Bird Cycleworks Pumps Up Aeris 120 Trail Bike With New ‘LT’ Option

Signing off on a very busy 2018, Bird Cycleworks is celebrating the New Year in style with a new full suspension trail bike.

Except, well, it isn’t strictly all-new.

Referred to as the ‘Pocket Rocket’ by the UK direct-to-consumer brand, the Aeris 120 LT is the newest full suspension bike to hit the range. This bike will sit in between the current Aeris 120 and the Aeris 145, and like those two bikes, the Aeris 120 LT is built around an alloy frame with a four-bar suspension design and 27.5in wheels.

Structurally, the difference between the Aeris 120 and the Aeris 120 LT is very small. In fact, the two bikes share identical framesets – only the black linkage that drives the rear shock is different between the two bikes. On the Aeris 120 LT, this link pumps up the rear travel from 120mm to 130mm. This is achieved purely via the link – the rear shock is exactly the same length and size between the two bikes.

As well as increasing the travel, the LT linkage supposedly has a more progressive spring curve. In theory, this should provide a more poppy feel to that 130mm of rear travel, while also providing more bottom-out support for jumpier folks. The LT linkage also drops the BB height a fraction. Just like the regular Aeris 120, the LT version can also be run with 130mm or 140mm travel fork.

Bird Aeris 120 LT Features

• Mid-travel aggressive trail bike
• 6066-T6 heat treated alloy tubeset
• 27.5in wheels w/clearance for up to a 2.6in rear tyre
• LT linkage increases rear travel to 130mm
• Four-bar suspension design featuring mini-collet axle system & Enduro Max bearings
• 210x55mm metric shock w/dual eyelet bearings
• Designed for 130-140mm travel forks
• Head angle: 66.4-66.8°
• Seat angle: 74.4-74.8°
• Reach: 422mm (S), 447mm (M), 470mm (ML), 495mm (L), 517mm (XL)
• 430mm chainstay length
• 73mm Threaded bottom bracket shell
• Removable ISG05 mount
• External cable routing for rear derailleur and brake lines
• Frame only starts at £1,000
• Complete bikes start at £2,020

Like the regular Aeris 120, the Aeris 120 LT features a tough-looking metal frame that’s been welded together from a collection of hydroformed 6066 alloy tubes and chunky CNC machined bits. Being a British-based company with a focus on all-weather durability, all of the cables run outside of the frame via a plethora of guides that are designed to keep things tidy, but accessible. Only a small section of the stealth-routed dropper post cable/hose runs inside the frame.

Other anti-faff features include a threaded bottom bracket shell, bolt-on ISCG05 chainguide tabs, a replaceable derailleur hanger, sealed cartridge pivot bearings and self locking collet axles.

Bird has the Aeris 120 LT available as a standalone frameset from £1,000, though that’s without a rear axle or shock (for those who may already own these, or want to source something more niche than the Fox & RockShox offerings via Bird). You’ll be able to get complete bikes from £2,020, with a whole host of different upgrades available for getting everything dialled in from the right bar width, to tyre casing and tread pattern choice, to fork travel.

There’s a huge array of options, so best to check out the Bird website for more info.