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Bird has received many plaudits, including winning our 2021 Trail Bike of the Year test with its Aether 9 full-sus. So when I heard there was a new steel hardtail mountain bike in its stable, I had to get one on test.

The upgraded SRAM Eagle build Bird sent me is outstanding value for money, especially when the Forge frame costs more than the others I had on test.

This 29er frame is optimised for 140mm- to 160mm-travel forks and features Reynolds 853 DZB top and down tubes – arguably the two that most affect ride quality.

Elsewhere, Bird uses 4130 chromoly, with the thin-diameter tubing giving that classic steel hardtail look.

The brand has opted for an IS (International Standard) brake mount rather than the more modern PM (post mount) style, so you’ll likely need an adaptor for your rear brake. The thru-axle bolts into a SRAM UDH (universal derailleur hanger).

Other features include two sets of bottle bosses, external cable routing and an ISCG-05 mount.

Bird is known for its modern geometry, and the Forge is no exception.

It has a 64-degree head and 77-degree seat tube angle, paired, on my large size, with a long 496mm reach and low 290mm bottom bracket (BB) height.

For ‘size large’ riders who don’t want such a long stretch to the bar, Bird offers a ‘Medium Long’ size with a shorter seat tube but still rangy 473mm front end.

There’s a fairly wide range of parts customisation available. My bike was based on the £2,357.99 SRAM GX Eagle build, but had a Formula Selva R fork and Cura brakes, instead of the stock RockShox Pike Ultimate and SRAM G2 RSCs, plus sturdy DT Swiss rims rolling on Hope hubs, with a CushCore insert fitted in the Maxxis Dissector rear tyre.

What really stood out, though, was the upgraded SRAM GX Eagle AXS wireless drivetrain, which proved dependable, consistent and frankly excellent – especially for the money.

We put four hard-hitting hardtail frames, which can be built up into complete bikes for around £3,000, to the test on some of the UK’s toughest and steepest tracks.

These UK-designed frames were ridden at our proving grounds in the South West, on the varied tracks of BikePark Wales and in the steep loam of High Burnside, near Aviemore in Scotland.

Smooth, stable handling is a must, but so is pin-sharp accuracy, so you can thread your way between trail features that might otherwise throw you off-line.

With a similar-length front end to the Cotic BFeMAX and the same slack head angle as the Pipedream Moxie Mx3, it’s no surprise that when the going gets rowdy, the Bird comes back for more.

It inspires confidence on the steepest tracks and holds a line well when things get loose, aided by the BB height, which is so low I was glad of the bashguard when riding rock-rolls.

Cornering performance is also stellar. The distance between the tyres’ contact patches, the raked-out fork and the proximity of your heel to the ground when you drop the outside crank arm allow the Forge to rail berms and eke out grip on surfaces you’d normally pucker-up over.

At the same time, the 435mm stays mean it isn’t a chore to lift the front wheel over obstacles.

Front-end comfort is also good. There’s a hint of zing in the frame – not quite as much as on the Moxie, but enough to retain traction over off-camber roots and keep the bike tracking true in corners.

The Formula Selva fork has an incredibly plush initial stroke, separating you from trail chatter, and the Cura brakes are favourites, too, with a light feel and powerful caliper. Like the fork, they help keep your hands fresh when battering down bike-park tracks.

The Selva offers plenty of tuning options, too, with adjustable positive and negative springs, plus swappable ‘CST’ compression valves.

The 2.4in Maxxis Dissector tyres I chose shone in dry conditions, although compared to the 2.6in rubber on other bikes on test, they felt noticeably less comfy when rattling over really rough stuff.

On rocky terrain, the CushCore insert was a real bonus, allowing me to run a touch less pressure and saving the rim a couple of times.

I tried the Forge with the BFeMAX’s chunky rubber and had no clearance issues, so one of the 2.5in Maxxis tyres that Bird offers should work well.

My only kit niggle is that I found the flange of the DMR Deathgrips made accessing the AXS upshift paddle tricky, but Bird does offer other grip options.

Tom Marvin is a technical editor at BikeRadar.com and MBUK magazine. He has a particular focus on mountain bikes, but spends plenty of time on gravel bikes, too. Tom has written for BikeRadar, MBUK and Cycling Plus, and was previously technical editor of What Mountain Bike magazine. He is also a regular presenter on BikeRadar’s YouTube channel and the BikeRadar podcast. With more than twenty years of mountain biking experience, and nearly a decade of testing mountain and gravel bikes, Tom has ridden and tested thousands of bikes and products, from super-light XC race bikes through to the most powerful brakes on the market. Outside of testing bikes, Tom competes in a wide range of mountain bike races, from multi-day enduros through to 24-hour races in the depths of the Scottish winter – pushing bikes, components and his legs to their limits. He’s also worked out that shaving your legs saves 8 watts, while testing aerodynamics in a wind tunnel. When not riding he can be found at the climbing wall, in his garden or cooking up culinary delights.

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