Niner

JET 9 RDO 29 1-Star NX Complete Mountain Bike - 2018

Niner took what we knew of the original Jet 9 and completely redesigned it sufficiently enough that it went from a cross country race bike to a way more capable trail machine. The JET 9 RDO 29 1-Star NX Complete Mountain Bike not only added more travel but modernized the geometry for composed descending at speed and all-day pedaling on more aggressive trails. The reach is longer, the seattube is steeper, and the headtube is slacker. Those changes make the bike more fun to ride in almost every situation. Whether its technical climbs, chunky descents, or flowing in fast, buff singletrack, the Jet 9 RDO handles it all in stride. This particular build receives SRAM's value packed NX group, KS Lev dropper post, and FOX suspension.

Boost rear spacing was instrumental in allowing Niner to alter the geometry and align it with numbers seen on modern trail bikes. Chainstays got wider for clearance and saw 21mm hacked from them so the handling is quick and tight trails are a breeze. The steeper seat tube angle also contributes to the quick handling and helps the pedaling in steep terrain. Your position is now more on top of the pedals putting you in a better attack position and the KS dropper post gets the saddle out of the way making the bike easy to rally on the way down.

The updated headtube angle sees a 6 as a starting number for the first time on a Jet at 67.5-degrees. This hits the sweet spot of high speed stability and keeps it agile enough that the bike doesn't have to be ridden wide open all the time for it to feel alive. The increased reach and short stem increases the bikes responsiveness without losing weight on the front wheel so you don't lose traction in the turns. The Jet 9 continues the nimble handling mantra of Niner's acclaimed geometry while now able to tackle a whole new breed of trails, or your older ones at a higher rate of speed.

Thankfully, Niner's Race Day Optimized (RDO) construction process remains unchanged. This is a great, as Niner's carbon production methods press out any excess resin and compacts the fibers to uniform wall thicknesses. Niner can precisely control where material is and isn't, letting the engineers manipulate the frame to reduce weight where it's not needed and ensuring that stiffness and durability is abundant at key areas of stress.

The CVA suspension platform is also virtually unchanged. CVA is designed specifically for big wheels and the leverage and kinematics are engineered to interact perfectly with the angle of attack that the big wheels see. The CVA design has amazing anti-squat properties so the compression tune can be backed off from the shock allowing it to better react to the terrain. CVA's lower linkage sits below the bottom bracket and the patented design minimizes pedaling bob, kickback, and remains fully active under braking.

A BSA threaded bottom bracket is certainly a highlight we will always point out. PressFit shells might be lighter but threading means bearing cups install perfectly, bearings last longer and creaks, and pops are virtually eliminated. Titanium plates protect carbon where a chain might drop or jam. The frame also includes an integrated battery storage should you choose to run Di2 later, and the frame clearance allows 29er tires up to 2.4in and 27.5 tires up to 3in.