Bird Aeris owners thread

Author Message
flag R-M-R
Posted: May 19, 2021 at 22:02 Quote
handsomedan wrote:
Is anyone running the bird adapter with a pump?

Yep.
flag Thorjensen
O+
Posted: May 19, 2021 at 22:38 Quote
Prepped and ready with new wheels, stickier front tire and and bling'd out Garbaruk cassette.
Damn this bike just keep on giving me smiles
photo
flag eddieantifreeze
Posted: Jun 3, 2021 at 4:24 Quote
So... Without looking to get crazy I'm looking for a little advice.

I love my AM9 but I still feel like I'm not completely at home on it. I had a crack on my mates commencal meta the other day and it reinforced what feels wrong currently on the AM9 - to be honest he confirmed it when trying my bike.

I always feel like I can't get over the front wheel to really get it planted, Don't get me wrong, this may be technique (please be kind if its just me riding like a plum).

So I'm 187cm (6'2), running a Large frame AM9, 30% sag front and rear. Looking at the size chart I should be borderline too big for the L frame so I'd be expect to be able to 'get over it' fairly easily, my previous bike was probably half a size too small so I am used to riding a smaller frame previously.

I'm running 5mm stack, 35mm stem and 30mm riser bars cut to 780mm - Am I simply running too much stack? Would running the bars at 800mm help too?

I imagine the answer is, play with stack/bar heights and see what feels right, however I'm keen to see if anyone else has had a similar experience and how they resolved it before I go spaffing cash on more bars etc.

Cheers!!!
flag Pablo16v
Posted: Jun 3, 2021 at 4:52 Quote
I'm the same height as you also on a large AM9 with a bit more stack, lower bars, 35mm stem and a 170mm fork, and I had some issues when I first built it up. I came from much shorter large frame bikes and I must have been hanging off the back a lot on steep descents so it took a while to adjust to the longer Bird and start positioning myself more centrally / neutrally on the steeps, and be happy getting onto the fork a lot more. How long have you been riding the AM9? I think it took me a good few months to get fully adjusted so that I didn't really have to think about how I was positioning myself.
flag bikefuturist
Posted: Jun 3, 2021 at 5:22 Quote
If shorter reach bikes feel more fun I’d give them more thought. It is not like 187 needs 500 or more reach if they pref agile / fun ride
flag Thorjensen
O+
Posted: Jun 3, 2021 at 6:14 Quote
eddieantifreeze wrote:
So... Without looking to get crazy I'm looking for a little advice.

I love my AM9 but I still feel like I'm not completely at home on it. I had a crack on my mates commencal meta the other day and it reinforced what feels wrong currently on the AM9 - to be honest he confirmed it when trying my bike.

I always feel like I can't get over the front wheel to really get it planted, Don't get me wrong, this may be technique (please be kind if its just me riding like a plum).

So I'm 187cm (6'2), running a Large frame AM9, 30% sag front and rear. Looking at the size chart I should be borderline too big for the L frame so I'd be expect to be able to 'get over it' fairly easily, my previous bike was probably half a size too small so I am used to riding a smaller frame previously.

I'm running 5mm stack, 35mm stem and 30mm riser bars cut to 780mm - Am I simply running too much stack? Would running the bars at 800mm help too?

I imagine the answer is, play with stack/bar heights and see what feels right, however I'm keen to see if anyone else has had a similar experience and how they resolved it before I go spaffing cash on more bars etc.

Cheers!!!

Same height too and my AM9 is a Large.
I'm running 40mm stem, 15mm spacers under stem, 780 bars with 25mm rise.
Feel it SUPERB and spot on.
flag Arierep
Posted: Jun 3, 2021 at 10:47 Quote
At you height, on a large, the 35mm stem might be too short. I'm 184cm on a Large running a 40mm stem, sometimes wonder if a 50mm wouldn't work as well.

These long reach bikes without really long chain stays (read >450mm) don't seem to really play well with really short stems, unless your trails are super steep all the time.
flag AngelRex
Posted: Jun 3, 2021 at 15:22 Quote
Coming from an Aeris 1.5, which has 140mm rear sus and a 435mm chainstay, riding mostly trails, some xc, afan etc. I'm looking to go 29er for a second bike and wondering :- Would the Aether 9a be the most like for like option over the AM9?
flag eddieantifreeze
Posted: Jun 3, 2021 at 23:17 Quote
Pablo16v wrote:
I'm the same height as you also on a large AM9 with a bit more stack, lower bars, 35mm stem and a 170mm fork, and I had some issues when I first built it up. I came from much shorter large frame bikes and I must have been hanging off the back a lot on steep descents so it took a while to adjust to the longer Bird and start positioning myself more centrally / neutrally on the steeps, and be happy getting onto the fork a lot more. How long have you been riding the AM9? I think it took me a good few months to get fully adjusted so that I didn't really have to think about how I was positioning myself.

I've had the bike for a year, however with covid and the various commitments it drives at home I've done a handful of 'proper' rides on it so I am very much still in the setup/adjustment phase. I do think there is a strong element of adjusting my riding - I just think it was a pretty big shock when I jumped on my mates bike how good it instantly felt.....
flag eddieantifreeze
Posted: Jun 3, 2021 at 23:19 Quote
bikefuturist wrote:
If shorter reach bikes feel more fun I’d give them more thought. It is not like 187 needs 500 or more reach if they pref agile / fun ride

yeah, a tricky connundrum. I like how composed the AM9 feels, particularly at speed compared to my previous shorter bikes. I'd just like to get to the perfect middle ground between playful and stable at speed I guess - maybe I'm being too greedy!
flag eddieantifreeze
Posted: Jun 3, 2021 at 23:20 Quote
Arierep wrote:
At you height, on a large, the 35mm stem might be too short. I'm 184cm on a Large running a 40mm stem, sometimes wonder if a 50mm wouldn't work as well.

These long reach bikes without really long chain stays (read >450mm) don't seem to really play well with really short stems, unless your trails are super steep all the time.

Thats an interesting thought.... slightly longer stem would be more effective at getting my weight over the front I guess....
flag JKL250
Posted: Jun 4, 2021 at 3:10 Quote
eddieantifreeze wrote:
Arierep wrote:
At you height, on a large, the 35mm stem might be too short. I'm 184cm on a Large running a 40mm stem, sometimes wonder if a 50mm wouldn't work as well.

These long reach bikes without really long chain stays (read >450mm) don't seem to really play well with really short stems, unless your trails are super steep all the time.

Thats an interesting thought.... slightly longer stem would be more effective at getting my weight over the front I guess....


If you like the feel of your friend’s commencal meta then those are probably good measurements to aim for as a starting point.

There’s a few interacting parts so I reckon use the “string between centre of grips” to measure how the commencal’s grip position relates to the centre of the steerer-tube axis. Then you can aim for this measurement with stem and bar roll/sweep on your AM9.

Having just gone through the process deciding on size, test riding a L & M/L AM9 and trying every span measurement I could with my current bike, I really believe the only way is to experiment and see what works for you with each particular bike and it’s geo.
flag eddieantifreeze
Posted: Jun 4, 2021 at 5:04 Quote
JKL250 wrote:
eddieantifreeze wrote:
Arierep wrote:
At you height, on a large, the 35mm stem might be too short. I'm 184cm on a Large running a 40mm stem, sometimes wonder if a 50mm wouldn't work as well.

These long reach bikes without really long chain stays (read >450mm) don't seem to really play well with really short stems, unless your trails are super steep all the time.

Thats an interesting thought.... slightly longer stem would be more effective at getting my weight over the front I guess....


If you like the feel of your friend’s commencal meta then those are probably good measurements to aim for as a starting point.

There’s a few interacting parts so I reckon use the “string between centre of grips” to measure how the commencal’s grip position relates to the centre of the steerer-tube axis. Then you can aim for this measurement with stem and bar roll/sweep on your AM9.

Having just gone through the process deciding on size, test riding a L & M/L AM9 and trying every span measurement I could with my current bike, I really believe the only way is to experiment and see what works for you with each particular bike and it’s geo.

Yup, another good point I've been walking through with my mate, looking at rolling bars about a bit to see if that helps. I also want to revisit the basics and look at whether running the fork too stiff could be holding me up or not getting the right balance front to rear forcing my body to 'sit back'.

I think in summary there is a shit load of stuff to try out!
flag jazzythemost
Posted: Jun 4, 2021 at 23:58 Quote
Hey guys, i bought a set of new kenda tires for my Aeris 145 for bikepark days

Kenda Hellkat 2.4 / 27.5 AGC front

Kenda Pinner 2.4 /27.5 AGC rear


Will this setup do OK when it rains and is wet also? or will the Pinner be a verry bad choice for the rear?
I do have 2 new Dirty Dan's in Super soft laying around if needed.

Going to Ferme Libert in Belgium tommorow Smile
flag bikesaresogreat
O+
Posted: Jun 5, 2021 at 7:37 Quote
Update on stashing stuff on my medium Aether 9, following on from page 168. It was always going to be a challenge on a medium 29er of this suspension design.

Saddle bag - clearly no chance. In fact the tyre barely clears the saddle at full compression if you slammed a 125mm dropper.

In front of the shock mount - I had a Wee Cog Cage made to measure. It's borderline useful due to the size and ease of access. Not for frequent access or if you had fat fingers, but it takes the essentials for a short ride. So from an achieving an objective point of view (if not "how much for a tiny frame bag") point of view I can stomach the price. Great quality and made to measure, highly recommended for sizes ML and above.

At the junction of the top tube and seatpost (thanks R-M-R for the idea) - I bought an AcePac Tube Bag from TerraVenture. It's about 1cm wider than I'd like; I'm aware it's there and lightly brush my knees on it pretty often. That's with a tube in, any smaller items and it's worse as they just pack down and bulge it out. The straps aren't sown to the bag, so it's not as secure as it could be despite having four of them. The narrow rear of the top tube doesn't help either. I'll be using it on some rides but it won't be a permanent fixture. Alternatives: Revelate Jerry Can, Wildcat Cheetah.

Under the downtube - a filthy and ugly location, so I didn't try the 76 Projects Little Piggy.

Inside the steerer tube from the bottom - could take a 25g CO2, but the Fork Cork is too much at £27.

Next to the bottle cage (for a pump) - not possible due to pump bracket adding ~5mm of stack. The bottle gets quite high up already with the cable mounts, angle adapter, and cage. I could strap it to the handlebar using a Zefal Doodah+ but I think that would just look wrong and be a bit distracting.

 


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