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NSMB 2020 - Full Suspension Bike Thread

June 7, 2020, 6:43 p.m.
Posts: 2124
Joined: Nov. 8, 2003

Congrats! Shiny bike is shiny šŸ˜®

Is that green or shiny shiny black reflecting green?

Bought a complete or built up?

Sold my old bike, thinking of selling another and getting some new shinyness too.

June 7, 2020, 7:09 p.m.
Posts: 828
Joined: June 17, 2016

It's black. Kind of a shiny glittery paintjob, difficult to capture in a photo.

Build is the stock Pro 1 apart from the Bikeyoke dropper. Probably won't be changing much, maybe a nicer wheelset at some point.

I was able to ride one for a couple of weeks last fall and fell in love. Rides a lot more like a trail bike than the old Reign 27.5. My order got delayed by Covid but it was worth the wait.

July 9, 2020, 5:25 a.m.
Posts: 65
Joined: Feb. 9, 2019

Here's my 2018 Bird Aeris AM9, slacked out by two degrees (ends up around 63.3Ā°) and slightly overforked from the stock 150mm yari.

Min-maxed for everybody's enjoyment:

Formula Selva S fork at 160mm, DVO Jade rear shock w/ a 400lbs spring, delivering roughly 150mm of rear travel.

Works Components 2Ā° Headset. Together with the longer A2C, this slackens the headangle and lengthens the front center somewhat, while keeping the reach and seat angle pretty consistent with stock geo.

1x10 drivetrain w/ a Deore M6000 mech, Saint shifter, RF Aeffect cranks, and a SunRace 11-46 cassette.

BR-MT520 brakes, Bontrager Line Comp wheels, WTB Vigilante/Judge F/R tyres, OneUp v1 dropper at 170mm w/ a WolfTooth ReMote.

Fabric Scoop saddle, RF Atlas bars (currently at 800, soon 780), usually Renthal push on grips (not pictured), DMR Defy stem at 50mm long, and OneUp composite pedals.

I like to think of it as a poor man's Geometron, with slightly shorter chainstays (440mm), which are plenty long enough for my size.


 Last edited by: twk on July 9, 2020, 9:33 a.m., edited 1 time in total.
July 9, 2020, 6:05 a.m.
Posts: 2307
Joined: Sept. 10, 2012

Posted by: twk

Here's my 2018 Bird Aeris AM9, slacked out by two degrees and slightly overforked from stock 150mm.

Wow. Great looking bike. I love the geo tweak and thought you put into it. :-)

July 9, 2020, 9:50 a.m.
Posts: 1286
Joined: Nov. 21, 2002

Posted by: twk

Min-maxed for everybody's enjoyment:

With a build like that I think you just nominated yourself to be the leader of the followers of drewm

July 9, 2020, 4:02 p.m.
Posts: 65
Joined: Feb. 9, 2019

Posted by: UFO

Posted by: twk

Min-maxed for everybody's enjoyment:

With a build like that I think you just nominated yourself to be the leader of the followers of drewm

Wait until I shoot some pics of my rigid (though it's no way near Andrew's in terms of capability or even style)... ^^

But for sure, I picked the wheels (and tried some drivetrain hacks) after being prompted by some content on here.


 Last edited by: twk on July 9, 2020, 4:05 p.m., edited 1 time in total.
July 10, 2020, 8:43 a.m.
Posts: 2539
Joined: April 25, 2003

twk, I have a lot of respect for a bike like that. Built for someone who knows what heā€™s doing, but not fancy fancy for no reason.Ā 

I have a RSD on the way thatā€™ll be a similar vibe. Iā€™ve been mountain biking for over 25 years and still ride hard but have no lust for paying for the top end shit anymore, particularly when the mid range stuff is so damn good now.

July 10, 2020, 10:53 a.m.
Posts: 3154
Joined: Nov. 23, 2002

Posted by: tashi

twk, I have a lot of respect for a bike like that. Built for someone who knows what heā€™s doing, but not fancy fancy for no reason.Ā 

I have a RSD on the way thatā€™ll be a similar vibe. Iā€™ve been mountain biking for over 25 years and still ride hard but have no lust for paying for the top end shit anymore, particularly when the mid range stuff is so damn good now.

Yeah, if youā€™re patient and arm yourself with some knowledge itā€™s not too difficult to put together a high performing rig on a budget these days.

July 10, 2020, 12:37 p.m.
Posts: 5053
Joined: Nov. 25, 2002

love this build! seriously, i find bikes like this more interesting than the ubiquitous paint by numbers $$$ superbike formula (carbon/carbon/carbon/AXS/eewings). thoughtful value / performance ratio maximizing builds are rad.

July 10, 2020, 10:07 p.m.
Posts: 1312
Joined: May 11, 2018

Agree, bike looks sick. Loving this generation of bike right now.

Also, can anyone tell me why I am liking my bike short?

Got a 510 reach bike, which is supposed to revolutionize my riding. Meh

Gone back to my old bikes and really can't get enough of a short reach. The bikes all have the same ETT (including the 510 reach) so they all fit identically while pedalling, but the reaches all vary between 450 - 510. Interestingly I shortened the stem on my shortest reach bike and liked it better? WTF? Am I just too old for millennial geometry?

July 10, 2020, 11:57 p.m.
Posts: 1286
Joined: Nov. 21, 2002

Posted by: tashi

no lust for paying for the top end shit anymore, particularly when the mid range stuff is so damn good now.

Totally agree, that and older gen stuff is pennies to the dollar as well. My drivetrains are 10sp XT or XTR shifters because I love the shift feel of that generation, didn't enjoy 11sp shifter feel at all. Cassette is Sunrace 11-46 10sp, that's the optimal range for me on a 28t 64bcd oval ring with a non boost 2x Shimano crank to get the chain line centered roughly at the 8th largest cogof where I spend most of my time torquing up climbs. Derailleur is M8000 XT, though I keep an M6000 Deore as a spare as well.Ā 

Brakes I run old non-wandering gen XTR levers with MT520 4 pot calipers, they have the same ceramic pistons, metal pads, and overall caliper design as everything above it but maybe not as sexy looking.

July 11, 2020, 6:03 a.m.
Posts: 2307
Joined: Sept. 10, 2012

Posted by: UFO

Brakes I run old non-wandering gen XTR levers with MT520 4 pot calipers, they have the same ceramic pistons, metal pads, and overall caliper design as everything above it but maybe not as sexy looking.

Ha! I've got some older XTR brake I am nursing along on my hardtail. No wandering bite point. That's so nice!

July 11, 2020, 8:36 a.m.
Posts: 2539
Joined: April 25, 2003

Posted by: UFO

Posted by: tashi

no lust for paying for the top end shit anymore, particularly when the mid range stuff is so damn good now.

Totally agree, that and older gen stuff is pennies to the dollar as well. My drivetrains are 10sp XT or XTR shifters because I love the shift feel of that generation, didn't enjoy 11sp shifter feel at all. Cassette is Sunrace 11-46 10sp, that's the optimal range for me on a 28t 64bcd oval ring with a non boost 2x Shimano crank to get the chain line centered roughly at the 8th largest cogof where I spend most of my time torquing up climbs. Derailleur is M8000 XT, though I keep an M6000 Deore as a spare as well.Ā 

Brakes I run old non-wandering gen XTR levers with MT520 4 pot calipers, they have the same ceramic pistons, metal pads, and overall caliper design as everything above it but maybe not as sexy looking.

This combo of parts always gets the ā€œknowing nodā€ from me.Ā 

Well chosen.

July 11, 2020, 9:44 a.m.
Posts: 2412
Joined: Sept. 5, 2012

Posted by: RAHrider

Agree, bike looks sick. Loving this generation of bike right now.

Also, can anyone tell me why I am liking my bike short?

Got a 510 reach bike, which is supposed to revolutionize my riding. Meh

Gone back to my old bikes and really can't get enough of a short reach. The bikes all have the same ETT (including the 510 reach) so they all fit identically while pedalling, but the reaches all vary between 450 - 510. Interestingly I shortened the stem on my shortest reach bike and liked it better? WTF? Am I just too old for millennial geometry?

My newest bike is 2017. It,s a large, my previous was a medium92015). One before that was a large(2012). I know what you mean about the smaller bike. I simply am more comfortable with my current design. I,m also looking forward to a more modern geo as well. That,ll be in the spring know. Not buying a bike and having it sit all winter due to snow.

July 11, 2020, 9:50 a.m.
Posts: 2412
Joined: Sept. 5, 2012

Posted by: tashi

twk, I have a lot of respect for a bike like that. Built for someone who knows what heā€™s doing, but not fancy fancy for no reason.Ā 

I have a RSD on the way thatā€™ll be a similar vibe. Iā€™ve been mountain biking for over 25 years and still ride hard but have no lust for paying for the top end shit anymore, particularly when the mid range stuff is so damn good now.

Yup quality frame, good shock and fork that,s up-gradable overtime. Dependable drive train,wheelset throw in a comfy saddle and grips with the right bars. That,s what makes a bike. $400 derailleurs and $600 carbon cranks get spendy to replace.

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