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Having come from an Aeris 145 that I ran in both 145 and 160mm travel and now on an Aether 7 the Aether is a better do it all sort of bike in the 650b wheel size.
It definitely pedals better uphill and is more fun on mellow / flow trails. It corners really well and pops off stuff easier.
Where I think it falls down vs the Aeris a bit so far is on repetitive roots downhill. I haven’t done an uplift day on it yet but so far it’s been faster everywhere than the Aeris except on a few sections of the red Freeminers extension trail at FOD. There you could feel the Aether slowing up a bit and beating you up a little more than the Aeris. I guess the same will happen on big rock gardens and some of the blended ‘+’ trails at BPW.
Mines a fairly burly build Aether with a 140mm Lyrik at the front, Code R’s and Hope/XM481 wheels. 2.5dhf / 2.3 aggressor for the summer.
I’m a little curious about a coil (with a red spring to match the red forks I’ll shortly have on the front), although what I suspect is that’ll make it better on steep / tech slow stuff and outright fast stuff but might suck some of the ‘pop’ out of the bike - which isn’t really what I’d want.
It's both. My AM9 is efficient pedaling and also in it's suspension use, which is what makes it a great all-rounder.
Quite interested in that, so long as its got a short top tube/steep actual seat angle.
Oh, the logo says 'Bird'. I never realised.
Quite interested in that, so long as its got a
short top tube steep actual seat angle.
You've seen birds before? long is kind of their thing. That said, you can of course size down. At just under 6' 1" my hardtail is a ML.
I hope they keep the external cable routing, maybe they've done something similar to deviate with a channel somewhere - looks sleek, but doesn't make changing stuff a faff.
Like many people I am sure, I just so hope they have an aluminium version as well.
Planning on demo-ing an AM9 in the coming weeks, but that's really with this (in alu) in mind to see what size I need and if the AM9 is too much bike for me.
I hope they keep the external cable routing,
Looking at my 120 from the same angle, you can't see the external cable guides. And the Aether7 uses a different system with clips on top of the downtube.
The previous shot of the rear triangle had the brake hose external on the rear at least.
I'm torn on internal routing ATM, annual maintainence faff vs weekly cleaning faff is the tradeoff for me.
You’ve seen birds before? long is kind of their thing. That said, you can of course size down. At just under 6′ 1″ my hardtail is a ML.
You can have a short top tube and a long reach, steepen the actual seat angle, rather than the current made up effective seat tube angles that grace geo charts.
Always gonna bring out this the day after I ordered my AM9 frame haha
You can have a short top tube and a long reach
You're 100% right. I misread/misunderstood your post.
Seated length (tied to TT) vs standing length (tied to reach) is something I've tried to explain to people for ages, and now I get it wrong myself.
Must be time for another drip feed of info, interested in this probably shorter travel 29er
Interestingly it looks like one of the things they've done with the carbon frame is change the downtube shape to improve bottle location on the smaller frames. Cool.
This is perfect timing! Or not if you were my banker.
This is going to be their all day adventure, one bike for all occasions, take it to a trail centre to rip round the reds and a snifter at the blacks and do a full day on natural stuff around the Cairngorms bike isn't it? The AM9 is their 'enduro' bike? I get slightly confused by Bird's bike placements and intent. Still working out if this or the AM9 should be my next bike.
Perfect timing for me too, providing the wait isn't too long.
I've narrowed it down to the Whyte S120 or this.
I've had 2x S150's already, so not after an enduro bike again which discounts the AM9.
The image would suggest they arn't using FSR.
I'm after a trail bike/all country bike to sit between the hardtail and the 161, be interesting to see where the 9C ends up. Quite like the look of the spur.
They’ve said on FB suspension design but is similar to their other bikes.
The AM9 is their ‘enduro’ bike? I get slightly confused by Bird’s bike placements and intent. Still working out if this or the AM9 should be my next bike.
I have an AM9 and you couldn't meet a less "enduro" rider (I don't even own a pair of green shorts)
It pedals really well and I don't find it heavy to ride uphill. You should probably try one
If you go cross-eyed you can bring it back into focus on that picture.
10 or so minutes and all should be revealed!
Well I like the looks of it, and of course the price. Like the top tube length. Not so sure about the short stays, but very keen so far. I hope they offer some piggyback shocks. And September delivery allows me some time to think it over 🙂
Yes, it does rather look like the bike I've been waiting for. Can my bank balance handle it though....not had a new mtb since 2009 so I think I deserve one!
looks like it's had a head on crash with the top/bottom tube - pretty ugly
Not gorgeous like a Transition Spur, more kind of industrial.
Its on the list of things to demo. Like the overlap in frame sizes, ML looks good on the numbers.
There are a lot of different angles on the go, it looks a little busy, Spur (although in a shorter travel category has much cleaner lines)
Yeah, the Spur is a bit shorter on travel (10mm), and probably a kilo or so lighter too. It's a lovely bike. I think the bird will do me though, and save me a wedge of cash.
Yeah a complete 9C can be had for just a few hundred pounds more than a Spur frame. The Transition is certainly cleaner looking but I'm guessing the kinked DT on the 9C is there to accommodate a water bottle, to the detriment of looks.
looks like it’s had a head on crash with the top/bottom tube – pretty ugly
I like it, it's quirky.
That Spur is a thing of beauty though. Not sure I can afford and extra £1000 though*...
*I def. can't justify a spur, the Aether might be doable...
Think they will be an alloy Aether9?
Think they will be an alloy Aether9?
They have already said yes to this.
i think that will be a visually nicer looking bike.
i think that will be a visually nicer looking bike.
The bar has been set pretty low!
Are there many people left who want a 430mm rear combined with a long front end on a 29er?
Not throwing shade, genuine question to you all.
Are there many people left who want a 430mm rear combined with a long front end on a 29er?
Given the movement towards varying the rear centre with the front centre based on size, it does seem a bit of an overthought. Granted Bird are at the value end, but a flip chip and sliding brake mount(or something along those lines) would of been a wise move.
I think Bird have kept the short end vs long fronts on the 9c as they want it to be playful and poppy and easy to chuck into corners / into a manual etc.
The AM9 enduro bike they also have is a bit longer at the back end - although they don’t have variable chainstay length based on size like some bigger manufacturers.
I don’t mind the look of the 9c - especially the green one. Bird always seem to air on the side of practicality - although have gone internal routing on this one as some of the criticism of the alloy bikes is the cables look a bit untidy all being external.
That Transition Spur does look lovely - probably because at first glance it has lines like a hardtail with the seatstays lining up with the top tube angle.
Green works much better. in the Zero 29 hardtail the chainstay length does vary with size, but only 5mm.
With aluminium you can have an adjustable jig, rather than a costly mold for each variation of front/rear end,
I honestly can't tell if i like the looks, would need to see one in person I think.
I'm out however as the 430mm chainstays on a 500mm+ reach really does mess with a balance of a bike. I'd love to have been a 440-450mm chainstays on the larger sizes or a flip chip as above.
Interesting how the XL has 541mm reach with 430 stays! Why do the chain/seatstays look way fatter than other carbon bikes? Pricing seems great as usual.
steeper seat angle as the sizes gets bigger which will help with the weight distro, reckon it will def look better in the flesh.
fatter chainstays etc are explained here:
My brain can’t compute what it all means, I’d just have to test ride to know if I liked it. I do find the ideas interesting, I’d always wondered why bigger bikes didn’t have longer chainstays but I can understand the theory of steepening the seat angle instead. I think it looks OK, not the best aesthetics, but I would definitely appreciate the practicality of space for a water bottle (especially as I’d be a smaller size) and rear brake on the left routing
With aluminium you can have an adjustable jig, rather than a costly mold for each variation of front/rear end,
I think Santa Cruz do it by slightly varying the main frame pivot lactation. This means they get different effective chainstay lengths whilst using the same component across the sizes.