Anyone tried / compared these bikes for Peaks/ Calderdale gritstone type riding?

The Aeris is a good bit longer than the Evol according to the numbers, which I imagine would be awesome at trail centres, but what about on more technical slow speed natural stuff?

I rather like my current Stumpjumper, but I think it’s a smidge small for me (it’s a large size, and size charts usually put me just into XL), so considering going up a size. The Evol is closer in terms of geometry to the stumpy, but I can’t help wondering what a more ‘modern’ longer bike like the Aeris would be like. Maybe it’s too much for the twisty technical climbs I’m normally riding (XL Aeris is 6cm longer reach/TT than my stumpjumper!).

I haven’t ridden the Evol but I’d say the 145 is great on technical climbs – the suspension sticks that back wheel to the ground and the long reach means the front wheel doesn’t lift.

It’s then in its element on fast rocky descents – a real steam train.

I’d say on tight / slow tech down its a bit of a handful though – at least for me. I probably should have gone for a size shorter though. I’m more comfortable on my Vitus Sentier on tight twisty steep stuff – although if you add rocks to that I’d take the Bird.

You might want to consider the new Bird Aether 7 instead – it’s still got a slack headangle but it’s got shorter chainstays and it reads like it’ll be a bit like the Sonder Evol but better on rocky stuff.

Thank joebristol. The Aether 7 does seem to have similar numbers, apart from the slightly shorter chainstays/wheelbase and lower BB, which I guess will make it a little sprightlier on the twisty stuff.
p.s. I should have said that the L Aeris is 6cm longer than my stumpjumper, not the XL (which is truly humungous!)

FWIW there is an ex-demo XL Evol on Ebay being sold by Alpkit for £1099 iirc.

I’m actually selling my ML Aeris 145 frame (both 145mm and 160mm travel linkages and a Deluxe rt3 shock with Megneg aircan) – it’s got a 481mm reach / 440mm seat tube so is quite long for the size and allows you to run a long dropper…..I fancy something shorter travel next and a bit shorter reach.

Evol is a very capable superbly finished frame .

Here was mine

Great bike I rode mainly local(more roadie) so full sus overkill. sold frame on and have transmitter now 🙂

Sonder Evol in its current guise is being discontinued and is to be replaced with a longer travel version later this year.

Plus one,  love those Sonders of yours! Bold as brass!

And that’s very interesting news Liam! Tbe Evols seem very good value so a longer travel version could be very tempting!

Evols are great bikes love mine around the Lakes eats up the miles great climber running plus size wheels mind!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2gPYChP]67526833_10157636297181474_2231192255656361984_n[/url] by Richard Munro, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2fmfE5K]55548558_10157295317316474_8763723460015816704_n[/url] by Richard Munro, on Flickr

Sonder Evol in its current guise is being discontinued and is to be replaced with a longer travel version later this year.

Oh really? Any more information?

Supposing they have the kind of bike I want, I’d always go to Bird.
Top notch, well thought bikes, unparalleled costumer service

I’d second the Aether … even though I haven’t ridden one yet it promises all the fun!
I’ve got a M Aeris 1.5 and I’ve ridden my mates 145LT and both are awesome bikes but if anything over capable. In an ideal world I’d have a AM9 and Aether … and reserve the AM9 for really scary stuff (following my kid )… but probably use the Aether most often.

postierich – your 2nd pic looks like the sort of terrain that I’m most frequently riding (up and down), with some more open (but still rocky) moorland trails and the occasional trail centre red/black (don’t get the time to head over to the lakes very often these days 🙁 ), so I’m leaning towards not going too long in the reach/TT department. Maybe I need to try and test something long like a Bird to really see what it’s like.

I love my original Aeris, but my brief ride on the 145 made me think it wasn’t the same kind of poppy bike.
The AM9 is though, so if it fits, I would suggest that.

The Aether could suit if you really wanted 650b wheels, but I haven’t ridden that.

Don’t worry about the length (up to a certain point) in the Peak – everyone I know on the AM9 and Geometron have got faster everywhere in the Peak – including techy climbs.

I love my original Aeris, but my brief ride on the 145 made me think it wasn’t the same kind of poppy bike.

The 145 is poppier with the LT linkage than the standard one. It’s also better with a Megneg aircan over the standard aircan on Rockshox Deluxe shocks.

I thought the evol was going 29er rather than longer travel

The 145 is poppier with the LT linkage than the standard one.

That’s interesting – in my head I expected the reverse.

The 145 is definitely more poppy with the LT linkage. Trade off however is a lower bb and more pedal bob in my experience, so it’s not as good at technical climbing.

I thought the evol was going 29er rather than longer travel

Wouldn’t that just make it a Cortex?