Niner’s new Rip 9 has both 27.5- and 29-inch wheels
Niner has completely redesigned its flagship mountain bike with new slack and long geometry, two wheel sizes and 140mm of travel
As a step away from Niner’s 10-year commitment to the big hoops, it’s gone ahead and incorporated a 27.5-inch wheeled bike into its range. But unlike a lot of companies who just offer a flip chip to accommodate different wheel diameters in the same frame, Niner has built two wheel size specific bikes.
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Although there’s always been something about the aesthetic of Niner’s previous bikes that, if caught at the wrong angle scream crashed into a wall at speed, the new carbon Rip 9 goes further than any other Niner before it to do away with that common judgement.
We managed to take a look at the new model at 2019’s Core Bike show in the UK, and first impressions are promising. The bike’s got a bold and purposeful look in both wheel size models and the pastel-based colour scheme will look great covered in dust.
It’s got adjustable geometry that allows you to swap between high and low settings, which is also a first for Niner. Both the 29er and 27.5 bikes get 140mm of rear wheel travel that’s delivered using Niner’s bespoke CVA suspension system.
Niner claims that the inherent suspension kinematics have been modified to give the bike more mid-stroke support and natural bottom-out resistance. The bike retains the same axle path found on other Niners using the CVA suspension system though.
Geometry-wise. the Rip 9 29er has, for the size large and in the low setting, a fairly standard 458mm reach, a slack (for a 140mm-travel bike) 65-degree head angle, a 1,209mm wheelbase and 435mm chainstays.
The 29er bike is available in sizes small to extra large.
The 27.5-inch bike mimics these figures. For a large in the low setting it’s also got a 458mm reach, the same 65-degree head angle but a shorter 1,204mm wheelbase and 430mm chainstays. This model is available in sizes small to large.
Both bikes share a 75.2-degree seat angle in the low setting.
The main differences between the two models are apparent in the bike’s bottom bracket drop (how far beneath the horizontal line drawn between the centre points of the wheel’s axles the centre of the bottom bracket is), head tube length and stack heights.
Other tidy details include full-length cable routing from front to back, with internal cable guides so you don’t have to go fishing for your hoses. There’s a water bottle mount inside the front triangle and the bike’s got a 73mm threaded bottom bracket with ISCG05 chain guide mounts.
There’s enough clearance for 2.6-inch wide rubber, even on the 29er, and its got a handy sag indicator on the pivot close to the shock too.
Niner is going to be importing the 4-star X01 Eagle and 3-star GX Eagle models into Europe, which retail for €7,298 and €5,880 respectively, but the USA gets the top of the line model and the budget offering too.
Both wheel size variants are available as a frame-only and will cost €3,360.
Both European models will be available to buy by the end of March 2019.
Niner Rip 9 specs and prices
5-Star Eagle X01
- Fork: Fox 36 Float Factory FIT4 EVOL, 3 Position W/ Adj, Kashima Coat, 150mm, 110x15mm, 44mm offset (29) / Fox 36 Float Factory FIT4 EVOL, 3 Position W/ Adj, Kashima Coat, 150mm, 110x15mm, 37mm offset (27.5)
- Wheels: DT Swiss XMC 1200, 6 Bolt Hubs, 110x15mm front, 148x12mm rear
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF 3C/EXO/TR 2.5 WT front, Aggressor 2C/EXO/TR 2.5 WT rear
- Brakes: SRAM Guide Ultimate Carbon, 180/180 centerline rotors
- Brake levers: SRAM Guide Ultimate Carbon
- Shifter: SRAM Eagle X01
- Derailleur: SRAM Eagle X01
- Cassette: SRAM Eagle XG 1295, 10-50t
- Chain: SRAM Eagle X01
- Cranks: SRAM X1 Eagle Carbon DUB 32t
- Bottom bracket: SRAM DUB BSA threaded
- Saddle: Niner Custom TR With CRN-Ti rails, printed Niner graphic
- Seatpost: SDG Tellis (S-125mm, M-150mm, L/Xl-170mm)
- Handlebar: Race Face Next R 800mm Wide, 20mm rise, 35mm clamp
- Stem: Race Face Turbine R 40mm, 35mm clamp
- Grips: Niner Grrrips L/O
- $8,800 (US only)
4-Star Eagle X01
- Fork: Fox 36 Float Factory FIT4 EVOL, 3 Position W/ Adj, Kashima Coat, 150mm, 110x15mm, 44mm offset (29) / Fox 36 Float Factory FIT4 EVOL, 3 Position W/ Adj, Kashima Coat, 150mm, 110x15mm, 37mm offset (27.5)
- Wheels: Stans Notubes Flow S1, Neo Hub 110x15mm front, 148x12mm rear
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF 3C/EXO/TR 2.5 WT front, Aggressor 2C/EXO/TR 2.5 WT rear
- Brakes: SRAM Guide Ultimate Carbon, 180/180 centerline rotors
- Brake levers: SRAM Guide Ultimate Carbon
- Shifter: SRAM Eagle X01
- Derailleur: SRAM Eagle X01
- Cassette: SRAM Eagle XG 1295, 10-50t
- Chain: SRAM Eagle X01
- Cranks: SRAM X1 Eagle Carbon DUB 32t
- Bottom bracket: SRAM DUB BSA Threaded
- Saddle: Niner custom TR With CRN-Ti rails, printed Niner graphic
- Seatpost: SDG Tellis (S-125mm, M-150mm, L/Xl-170mm)
- Handlebar: Race Face Next R 800mm wide, 20mm rise, 35mm clamp
- Stem: Race Face Turbine R 40mm, 35mm clamp
- Grips: Niner Grrrips L/O
- $6,950 / €7,298
3-Star GX Eagle
- Fork: Fox 36 Float Factory FIT4 EVOL, 3 Position W/ Adj, Kashima Coat, 150mm, 110x15mm, 44mm offset (29) / Fox 36 Float Factory FIT4 EVOL, 3 Position W/ Adj, Kashima Coat, 150mm, 110x15mm, 37mm offset (27.5)
- Wheels: Stans Notubes Flow S1, Neo Hub 110x15mm front, 148x12mm rear
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF 3C/EXO/TR 2.5 WT front, Aggressor 2C/EXO/TR 2.5 WT rear
- Brakes: SRAM Guide R, 180/180mm rotors
- Brake levers: SRAM Guide R
- Shifter: SRAM GX Eagle
- Derailleur: SRAM GX Eagle
- Cassette: SRAM Eagle XG 1275, 10-50t
- Chain: SRAM GX Eagle
- Crank: SRAM Descendant 7k Eagle DUB 32t
- Bottom bracket: SRAM DUB BSA threaded
- Saddle: Niner custom with Cr-Mo rails, Niner graphic
- Seatpost: SDG Tellis (S-125mm, M-150mm, L/Xl-170mm)
- Handlebar: Race Face Aeffect R 780mm wide, 20mm Rise, 35mm clamp
- Stem: Race Face Aeffect R 40mm, 35mm clamp
- Grips: Niner Grrrips L/O
- $5,600 / €5,880
2-Star NX Eagle
- Fork: Fox 36 Float Rhythm Grip EVOL, Sweep Adjust, 150mm, 110x15mm, 44mm offset (29) / Fox 36 Float Rhythm Grip EVOL, Sweep Adjust, 150mm, 110x15mm, 37mm offset (27.5)
- Wheels: Niner Alloy, 110x15mm front, 148x12mm Rear, Niner graphic
- Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF 3C/EXO/TR 2.5 WT front, Aggressor 2C/EXO/TR 2.5 WT rear
- Brakes: SRAM Level, 180/180mm rotors
- Brake levers: SRAM Level
- Shifter: SRAM NX Eagle
- Derailleur: SRAM NX Eagle
- Cassette: SRAM PG 1230 11-50t
- Chain: SRAM NX Eagle
- Crank: SRAM NX Eagle DUB 32t
- Bottom bracket: SRAM DUB BSA threaded
- Saddle: Niner custom with Cr-Mo Rails, Niner graphic
- Seatpost: SDG Tellis (S-125mm, M-150mm, L/Xl-170mm)
- Handlebar: Race Face Aeffect R 780mm Wide, 20mm Rise, 35mm clamp
- Stem: Race Face Aeffect R 40mm, 35mm clamp
- Grips: Niner Grrrips L/O nylon
- $4,500 (US only)
Authors
Alex started racing downhill at the tender age of 11, later going on to compete internationally representing the UK. At 19, he moved to the Alps to pursue a career as a bike bum clocking up moon-mileage riding the famous tracks in and around Morzine, France. In that time, he broke more bikes than he can remember. Alex then moved back to the UK when he landed a job working for Mountain Biking UK as their Features Editor — BikeRadar's sister title — as their features editor. Since working for MBUK, Alex's focus has moved to towards bike tech and he now wants to find out what bikes and components represent the best value for money regardless of discipline. Alex's current fleet includes his trusty commuter bike, a 2017 Marin Gestalt 3, his long term Orange Stage 6 RS enduro bike, a used and abused 2015 GT Sanction Pro, a Scott Voltage YZ dirt jump bike and a Deluxe Pro 2 BMX.
