Got a medium Bird Zero TR frame in April, the SLX 1×11 groupset in May (no finned brake pads!), and the Rockshox Yari RC 130mm forks (ex demo) in June.

Looking at a wheelset with 25mm internal width rims, around the 1800-1900g mark, for 2.4″ tyre front, 2.3″ back. Will probably get black rims/spokes and parts as they’re more readily available and I don’t want it to be too showy although I’m slightly drawn to a metalic blue wheelset.

It will have a dropper, whichever I find at the right price point.

Currently well into my overdraft so no spending much next month on it and need to maintain commute bike. Can’t wait for it to be finished but being sensible that might not be until next year.

Need to get new tools too, tapered headset bearing & crown race tools, adaptor for the new sized shimano BBs, brake cable cutters (probably).

Yours,
Frustrated of Croyden.

How can you live with all that sitting there not being ridden?

If you don’t have it finished until next year, pretty much every standard on that bike will be obsolete before you even manage to ride it!

EDIT: Brand-X CRC droppers seem cheap and good.

Noooo! Don’t say that!

Tell me your inspiring stories about your Bird Zero!

crc had Easton droppers going cheap

http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/WBI25EGRS/wtb-st-i25-tcs-rim-on-el-guapo-rattlesnake-hubs

Borrow some tools and get this ridden. Probably wont find a cheaper wheelset off the shelf, i’ve just picked up a set and im impressed for the money.

Don’t put blue wheels on it.

Yeah I’m quite close to clicking buy on those wheels, just would be better if I wait until pay day at least 🙂

Any ideas for dropper post length on these medium TR frames? I’m 5’10, 31″ inside leg.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/easton-haven-dropper-seatpost/rp-prod140572

I would imagine you wont have a problem fitting any 125mm drop post in as the seat tube on the Bird is nice and short. However to be certain you’d need to build it up, put a fixed post in, set your ride position and measure from the top of the seat collar to the saddle rails…different droppers have different collar thickness etc

You might even be able to fit a 150mm dropper, whether your budget can stretch is another thing.

Yeah I’m quite close to clicking buy on those wheels, just would be better if I wait until pay day at least

That’s actually a false economy. With a hard Brexit inevitably kicking in, the pound is going to start falling like a rock, and inflation is going to quickly turn to hyper-inflation. Anything imported, like dropper posts and wheels, will become unafordable to all but the super-rich.

By the end of this month, your salary will be worth half what it is now in bike-part-purchasing-parity, and a quarter the month after that.

By the time your bike is ready to ride next year, Andrea Leadsom will have become PM and declared military rule, the economy will be in free-fall, and you’ll be lucky if you can even afford chain lube for it.

Probably your bike will end up being commandeered by the military wing of the Young Conservatives to help in the great patriotic strawberry struggle, ferrying rotting fruit to the mass-conscription jam factories.

Sounds plausible

Have you got another bike / any bike parts / a kidney you can sell to speed up the build? That would be killing me having that sat there.

I’ve got a Bird Aeris – I’ve gone with a 31.6mm TransZ Ascend seatpost from chain reaction. 125mm drop and very smooth so far. Time will tell on longevity I guess –
Only done about 6 or 8 rides on it so far.

Wheel wise the DT Swiss E1900 that came on my Bird seem really nice. 30mm inside width I think and just got the right volume of clicking from the freewheel.

I’ve got an unused 2015 150mm Reverb Stealth for sale, only thing I’ve done is trimmed the hose but fitted it to my RocketMAX and realised it was too long so had to drop to 125mm. Open to decent offers.

Nice frame sirromj. This is my zero I built earlier this year. Great bike, so pull the trigger on some wheels and enjoy!

Yay ordered the “WTB ST I25 TCS Rim On El Guapo Rattlesnake Hubs” wheels last night from Planet X with an additional 20% off so with delivery £124.

That frame really does look **** good!

I’d have been tempted to get a set of the DT E1900’s Bird have on offer.

Have the DT E1900’s on my Zero. Have dealt with my ham fisted riding with no complaints so far.

I am very impressed with my mates zero TR (even though he got it in boring grey)…

The only thing I wish they did is a zero 29er, same layout but for waggon wheel, it would be teh awesumz.

If you are looking for non boost wheels Bird are selling off all the dt swiss e1900 non boost wheels in stock

So I’ve got my wheels (the ones with ‘subtly’ bent spokes from planet x), and have fitted forks/stem/bars, bb/cranks. But the big delay is…

Procrastination over where to apply bits of sticky plastic. I bought one of the XL AMS Honeycomb Frame Guards. Applied the down tube bits, but just don’t know where to put the rest! What happens if I put it on the wrong place!? No one tells you this stuff.

Same with Stans rim tape. Just before I decided to take wheels to bike shop to get the slightly bent spokes sorted, I had a go at applying Stans rim tape and just ended up with sore fingers and a shower of expletives.

I’ve basically got everything except a dropper post.

Another delay is over the brakes. Hoses are connected to levers but not to calipers. Do they come with mineral oil already in (Shimano SLX M7000 groupset)? Never touched the hoses before so this is something else I’m procrastinating about. Maybe I need new tools. Hose cutters… bleed kit?

And finding time.

I frequently think I should have just saved up and bought a whole bike.

Sorry bit of a blog post.

If the calipers aren’t connected to the hose then there can’t be any oil in them – so you will need to get some and fill/bleed the brakes.

Presumably the brakes have come with the tiny brass bits (can’t remember name) that go in the ends of the hose, and olives. If you need to shorten the hose you need a really sharp knife that will give as near a right angle cut as possible – I usually use a chisel. Or you can buy a hose cutter.

To get the brass bit in the end of the hose it’s easiest to do it using the Shimano yellow blocks that you put in a vice to grip the hose, and then tap it in gently.

For the frame protection tape I’d leave it until last and you can see where the cables will rub. I usually put some on the chain stays too as I get heel rub otherwise.

Get it built FFS! I can’t believe it’s three months and the frame looks lush!

The Shimano bleed kit is dirt cheap and does make things easier.

Which Stan’s tape are you struggling with? The rubber rim strip or the reinforced tape to cover spoke holes and the yellow sticky tape? None of that should be tricky – but it’s best to clean up the rim bed first with some isoprop or similar.

Oh FFS, get it built and get it dirty.

I have a med zero TR in the same colour. Amazing bike (once its built up).

3 months… 😯 I hope this is your n+1

Are you broken OP? You have the patience of a patient thing.

I’m itching just having a spare set of Pikes after I bought those Merlin Yari’s cheap. Won’t fit the BFe as it won’t take a tapered fork, so in order for them to not get damaged in the garage they need to be on a frame.

My Zero TR is built up with the parts from a previous frame including a Stealth Reverb with a drop of 125mm. I’m also 5’10” with a 32” inside leg and it’s perfect.

Good spec that once finished. Mine is a tad lower!

3 months!!! You must be dead inside.

Yes I’m dead inside n+1 = 3.

This thread may help me!!!

Im thinking of buying a TR frame and transferring all my bits from my FS. I will drop an email to Bird who will hopefully help as need to figure out what will fit.

The Trek has a through axle 142 12 rear so think that would fit straight on(although I have no idea if this is true or how easy it is!) – wheels/forks etc will be a straigh swap if the rear end fits straight over. Just have no idea on how to swap over gears etc etc!

If the calipers aren’t connected to the hose then there can’t be any oil in them – so you will need to get some and fill/bleed the brakes.

They’re from a OEM groupset bundle. Went to start attaching hose to levers the other day. Hose has some insert in end, but no hole, looks like white plastic film sealing end perhaps?? Insert isn’t coming out by digging finger nail into end and pulling! Did pull out some yellow plug from lever and something wet and oily came out.

Oh.

It wasn’t red (or didn’t appear to be maybe too little of it to show colour). Like that bottle of shimano mineral oil I got from CRC.

Inserts & olives arriving shortly. Hose cutter & bleed kit at the ready!

Got the 150mm E13 TRS+ dropper. Doesn’t need much effort to lower saddle. Unlike old KS Lev-R or RSP Plummet.

99.9% of parts aquired. At least it will be ready for Winter 😉