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Last chance decision!
I've been debating (and waiting) on getting the Am9 or aether9 A for a while now.
I've ridden the V2 Am9 once. I liked it but on flats was a bit boring but came to life when pointing down.
I've ridden the Aether9 C once and was so fun on flats and when pointing down. (Maybe a bit twitchy) but it was so playful.
I'm new to mountain biking but I've done plenty of skiing.
I ride mainly Surreyhills and I'm hoping to ride rotate downhill more plus few trips to Wales. With a possible summer trips to Alps for glazier snowpark/MTB trip!
I feel that the Aether9A will be good for most of my ridding. But as I'm fairly new to the sport I'm concerned and the Am9 might be a better long term bikes as I improve and I love to charge. But most of my ridding will be in the south east.
Will the 130/150 on the Aether9 A be enough or the 150/150 and longer chainstays on the Am9 be a better option?
Cheers
I've just bought an Aether9C and am only one ride in.
I've ridden and raced downhill, enduro for the last 15 years and from my ride yesterday I would happily take that bike down any downhill track or any track anywhere for that matter. So it can cope with anything but importantly will be faster and more fun on flatter trails which most of us ride most of the time.
The latest crop of long travel enduro bikes are better than DH bikes used to be and only the very best riders are capable of finding the limit on these bikes. If you intend to race enduro or really are that good I would get the AM9 otherwise the Aether9C is better for you and most other people too.
Having owned the equivalent 650b version of each of those bikes I’d take the 9a/c over the AM9. If you’re new to mountain biking and living in the South East the Aether will be better for most of your riding.
My Aether 7 has done everything my Aeris 145LT did so far including uplift days at Bike Park Wales / Black Mountain Cycle Centre / Windhill Bike Park. The geometry is slack and long enough for the majority of stuff you’ll probably ride. But it’s still pretty poppy and fun on flatter trails.
If you’re racing enduros competitively then the AM9 definitely a better option or if regularly riding really steep, fast and rocky / rooty stuff then again the AM9 probably the better option.
You could build an AM9 up light as a trail ish bike with a Pike / Exo weight tyres / light wheels etc - but it’s never going to be as nimble as the Aether.
Yeah it's kinda what I think too. But it's my first full suspension bike.
The Aether9 was so fun and playful, just a laugh to ride. But Am9 brilliant downhill but a bit boaty/not exciting on flats.
I would like to do a couple of enduro races but take it at my pace rather than to compete! But as I'm new to the sport and not a youngster I'm not sure if I'm dreaming about that probably never happen plus got a kid coming this year.
Do you think the Aether9 will be ok for Wales and maybe a trip to France? (Yes I can hire a fishing bike there too)
Cheers
It sounds like the Aether is the obvious choice now. And if you ever find it too nervous on gnarlier stuff, just stick an angleset in (as I’ve done to my Zero AM). But looking at the geometry, if you’ve got the tyres and suspension sorted it’ll handle pretty much anything.
Think the 9a is being release for sale at 11 tomorrow morning.
I would happy take my Aether to France or anywhere in Wales. Think it would be pretty fast race bike too.
Never going to ride enduro competitively, I might do a couple just to enter and as a personal goal and I'd enter the easier ones ;-).
You reckon the Aether9 would be ok for that right?
Think if I did buy the Am9 I'd build it light.
But I want to be sure before spending just over 3k tomorrow
Cheers
I would happy take my Aether to France or anywhere in Wales. Think it would be pretty fast race bike too.
Nice good to hear that. Thanks
If you get the like you can chop and change the travel between 140 and 150 with an extra air spring
Yeah it's got agressive geo, I'll but a 140 fork on it but if I went to France I can ramp it ipto 150 and it'll make it a bit more slack too.
The am9 is great. Get that and then keep on pushing yourself.
Unlike wayniac I don't have a downhill background. I have a xc background so learning and riding more progressive trails means I do get a little unstuck at times. Having a bit of spare capacity in the bike to ride out some bad situations is helpful at times.
O I'm thinking about putting a super deluxe ultimate on the Aether9 rather than a inline deluxe ultimate. What do you guy reckon?
Sounds like you need the aether. I guarantee that if you buy the am you will buy another bike that is lighter and more fun on 90% of your trails anyway.
Not that I did something similar or anything.....
Spend money on suspension (ultimate at each end if you can) and light/strong wheels. Drivetrain is a consumable and deore is so good spending extra for slx or xt is daft imo. Sram is shit at all levels in comparison.
Likewise dropper, cockpit are so personal and relatively cheap that unless you know exactly what you want her the basic option and see what you need to change later.
Thanks for the curve ball 😉
I totally get that. I'm riding a hardtail ATM am used to holding on for dear life 🙂
I have a v1 AM9. thinking of doing a frame swap to the 9a. Stack is better, ETT same, looks better for the very tall. WB on the 9a is longer than the AM9 on the XL.
Lol yeah you're right of course.
I've been eyeing up a Cotic solarismax for a long wile now. 🙂
I think it's not a bad option Am9 plus a Cotic solarismax. But I don't think I ride enough to justify that. It works out so expensive.
But I nice idea.
Yep, I have a banshee prime and stanton sherpa. Oops.....
The Æther9A looks interesting, but I've got my order in for an AM9, built more trail focused with Pikes and Deluxe RCT3 shock.
But then my riding is in the Lakes with not much flat going on. My current bike is 120 rear travel and it's quickly overwhelmed when things pick up speed.
I've been hovering over an Aether9 since they came out. I have a 145 (mk1.5) Aeris - which has taken everything I've thrown at it for the last four years without complaint. So I keep struggling with the Q of 'what will a new bike do that this one can't' and end up backing away from the Buy Now button.
If/when this trusty old steed gives up, my next bike will be another Bird though - they're absolutely smashing it these days.
“I’m thinking about putting a super deluxe ultimate on the Aether9 rather than a inline deluxe ultimate. What do you guy reckon?”
I’d ask the guys at Bird, they really know their own bikes and things like shock and suspension curves are getting the minutiae, could depend on your weight, etc.
They have got some on order but because of covid they've delayed till summer.
They said would work well.
But not coil if you want coil go for Am9 , and that makes sense.
I'm a heavier guy and think I'd like a piggy back. But whether that's necessary is another matter 🙂
You reckon the Aether9 would be ok for that right?
The Aether is very decent. The only thing holding mine back is the warm squishy thing riding it. Built with a 140mm Lyrik (I already had it - otherwise I’d have specced a Pike Ultinate RC2), Code R brakes, Hope Pro4’s with XM481s, XT 12 speed, Sram X1 carbon cranks, 200mm dropper, carbon bars etc.
You could go to 150mm fork travel if you want a little bit more for the alps - I haven’t felt the need yet but I’m sure it would be decent. Slightly slackens the headangle at the same time which will also help.
9A / 9C sounds the better option for you for sure.
I'm looking at the Aether9 too
Really the Lyrics aren't feeling great? Are they not poppy enough?
Think they just have pike rct3
If I was trying to choose between them I'd be booking a demo on both bikes assuming Bird are doing them at the minute, last time I looked it was £50 for a two day demo which is taken off the cost if you buy the bike so try both on your home trails and decide from there. As already said, the AM9 is more of an enduro type bike and the aether more trail focused, but an AM9 with a light build kit and 150mm fork (afaik the mk2 will take up to 170mm) should be fine if uplifts and park days are on the cards now and again but a demo will help make a decision more than anything posted on here
Really the Lyrics aren’t feeling great? Are they not poppy enough?
Think they just have pike rct3
Mostly it’s just I’d prefer to have the lighter fork on this kind of bike. Think the pike saves about 300g which is about 0.6 of a lb. would get the bike closer to 31lbs than 32lbs. Wheels are about the only other thing I could save weight on to make a meaningful difference (without stupid expensive cranks / cassette / less bulky brakes).
I’ve actually got a Pike Ultimate rc2 sat here in a box waiting for my hardtail frame. Getting tempted to try it on the Aether to see how that goes.
This is my Aether at the moment:
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[url= https://i.postimg.cc/jqGVKZFP/FDB065-FD-E5-D5-4-FE7-816-C-F48-F15-DC85-C2.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/jqGVKZFP/FDB065-FD-E5-D5-4-FE7-816-C-F48-F15-DC85-C2.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
Looks great.
Was looking at Hope Pro4/DT Swiss EX511
Not the lightest wheels. But strong. I guess if I wanted it lighter then dt240 with XM481 on the front and ex511 on rear. Any thoughts?
Just a thought but what’s the weight difference between the carbon and alloy aether 9 frames? Just thinking on a £ per g saving is it better to up spec the hubs from 350 to 240 or go for a carbon frame over alloy one?
Ex511 rear / XM481 front is a good option to save a bit of weight on the front but keep more strength at the back.
I run exo level tyres on my bike mostly (grid Specialized / snakeskin Schwalbe) and so far I’ve been fine on the XM481’s with no tyre inserts. I’m about 82kgs and a little clumsy in terms of riding and lines - but don’t do huge drops or jumps at this moment in time. Trying to build both of those up.
A good point. I'd prefer the alloy one to be honest.
Probably getting carried way lol
The hope hubs are better value than the dt 240 not as light.
I'm a bit clumsy so a stronger rim is probably better 🤣
I am about 60kg and run xm481s front and rear, mostly with wild enduros front and rear. I have exo maxxis for the summer but prefer the more damped feeling of the heavier Michelins. So if I was buying new maxxis I would go up a sidewall weight to match the feel. I do muck up and case things sometimes but my combo seems ok.
I pushed the button on the Aether 7 last week with XT groupset, E4's, Dt Swiss 240's, 150mm Pike Ultimates, etc, its my 50th in Jan and the last complete new bike I bought was in 2006!
I've done the last 2 summers on a V1 Airdrop Edit which has really helped my riding come on but its a bit of a beast of a bike a lot of the time. I'm hoping that my new found confidence will allow me to ride the same way with a bit less travel and a bit less weight.
I will be keeping the Edit for a while till I decide if I need it but a couple of visits to Wharncilffe will sort that out I guess.
I wanted them to fit a CCDB inline coil like my Edit but Dan has insisted I should try the air shock first which I'm happy to do.
So I'd say it depends on where you are now skills wise and where you want to be. The AM9 will let you get away with murder and progress quickly, the Aether will require a bit more skill when it get rougher or the drops get bigger.
Nice build.
How come you went with 140 vs 150 travel?
Yeah it's fairly simple to change.
How was the airdrop?
Have you put an inline shock on it?
Yeah you're right about a bigger bike letting you get away with stuff.
But I guess that's the trade off.
The Airdrop had an DB air IL but it needed a service so I ticked the coil option and I've found it amazing to ride which is why I have chosen a trail bike that will work well with the same shock if I choose to swop. Its a great bike and very confidence inspiring. It was very temting to just buy the new Works Edit but I don't think it will be massively better than mine.
I am used to building my own bikes up and I can't find a bike that has a spec i like, including the new Edit. I love the fact that Bird have allowed me to spec it exactly as I want (including the coil if i wanted to). I've chosen their own headset, seatclamp, rear axle, bar and stem and specced up everything else. If I find its not enough bike I'll sell the frame and the Airdrop and use all these great parts 🙂
Fair enough makes sense.
One guy has put a coil on his Aether9 C no idea how it rides.
Ive never ridden a coil, but I like a poppy bike so that's why I liked the Aether9.
Enjoy your bike mate
The Aether 7 feels more poppy than the 145LT I had. Mine’s got a RS Deluxe RT with a Megneg I’ve added. Without megneg but felt like it rushed through the mid range travel a bit too much through compressions. With the Megneg (2 bands in the negative) it feels better - because I’m running an overall higher pressure it holds firmer - but the bigger negative makes the small bump still ok. In hindsight I probably would have paid a bit more for a rear shock with adjustable low speed compression.
I’ve got my eye on a Cane Creek Kitsuma or something like that if funds ever allow.
Heard only good thing about megneg. (Ill probably look into it) But it doesn't surprise me that you was going through the travel quickly. When I rode the Aether9c I used the travel from the shock quickly. That put me off a bit.
Cane Creek db Kitsuma looks nice, but it's £200 more than the super deluxe ultimate and harder to get hold of ATM. Maybe I'll get that next time 😉
The Cane Creek coil is easy to set up to be poppy, my Airdrop is set up that way. The Kitsuma looks ok but at £350 the black edition inline coil will be more than good enough and isn't that heavy with a Valt spring.
Half a turn one way and the Edit sticks to the floor, half a turn the other and you feel it kick off the lip (it might be more than half a turn but you get the picture)
I considered the X2 in the options but its not that different weight wise than my shock and will need more servicing and is probably more complex to set up.
I had an am9 and now have an aether 7 (first non 29er since 2013, not counting jump bikes!). I’d take the aether anywhere I’d take the am9 - you just have to back off when things get really rough. It’s not nervous at all - headangle, reach the same. It doesn’t have quite the stability that the am9 has with the big wheels and longer chainstays, but for me it is a better all round bike in terms of fun. Jumps better, manuals better, is much better on flatter trails and I prefer it on steep slow stuff too, although I’m not sure quite why.
Isn’t there another Cane Creek shock with a piggy back - db air maybe? Super deluxe should also be decent though.
@ianpv I’m taking some credit for the swap from AM9 to Aether (via t130). You had a go on my Sentier 27 vrx+ which was a hilarious bike to ride - then I send you the advert for the Aether 7 frame I think you bought 🤷♂️
For this riding Rock Gully MTB or this Lakedistrictrider, which would you have?
And what if that was only 1/3rd of your riding and the rest was northern (inc. Wales & southern Scotland) trail centres and local woods ?
The am9 would suit the Lakeland stuff, the Aether 9 better on the trail center trails. Both will do both fine in reality though.
Simple rule is am9 for speed, Aether 9 for fun. I ride my Aether 9 everywhere I'd ride an AM9, it's no less capable of doing it, just not as good where the trails are more random (much rougher or less defined trails). The Aether 9 is bonkers good fun though, and you shouldn't underestimate fun in terms of bringing your riding on. MTB is 95% in your mind and a positive vibe makes you ride much better and the Aether 9 is positive vibes with wheels on.
@johnmail I've just reread the thread and as you ride a hardtail now, you aren't going to miss the extra travel of the AM9 because you've never had it. The Ae9 will no doubt feel very confidence inspiring indeed.
One of my previous bikes was a Cotic Hemlock that I ran with 160mm up front and 100mm coil out back and that felt great. I did consider the Yeti SB140 but didn't want carbon and while thev switch infinity thing is no doubt great its just another thing to go wrong. But that weight and travel looks perfect.
I'm a newbie, in same boat. I've just ordered a Aether9 A . Im now dithering with the raw Finnish or paint Tungsten (it looks great) but as I've got a tendency to o trash things. 🙂 What do you reckon Ben? Raw Vs Tungsten.
I totally agree with the vibe, I snowboard a lot and when the stoke is high, I ride so much better. And plus having fun is what it's about right! 🙂
Personally its raw for me, but the tungsten is a decently hard wearing finish for paint. It doesn't show marks too badly when you do scratch it either, as they're silver on whats quite a metallic grey.
Thanks Ben I'll have a rethink of my order 🙂 was set for the raw Finnish but the Tungsten just caught my eye.