Hoping you good people can help!

Looking to order a Bird Zero to replace a 19″ Saracen Mantra Elite.

Firsty size – 5ft 11 with inside leg of 32″.

Looking at Bird it says the large – but when I emailed I got 2 responses saying I could fit either!

Can anyone around my size who owns a Bird let me know their thoughts?

Then on to spec…

Budget is tight so please see below specs and advise if anything is really bad! (dropper to be added at later date).

TR10 – Grey or Blue… cant decide… but do feel black forks look better against the grey!
Xfusion Street Fork
E1900 Spline Wheels
SLX 2×10
SLX Brakes
High Roller 2 tyres
Aeffect riser and stem
Raceface Turbine Seat Post
Chainstay Protector

£1188 total or £1258 with XT cranks

Or the same as above but with Sram GX 1×11 for £1153, but think I would prefer to stick with 2×10 as do use the range quite a lot.

Sram is out of stock but 2×10 set up avaliable.

Any feedback on size and spec would be greatly appreciated!

Well firstly I can’t possibly recommend 2×10 🙂
I’d put Minion DHF front

Which crank is at £1188?

Its SLX, or pay £50 for the XT cranks.

£50 seems a lot to pay if money is tight.

I’m a 32″ inside leg and on the Aeris there is only just enough room for a 150mm dropper (about 15mm spare) on a Medium, so this could be a consideration if you go large.

Intend to get a dropper at a later date – thinking the medium might be just a little small, but don’t want to feel like a stretched out bastard on the large!

Got a mk1 Zero in large with a 40mm stem. I am 5’10 with 31″ inside leg.

I’m 5’9 with a < 30″ inside leg. I don’t have a Zero (got an Aeris) but a medium feels great to me. If I were you I’d go large.

Rather than inside leg measurement (which seems to be all over the place), measure the distance between the top centre of your saddle and the centre of your bottom bracket, and I’ll see how my set-up compares.

I’m 5’10.5 on a tweaked medium Zero AM, which as configured has slightly less reach than a medium Zero TR. The Aeris is almost a size shorter in reach once sagged (hardtails get longer once you’re on them, full-sus shorter because of how the suspension sags). I have a 150mm Reverb and there’s 50mm of post showing between the collar and seat clamp. I think the medium fits well. I definitely wouldn’t want a large and although I’m fairly long of leg my arms are bloody long so it’s not like a shorter torso would limit my reach, if you see what I mean?

5′ 9″ on an medium Aeris. I would be at the upper limit on a medium Zero I reckon.

Measure the saddle to BB centre on your current bike and work out how much post is left on a 125mm Reverb with either fame.

Also wouldnt want to go larger than 50mm stem, shorter the better tbh

5′ 9″ on an medium Aeris. I would be at the upper limit on a medium Zero I reckon.

Medium Aeris is 449 reach static, vs medium Zero TR is 447 (static). Once both bikes are at typical sag (20% fork, 30% shock) the Zero TR ends up about 10mm longer, the Aeris about 5mm shorter, so Aeris 445 vs Zero TR 455.

The original Zero is much shorter than the new AM and TR versions and the TR with a 130mm fork is a fair bit longer than the AM with a 150mm fork.

I did email Bird and got 2 emails back saying different things!

Guess only way is to ride one, but not local at all!

How well does your Saracen fit? The medium TR is slightly longer than it.

What kind of riding?
Im 6 foot on a medium, but it’s my mess about bike for pumptrack, jumps, odd DH, short/medium Peak rides and days out with the family. The large would give a good reach but I wanted to drop my seat low so went medium with a 50mm stem, which Bird also agreed.
It’s great. In fact, the Medium is longer than my old large full sus, which did everything and went everywhere. Bird are long bikes, so compare reach/TT to what you ride now and check seat tube length.

Mantra fits fine apart from having zero nuts stand over! It’s for general riding over south downs, nothing too heavy, just red routes and bridle paths. Couple of hours max I guess.

Whereabouts on the South Downs are you? I’m in Brighton if you want a test ride!

Why not visit Bird HQ and try both for size or better still get a test ride?

I’m in Eastbourne so not far. Nothing I spec is in stock so no rush. Riding the AM might be a mistake lol!

@chiefgrooveguru might be good if could come see your bird for sizing at some point?

Email me! Would be good to have another excuse to get out for a ride in this weather, either over here or Friston if you know your way around there?

Yeah I ride out from Jevington and usually get lost around Friston (or be found resting as my fitness levels are -50% lol)

Tried sending email chief but saying address not working! Is there a dot between your names?

. The original Zero is much shorter than the new AM and TR versions and the TR with a 130mm fork is a fair bit longer than the AM with a 150mm fork.

That explains it. I was previously looking at the clearance ones.

Nope, no dot – did you spell it right? Many don’t!

I copied and pasted from profile lol