The new Bird Aeris 9 claims to be the best value gravity-focussed bike on the market. Have a look and let us know what you think.

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By ben_haworth

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Details of the new Bird Aeris 9

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544 reach on the XL, proper numbers! 😁

457 is shorter than my current bike, 486 is longer. Will certainly be after a shot at Tweedlove, would really like to see how it compares for my old Whyte G-160 (that I’ve mulleted)

I’m trying to use the configurator on the Bird website and it’s dead. Are there too many people sitting at work speccing up imaginary bikes like me?

@Sharkattack – I was on earlier and it kept crashing so I assume that’s the case. Liking the look of it though and the timing is good as I’m starting to think about replacing my 4 year old AM9. Wonder if the Aeris 9 would feel too similar though ??

No cables through the headset or bars, because we don’t hate you

That’s proper sizing, and I say that as a Geometron owner! 544mm reach on an XL might even mean I’d be looking at the L on this @ 188cm.

I’m trying to use the configurator on the Bird website and it’s dead. Are there too many people sitting at work speccing up imaginary bikes like me?

😆

definitely not speccing up a frameset here either . . .

That black one looks mint. I’ll have to wait until the site is working to see how much a sensible build will cost.

I’ll certainly hold fire on the Propain build for now.

That’s proper sizing, and I say that as a Geometron owner! 544mm reach on an XL might even mean I’d be looking at the L on this @ 188cm.

Same here. I say that as an ex-Geometron owner who can’t afford to get back in the gang.

Kudos to Bird for getting so much right with this.

It would be at the top of my list for my next big bike if it weren’t for the big jump between M and ML frame sizes. Might be able to cope with the ML but might be a bit too stretched out.

Shame they don’t offer the choice of linkages, rather than a £90 upcharge to get the 180mm linkage as well. I’d want to go straight for that.

@Chakaping – we will once everything is in stock and normalised, but TBH we don’t want the stock 160s we have already got coming if everyone wants a UK made 180! So this is one way we can subsidise the UK made 180s a bit by charging them on – once the frame has been in for a while we can start to balance up getting 160 v 180 linkages and they’ll be just in the price – the same was the case for the 145 vs 160 AM.

Thanks for the swift reply Ben.

Sorry I don’t understand the UK-made bit, do you mean the 180mm linkages are being CNCed here at the mo?

While you’re about, I don’t suppose it’s got any mullet capability as well, has it?

Thats correct (or generally is anyway) Extra linkage options are normally made standalone in the UK while the stock linkage that the frame comes with is a bit different being ‘OE’ and so made in bigger batches. The Linkages that come on the frames therefore are kind of spare, as we’d rarely sell a shorter one to anyone.

Mullet options are in the pipeline.

Very interested to hear about the mullet option (speaking as someone who has owned 2 x Aeris 145LTs (M & ML) an ML AM9 and a mullet Geometron G1 (M) – mullet option would mean all my boxes are ticked…

Mullet options are in the pipeline.

Righto cheers, same chassis or different rear end?

This could be the clincher, especially if it happens to shorten the reach.

Same chassis. Just an extra tweak on some stuff we already have in the works as options.

This looks good and great timing. Nearly bought a nukeproof giga but this looks great. Wonder how it pedals. Would want the 180/180 build.

@Ben when can we expect some first ride reviews? I need to have my preconceptions confirmed 😉

Well we’ve got one mag that asked for a tester, so that will take around 3 months I guess. But why wait? If you’re in Scotland anyway then we have demo days 1st three weekend in Sept at Pitfichie, Laggan and then Tweedlove, and ones to test in the south at our main office in Eversley, Hampshire.

All demos right up north or right down south 🙁 nothing near the Midlands?

Where would you say it sits on the spectrum of pedaling efficiency Ben?

The only reason I’m interested in a new big bike is that my current one pedals like a sack of spuds.

How does it peddle and ride compared to the am9?

Its plusher than the AM9, and doesn’t pedal quite so well but… almost ever shock we do now has LSC adjustment which means we’re able to back off the anti-squat a little and rely more on shock adjustments. So all in all, it pedals almost as well as an AM9 if you set it up right. Its good uphill for a monster bike.

@Endorium MTB Meetup used to be our main midlands demo day, but thats now gone and we don’t have a replacement as yet. Unfortunately having to deal with paperwork for FE sites is more than I can bear generally. At the moment nearest site to you we have anything at is Hamsterley in Durham or Swinley depending on your location.

@Ben happy for you to send me a van load of bikes and I can act as your East Midlands based demo location, I won’t even charge for my time 🤣

Hmmm, daydreaming about running a Bird demo fleet out of my well equipped garage in central Sheffield.

Well after looking some more at this bike, I have bought on 🙂 couldn’t of times it better as nearly got a nukeproof giga. Got the 180 link as well. Cannot wait for it

Not in the market for one of these, but it’s amazing to see the options, prices, background and first hand response from Ben here. More need to be like Ben and Bird. Have we ever mentioned we need a like button on here?!

Tell you what, if I wasn’t already 98.5% sold on a Geometron G1, I’d be onto one of these like a rat up a drainpipe…

£1800 squids for a frame with the formula coil, headset, seat clamp and the 180mm linkage. Billy bargain!

Same chassis. Just an extra tweak on some stuff we already have in the works as options.

@benpinnick so presumably if someone were to order an Aeris 9 frame now, the parts to mullet it could be purchased and retro fitted at a later date?

Yes thats correct – it will be a linkage adaption to correct the geo.

Is this going to a replacement for the AM9. Or they more different than I’m thinking.

as someone thinking of getting a durable big rig for certain trips and whatnot, these have defo entered my radar. I look forward to seeing and hearing more about them.

Those interested might want to keep an eye on Street Pigeon MTB’s videos, he’s just got one. In the blurple colour too…

https://youtube.com/channel/UCdlqFfODQX_moEh9V5oOv2g

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cgy0JINM_2J/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

a durable big rig for certain trips and whatnot

I think Bird should use this as the tagline for marketing purposes.

Is this going to a replacement for the AM9. Or they more different than I’m thinking.

More different and surprisingly similar in other ways. Not a direct replacement for an AM9, but you’d not need both unless you’re a fanboi. A light built Aeris 9 picks up where a burly AM9 ends.

ta11pau1
Full Member

Those interested might want to keep an eye on Street Pigeon MTB’s videos, he’s just got one. In the blurple colour too…

As much as I like Street Pigeon, I can’t imagine a less impartial view of the bike

Got an e-mail yesterday saying that the ship taking the frames to the UK has been delayed so im guessing itll be very late October early November before they are shipped out to customers. Bit gutted as the weather will no doubt be worse but itll give me some extra time to get over Covid.