The elevator pitch for Niner's just released RKT 9 RDO XC 29er is not surprising. In this day where snappy handling is often valued above all else, the Fort Collins, Colorado-based maker of all things wagon wheel, says its new "Rocket 9" race rig combines the traditional attributes of a competition'centric mountain bike (light weight, superior climbing ability) with qualities typically reserved for trail and all mountain bikes (nimbleness, carv'ability).

The RKT's modest 439mm chainstay length is designed to deliver a balance of acceleration, climbing traction - and just as importantly the ability to shred. This playful character is enhanced, says Niner, by the lowest standover height of any bike in its line up, allowing riders to lean over further, making tight corners and switchbacks fast and fun, not an act of twitchy nervousness.

All these notions were dancing around my brain as I did my best to hold the wheel in front of me on a hard-charging freight train session up and down the Picture Rock Trail near Lyons, Colorado. Beneath me was tester model of Niner's then yet-to-be-released new XC racer.

Tire clearance is up to 2.4".

Tire clearance is up to 2.4" (click to enlarge).​

On the Trail

For those unfamiliar, Picture Rock is a trail that epitomizes the IMBA building ethos of following the contours of the land - and not blasting down the fall line. The climb up this out-and-back affair is middle-ring steady with a few small lifts here and there. The descent is primarily an act of frustration, with every bit of gained speed quickly scrubbed by a twist or turn. Point being the right bike for this trail is one without a ton of travel, solid climbing chops, and the ability to weave to and fro like an Olympic slalom skier. A bike like the new Niner RKT 9 RDO. With just 90mm of rear travel and no dropper post on any of the stock builds, the RKT 9 RDO will never be confused for anything other than what it is: a hard charging - and occasionally unforgiving - race bike.

The trip up Picture Rock was ruthlessly efficient, the bike's 29" wheels chewing up terrain in Kobayashi size bites. The 71-degree head angle and low 120mm headtube on my SRAM 1x11 spec'd test machine kept me locked in attack position. No more ditching the dust cap to get low. Traction front and rear was never wavering even on the occasional section of loose over hard where other bikes might break lose.

At the same time the chainstay length (which is only 9mm longer than the same sized Specialized Enduro 29er) helped the bike not feel like my grandpa's old Cadillac. In tight switchbacks the rear end snapped around without undue coaxing.

Also comforting was the knowledge that the bike benefits from the increasingly popular Boost 148 rear hub spacing. I cant say I noticed any sort of profound increase in wheel stiffness, but it was comforting to know that when it was time to descend, I could throw the bike into the occasional rock garden and have less chance coming out the other end with a plate of taco wheel salad. The wider hub spacing also opens up tire clearance to a chubby 2.4", though it's hard to imagine ever racing on something that wide.

Frame weight is claimed to be less than 5 pounds.

Frame weight is claimed to be less than 5 pounds (click to enlarge).​

Lightweight Frame

The frame itself is constructed using Niner's RDO Carbon Compaction technology, which is a fancy way of saying the bike is lightweight and durable. Niner claims that netted a sub-5-pound frame weight, a half pound lighter than the Niner Jet, former occupant of Niner's XC racer niche. (The Jet's now more of a long travel XC bike/short travel trail).

Continue to page 2 for details on suspension design and to find out how the Niner RKT 9 RDO descends »

Niner PR man Brad Cole raced the new bike at August's Breck Epic XC stage race.

Niner PR man Brad Cole raced the new bike at August's Breck Epic XC stage race (click to enlarge).​

Suspension is overseen by Niner's patented 29er-specific CVA linkage design, which it says allows for pedal forces to operate independently of rear wheel travel, the idea being energy into the pedals is MPH blasting out the back end. CVA is designed to take advantage of the increased bottom bracket drop of 29ers. Because the lower swingarm linkage is located underneath the bottom bracket, chain torque in any chainring effectively neutralizes the unwanted forces that degrade power transfer to the rear wheel, claims Niner.

Niner also claims this iteration of CVA is the best yet, thanks to its engineers optimizing the linkage and bearings to produce the lightest, stiffest version. Again it's impossible to honestly speak to any of these claims, except to say that during our limited time on the bike it went up hill just as you'd expect a lightweight, short travel full suspension bike to do - quite well.

You can also stay hydrated on this bike thanks to medium and large frame sizes that have water bottle mounts on both the underside of the down tube and within the front triangle.

The 73mm PF30 BB allows for compatibility with the full array of drivetrain configurations, and if you are anti-press fit, the bike can accept a threaded bottom bracket using adaptors. And yes, it is dropper post compatible if you choose to make the upgrade (which you should). The frame is also Di2 friendly and has a detachable front derailleur mount.

The frame is also Di2 compatible and has a detachable front derailleur mount.

The frame is also Di2 compatible and has a detachable front derailleur mount (click to enlarge).​

Time to Head Down

At the top of the climb, the Picture Rock trail levels out, darting in and out of Pine Tree groves. Here the RKT 9 RDO was really in its element, easily maintaining speed through pedaly sections, and hugging tight lines as the trail weaved its way to sprawling overlook of the South St. Vrain Canyon below. In 2013, this drainage transformed into a torrent of destruction during the tragic Boulder County flood disaster.

That ugly memory is pushed aside. It's time to retrace our tracks, this time going downhill. Quickly the limitations of this bike become apparent. Remember it's a race bike with 90mm of rear travel and a 100mm Fox 32 fork up front. Rough trail will always feel like rough trail. You cant simply slam your way through rock gardens. A more precise and deft touch is required. Fortunately all the aforementioned nimbleness comes into play again.

This is no boat of a bike. Instead, it changes direction quickly so long as its pilot is paying attention. At the bottom of the trail I admittedly feel a little beat up. My go-to bike these days has 160mm of travel and 2.4" tires. This is a whole different ball game. But if your game is going fast uphill, racing to win, and capably surviving (not thriving) in the rough stuff, Niner's new RKT 9 RDO should be on you short list of 2016 bikes to consider.

This isn't necessarily this bike's happy place, but it has enough mustard to handle the rough stuff when required.

This isn't necessarily this bike's happy place, but it has enough mustard to handle the rough stuff when required (click to enlarge).​

MSRP for frame, rear shock, seat collar, headset and maxle is $3000. Head over to page 3 for a rundown of features, build specs and complete bike pricing, plus an extended photo gallery. For more info visit www.ninerbikes.com.

Continue to page 3 for a rundown of features, build specs and complete bike pricing, plus an extended photo gallery »

Niner is sticking to its guns - 29ers only.

Niner is sticking to its guns - 29ers only (click to enlarge).​

Key Features

  • Patented CVA full-suspension design utilizing carbon compaction
  • Frame weight of 4.5 Lbs with the stiffness of Niner JET 9 RDO
  • 90mm rear travel
  • Optimized for 100mm forks
  • Custom forged 6066 alloy suspension linkage
  • Boost 148 x 12 mm rear spacing
  • Medium, large, XL have one bottle mount under down tube and one bottle mount inside triangle, S and XS have one bottle mount inside triangle
  • Can fit up to a 2.4" Tire (tire sizes vary by brand, some tires may not fit)
  • Compatible with standard 3x chain ring systems
  • Sealed cartridge suspension bearings: (8x) 26x17x5
  • Titanium frame guards

Niner RKT 9 RDO

Tech Specs

  • 73mm PF30 BB
  • Shock size: 165 x 38mm (6.5 X 1.5") - 90mm travel (3.5")
  • Shock mounting hardware: 21.84 X M8
  • Shock sag: 25% (which will move the o-ring 9.5mm down the shaft)
  • 30.9 Seat post, 370mm recommended
  • Dropper post compatible
  • 34.9 Seat collar
  • Direct mount front derailleur
  • 1.125" X 1.5" Tapered integrated (campy style) head tube, headset included, cane creek description: is 42/28.6 Is 52/40
  • SRAM recommended 2x chain rings: 26/39t or lower
  • SRAM 1x max chain ring clearance: 38t, 156/168mm q factor
  • Shimano XT recommended 2x chain rings: 28/40t or lower
  • XTR m9000 recommended 1x chain ring: 38 or lower

Niner RKT 9 RDO

Niner RKT 9 RDO

Niner RKT 9 RDO