Niner has just announced the brand-new JET 9 and RIP 9, which are now available with both 29″ wheels, and 27.5+ wheels. Providing the room for the new wheel size option is Boost spacing front and back.
The other big news? The suspension travel on the RIP 9 gets a big bump: rear travel is now 150mm vs 125mm previously, and the fork on the 29″ model is 160mm, with 170mm for the 27.5+. These specs are very similar to the WFO 9 already in Niner’s line up. So what’s going to happen to that bike? We’ll have to wait and see.
The suspension travel on the Jet 9 jumps up as well, to 120mm in the back, and 130mm up front with 29″ wheels, or 140mm with 27.5+ wheels. That’s very similar to what the RIP 9 RDO was previously, and the move makes sense with the recent introduction of the RKT 9.
The difference in the suspension travels of the forks, depending on the wheel size, is designed to “offset the slight difference in effective wheel diameter and to maintain the intended geometry,” according to Niner. While we’ve seen some brands spec different forks with different wheel sizes on the same model, using the fork travel length to adjust for the geo changes, and not having some sort of adjustable geometry chip in the frame, is a different approach.
The downside for the consumer? If a new JET 9 or RIP 9 owner wanted to swap between two wheel sets, in order to maintain the same geometry, they’d need to swap forks as well. That gets expensive and downright complicated. So if a prospective bike owner wants to swap between wheel sizes, they’ll either have to accept a geometry compromise one way or the other, or shell out some serious $$$$.
RIP 9 RDO
In the 160mm-travel version, the headtube angle is 67 degrees and the chainstay length is 439mm. In the 170mm-travel version, the headtube angle slackens by a half a degree, to 66.5.
Official specs from Niner:
Key Features
- All new, completely redesigned frame uses RDO Carbon Compaction to produce the ultimate lightweight, trail worthy machine
- Niner’s patented CVA suspension design delivers 150mm of plush, efficient rear travel
- Revised geometry is optimized for modern trail riding, providing confident descending, efficient climbing and a bike that is just all around fun
- Boost 148 x 12 mm rear spacing for optimum power transfer, geometry, and wheel stiffness
- Compatible with 29×2.5 tires or 27.5 plus tires up to 3.0
- Internal and external dropper post routing
- 30.9mm seat post, 400mm length recommended, 34.9mm clamp
- BSA threaded 73mm bottom bracket with ISCG 05 mounts
- Zero stack headset included
- Electronic drivetrain wiring friendly including integrated battery storage in frame
Tech Specs
- 73mm BSA threaded bb with ISCG 05 tabs
- 30.9 seat post, 400mm recommended
- Internal and external dropper post compatible
- 34.9 Seat collar
- 1.125” X 1.5” tapered zero stack headset included, 44mm upper, 56mm lower, Cane Creek description: ZS44/28.6 ZS56/40
- Boost 148 x 12mm rear spacing
- All sizes have 1 bottle mount inside front triangle
- Titanium frame guards
- Can fit up to a 29×2.5” or 27.5×3.0” tire (tire sizes vary by brand, some tires may not fit)
- SRAM/Shimano 1x Boost max chain ring clearance: 36t, 168mm Q factor
The RIP 9 will be available stock all the way up to a 5-Star Eagle X01 build at $9,800, and all the way down to a 2-star SLX build at $4,700–all with the same RDO carbon frame.
The top-tier build kit includes a Fox 36 Float Factory FIT fork, ENVE M70 29er wheels, Maxxis Minion DHR II and Ardent tires, SRAM Guide Ultimate Carbon brakes, SRAM’s 1×12 Eagle X01 drivetrain, a KS Lev Integra dropper post, and a mixed Niner/Race Face cockpit. In the plus-size version, the fork changes to a RockShox Lyrik RC Solo Air, the wheels to ENVE M60+, and the tires to Maxxis Rekon+ and Ikon+. The plus-size 5-Star build costs $300 less.
JET 9 RDO
In the 130mm-travel version, the headtube angle is 67.5 degrees and the chainstay length is 434mm. In the 170mm-travel version, the headtube angle slackens by a half a degree, to 67.
Official specs from Niner:
Key Features
- All new, completely redesigned frame uses RDO Carbon Compaction to produce the ultimate lightweight, trail worthy machine
- Niner’s patented CVA suspension design delivers 120mm of plush, efficient rear travel
- Revised geometry is optimized for modern trail riding, providing confident descending, efficient climbing and a bike that is just all around fun
- Boost 148 x 12 mm rear spacing for optimum power transfer, geometry, and wheel stiffness
- Compatible with 29×2.4 tires or 27.5 plus tires up to 3.0
- Internal and external dropper post routing
- 30.9mm seat post, 400mm length recommended, 34.9mm clamp
- BSA threaded 73mm bottom bracket with ISCG 05 mounts
- Zero stack headset included
- Electronic drivetrain wiring friendly including integrated battery storage in frame
Tech Specs
- 73mm BSA threaded bb with ISCG 05 tabs
- 30.9 seat post, 400mm recommended
- Internal and external dropper post compatible
- 34.9 Seat collar
- 1.125” X 1.5” tapered zero stack headset included, 44mm upper, 56mm lower, Cane Creek description: ZS44/28.6 ZS56/40
- Boost 148 x 12mm rear spacing
- All sizes have 1 bottle mount inside front triangle
- Titanium frame guards
- Can fit up to a 29×2.4” Or 27.5×3.0” tire (tire sizes vary by brand, some tires may not fit)
- SRAM recommended 2x Boost chain rings: 26/39t or lower
- SRAM 1x Boost max chain ring clearance: 36t, 168mm Q factor
- Shimano XT M8000 Boost recommended 2x chain rings: 28/38t or lower
- Shimano XTR M9020 Boost recommended 1x chain ring: 36 or lower
The JET 9 will be available stock all the way up to a 5-Star Eagle X01 build at $9,500, and all the way down to a 2-star SLX build at $4,800–all with the same RDO carbon frame.
The top-tier 5-Star build (29er version) comes with a Fox 34 Float Factory FIT4 fork, ENVE M60 wheels, Maxxis Ardent and Ikon tires, SRAM Guide Ultimate Carbon brakes, SRAM’s 1×12 Eagle X01 drivetrain, a KS LEV Integra dropper post, and a mixed Niner/Race Face cockpit. The 5-Star 27.5+ build gets the longer travel fork mentioned above (same model), ENVE M60+ wheels, and Maxxis Rekon+ and Ikon+ tires. For the JET 9, both the 29er and the 27.5+ builds retail for the same price.
The new RIP 9 and JET 9 will be shipping in August.
