To build the best, you have to start with the best, so the Niner Jet9 RDO was a clear choice. Being a long-time rider of hard tails, I'm pretty picky when it comes to rear suspension designs. I like a bike that's light and efficient and trade off the little bit of cushion and comfort for efficiency and speed. But, after riding a few of these Jet9 RDO's, I'm realizing that an efficient rear suspension will make you faster in the bumps and on the descents, possibly keep your tire hooked up on the climbs, and have the potential to lead you to faster laps.
Enough with the theory, let's just cover this incredible ride:
The frame is an XL Niner Jet9 RDO in licorice. Licorice has proven to be the most popular color at the shop and probably the best seller from Niner, and for good reason. When you get up close you'll see there is actually black paint on the bare carbon making for a very stealth look.
The profile shot shows the dimensions of the frame nicely. I normally ride a large frame from Niner, but with the seat lowered a little and a slightly shorter stem the XL didn't feel too bad! Hmmm...
Wheels are Crank brothers Cobalt 29 3 wheels. While I can't say these would be my first choice personally, they set up tubeless flawlessly, the weight is pretty respectable, and they match this build perfectly. Maybe with more time on them we'll have a better sense of them.
Formula R1 brakes and SRAM X.0 shifters make for a nicely assembled cockpit. You'll notice the Formula MixMaster clamps are missing, they hadn't arrived in time for the shoot but will be instaled shortly.
A special Formula R1 caliper laser etched for Niner is hard to beat. At the shop we tend to stick mostly to Avid or Shimano brakes, but the lever feel and power from these R1's was really incredible. Good enough actually that I very well may have them on my next build...
Another shot of the caliper, this is the rear one. Post mount rear leaves you with a very stiff perch for the brake and great power with no flex.
The Fox RP23 with Kashima coat is the standard by which all other rear shocks should be measured. This frame was produced before the CTD version, which may actually be a good thing for some. This version of RP23 has more adjustment for the rider who likes to fiddle with his bike versus the CTD which has fewer settings.
Yup, Kashima found here. I'll be honest, I thought it was a gimmick at first, but after some riding it's pretty clear Fox did their homework on this one.
The Jet9 RDO has the ability to easily adapt from trail bike to XC racer depending on how you set it up, this one is spec'd with a TALAS 29 fork which allows for travel adjustment on the fly. Want 120mm to go downhill? No problem. Want 80mm to go uphill? It can handle that too.
Simple CTD (Climb, Trail, Descend) adjustments on the fork crown to handle how the fork behaves.
The TALAS adjustment knob that allows for travel adjustment on the fly is easily reached. Personally I'd run this thing in the 120mm mode most of the time as the fork is just so smooth.
Kashima makes an appearance at the front of the bike as well. You just can't go wrong here.
Glamour shots are needed from every angle, but I had to get one from the front as most of the time you'll only see the rear of this one.
X.0 rear derailleur is consistent and light. We've been running a lot of SRAM bits for years, and SRAM's 10-speed groups are awesome off-road.
X.0 cranks set up with a 38t big ring for all-mountain use. A racer may favor a 39t big ring, but this 38t is more than enough if not racing.
With the advent of 10-speed also came super-wide-range cassettes, this one is an 11-36 X.0 model.
A Cane Creek 110 headset handles the steering duty on this bike. A US-made headset is always a nice touch, and Cane Creek makes some amazing products.
There you have it. A killer Niner Jet9 RDO that was a pleasure to build. While these frames are next to impossible to get, you know where to go when you need someone to hunt one down. Every time I build one and get to ride it I realize why people are willing to pay so much for these frames!
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