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Bird Aeris owners thread

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flag Jaays
Posted: Feb 25, 2020 at 12:30 Quote
fwiw I see the RRR site (https://www.bird.bike/product/am9-rrr-linkage/) now says this:

> UPDATE: We have run the numbers and this linkage also works on the Aeris 120 and Aether 7. On the Aeris 120 it gives you close to 30% rising rate and 130mm travel; This linkage can be considered to be an alternative to the 120 LT linkage. It is also compatible with the Aether 7 if you want a touch less rising rate (30% instead of 35%), and like the anodized look.
flag R-M-R
Posted: Feb 25, 2020 at 17:11 Quote
It's really nice to see a company providing options. Frustrating when companies just tell people to not do anything other run the stock set-up.
flag Daviek
Posted: Feb 26, 2020 at 7:11 Quote
Hello All!

I'm looking at getting an AM9 but being I'm on the short side and would like to hear any first hand experience of someone about my size that has the bike, I'm 5'6" & 30" inside leg. I know looking at the sizing charts I'm in the middle of the medium sizing and will be fine for a 125mm dropper so should be OK but would like to know how the bike rides for someone my size.

Cheers in advance!
flag Pablo16v
Posted: Feb 26, 2020 at 9:10 Quote
Daviek wrote:
Hello All!

I'm looking at getting an AM9 but being I'm on the short side and would like to hear any first hand experience of someone about my size that has the bike, I'm 5'6" & 30" inside leg. I know looking at the sizing charts I'm in the middle of the medium sizing and will be fine for a 125mm dropper so should be OK but would like to know how the bike rides for someone my size.

Cheers in advance!

Are you aware of Bennachie Bike Bothy? Clark the owner sponsors a few riders and I'm sure I've seen at least one of the shorter lads or lasses riding an AM9, so he might be able to offer advice. He also has access to the Bird demo fleet (as well as having his own flock of demo Birds) so might be able to get a medium in for you to try.
flag Daviek
Posted: Feb 26, 2020 at 11:01 Quote
Hello Pablo

Cheers for the reply, I did see that BBB were getting in some new bikes for doing Demos but there was only a large AM9 but you're right enough I could give them a shout and see what they say. They are only 40 minutes or so away so I could go for a visit and a spin round Bennachie or Pitfichie at the same time.
flag hookso
Posted: Mar 2, 2020 at 10:28 Quote
I’m looking to swap my large am9 frame for a medium-long or something similar. https://m.pinkbike.com/buysell/2733342/

I’m 5’11 for reference. I only find the length a negative on steep trails.
flag bikefuturist
Posted: Mar 4, 2020 at 22:51 Quote
hookso wrote:
I’m looking to swap my large am9 frame for a medium-long or something similar. https://m.pinkbike.com/buysell/2733342/

I’m 5’11 for reference. I only find the length a negative on steep trails.

I have a feeling in a couple of years this bird/pole/geometron fit is going to look as odd as plus tyres
flag R-M-R
Posted: Mar 4, 2020 at 23:47 Quote
bikefuturist wrote:
I have a feeling in a couple of years this bird/pole/geometron fit is going to look as odd as plus tyres

Bird is no longer an outlier. Geometron and Pole are outliers.
flag Arierep
Posted: Mar 5, 2020 at 0:23 Quote
Size for size, 500mm for a L still seems to be at the pointy end of things.
Who else has that? Giant Reign 29? Can't recall that many.

But this is talking only about reach. For angles and chainstay length Bird is almost conservative
flag R-M-R
Posted: Mar 5, 2020 at 3:40 Quote
That's more a quirk of Bird's sizing than the actual product.

To answer your specific question, I've put a list at end of this post of all the bikes, in size Large, with a reach (accounting for stack) equal or greater than that of a Large AM9. The list grows if we expand the question to include bikes of similar length to, or longer than, the XL AM9. If we expand further to look at bikes with a front-centre approximately equal to, or greater than, that of the XL AM9, the list grows to over 260 bikes. To look at the sizing issue more closely, if we include all bikes with a ratio of reach to rider height equal or greater than that of the average value for the AM9, the list is about 150 bikes; if we repeat it for the ratio of front-centre to height, the list is over 400 bikes.

The AM9 geometry is still at the pointy end of things, as you noted, but it's not an outlier.

The Geometron and Pole bikes are outliers not only because of how rare their numbers are, but how far their numbers are from nearly everything else. They're way out there: front-centre values approximately three sizes larger than the XL AM9, for example.


Bold Unplugged V1
Bold Unplugged V2
Guerrilla Gravity Shred Dogg
Guerrilla Gravity Megatrail
Guerrilla Gravity Smash
Kavenz VHP 16
Nicolai G1 27
Nicolai G1 29
Nicolai Geometron 13
Nicolai Geometron 16
NS Define 130
Pole Evolink 110 29 XC
Pole Evolink 110
Pole Evolink 130 27+ TR
Pole Evolink 131
Pole Evolink 140
Pole Evolink 158
Pole Machine 160
Pole Stamina
Privateer 161
flag bikefuturist
Posted: Mar 5, 2020 at 8:21 Quote
I was referring spesifically to the fit philosophy of having long wheelbase and short stem.

the geo itself is not outlandish by any means
flag R-M-R
Posted: Mar 5, 2020 at 10:10 Quote
32 - 50 mm stems are ubiquitous now in trail / AM / enduro categories. There's still room for the trend to increase via even shorter stems, so there's nothing to say we've even reached the limit.

Will be interesting to see how things develop in XC racing and road.
flag bikefuturist
Posted: Mar 5, 2020 at 11:05 Quote
just my personal preference of finding it more fun with relatively smaller frame size.

also the "pro fit" seems to favour small'ish bikes:

photo
photo


https://www.pinkbike.com/news/8-bikes-of-the-giant-toa-enduro-crankworx-rotorua-2020.html
flag colourofsound
Posted: Mar 5, 2020 at 12:14 Quote
In my humble and inexperienced opinion, all increased bike sizing has done is allow people to find the right size for them.

I tried a number of bikes and have settled on a reach number that works for me - I generally ignore the recommended sizing and just get closest to the number that works for me.

I tried a large Aeris 145 and although the sitting position was nice and roomy; it was very difficult to handle on descents as it needed more body English than I had available to me.

As with any Internet forum debate, it really doesn’t matter - do what works for you. The manufacturers guide is just that - a guide.

@hookso - I’m the same height as you and Bird’s larges are too big for me. 5’11” is a cursed height though - forever on the fence!
flag dingus
Posted: Mar 5, 2020 at 13:34 Quote
'Pro fit' is somewhat dictated by what size options their frame sponsor offers. For example if Cody Kelly went up a frame size he'd have to run a shorter travel dropper. Maybe given the opportunity to spec their own geometry they might go a bit longer/shorter or slacker or maybe they wouldn't change anything.

Would be interesting to see if they're riding the size that the manufacturer recommends for their height.

 


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