The "Photos From Today's Ride" thread...

[yellowjack]

MadDad said:

Ripcor 'charidy' 10 mile TT on the Drift Road circuit near Windsor, I think it's evident that I was not hurting enough.....

I reckon it's that that'll have cost you those vital 8 seconds...

[yellowjack]

nessiemac said:

Swinley forest today. Lovely

Which of the 'Zeros' is that? It's a lovely bike, I was up at Bird on Friday, I rode up via Bramshill Forest. I was set on the Zero as my next bike, but not sure what spec level and options to get. Then, when I popped up to have another look, Ben was in, and spent an hour and a half talking over the Aeris full sus bike with me. Four of them were sat built up, in the workshop, all different colours and spec levels, as a demo fleet. Shame they're not running the white, that the prototype frame was painted, as a production colour.

How are you finding the bike? Any niggles or issues to report? Or any regrets about spec and kit? Any help to inform my selection would be appreciated. Absolutely beautiful bikes when you see them in pictures, and then, when you see them for real, 'in the metal', they don't disappoint. I will have a Bird, and probably a hard tail, but I'm really torn now, with the Aeris order book open for delivery Feb/Mar 2015. I was never a full sus fan, but the Aeris just looks so 'right' that I'm tempted.

[MadDad]

yellowjack said:

MadDad said:

Ripcor 'charidy' 10 mile TT on the Drift Road circuit near Windsor, I think it's evident that I was not hurting enough.....

I reckon it's that that'll have cost you those vital 8 seconds...

What is even more annoying is my best time on the circuit was quite a bit faster than yesterday and ridden solo on a summers evening outside of a TT event...! - Still, I finished 10/52 and the top 7 were on TT's...

[nessiemac]

yellowjack said:

nessiemac said:

Swinley forest today. Lovely

Which of the 'Zeros' is that? It's a lovely bike, I was up at Bird on Friday, I rode up via Bramshill Forest. I was set on the Zero as my next bike, but not sure what spec level and options to get. Then, when I popped up to have another look, Ben was in, and spent an hour and a half talking over the Aeris full sus bike with me. Four of them were sat built up, in the workshop, all different colours and spec levels, as a demo fleet. Shame they're not running the white, that the prototype frame was painted, as a production colour.

How are you finding the bike? Any niggles or issues to report? Or any regrets about spec and kit? Any help to inform my selection would be appreciated. Absolutely beautiful bikes when you see them in pictures, and then, when you see them for real, 'in the metal', they don't disappoint. I will have a Bird, and probably a hard tail, but I'm really torn now, with the Aeris order book open for delivery Feb/Mar 2015. I was never a full sus fan, but the Aeris just looks so 'right' that I'm tempted.

Hi,

This is the one i posted some photos of a couple of months ago. I bought the frame from the guys and built it up as a custom build with Pikes, Zee drivetrain and brakes, Reverb, Hope hubs on Stans rims. I have so much interest in the bike when i am out and the word i use is FUN!! It is just great fun. I have done everything from long XC rides to DH stuff to jumping and just playing around. It does everything so well. Only issues are one bent rear wheel (landed a whip very badly!!) and one puncture. Cannot fault the bike at all.

Now i am in a similar position to you as in having seen the prototype Aeris a couple of months back and seeing what it can do i have a dilemma! I am seriously tempted to sell my DH bike which doesn't get used much and buy an Aeris frame and swop the components over and build the Zero up with a cheaper build. Hmm!

But as you have found out you can't go wrong with Bird or the guys behind running the company. If you fancy a go on mine then ill see if i can meet up at Swinley sometime.

Cheers

Dave

[gary71]

At the top of the first climb at Llandegla yesterday morning. A nice crisp ride at 5 deg C but a 28 minute granny gear climb from the car park to here warms you up!
Just noted on Strava the fastest time up here is 13 minutes... Some people aren't normal..

[yellowjack]

nessiemac said:

Hi,

This is the one i posted some photos of a couple of months ago. I bought the frame from the guys and built it up as a custom build with Pikes, Zee drivetrain and brakes, Reverb, Hope hubs on Stans rims. I have so much interest in the bike when i am out and the word i use is FUN!! It is just great fun. I have done everything from long XC rides to DH stuff to jumping and just playing around. It does everything so well. Only issues are one bent rear wheel (landed a whip very badly!!) and one puncture. Cannot fault the bike at all.

Now i am in a similar position to you as in having seen the prototype Aeris a couple of months back and seeing what it can do i have a dilemma! I am seriously tempted to sell my DH bike which doesn't get used much and buy an Aeris frame and swop the components over and build the Zero up with a cheaper build. Hmm!

But as you have found out you can't go wrong with Bird or the guys behind running the company. If you fancy a go on mine then ill see if i can meet up at Swinley sometime.

Cheers

Dave

Cheers for the reply. Ben actually mentioned about swapping components over. He said the two frames had been designed to be entirely compatible, with all the componentry being switchable between the hard tail and full sus bikes. The only potential issue, he said, was the length of the hydraulic hoses might have to be extended to fit the Aeris from the Zero. He hinted that a number of buyers were already going for a 'frame only' Aeris to do just that. His thinking was to build the components onto the Aeris for summer use, then swap the kit onto the Zero frame for winter, saving on grit and moisture potentially getting into the bearings and bushes of the rear suspension.

For now, I've settled on the size 'Medium' Zero. What size is yours? I'd love to take you up on your kind offer, but I'd be uncomfortable with riding someone else's bike to be fair. Especially one as personal (and expensive) as yours must be. I think I'll just book in with the chaps at Bird, and get myself a day (or two, if they're willing) on a demo bike as close as possible to the spec I'm considering buying. Keep an eye out for a PH jersey tightly wrapped around a puffing, panting, sweaty mass perched on top of a black GT Avalanche around Swinley in the meantime. I don't go up with any regularity, but I'm planning on going more often than the once a year I seem to be managing up to now.

[HereBeMonsters]

gary71 said:

At the top of the first climb at Llandegla yesterday morning. A nice crisp ride at 5 deg C but a 28 minute granny gear climb from the car park to here warms you up!
Just noted on Strava the fastest time up here is 13 minutes... Some people aren't normal..

The more popular Strava becomes, the more I'm convinced people use powered machinery to "win".

I hit a big segment yesterday really hard, got a top 20. Top 6 are all averaging over 30mph, uphill over about a mile.

[Nuggety]

HereBeMonsters said:

The more popular Strava becomes, the more I'm convinced people use powered machinery to "win".

I hit a big segment yesterday really hard, got a top 20. Top 6 are all averaging over 30mph, uphill over about a mile.

30 mph up a hill? Not on a treader it wasn't. I saw something yesterday. A segment near me, which includes an uphill bit of path / track. A petrol engined remote control car, with a phone strapped to it. I asked what it was, the reply was "Strava init".

[Justin Cyder]

Some of the regular segments I do look very suspicious to me. One in particular is an 8% rooty & rutted mile & someone's in there at just under two minutes which would be some going.

[gary71]

I also only compare against myself normally as I'm so far off the pace it's not worth trying!

I have no reason to doubt this time for the climb as looking through the data it looks entirely legit, it's just I'm really slow

Trying to imagine going up a 165m gain off road climb of 5k in just under 13 minutes is beyond my comprehension of 'fitness'!

[Fugazi]

Think it's some form of trolling, albeit a very weird way of doing it... Take a look at this chancer.
http://www.strava.com/athletes/4808158

[Usget]

Fugazi said:

Think it's some form of trolling, albeit a very weird way of doing it... Take a look at this chancer.
http://www.strava.com/athletes/4808158

It is the 21st century, you know. What she does on her weekend is no business of yours.

[AndyWoodall]

Bit of a different start to my usual Sunday ride, a spot of trail maintenance on the Long Mynd...



Then it was back down the hill to get the bikes and then back up to Pole Bank as one of my Cardiff friends was up to test his new Norco toy...



Then for a nice run down Minton Batch/stopping to watch the gliders...



All in all, good weekend.

[Allyc85]

Haldon yesterday..

Bike Ride Snapshots by Alastair Cummins, on Flickr

Sidmouth today..

Bike Ride Snapshots by Alastair Cummins, on Flickr

[neilski]

From t'other day in Peru. I climbed from the village on the right (3,150m) up the valley to the switchbacks on the left and over a 4,300m pass before getting to enjoy a 45km descent down to Ayacucho at 2,800m.

[Nuggety]

It turned out nice again.

[central]

Towards Cransley by Fast an' Bulbous, on Flickr

[HereBeMonsters]

central said:

Towards Cransley by Fast an' Bulbous, on Flickr

I would like to meet your bike. Here's a tenner, go and see a film. Leave us alone.

[CoolC]

Photos from last weekend's Viking Challenge are online this morning





'scuse the belly

[MadDad]

It's not a belly, it's latent energy......