Turned up today. I’ve been away all week working so rather than spending time with my family, I put it together and took it out for a very quick spin in the local woods.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/rTvaxG]Bird Aeris – first ride[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/rehXTX]Bird Aeris – first ride[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/sb3uM8]Bird Aeris – first ride[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/sb6ztv]Bird Aeris – first ride[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

Bluebells were lovely 🙂 There’s nothing in those woods that’ll even begin to test the Aeris, but it was still an interesting ride as I’ve ridden loads. of bikes in there. I expected it’d be a cross between my old Cotic Rocket, My Nukeproof Mega and a bit of the bike I ride 90% of the time my Pyga 29-Ten. And it wasn’t like that at all.

– firstly those Pikes are amazing. I have trace’s on the Pyga and the RCTs feel a step up. So plush but so controlled.
– The DB Air is imbued with some kind of elven magic. I wasn’t too impressed at first, then I turned the climb switch off ‘) I’m not touching the tune Bird build it with as it just feels right out of the box
– This bike can potentially go very, very fast. If I’m significantly braver than normal. Just has that kind of thing the rocket has which was is ‘pedal, pedal, go faster, no way faster than that’.
– Climbs well, I changed my mind at the last minute and went 1×10. 32T on the front might be a bit small, but see how we get on.
– First proper 650B I’ve ridden. Feels a lot different to the 29er. Faster to accelerate, corners ‘differently’, doesn’t have that same roll-over feeling. But there’s so many other variables it’s going to take me a while to work it out. Switching between I think will be tricky.
– Carbon rims. I have AM wide Lightenings on the Pyga and frankly I can’t tell the difference. Both have wide rims so you get lovely fat tyre profiles and both feel very stiff. Carbon is cool tho, they ping when you tap them 🙂
– It’s nicely put together. It’s a bit more ‘industrial’ than the Pyga but a bit less than the Mega. It’s also a lot lighter than the Mega which is clearly going to be surplus to requirements.

Proper bedding in ride tomorrow. Big ride in Wales on Sunday. Cadair Idris next weekend. Looks like it’s come at the perfect time 🙂

“First proper 650B I’ve ridden. Feels a lot different to the 29er. Faster to accelerate, corners ‘differently’, doesn’t have that same roll-over feeling”

Much like a 26er then ha

I love the look of the bird bikes and must say great review. But for me…. I hate 650b with a passion as it’s the marketing man’s wet dream and will never ever ever get it.

Yeah I was a bit like that. I used to joke I had two sets of heritage wheels one 29er and one 26er 🙂 It’s definitely different to the 29er and somehow different – but closer to – the 26er. I can’t work out what it is from such a short ride. I guess I wanted something to compliment the (relatively) short travel 29er and no-one’s making 26inch bikes like that anymore.

And I like the guys at Bird and it just feels like a fun bike to ride. So I’m less concerned about the wheel size. It might be marketing nonsense, but when bikes feel this good, I’m sort of past caring…

Nice that like. .
What size is it ?

There was one at BPW this week, looked lovely in flouro yellow, rider looked to be using and abusing it!…I’d get one if I was in the market.

That’s a medium. It’s very long for it’s size which suits gibbon arms here. I was between a med and a large but after talking to Ben/Dave at Bird went with the medium. Feels good. Hopefully it’s going to BPW next weds but I doubt it’ll be being abused like those proper riders 🙂

Great-looking bike. Another one of those that just look right.

Very nice. Very nice indeed.

How tall are you Alex?

Still torn between this and a 5010…

Top bluebells! Ours aren’t out yet.

5ft11.. but only 31inch leg. So long and low where it’s at for me.

Nick – 5010 is SO MUCH MONEY. Get one of these 🙂

What length stem are you running?

Nick – 5010 is SO MUCH MONEY. Get one of these

Go on then. How much?

Looks stunning btw….

I’ll have to head down and throw a leg over it Alex… It does look very, very, pretty… 8)

Rode a 5010 and it very nearly tempted my back to full Suss its that good, but luckily saw sense and ordered a Bfe
😆

Nice looking bike, Al

@TT – sure come and have a ride around the FoD. I have other bikes to ride 🙂

@nickc – I didn’t dare try anything I couldn’t afford to buy!

@kudos – I think it’s a 50mm, maybe a 60mm, long front centre (almost mondraker-ish_ so pretty short even for the long backed/long armed of us. It’s a 780mm bar.

@Kryton. About 3k. That’s with a Pike RCT3, a CCDB air, carbon wheels, Zee brakes, 150mm stealth reverb, XT mech/RF Cranks, XT shifter, RaceFace Stem and Carbon bars. It’s an excellent package for that money IMO.

@kudos – I think it’s a 50mm, maybe a 60mm, long front centre (almost mondraker-ish_ so pretty short even for the long backed/long armed of us. It’s a 780mm bar.

I thought it looked longer than a 35mm. I tried a 40mm but it was too long. Then again I have an XL, so it’s huge.

Wow that’s bright, we won’t miss you!