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Joe
Yeah that's what Ive heard. Not been overly impressed with guide or guide re been ok but I'd prefer something more solid. But on birds page the code RSC is a 153 extra than the g2r . That's a bit extra. It all adds up.
Am about 96 kg I'd prefer to stop quickly.
Don't have much experience with shimano breaks. But heard SRAM has more modulation which I like!
The super deluxe ultimate has a new tune coming out?
Or just tuned to the bike?
Both. We've not run the SD Ultimate on the Aethers before as we couldn't get quite what I wanted, but now we can. Normal times they'd have been in for this year but these are not normal times.
@ed-
Maybe speak to Bird and see if they can get a Code R instead? I picked up one to replace the Guide RE I had on the back of one of my bikes for £110. The RSC would have been a lot more expensive - I’m running Code R’s at both ends of both bikes now. They seem to be sturdy in a crash, effortless power, don’t fade anywhere I’ve used them in the U.K. and uberbike make decent but reasonably priced pads for them. Plus bleeding edge makes a bleed a bit cleaner at the caliper end.
Hi Ben. What are differences between the fox dpx2 shock and super deluxe ultimate?
The rockshox seems cheaper and better?
The DPX2 is very nice. It has a wider range of adjustments and is a little more controlled when getting smashed about. However its quite a bit more, slightly harder to set up as it has quite a high compression ratio and needs servicing more regularly (Ignoring for a second the standard service intervals). I currently run a DPX2 on mine, but I may chop it in for the forthcoming SD Ultimates.
I looked at one but I’m not a fan of bikes that have a super long reach and then 430mm chainstays. Makes it feel really unbalanced and hard to weight both wheels. As there’s plenty of XL bikes these days with 440mm+ stays I looked elsewhere.
I tried the Medium and was coming from a Zero 29.
It’s good. Very good.
It’s really well balanced
The folks at enduro-mtb are always talking about bikes with chainstays approaching 430mm needing an active riding style to weigh the front wheel. They usually test size large and I see the logic, however they recently said the same about a small SB140 which I'm more skeptical about. They do have their preferences and opinions sometimes though, fortunately with Bird you can try one and make up your own mind.
The folks at enduro-mtb are always talking about bikes with chainstays approaching 430mm needing an active riding style to weigh the front wheel. They usually test size large and I see the logic, however they recently said the same about a small SB140 which I’m more skeptical about. They do have their preferences and opinions sometimes though, fortunately with Bird you can try one and make up your own mind.
I'd take the Enduro-MTB stuff with a bag of salt, they were harping on about how bikes should be longer, they've changed tack lately and going for shorter, along with narrower bars.
As for short chainstays needing to weight the front wheel, I'd say its that the front centre is growing, which means a more forward position on the bike. Reach has grown by 50mm on a large and going from 67 to 65 HA on a trail bike, means the front axle is getting further away as well.
I find longer chainstays climb better, your weight stays more central. If I replace my smuggler, it will need to be 500ish reach and 440-450 rear stays. My geometron is 515 & 455 and feels ace.
Getting good mud clearance on a 430 chainstay bike is going to be a challenge!
All the things are true, but if you make the chainstays 445, the front long, the head angle slack, the seat angle steeper than average (as we do) why stop at 130mm travel? Why not give it 160? You can make a 160 bike pedal as well as a 130 after all. Once you have the chain stay length then travel is no longer limited to 130. What we're aiming for when we make the short back ends is a bike that is deliberately different in its handling, to maximise the benefits/fun of a punchy shorter travel suspension, as opposed to making an under-travelled enduro bike.
I would say our smaller frames have too long back ends for their intended characteristics, rather than our XLs have too short, but as above, while we've managed to get good mud clearance onto the Aethers we couldn't realistically go any shorter before we start to compromise that, and this is the UK....
Why not give it 160? You can make a 160 bike pedal as well as a 130 after all.
Define pedalling well? Seated climbing vs out of the saddle, trail bike should always win, if it doesn't its a lemon (Reactor 290 springs to mind!)
Trail bike will always be more responsive than the enduro bike, shorter bike, sharper handling, setup stiffer, better at lower speeds. I'm not sold on the shorter chainstays supporting this, as a longer chainstay pushes weight forward, keeping the front wheel down when climbing.
Adjustable chainstays need to be a thing, flip chips like the Megatower mean the end user has a choice.
Hey I'd love to have a bit more information on the carbon on the Aether9!
I'd much appreciated it!
Cheers
Is there any significant difference in weight between green and raw version of same size frame?
Cheers!
I.
singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bird-aether-9c-anyone-tried-one/page/2/#post-11492323
Really
@james1992 Not sure what that post means. But if you're after that sort of info then probably best create your own thread about it 👍
@eyestwice I'm just after a bit more information regarding the carbon that's all.
Or you could give the guys at Bird a ring...
Hey James, check out the homepage on the site and frsme data sheet for more info, or email info@bird.bike. But if you're worried about the weight the Aether 9C or 9a will be fine. The C version is robustly built for carbon due to how our customers generally like to ride and the 9A uses the newer gen3 tubing which is plenty strong enough for almost all riders.
@Ivan not really. The gloss raw has the gloss lacquer which makes it almost as heavy as matt paint.
Cheers Ben!
I.
Hey are we looking on for December launch for the 9A? Or more likely to be in the new year?
ta 🙂
ps keep up the excellent work at Bird!
Aye, its coming this month alright. Whether we'll have the bikes in stock to ship this month is less certain. Might be January.
Interested in the 9a myself, keen on seeing colour options, probably go for the default Pike Deore setup as seen on the 9c. My ability doesn't warrant the carbon upgrade!
Happy Days!
Picked up my Aether9C from the lovely fellas at Consett earlier today.
The green colour looks fantastic in real life and the quality is top notch. Although I can see it marking the Matt paintjob marking quite easily so some invisiframe might be a good idea. Weighs in at a svelte 30lbs.
Ran out of daylight to get it out for a proper ride but felt lovely off the kerbs!😜
It's going to get a right good seeing to at Hamsterley on Saturday so I'll report back then.
What spec have you got on it to get down to 28lbs - Pike / lightweight wheels / brakes / groupset? Only asking as the 9a is said to not be that much heavier a frame than the c - but my Aether 7 is 32lbs according to the luggage scales I’ve got (checked my road bike on the same scales for context as that should be between 8 and 8.5kgs and that came out about right).
If I drink enough whisky tonight I might well have put my order in when I wake up in the morning.
What spec did you go for and show your workings please. I can afford to up the spec here or there from the base spec but not here and there.
I've edited my post as after dusting off the luggage scales it came in at just over 30lbs.
The first attempt was bathroom scales with me on then me and the bike. No idea which one is accurate but regardless, I'm very pleased with how it feels.
It's a ML with the SRAM build, Pikes and Birds own build lightweight wheel set.
Workings wise? You mean why I chose each component?
It’s a ML with the SRAM build, Pikes and Birds own build lightweight wheel set.
The standard pikes and standard shock or did you upgrade either?
Was think Shimano drivetrain, for no real reason if I'm honest. Been sram before but currently all my bikes are shimano, not that anything would be compatible.
And Hope - might go Hope hubs and headset/QR and maybe brakes - because collars and cuffs should match!
You can see a lot of common sense has been used so far and that's before the whisky!
I agonised over the spec for ages.
Went SRAM because my other bikes are SRAM. Stuck with RockShox for suspension based on previous good experience with RockShox stuff and bad with Fox (creaky crown). Went top of the range on the Pikes because in my opinion the fork is the most important. For the shock I went for the Select+ which offers a lot more than the standard for not much extra cash. I think this shock is OEM only.
The wheel set was the toughest, considered carbon but just too risky in my opinion but still wanted as light a set of wheels as possible so went with the Bird super light option.
The other bits, I added a chain device with bash guard, hope seat clamp, stuck with the SRAM brakes (again past experience), Birds own dropper, Bird stem and some Raceface carbon bars.
Already wishing I'd spent the extra £15 or so on the 200mm dropper over the 170mm.
For reference thats an 800mm bottle in the cage, loads of space.
Looks very nice indeed, lovely! Looks ready to be ridden hard, if you pardon my language. Awesome!
Looks good (right click on the non working icon and paste the link to another window). The silly downtube shape makes a lot more sense with a bottle in. And the stays give it a 'sturdy girl' look. More Lindsey Vonn than Keira Knightley. But that's no bad thing and I like it. Will do me perfectly I reckon. Torn between that colour and raw. It's more 'quality street wrapper' colour in your photo than on their website which is a bit more 'gnar enduro boy's shorts' colour.
Sorry was struggling with the link, it's back now.
I reckon the raw carbon would be worth a closer look. Not sure how that green will look in a year's time.
If you’re wondering what to spec for best choice for budget you’re probably better off going for Shimano 12 speed as like for like it seems cheaper than Sram. Nothing really wrong with deore apart from the cranks and cassette being a bit heavy.
Brakes I’d always go Sram personally - Guide RE are very strong brakes for the money with the 200/180mm Centerline disc upgrade.
Forks I’d try to go for a Pike Ultimate rc2 - with the shock if you can upgrade to one with lsc adjustment (not just an2 position platform) then that’s probably worth doing. Unless you’re going mental down sustained rocky downhills it’s not worth going to a piggyback option.
Wheels - as light as possible - I’d look and see what the highest spec DT Swiss wheels you can afford are within the options. I’ve got Hope hubs and XM481 rims and they’re ok - but you can get lighter if you have the budget.
Finishing kit wise if budget is an issue just go with the the Bird branded dropper (it’s basically a brand x ascend I think) / stem / bars etc.
it’s back now.
Sorry, still broken and rightclicknewtab only working.
Definitely deserves better picture 😀
Cheers!
I.
New bird for the bird.
In response to @mtb650
mtb650
Full Member
Anyone have any experience of one of these ?There dosent seem to be any online reviews.
Are they good full stop. Or only good because they are cheaper than the equivalently specced Santa Cruz, Orange, Transisiton, Nukeprof etc. etc. ?
Thanks
Most bikes are good, but few, if any bikes are good full stop. All features can be seen as a compromise, so never will one bike be perfect for everyone. The bird has some noticeable differences other than price to the bikes offered by the brands you mention:
SC Tallboy: crap geo for tallest riders
Orange: just about everything
Transition: Traditional dealer network
Nukeproof Reactor: Finding one in stock frame only
What am getting at is the limited forum views seem to think the 9c is quite good but is that because it’s cheap compared to others and you can speak to the owner of birds online.
Would it still be good if priced similar to a Santa Cruz for example.
I’m not sure what advantage being able to speak to the company owner is if there is a problem, you just want to speak to someone who will sort it out.
I’m not tall so the Tallboy geo isn’t a problem, I like the simplicity of Oranges but not ridden a full sus, I’d be buying the Bird through a dealer rather than online myself so dealer network compared to Tranisiton not an issue, not sure why I’d want a nukeproof frame only ? However I can order a complete reactor factory build in my size.
Cheers
Ok, cheers for the clarification.
The Aether rides nice, and I'm more or less happy with it. I still have some issues which I am ironing out.
Yes, I can see where the extra cash goes on a SC. In comparison to a friend's v1 Hightower LT CC, I can see the SC is just more nicely finished and more thoughtfully designed throughout. The cable routing is better. The suspension pivot and bearing setup is top notch, as opposed to merely adequate on the Bird. The paint finish on the SC is fantastic, and the rubber bumpers are better. It also has good warranty support from worldwide dealers. It's hard for me to say if that is worth about £800 though.
I don't have the same up-close knowledge of Transition or Nukeproof. And the Orange is so different it makes comparison tricky.
In my experience Bird have been better at customer service than any bike shop, even when things haven't gone right. I am fortunate to not need some of the additional support that a shop could offer, and actually prefer support not tied to a geographic location.
Both the Nukeproof Reactor and Transition Spur were in the running for me. It was the geometry of the Bird that initially caught my attention, but the price advantage and immediate availability made it possible for me to buy a new bike without too much hand-wringing.
After the purchase of the shock I actually spent about £1000 less by buying the Bird frame only and not a SC.
The Rector would have been £340 more expensive. And the Spur £800.
The full build specs and price are obviously different.
Hi, thanks.
I’ve specced an XT / Pike ultimate 9C for approx £3.7k.
Locally I can get the last available SC Hightower C S for £5.4K or there is A Nukeproof Reactor Factory at £5.3k or swap over my hardtail parts onto an Orange Stage Evo frame for approx £2.3k
Nothing else left other than a couple of Trek Fuels
I bought a frame only Aether 9C and built it up per my requirements.
I was fairly clear already as to what kind of bike I wanted, and test rode a friends Hightower CC and an Aether 9 almost back to back. I found their ride quality to be the same/so close it didn't seem to matter. Bird's geometry was a better fit for me and led to a more fun feeling bike.
It's clear the Santa Cruz is finished to a higher standard. This is not to contrast the Bird as a poorly finished, but it is finished to a satisfactory standard, whilst the SC has gone above and beyond as you would expect for a premium end brand.
But, a frame and shock package from Bird is about 60% off the comparable cost.
Thats a big factor. Add in the fact that I liked how it rode better because of the geometry, and it was a done deal.
What shocks are people running?
Has anyone deviated from the Bird RS offerings?
If you are running one of the Bird RS shocks, does anyone have any observations of which is best vs the £200 price differential.
For reference my two FS bikes have CC DBIL with a climb switch. I like this shock.
Thanks
Ian
Full Member
Hi, thanks.I’ve specced an XT / Pike ultimate 9C for approx £3.7k.
Locally I can get the last available SC Hightower C S for £5.4K or there is A Nukeproof Reactor Factory at £5.3k or swap over my hardtail parts onto an Orange Stage Evo frame for approx £2.3k
Exactly... quite a difference. I have no experience of the Nukeproof, and haven't seen much feedback apart from normal review rubbish, but £1600 is a fair chunk.
What shocks are people running?
Has anyone deviated from the Bird RS offerings?
If you are running one of the Bird RS shocks, does anyone have any observations of which is best vs the £200 price differential.
I bought an RS Duluxe Select+ from Bird, and a Fox DPX2 performance elite from TF Tuned. I have only used the RS for a couple of rides, but it felt fine. For £160 it is worth it just as a spare, and you can upgrade after if you don't like it. Having come from a hardtail my experience of full suspension is a little rusty, but both shocks have felt good. I was initially after a RS Super Deluxe, but TFT said the Fox would have better longevity, and was more serviceable and tunable. Ben at Bird reckons the RS needs servicing less frequently than the Fox.
What shocks are people running?
I was able to spend more here because of frame price and put a Float X2 in it.
I'd also received the same advice from TFtuned as the00.
I'm using a ccdb inline coil on my new aether 7. I had only bought it 50k before I decided to sell my rocket so sent it to TF to have the length changed (changed from 200x57 to 210x55 using an eyelet and travel spacer). So far it feels really good and I haven't even played with the shock settings. I have not compared to an air shock though. Bird had no shock stock when I ordered as otherwise I'd have got the air as a backup and to try comparisons with.