Bird have a sale on, naked Aeris 120 frame for £750 (and 145 for less money), looks like a bargain but are they any good? Anybody got one?
I like a short travel fs, 650b, nice and playful. Will one of these fit the bill and more importantly will it be much different to my Orange Four? Nothing wrong with what I have but, you know, emperors new clothes and stuff...
As always, pics please.
The guys in the Bird FB page seem to adore their 120s, everyone wants the LT linkage too. They’re very capable, you see them being ridden trail centres and all the usual stuff you expect but also bike parks, DH stuff etc.
I have a 145 and love it. It's a absolute beast on the descents. I built mine up fairly burly with coil and Lyrik's as a do it all bike. If find it pedals better than my previous bike despite it being heavier. I'm sure Ben will be along soon to answer your questions.
Love mine but I'm definitely not in the hardcore riding class, far more capable than I am. Very comfy, very capable and clearly capable of more than my bottle and skills are doing just now. It does encourage more everything, which is great.
Wonder what the new lineup will be then, and if there's a gap for a 145 replacement.
More stock in November: Zero AM, Aeris AM9
No new stock in November: Zero 29, Aeris AM160
Discontinued: Aeris 120/145
New models: Aether 7/9/9C, steel 29er hardtail (see Instagram)
I got an Aeris Am160 to take to the Alps this summer. For reasons I associate with government incompetence and also epidemics it went for a week in Glentress instead.
Climbs surprising well and does the descending far better than my abilities do justice to - a real skills compensator up and down. Corners well.
I’d just like them to do a 145 link for it, so I could de-tune it for everyday riding (though to be fair it does that well).
Overall? I’m impressed. Previous bike was a 2011 Orange Alpine 160 - the Aeris is better up and down, but it is newer.
I assume the Aeris 160 is just an Aeris 145 with the new shock link. Bird sell the 145 link, I also have a spare one having just changed my 145 to a 160.
I use my 120 for everything, I did get the LT link which isn't available now. But you can get the RRR link which is basically the same thing. Also upped the forks to 140mm. It's very versatile bike; not super light, neither heavy either. It will happily do anything you ask of it and I've not reached the potential of it yet. It's perfect for trail centre type riding. Long term maintenance, nothing out of the ordinary, just bearing changes every 12-18 months. I like the threaded bottom bracket and external cables, its just easier to work on.
I have modified the geo a bit with an -1 degree angle headset and I'll be trying a -2 degree headset with a single offset bushing to steepen the seat angle & head angle by 0.5 degree. This will make the geo very similar to the new Ather 7.
The AM160 cannot be converted to a 145, there were some changed made to it. The 145 could be converted to a 145LT (160mm) with the additional linkage.
I’ve got the Aether 7 which is the replacement for the 120. Proper to this I had a 145 which I’d had with the standard link and the LT one.
I prefer the aether in every way apart from on really brutal roomy / rooty trails where it slows up quicker than the 145 in LT guide (with a 170mm Lyrik).
I think the 120 has a slightly steeper head angle which you could mimic with an angleset. Not sure what the other differences are - I don’t think it’s massively different.
I love the Aether 7 and I’m currently without a hardtail in the garage so it’s my do it all (apart from pure road rides) bike right now.
Local bridleway rides are ok, local mellow trail centre fun, steep off piste fun, BPW with riding up all day fun, BMCC with uplift = also fun.
So I’d recommend it - especially at a knock down sale price.
Edit - maybe the Aether has shorter seat tubes - on a medium mines 395mm so at 5’9 / 32” leg I’ve got a 180mm dropper and reckon if I tried I might be able to sneak in a 210mm possibly.
Nnnng, I've got a Whyte 901 that I could transfer nearly everything from... Tell me this would be too close to a Ripmo to make it not worth it?
I have a 120 and have used it both with and without the LT linkage and a 140mm pike at the front. I've used it for a bit of everything from longer XC style rides to trails and some light enduro racing. 1Timmy1's post is pretty spot on. The threaded bottom bracket and external cable routing make maintenance and upgrades very straight formward.
Hmm, positive responses so far which is good. The only concern I have really (and it's a minor one) is the weight. Anybody had theirs on the scales?
Also, no pics, what's going on!?
My medium Aether 7 comes up about 32lbs on my luggage scales. Think thy eyre reasonably accurate as my road bike comes up about where I’d expect.
Mines wearing 140mm Lyriks, Sram Code brakes, 2.5dhf exo 3c up front and 2.3DHR2 exo rear. Oneup 180mm dropper /
XT 12 speed with sram X1 carbon crank / wheelset which is Pro4 hubs with XM481 rims. Nothing flashy handlebar / saddle / stem wise. I reckon with a Pike and Guides plus maybe a lighter front tyre and a carbon bar you’d easily knock a pound or so off that. Think Dan (Bird owner) has his around 30lbs with carbon wheels on it. So it’s not feather weight but for how robust it is it’s not a bad weight.
I had the weight thought in the back of my mind when I purchased my 145 but to be honest it's not noticeable when riding as the weight is low down and it pedals so well... I haven't weighed mine but I definitely know its over 30lbs with a coil out back Lyrik's and EX471's.
Those who have them- what rear shock are you running? I'm hovering over buy but not sure if the Ultimate is worth it over the Select+
Personally I would go Ultimate.... It just gives you a bit more scope to dial in the bike in to what you want from it..... Or you could go select and save the cash and if you don't like it get a new shock in the future.... How helpful was I then.lol.
Well, you came to exactly the same conclusions as me 😀 Ultimate and a rear axle takes it over 1k though, suddenly not as cheap.
The select plus isn't in stock till next month though.
Meh. Waited a lot longer than that for all my previous bikes!
I’ve got the select plus rt or whatever the base one is. It’s ok but you’ve got no real lsc adjustment to prop it up in the mid range. If the ultimate has that I’d go for it probably. Either that or maybe try that Suntour Tri Air if they make one the right size.
I megneg’d my rt and actually it’s pretty good now - as another option. Might be cheaper to go rt + megneg. Gives you adjustment of the negative spring then.
I'd love a TriAir but I couldn't find one in the right size. I've got a Topaz on my other bike and I understand the similarities are, err, striking...
Ah well, there's now 1 less Orange ML And Ultimate left.