be installed on my frame before it ships.

My AM9 frame landed last Wednesday but they're keeping it quiet ATM but to being at the London Bike Show and not wanting to get swamped until they are back at HQ. I got a call as I've known the guys for years and only collecting a frame. Need to decide on a shock and pretty much decided on an X2 as they can get hold of these. Coil was a consideration and I really enjoyed on my Nomad 3 but the weight penalty is fairly substantial. The X2 performs very well as air shocks go and the weight save on an aluminium frame is enough to swing me.

Cool, looking forward to seeing some pics once it's built Smile Did you go for a painted frame or raw?

I managed to get another couple of bits ordered yesterday for mine.....a 175mm KS Lev dropper and a Hope boost kit for the rear wheel. Thankfully the dropper is the last of expensive parts I need to buy $$$

 


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