Niner Rip 9

4.5 inch FS 29er

I didn’t realize they’d changed this bike so much from last year. It’s definitely more of an all-mountain trail option compared to the Pivot 429. With the taller head tube and more upright position it feels like a completely different class of bike. All the frame tubes appear to be beefed up with more hydroforming and beefier pivots compared to last year. The one complaint we had last year was that it was a bit flexy feeling and the reworking of the frame seems to have solved that. All the plush of last year but none of the flex. It doesn’t feel any heavier either. It does feel like a bigger wheeled bike in every way. It just steamrolls over everything without complaint and does not wander or get kicked off line easily. It was one of the few bikes we rode that seemed to really smooth out the Bootleg chunk. Great pedaling but not as snappy as the 429. It did seem to lose some of its ‘tweener playfulness of last year.

Nice build quality. Attention to detail and beautifully formed tubes and bits will make this bike very popular with the 29er set and will convert a few fence sitters as well. I think beagledadi is sold on it. I’ll let him chime in with his impressions.

The Avid Elixer brakes on this bike were one of only two brake setups that I even noticed during the whole show. That’s a good thing. Most had XT or Avid Juicy and they all felt fine. No complaints. The Elixer’s I noticed because they felt particularly nice and the Hayes Stroker on the Lenz because the lever reach was bit long (I forgot I could adjust them) and the play portion of the stroke felt a bit sticky.

Still no sign of the WFO at the dirt demo. Did they show it at the Indoor demo?

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