Bird Zero – is this build ok?

So I’m toying between getting a FS or a HT. If I go HT then I think I have settled on the Bird.

Just priced one up… never built one up so please let me know if anything looks not so good!

Bird Zero in Grey Medium
Cane Creek 40 Headset
Revelation RL fork (RCT3 version is £60 more – worth it?)
SLX 1×11 (or GX 1×11)
SLX M7000 Brakes (Zee Brakes are £19 more) If I go GX Guide R’s are an option
DT Swiss E1900
High Roller II 2.3 (back and front but other options available and I have no idea whats the best option!)
Raceface Aeffect bars and stem
125mm Stealth Dropper
Fabric Scoop Saddle

Comes in at £1613.

Very similar spec to my 2 k Segment. All looks good to me but maybe go Pike, Yari or Fox 34 over the Revs? I’d go Shimano too, all day long with the SLX brakes.

Seems a tad expensive to me but I build my own so what do I know 🙂

Forks upgrade (if you can afford)
Slx brakes will be fine.
HR2s – loved by many, just try them out.

A few hundred quid extra and you can get a full sus YT?

Are the X-Fusion forks not still available? I’d go for those myself.

Pikes take it up to £1716. Its starting to look expensive!

X-Fusion no longer an option on the build – only on the AM/Aries

I’d go for the GX Cassette if at all possible – much lighter than XT and better range – ideally, Id have the SLX mech.shifter with the GX cassette, failing that, I’d go GX.

I’d have Minions ahead of High Rollers – but that’s a matter of taste. Minion SS is a great rear tyre, if you’re riding trail centres or harder pack stuff, I’d recommend it. Even if not, it’s still very good.

+1 for Pikes too, if possible

what would be your reasoning to get this over a FS?

just interested to hear your thoughts

If t’were me…

Pikes over revs. I had revs, they were a bit flexy, even on fairly tame trail centre riding
Zee over slx. Slx will be fine, but zees are ace, and worth the extra £19.
GX over SLX. I’ve never had an issue with SRAM reliability, but appreciate others have, plus you get a bit extra gear range (assuming no cost difference?)

And get an aeris… *cough*

nickc – never ridden a FS lol (only sat on one) so not sure what to expect! As said – if I decide on a FS this thread may be helpful to others looking at a Bird.

Unless you’re a bit short I would speak to them about the fame size. I have a mk1 large with a 40mm stem and am 5’10. Not sure if you are looking at the AM or the TR?

given what you said your riding is on the other thread, I’d say this is perhaps the “wrong” bike. Now that’s not to say it’s not a great bike, I’m pretty sure the guys at Bird know what they’re doing, but there are bikes that would make the riding you do more fun…like a big wheeled short travel FS, for instance, rather than a longish travel hard tail that’s mostly designed to be thrown about.

Would be my opinion. Not that looking at loads of bikes isn’t heaps of fun though… 😆

SLX groupeset but Zee brakes and GX cassette. If you can.

Or just order an Aeris?

The medium TR is longer than the largest original Zero.

I tend to spend more on suspension and brakes than transmission (I’m still 1×10) and go with burly wheels but that’s a personal thing. I like the Pike a lot but the Revelation may be fine at 130mm.

I wouldn’t go with the HR2 2.3 though – the DHR2 2.3 3C is better in all conditions except sticky clogging mud (brakes better, rolls faster, corners harder). And on the back I swap between the DHR2 Dual and Minion SS – they don’t have either of those so I’d go with the Ardent 2.4 dual. The GX and above SRAM cassettes give a lot more range because of that 10t sprocket.

At 130mm I would either upgrade to Reva to the RCT3 or go with a Yari to get the Charger damper. Pikes are hard to find a sweetspot in 130mm travel while that other two are more compliant. The new 11 speed SLX looks pretty good and I now can’t see a reason why you would go XT apart from the shifter. The new SLX brakes are really good and Zee may be overkill for the TR but depends if you need to save the £19 difference.

The DTSwiss wheels hold up really well and ride lighter than you think and I’d potentially look at a different tyre option depending on what terrain you will ride.

At 130mm I would either upgrade to Reva to the RCT3 or go with a Yari to get the Charger damper. Pikes are hard to find a sweetspot in 130mm travel while that other two are more compliant.

I’m pretty certain that only the Pike, Lyrik and some versions of the Boxxer have the Charger damper. I agree that the Pike isn’t easy to get feeling right at 130mm because the negative spring is sized for a 160mm fork – great once sorted though.

You’re correct, they retain the Motion Control damper.

I would find a way of going with Yari rather than revelation, as others have said.

You cant get a Yari with it – just the pike! At the prices its going up too I think its cheaper to get a Whyte 905 RS or 909!!

Where are you based? I know of a whyte 905RS on sale £1279

Have you tried speaking to the guys at bird and asking if they can put on yari on it? Just because it isnt online, doesnt mean they cant do it

Based in Eastbourne East Sussex – I have seen the 905 RS for £1350 at moose cycles (large only) and 909 for £1750 (again large only).

As for the size, they said the TR is long and that a medium in the TR and if AM in a large.

My local shop have this:

http://www.muddybumbikes.com/shop/mountain-bikes/trail-bikes/whyte-905-rs-2016/

My Zero TR is a medium and i’m 5’10. Have you asked bird if they will stick a yari on for you?

That’s a good price on that 905! Very tempting! Comes 99% built lol

I rode a medium 909 (ex demo) few weeks back and sizing felt pretty good – even though size chart had me on a Large.

You’ll not build a bike for “less” than off the shelf as the manufacturers get great discounts. IMO the most important thing is to buy the bike you want. That will give you the best feeling. Whether its the right bike (commemt above) Imride my BFe everywhere and these days thats mostly xc. I love the bike so I care not it has 26 wheels, wide tyres amd long travel forks

chiefgrooveguru – Member 
I agree that the Pike isn’t easy to get feeling right at 130mm because the negative spring is sized for a 160mm fork – great once sorted though.

Interesting. Got a 130 Pike and to be honest if feels great and quite plush yet despite 130 is not bottoming out on the regular trail drops I do (not that I do massive drops). Ex-demo bike it came with so maybe the shop has fettled it. Got 150 Pikes on the hard tail and they feel harsher by comparison, although almost certainly not having serviced it in a fair while may have something to do with it 😉 I’ve not messed with tokens in it either. If I did would that mean I can soften the compression but it firms up towards the bottom?

Tim, it would made the fork more progressive. Lower air pressure making it more compliant off the top and ramp up towards the end of its travel to resist bottoming out. If you’re blowing through travel then worth installing. Can also help the fork sit a little higher in its travel and generally feel more supportive,

Regarding fork choices…

If you can afford a Pike (or even a Lyric) I’d get that. If you can’t get the Yari, the 35mm chassis is noticeably stiffer than the revs 32mm.

IMHOP going for the 35mm chassis is money better spent than going for a better in the Rev.

I currently have a set of 29 x 140mm revs on my Chromag whilst my Pikes are on warranty holiday and whilst the Revs are perfectly OK, the Pike is a bit special.

Upgrade the fork to pike. Then save money by going shimano!

I have the RCT3 version of the Revs and they are superb. Worth the bit extra. The X-fusion Streat get middling reviews and look very cheap. The Sweep would have been better.