While front ends are long, seat tubes are suitably short, meaning riders looking to ‘size-up’ should be able to fit, even with a longer drop dropper post.Īt 182cm, I tested a Large, and while I got on well with the bike’s shape, I may have picked a Medium-Long based on the geometry sheet alone. On paper, the Aether 7 looks to be a properly aggressive trail bike, with super long and low geometry across its five sizes: S, M, M-Long, L, XL. Dan Milner / BikeRadarīird has been known for its progressive geometry since it was first seen around seven years ago. The shock pushes into the top tube, leaving room for a bottle cage within the main triangle. The 130mm of suspension is controlled by a four-bar linkage, with the intention to give good pedalling characteristics around the sag point and a progressive kinematic for additional control on bigger hits.
A threaded bottom bracket is a further nod in the mechanic’s direction. The raw-finished (paint options are available) aluminium frame has a no-frills feel to it, and that’s not without its benefits.Īll the pivot hardware is easy to access and there’s plenty of information on bearing diameters and pivot bolt torques available.Ĭable routing is external, routed along the top of the down tube and clamped securely in place, making maintenance in the long run much easier, though at the expense of a cleaner look. Head to our Bike of the Year hub for the full list of winners, categories and shortlisted bikes, as well as the latest reviews – or read our behind-the-scenes feature on how we tested Bike of the Year 2020. The Bird Aether 7 is part of our annual Bike of the Year test.