The crew at Niner Bikes has been busy this year, cranking out a new cyclocross bike, updating the carbon construction of the company’s high-end models, releasing a no-expense-spared JET 9 RDO build, and developing its first 29+ model.
We first caught a glimpse of Niner’s forthcoming cyclocross bike a few weeks ago. Niner is now ready to release the full details of its first carbon ’cross bike. Dubbed BSB 9, for “Blood, Sweat and Beers,” this carbon ’crosser is steeper and higher than the RLT 9 gravel bike making it a bit more nimble between the tape of a proper race course.
The RLT 9 has a full carbon frame with internal cable routing for mechanical and electric drivetrains
Claimed weight for a 56cm frame is just under 1,000g. The matching full carbon fork has a claimed weight of 530g.
While the fork makes use of a 100mm Maxle thru-axle, Niner opted to stick with a 135mm-spaced quick-release for the rear end. The company notes that while there were significant gains made in stiffness and steering precision by using a thru-axle fork, there was no discernable improvement in rear-end stiffness between the quick-release and thru-axle versions.
The RLT 9 shown here with the CLIF team build weighs in a very respectable 15.75lb / 7.14kg
The BSB 9 will be available this August. Niner will offer the BSB 9 in a Shimano Ultegra Di2 build for US$6,499, a mechanical Ultegra build (with hydraulic brakes) for US$4,399, and a Shimano 105 build for US$2,999. The BSB 9 will also be available as a frameset for US$2,299. (UK pricing TBD.)
Limited edition JET 9 RDO, new carbon construction
Niner will offer its full suspension cross-country race bike, the Jet 9 RDO, in a limited edition build that features NoTubes’ carbon Valor wheelset, a painted to match RockShox RS-1 fork, and a SRAM XX1 drivetrain.
Only 50 of these top-shelf Jet 9 RDO bikes will be built and will carry a hefty price tag of US$9,999. (UK pricing TBD.)
A medium Jet 9 RDO with this build has a weighs 22.5lb / 10.2kg
The Jet 9 RDO — along with all of Niner’s flagship RDO models — now use a carbon construction process that relies on rigid internal EPS foam molds to improve compaction. These rigid molds also decrease resin pooling, resulting in consistent wall thicknesses, improved durability and a slight weight reduction.
Niner goes big with ROS 9 Plus
Developing a 29+ model seems like a logical step for this 29er-focus company. The ROS 9 Plus takes design cues from the trail-oriented ROS 9 hardtail.
The ROS 9 Plus uses a similar steel tubeset and shares many of the same features, including a 142x12mm rear thru axle, dropper seatpost routing, 44mm headtube and Niner’s BioCentric II bottom bracket.
The ROS 9 Plus will come with a matching rigid steel fork with 15mm front thru-axle and a tapered steerer
The ROS 9 Plus is still in development. We expect to learn specifics on frame geometry, pricing and availability later this summer
