[Closed] Bird Aeris 145 owners

I'd say you're spot on with your sizing choice. I have a mk1 and am same size as you on a large and it's perfect. Also the dropper thing is correct, but they just work so well. Can't really help with the coil, although I run a cane creak on mine and it is lovely. Best place for advice is to speak to Ben or Dan at Bird, they really are as great as everyone says (they'll probably be along in a minute anyway). Also there is a very active facebook group.

Thanks for the response..... Im going to fire a email off to Bird later... Just wanted so impartial view first. Which Cane Creek are you running... Air or coil?. A Inline coil was on my list, how long did it take you to get it running sweet, I had a DB air years ago and loved it.

Hi, I've been riding my large 145 for the last 2 years and it's been flawless, still on original bearings! Size wise I'm just over 6ft and find the large perfect for most places, it's a long bike in the wheelbase, so not super nippy in the tight n twisty stuff, but amazing everywhere else. Tbh, it just takes a bit of adapting of riding style to get it to fly through the tighter stuff, getting right over the front helps. I came from a 430mm reach Devinci Dixon, so took some getting used to initially, now it just feels right. I specced a 150 reverb on mine, but in hindsight should have gone for a 170mm as I could have just fitted it slammed to the collar. Shock wise, I'm running a deluxe rc3 and it works well, better now I've fitted the LT linkage for more progression. It's quite a linear curve as standard, so not sure a coil would work so well, but not tried one. One slight negative about the frame I would say is the headtube is a little short, I found it rides much better with a slightly higher rise bar and/or spacers under the stem to bring the front up a bit as the stack is quite low otherwise. I run 30mm fatbars and about 20mm of spacers and its spot on. They're great bikes, and as mentioned elsewhere, the Bird boys are legends to deal with.

Are the Bird Droppers just Brand X but rebadged

They come from the same factory. The 150/170/200 Bird ones are the top spec V2 posts, the Brand X ones could be one of many versions depending on how old it is and which version they chose to use, but they could be the same.

I’d have thought size wise you’re right there - I’m 5’9 / 32” leg and I was just onto the bottom of ML sizing. I have short arms so it always felt a stretch for me and I sized down when I switched to an Aether. I could run a 180mm Oneup post with about 1cm to spare that I could drop the lower further into the frame.

The bike itself is an absolute train - point it at a rock garden and it’ll fly through it. It also improved my general technique as you have to ride it quite aggressively to get the beat out of it.

I ran it at 145r / 160f and then 160r / 170f with a Rockshox rt3 - latterly with the Megneg can upgrade. The Megneg was well worth having - made it more sensitive on small stuff but controlled the midrange better than the standard shock.

FYI a non-piggy back shock gives you a lot more room for a water bottle - although I expect that’s less of an issue as the frames get bigger.

Thanks for the response folks.... I should be hitting the buy button im the next gew days.

6' on a Large here and I'll echo what's been said about the headtube - it's very low! I'm running several spacers and 35mm rise bars on mine. 120mm dropper, but could run a 150 (which wasn't available when I bought the bike).

I'm 5ft 10" on a medium-long. I've got a 125mm dropper which is fine, if they were cheaper to buy I'd get a 150mm!

Not sure about the ones they come with, but from personal experience, nothing beats the specialised command posts. I bought mine for £60 second hand, it's been serviced once in 5 years, never goes wrong, and service is cheap and easy. Great lever too

Just over 5'10" here, I ride a large with a 32mm stem. I came from a Mondraker Foxy XR with the extra long reach so the 145 fits me like an old comfortable pair of slippers! 150mm reverb dropper.

I’m also 5’ 10” and on a ML. I run a Air Siperdeluxe and it’s great, I also run a 160 linkage, I know they’re hard to get.

Yeah the Dropper is a generic-ish design but it’s no bad thing, they work very well and are dead easy to home service.
Shimano / Pro have some videos on YT that take you through it, it’s in real time and is less than 6 mins long.

I upgraded to a Wolftooth remote. Best dropper I’ve ever had.

Bit different but on a ML AM9 at just under 5'10 and running the 210 Oneup dropper slammed. Much better (drop wise) than the otherwise faultless Brand X 150 I ran before (extended out the frame) so well worth looking at

Im coming from a 160mm bike so the 160 linkage doesn't bother me. I will be putting a set of 160 pikes on it so im hoping this will raise the bar height a bit.

I just bought one (well, an AM160). I'm at the other end of the size spectrum but worth mentioning that I asked for specific BB to saddle rail measurements with different posts and Bird were very helpful. Even this midget could then get a 170 Bird Down post in, which has made a difference to me. Early days but the bike is good. As so far the dropper appears to be.

Almost 5ft 9
on a ML with a 160 Mattoc, super deluxe shock, 35mm stem, 180mm one up dropper on the collar (the way i like them, and why i buy oneup as you can adjust the travel by -10 and -20mm so can be anything you like really.
First full sus and done nothing on it yet except gravel tracks and woodland ride arounds
But, pedals really efficiently, super smooth to ride (although i have my sag right i seem to bottom out just doing bunny hops etc so need to play a little more)
absolute weapon of a bike, can feel that just messing around on it

Love my 145. I’m 5ft 8 and on a Medium Long. 32mm Raceface stem ( I seem to have short arms!) and the reach is spot on.

it’s such a capable bike and I have go nowhere near it’s limits yet. A proper bargain at the current price.

I'm 6ft on a 145 size large with a 33inch inside leg. Size is fine, could ride a ML if I wanted - in flipped a coin!

I have a 180mm dropper - really good. Would be weird having anything less now.

@alan1977

But, pedals really efficiently, super smooth to ride (although i have my sag right i seem to bottom out just doing bunny hops etc so need to play a little more)

I found that - if you can fit a Megneg air can to the Super Deluxe it’ll firm up the mid range for you better than adding tokens to the shock. Just felt plusher everywhere without using too much travel when you don’t need to.

Not much to add here, just wanted to say that anyone contemplating to buy a Bird is making the smart decision. People often mention price and value, but Birds are among the best frames in the market regardless of price.
I had an AM9 for an year, traded it for a Stumpy Evo an year ago. Guess what, I miss the AM9 so much I'm about to buy the frame back. BTW, I'm right between 6' and 6'1 (184cm), monkey arms and was on a L.
Big shout out to Bird.

About the droppers, have no experience with Bird branded ones, but after plenty of different models by far the most reliable I had are a Xfusion Manic and a Brand-X one.

@joebristol
Oh really? where do you have your sag sat? im not massively heavy.. 77kg plus gear, my shock pump isn't accurate enough to quote PSI but i think i have it sat a hair over 30%, haven't put any LSC on as i figure, making sure the starting pressure is more critical.. maybe im wrong.. maybe i should head for a touch more LSC or less sag.
went for a shock with medium rebound, light compression
i was sceptical about the megneg, for some reason... something i read... i figured id start as simple as possible

RE: Megneg, it's not an upgrade per-se, but a way to double or more the negative spring. It's not all things to all people like the Debonaire spring was for forks.

It does add a level of complexity or tunability depending on your point of view.

I fitted one in Jan, ran it for a few months but just couldn't get on with it, it does what it's supposed to, firm up the mid-stroke, but for more that meant a too harsh a ride, according to some reviews it's supposed to make for a harsher ride but the pay off is more rear grip, for me it made it feel rough and slightly out of control.

However I used it, I never got a plusher initial stroke.

It's worth a bit of research, It really suits some riding styles, some frames and some rider weights, but not others.

How much low speed compression are you guys running on your super deluxe coils? Managed to get a hour out on the new bike today but really didn't have much time to tinker.

I found the Megneg made things feel more plush in general with no downside. I was running 2 tokens in my Deluxe and with the Megneg I didn’t run any. Set it up with 2 of the bands in the Megneg csmmand didn’t change it before I sold the frame.

5'11 here with 32" leg and I'm on an ML. Nicely playful. Could also have gone L but enjoyed my ML test ride and that sealed it.