Really hoping I like the demo on the Bird as I’m quite sold on the idea of it. But you just don’t know until you have a go on one!

So I demo’d the AirDrop edit yesterday and the Bird Aeris 145 today.

AirDrop looked well made and had some nice frame details. Ed was really helpful and confidence inspiring at Airdrop. I tested one with a Yari on the front and a DB coil on the back. Ed offered to swap it for a monarch air shock and in hindsight I should have taken him up on the offer. I felt the coil shock was far more capable than the Yari so a bit Mis-matched. The Edit pedals pretty well and the more steep / rocky the terrain the better. To me it felt like a downhill bike that could still pedal up.

Test ride the Aeris 145 at Swinley today. Just felt perfect from a couple of mins in once I’d got used to having my weight much further forward to load the front wheel given the length of the top tube. I felt at home on it almost immediately – and have got PR’s on strava on the ups / flat and downhill. Just felt faster evrywhere and had so much fun. The bike is surprisingly light – and that’s without light build kit on it – had Yaris / Sram GX etc.

Want an Aeris now – it was almost the most fun I’ve ever had on a bike (bar an uplift day at BPW).

When you find a bike that makes you feel like that – that’s when you have found the right one!

It was just so good yesterday – I was probably boring my mate to tears about how good the Aeris was and how much fun I was having!

Photographed my Boardman his morning and put it in the classifieds on here and on eBay. Gumtree and anywhere else I can advertise also going to get done today! Not to say the Boardman is a bad bike – it’s fantastic – just I’m ready for the next step up.

Joe what swung it for the Bird over the Airdrop? Also how tall are you and what size did you go for? I have a friend thinking about a 145 but undecided between M and ML. Will be speaking to the guys at Bird but also looking for other feedback.

It’s really difficult to say why overall I think.

The AirDrop was a nice bike and I enjoyed riding on it. I think I just struggled to get it turned into tight bermed corners and I didn’t have the same thing on the Aeris. Maybe the bird just felt livelier overall – I had a grin on my face the entire time.

That doesn’t mean it would be the same for everyone of course – and having an air shock instead of coil on the Edit might have evened it up on the lively feel.

If you’re interested I’d really recommend you try both yourself. Swinley is great for testing the bird – albeit it’s not that technical a trail centre. Sheffield wise I used Lady Canning plantation and it’s too peddally a place for the AirDrop in my opinion.

I’m 5’9 with 31″ legs and quite short arms. I test rode the ML Aeris and it was great. I didn’t try the medium to compare though.

I tried the Airdrop and the Aeris too, and would echo joebristol’s comments. The edit i tried did have a monarch shock and was very good but for me the Aeris had the same confidence inspiring ride and also felt more fun and playful.

Thanks for the feedback. Interesting what you say about being too pedally for the Airdrop, I found my Mk1.5 Aeris pedals better than an Airdrop with the same shock.

Giant reign 2 is worth demoing if you can.I bought mine two weeks ago from je James for 2500 also they have a 15 percent of purchase offer to spend in store at the minute which gave me 375 quid to do up my old bike for selling so that offer worked for me.
Took the reign out today for first time to cut gate in Peak District handled great and climbed well too so couldn’t fault my purchase.

I’ve seen the Reign mentioned a few times, but I have to say I’m sold on the idea of a British designed and built bike now (albeit the frame isn’t welded in the UK) – and you don’t see too many Birds out on the trails which is also nice. It’s good you can pick and choose the bits that you upgrade too.

The guys at both Bird and AirDrop are great – really helpful and happy to talk through everything at length.

Only thing is I’ve got to wait until my bike sells now before I can order the Aeris

What Boardman is it?

Loving this thread guys.

Just had to sell my Spitfire and now thinking about what to replace it with. Like the look of both the Bird and the AirDrop but would be keen to know if anyone has ridden both coming from a Spitty as I was just starting to get a bit jaded with the Spitty and I’m looking for something a bit more playful/lively.

Also looking for a new enduro myself and looking at the bird aeris 145. Would you say it is capable dh. I will be using for places like revolution bike park, stiniog, black mountain ect so worried there isn’t enough travel but I hopeful you guys will prove me wrong hahaha

Jamj1974 – the bike to have to sell is a Boardman Pro Fs 2015 (so 650b 150f/130r travel and 1×10 etc). It’s pretty decent, I just fancy something a bit longer travel / more DH orientated. It’s in the classifieds on here / gumtree / bike radar / eBay etc.

Swainy90 – I only rode it at Swinley so not very knar. It swallowed up any line I took downhill though and had plenty laid back geometry. Felt like it was quite ‘long legged’ and foot high rooty drops on corners just got flattened out.

The AirDrop has 150mm travel vs 145 on the Bird and felt more solid / DH orientated. The back end of it is seriously built. With a coil shock on it nothing upset the back end at all and it was so plush the Yari on the front felt very underwhelming. With a lyric I imagine it would be a beast – yet still cycled uphill.

That said I’ve heard of people doing some DH racing on the Aeris 145 and winning some races / it taking all the punishment thrown in its direction.

So either would probably suit the bill.

Thank joe, possibly a silly question but doesn’t the aeris run 150mm travel, not sure on the back. I’m not clued up on the technicalities which probably makes me think I need 160/170mm travel when maybe I don’t. Hopefully you can clarify to travel for me mate. I’m personally looking at the 11 speed slx version aeris if I buy cheers

Cheers Joe, I have a mate looking for his first full suspension bike. He’s strictly a red route level rider – so it might be an idea. I’ll check the ad.

This is my Boardman (if I’m allowed to post a link)

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/boardman-pro-fs-with-rockshox-revelation-150mm-sram-guide-rs-gx-1×10

The Bird Aeris is called the 145 as it has 145mm rear travel. But 5mm travel isn’t much of a difference to 150mm. It’s more how it rides / the geo though.

I’ve not ridden the Capra / Swoop / G160 etc – I’m imagining they probably are more capable downhill, but will be less lively as an all round bike. Test riding is the only way to work out which you like. I think in May there are YT demo days at FOD and Swinley if you want to try a Capra. Think you can test ride a Whyte G160 at swinley too.

Sold my Boardman today (sob sob – it was a nice bike that I really enjoyed)…. but got to put in an order for a brand new shiny Aeris 145

What colour Joe?

Hopefully slime green, but looks like that’s mostly out of stock so maybe the bright orange colour.

Gone for GX / Yari 160mm / Guide R and the rest mostly standard kit.

So excited!

I got a slime green Large Aeris 145 after demoing it in January – trust me, you will not regret it one bit! The guys at Bird are just so passionate about what they do, and the way the bike rides is a testament to that. Enjoy!

Cheers for the comment – what spec did you go for on your Aeris?

Everyone who has one seems to be so pleased with their new bike I’m hoping I’ve made the right choice. Never spent so much money on a bike before sonit was a hard choice.

Keep seeing Nukeproof Mega 275’s when I’m out and wondering what they are like but couldn’t easily sort out a test ride.

Brilliant Joe. Pictures when it’s arrived!

Got a green on order too, hoping it won’t be too much longer!

Think they suggested from order yesterday it would probably a couple of weeks before dispatch. I tend to ride mid week rather than on the weekend (too mamy DIY projects on at the moment) so the weekend it arrives I may not even get to ride it 🙁

I understand the pain of your wait joe, ordered my new bike last Friday for an early mid week delivery. Courier damaged it in transit and had to take it back to the shop. Still got it turned around to arrived yesterday though, winner!

I went for the Super Deluxe rear shock, boost Lyriks, Hope/DT502 and GX – figured that I’d be better off getting the best suspension and wheels I could (not really) afford! Did Ben tell you about putting lighter weight oil in the Yari to make it a bit suppler?

Slow rider – what bike is it you’ve got?

IDB – sounds like a great spec of Aeris. If I could have justified an it more spec I would have done. Didn’t talk in huge depth about the Yari, but my reasoning there is it has the same chassis as the Lyrik so at a later date if I felt the need I could put a charger damper (or Ann other upgraded damper) in.

I’m been riding on 150mm travel Revelations for a year ish until now so figure the Yari will be better than those.

I went for the middle spec shock – but couldn’t justify the super deluxe unfortunately. I’m not a huge fan of clicky hope hubs myself so just went with the standard wheels – not sure if they’ll be clicky or not! Will be my first tubeless setup bike and first time on Maxxis tyres so keen to see how much more grip I’ll have.

You’ll have to update us on how the bike is once you’ve had a chance to ride it.

I plumped for a kona process 153 dl. Really like it

Did you get a bargain on a 2016 model or go for the 2017 one? Looks a good spec if you got one in the sale. A mate has the Process 134 from a few years back with Revelations / SLX kit mostly and he loves it. Front end is a lot more poppy than the Aeris – couldn’t believe how easy his bike manuals. Never ridden a 153 though.

I wrote a big post about the reasons for the build choices but no-one will really care!

Suffice to say it rides great – I have a suspicion I’m going to have a proper off on it before long, it’s that easy to ride fast!

That is the danger as bikes get more capable – you run out of talent going much faster…..