For this edition of Readers’ Rides, Private Rob shares his Bird Aether 9: “the STW forum helped me a huge amount with returning, including pointing me towards this bike which got me hooked again.”
Bird Aether 9
First bike in over 10 years, so I was quite set on something that I’d be able to demo. I tried an Orbea Occam and liked it, before I found out about Bird on this forum. The Aether 9 was barely a rumour at this point, and I was sold on a full suspension 29er, so a demo of an AM9 followed. I liked it, but it wasn’t the right bike for 90% of my riding and where I live. I waited for the Aether 9 release and for demos to resume, but eventually bit the bullet and ordered unseen – all turned out well.
Bird Aether 9, medium, Tungsten Grey
RockShox Pike Ultimate RCT3 140mm
RockShox Deluxe Ultimate
I’m 70kg, running 60psi in the fork (3 tokens, -7 rebound), 145psi in the shock (-5 rebound). It’s a firm-ish lively setup which suits this bike and puts some much needed spark into my riding.
Bird Factory – DT Swiss XM481 & Hope Pro 4
Maxxis Minion DHR II front, Dissector rear (2.4WT Maxx Terra EXO) with Rimpact Originals inserts – since a few months ago, I like them.
Shimano Deore M6100, switched down to 30T and 165mm a few months ago
Shimano Deore M6100 with Deore XT M8100 shifter
Hayes Dominion A4 203/180mm – recently upgraded from SRAM G2 RSC
Bird Big Baw bar 760/20mm, Bird 35 stem 40mm
DMR DeathGrip Flangeless
Bird Down 125mm
Ergon SM Sport – switched from Fabric Scoop soon after I got the bike
Unite Instinct pedals, AMg V2 CS guide/bash, Nukeproof downtube and chainstay protectors, Race Face crank boots, Mudhugger EVO front, Zefal RS75 rear, Specialized Zee II cage, Trigger Bell, Haf Clip, 76 Projects Enduro computer mount, Wee Cog frame bag, VC hand guards.
Medium, it was around 15kg new but I’ve changed a few things since.
The recent brake upgrade and tyre inserts have taken the bike a step up, and the shorter cranks help too. I’ll probably be fitting a OneUp or Vibrocore handlebar soon. The bike is everything I hoped, it works well wherever I take it. I did a few skills courses and learnt a huge amount about how to ride a modern bike properly. The only history of minor interest is that I was a Covid biker returning, the STW forum helped me a huge amount with returning, including pointing me towards this bike which got me hooked again.
Whether you’ve got a special new bike or just a bike that’s special to you, this is where you get to tell us about it! You send us your submissions, and then we cast our judgemental expert lustful eyes over them and bring them to the world to ooh and ahh over. We’re picking the prettiest, the most curious, and the ones with a good story for you to appraise, praise, and maybe look wistfully at.
