Bike Test: Niner RIP 9 RDO

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Sabina Johns
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Whereas others may waver in the face of ever-changing public opinion, the folks at Niner have remained steadfast in their dedication to building the best 29er bikes possible.

Don t even bother asking a Niner owner if he likes his bike unless you want to hear a passionate discourse on why 29ers are better in every way and a heartfelt speech about how Niner treats its

( Ride In Peace ) 9 RDO will appeal to a lot of riders. It s lightweight and has enough travel to handle any all-mountain or enduro ride.

The RDO portion of the name stands for Race Day Optimized, which means no expense was spared in the construction of the frame. Don t be misled, though; this is far from a race-day-only bike.

1 1 of 7 1/27/2014 3:47 PM - HOME - NEWS - TECH - RIDING - REVIEWS - ASK MBA - PHOTOS - SUBSCRIBE - VIDEOS - EVENTS Bike Test: Niner RIP 9 RDO Posted Date: 11/4/2013 More Photos of the Day Niner is a small company with a strong sense of identity and big ambitions. Whereas others may waver in the face of ever-changing public opinion, the folks at Niner have remained steadfast in their dedication to building the best 29er bikes possible. In fact, Niner believes they re the only bikes worth building. Don t even bother asking a Niner owner if he likes his bike unless you want to hear a passionate discourse on why 29ers are better in every way and a heartfelt speech about how Niner treats its customers better than just about anyone in the sport. Niner owners love their bikes. Gwin's Fontana Run - Watch Him Suffer On The Wall! WHO IS IT MADE FOR? The R.I.P. ( Ride In Peace ) 9 RDO will appeal to a lot of riders. It s lightweight and has enough travel to handle any all-mountain or enduro ride. This is one of the longest-travel models Niner currently offers. While the geometry looks steep and twitchy on paper, it is geared to handle gnarly trails. The RDO portion of the name stands for Race Day Optimized, which means no expense was spared in the construction of the frame. Don t be misled, though; this is far from a race-day-only bike. WHAT IS IT MADE FROM? The frame is carbon through and through and features Niner s patented CVA suspension. Niner claims its dual-link design provides an excellent pedaling platform and a spring curve that delivers plush and playful suspension performance. The R.I.P. frame features a press-fit bottom bracket with ISCG-05 tabs that are integrated to work flawlessly with the suspension pivots. The frame also features everything else prized by trail and all-mountain riders, including a 12x142-millimeter rear axle, tapered head tube and direct-mount front derailleur. Free Sigma Move App Tracks Your Attacks Bike Test: Transition TR450

ike Test: Niner RIP 9 RDO News mountain-bike-action

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drivetrain, and it bolts up flawlessly to the R.I.P.

The shifting is smooth and lightning fast, and the

We ve yet to drop a chain from an XX1 system, even

As an added bonus, SRAM s Type 2 clutch-style rear

which means all you hear is the rubber of your

2 ike Test: Niner RIP 9 RDO News mountain-bike-action 2 of 7 1/27/2014 3:47 PM itunes APP Print Magazine Digital Magazine Digital Sample Advertise Click cover to view contents Orbea Wants To Challenge You To The Ride Of Your Life In Kyrgyzstan Mountain Bike Action 2014 Ride, Race And Festival Calendar WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT? We ve been spoiled by SRAM s outstanding XX1 drivetrain, and it bolts up flawlessly to the R.I.P. chassis. The shifting is smooth and lightning fast, and the chain management is nearly perfect. We ve yet to drop a chain from an XX1 system, even in the nastiest conditions. As an added bonus, SRAM s Type 2 clutch-style rear derailleur keeps the drivetrain completely silent, which means all you hear is the rubber of your tires thumping the ground. Nice. Photo of the Day: Cross- Country Racing at Mont-Sainte-Anne Video: Matty Hunter Exploring the Trails of Chile on His Specialized Enduro

3 of 7 1/27/2014 3:47 PM Photo of the Day: David Tseng, Riding Blind, 2001

Attracts Warm Crowd To Cold Conditions Video: Mikey Sylvestri Shredding

PERFORM? Moving out: Niner s bikes run big. In fact, our stock large R.I.P. test bike only fit our tallest crewers.

because Niner offers numerous demo events around the country, so check the

size. Setup: Setting the suspension on the R.I.P. is a cakewalk.

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The Perfect Way To Hang Your Jerseys Photo of the Day: Mountain Biking Near

feel: CVA stands for Constantly Variable Arc, which is an apt description of

Niner claims that it allows the suspension to be fully active while avoiding

that the pedals are being tugged back when you pedal over an obstacle).

design on the R.I.P. Nine works very, very well.

3 3 of 7 1/27/2014 3:47 PM Photo of the Day: David Tseng, Riding Blind, 2001 First Look: Felt Lebowsk-e Electric Assist Fat Bike Fat Bike Summit 2014 Attracts Warm Crowd To Cold Conditions Video: Mikey Sylvestri Shredding Bootleg Canyon Photo of the Day: Mountain Biking in Oregon HOW DOES IT PERFORM? Moving out: Niner s bikes run big. In fact, our stock large R.I.P. test bike only fit our tallest crewers. Finding the correct size Niner might require a demo ride, but don t worry, because Niner offers numerous demo events around the country, so check the schedule on their website and see if you can attend one before picking your size. Setup: Setting the suspension on the R.I.P. is a cakewalk. The RockShox fork and Fox rear shock have a simple, single, air-valve pressure setting. We set our bike to 30 percent sag, front and rear, and hit the trails. AXO Debuts New Under-$100 Mountain Bike Shoe Video: Reliving 2014 Enduro Racing with Commencal 26er Versus 29er: The Shootout You've Been Asking For The Perfect Way To Hang Your Jerseys Photo of the Day: Mountain Biking Near Denver, Colorado Product Test: Drift Innovation HD Ghost Camera Suspension feel: CVA stands for Constantly Variable Arc, which is an apt description of the wheel path, as the bike goes through its travel. Niner claims that it allows the suspension to be fully active while avoiding the chain-growth issues that plague some dual-link designs (the sensa- tion that the pedals are being tugged back when you pedal over an obstacle). We won t delve into the physics behind it, but just know that the suspension design on the R.I.P. Nine works very, very well. It s active when you want it to be, but provides an adequate pedaling platform for just about any trail. Pedaling: With the CVA suspension controlling the rear end, pedaling is efficient and confidenceinspiring. We found ourselves using the Descend mode on our Fox CTD shock in nearly every situation partly because the lever on the shock is difficult to reach on the fly, but also because this bike simply doesn t need the extra pedaling platform. Video: Rockshox Tech Pills - Maxle Lite Video: Take A Lap Down Bootleg Canyon with Aaron Gwin

4 of 7 1/27/2014 3:47 PM Smokin' Deals: Shimano XT Trail Pedals For $79.

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.. Photo of the Day: World Champion Greg Minnaar at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec Climbing: The low

and let the suspension do all the hard work.

lets the rider forget about the settings on the rear shock and just hit it.

9 RDO are compensated for by the stability of the large wheels.

the geometry is tried and true and will work well for most riders.

4 4 of 7 1/27/2014 3:47 PM Smokin' Deals: Shimano XT Trail Pedals For $79.99 Photo of the Day: Mountain Biking in New England Ride With Brett Tippie and Eric "EC" Carter At Ray's MTB Indoor Bike Parks KMC Chain Winter Series Round 2 This Weekend In Fontana Big Dirt Jumps - What Happens Next Is Amazing... Photo of the Day: World Champion Greg Minnaar at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Quebec Climbing: The low weight of this particular test bike certainly helps it float up the climbs, but that s not the whole story. The large-diameter wheels and capable suspension make it a blast to charge into technical climbs and let the suspension do all the hard work. Longer seated climbs are no problem, either, as the natural pedaling platform of the CVA design lets the rider forget about the settings on the rear shock and just hit it. Ride Along With GT's Mike Day At Bootleg Canyon Descending: The steepish angles of the R.I.P. 9 RDO are compensated for by the stability of the large wheels. While we would have preferred a slightly slacker head angle in really rough and steep terrain, the geometry is tried and true and will work well for most riders. If you re looking for a dedicated gravity bike, look elsewhere. If you re looking for trail geometry that can handle 95 percent of hairy descents, look no further. Felt Double-Downs On Enduro Squad For 2014 Niner Offers Orange Option For Jet 9 Carbon 12 & 6 Hours Of Temecula #1 Race Report Local Guides New York Los Angeles Chicago Houston Phoenix Philadelphia San Antonio San Diego Dallas San Jose

5 5 of 7 1/27/2014 3:47 PM Switchbacks: Whether you re going up or downhill, switchbacks are going to be a handful on the R.I.P.. The bike feels long, and hairpin turns are not its strong suit. While the Niner will make it through the tightest of turns, it will require some extra body english and skill on your part. TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS? After a few rides, we decided to swap the 90-millimeter stem for Niner s new 50-millimeter Trail stem. This quick and easy change really woke up the handling and made the R.I.P. much easier to manual and bunnyhop down the trail. The shorter stem definitely resulted in a much more playful ride. BUYING ADVICE The R.I.P. 9 RDO shreds singletrack, and it s exceptionally capable when it comes to aggressive trails and difficult climbs. That said, building a 29er trailbike is inherently complicated and will always require compromises. The larger wheels put numerous constraints on the design, because those bigger wheels need to clear all the tubes, rockers and extra plumbing of a full-suspension bike. The R.I.P. 9 doesn t try to minimize its 29er traits. It is proud to be large and in charge when cruising down the trail. This bike isn t for everyone, but with its proven geometry, dialed suspension and construction quality that s second to none, we can t help but recommend the R.I.P. 9 RDO to a huge cross section of riders. Just be sure you like the taste of the 29er Kool-Aid before you take this drink.

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NINER. RKT 9 RDO Big wheels and big ambitions Niner has created a community of cyclists who are BIKE TEST / NINER RKT 9 RDO. 46

NINER. RKT 9 RDO Big wheels and big ambitions Niner has created a community of cyclists who are BIKE TEST / NINER RKT 9 RDO. 46 NINER RKT 9 RDO Big wheels and big ambitions Niner has created a community of cyclists who are fiercely loyal to its brand and for good reason. They have grown from a niche company into a strong contender