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Thinking of getting a Hardtail for general riding duties and am currently looking at the Bird Zero AM and also the 2016 Orange Crush.
Would go for Pikes and a Reverb.
Any Zero AM or new Orange Crush owners out there who can give feedback on the ride and general comments?
Ridden both. Liked both. I'd get the Bird because I own an Aeris and I love that, and the support you get should you need it is second to none in my experience.
In terms of geometry there's very little in it - with the same fork the Bird has a steeper seat angle and shorter chainstays but otherwise they're basically identical. The steeper seat angle will make quite a difference in how well it climbs in the saddle and the shorter chainstays make the bike easier to steer from the hips but longer is better on really fast or drifty stuff, so there's pros and cons there.
I've had my Zero AM for a few months now, done about 250 miles of messing in the woods on singletrack and mini DH stuff. Mine has a 130mm Pike and a Works -2 deg headset - the shorter fork makes it more immediate and efficient and probably faster in almost all conditions but probably a bit more brutal when it's rough. Suits me and the trails I tend to ride but I can see quite a lot of riders preferring 140 or even 150mm up front.
I like slack bikes and I'd say that if you're used to riding a slack full sus (66 deg HA or less) and prefer that handling to older bikes, then I'd get the Bird with a -1 (with 150mm fork) or -1.5 (with 140mm fork) angleset already fitted (they offer that as an option when you're speccing your build). Hardtails sag steeper and steepen further when riding hard, whilst full-sus bikes tend to do the opposite (assuming you don't run the fork soft and shock hard, which would be weird) so the static geometries that are listed are quite different the geometries when riding.
I've never dealt with Orange, though their made in England full-sus frames have always appealed - sadly their hardtails are made in Taiwan like pretty much everyone else's. Bird's customer service has been second to none, very helpful and very accommodating of my various requests!
whenever I have to replace my 26 inch Soul I think the Bird might edge it over a new Soul....maybe...
Great review for the Zero AM: http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain-bikes/hardtail/product/review-bird-zero-am2-50247/
I was just pondering the head angle / reach puzzle. So if you're about 5'10 like me and go with a large frame and 30mm stem you'll have the same wheelbase and reach (inc stem length) as if you go with a medium frame, -2 deg headset and a medium frame. The smaller frame brings the head tube back 20mm but the longer stem and slacker head angle moves the contact patch and hands forwards 20mm to the same place.
The slacker head angle will give more trail (and thus self-centering from the ground) and the longer stem gives more self-centering (how do I spell that in English?) from the hands - so basically a more stable/slower steering feel. I know I prefer that but others may prefer a sharper/quicker steering feel.