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I’m only window shopping at the mo, but I’ll probably be in the mood to change bikes either late this year or early next. (Okay I might do it sooner, got the devil on my shoulder telling me to do it now).
This week I’m torn between the above.
No real set budget as it’s out of my hands as I’ll be buying through work on our half-bonus, half R2W thing but it has to be less than £3k suppose that’s a budget then!
Aeris would be nicer spec - Lyriks, Super Delux shock, SLX brakes and a dropper for £2500. I might push the boat out with 4 pot XT brakes but I doubt it.
Tracer would be Foundation and £2700, so pretty basic spec, Yari forks, Deore Brakes, Monarch Shock but... Carbon.
Aeris.
I’ve got the 145 and I’ve just got the LT linkage to try - you can have the bike with both linkages to give more flexibility.
How much does the Intense weigh - if significantly lighter then maybe consider it on that front - but otherwise the Aeris is great downhill and ok on the uphill. It can drag slightly on long fireroads, but on technical uphill it just goes up and up.
Which wheels would you get on the Intense vs the Bird - that could make a huge difference to the ride too.
I think the Sram builds are better on the Bird than Shimano - you can get GX Eagle for a very reasonable price with 4 pot Sram Guides and some nice DT Swiss wheels.
What kind of riding do you do / where do you ride?
Not sure on the wheels, the Intense wheels are Intense Branded so probably crap. I had to admit to not knowing much about wheels these days.
Riding is everything from rides with the kids to DH / Alps, I only keep one bike, but mostly TC stuff and BPW, I live in Cardiff so lots to choose from.
I’m biased with the Bird being an owner, but I don’t think Intense would be the other brand I’d be thinking about. I think I’d probably be looking at Whyte - T-130 or G170, maybe the Airdrop Edit, Yt Capra / Jeffsy, Canyon Strive, Radon Swoop etc.
If you can afford a little bit more, the Tracer Expert is a really good spec:
https://uk.intensecycles.com/collections/tracer/products/intense-tracer-mountain-bike-expert
Lyrik RC (the Charger 2 damper as the top RCT3, just without the 3 position compression), Fox Transfer Post, GX Eagle, 30mm wide DT wheel set, Renthal bars, XT brakes.
Last years model was £5k before the move to direct sales.
Where do you live? Can you get a test? I had a tracer on my list until I rode it and didn't get on with it. It felt a bit twitchy and felt like I was real high up when riding, if that makes sense? Didn't get around to testing the bird as I got an airdrop but my money would be on the bird
I think there was a selection of Birds at CC when i went there last Autumn?
Test riding is everything.
I'd go for the Bird AM9 but then I prefer 29'ers. When I demoed the 145 it felt awesome downhill but a bit lethargic on the flatter stuff.
You can test ride the Bird bikes in 3 places I think - near Swinley / Cwmcarn and then up north somewhere!
I fancy trying out the AM9 to see how it compares to the 145 although my wife may actually bury me if I buy another new bike.....
Thats always the danger joebristol! Got a mate who works at saddleback so it was all the discount if I wanted It! Luckily I didn't and the wife didn't murder me!
Where do you live? Can you get a test?
Shouldn’t be a problem, I’ve got a 2015 Tracer 275a now, but it’s quite different to the current one, mates just bought one so I should be able to throw a leg over it no problem.
Cwmcarn is only down the road so if test rides can be booked there that would be easy enough.