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Niner
RKT 9 RDO 4-Star X01/RS-1 Complete Mountain Bike - 2016

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Rocket to the future.

You'd be forgiven if the parade of initialisms in the model name of Niner's RKT 9 RDO 4-Star X01/RS-1 Complete Mountain Bike summons specters of Cold War-era, retro-tech missile silos. This impression is certified when the bike is put to the test across rocky trails and terrain-laden climbs, where its tweaked geometry and featherweight kit inspire all the reckless abandon of an R-11 Scud missile. Despite the retro associations, though, the 4-Star build kit is anything but. SRAM's hard-racing, long-wearing X01 drivetrain has already proven itself among the office favorites here at Competitive, and the improved stiffness and lower weight of RockShox's futuristic, inverted RS-1 fork has already earned it a place on bikes throughout the pro ranks — a sure sign that it's the future of category race kit, too.


Though it appears much more conventional than RockShox's inverted fork, the RKT 9's frame has plenty of its own futuristic features. These manifest as geometry tweaks aimed at bridging the divide between a low-weight XC race machine and a high-confidence, line-holding trail sled. Given that Ms. Rusch, the Queen of Pain herself, summarizes the RKT 9 RDO as a dream come true, we'd say Niner hit the mark. Compared to Niner's previous XC racers, the RKT 9's longer top tube and shorter head tube make for a more aggressive rider position and a longer geometry with better line-holding capabilities across terrain skewing into the five-inch trail bike category. These adjustments are paired with Boost 110 and 148mm axles in the front and rear, respectively, for increased wheel stiffness and more rear-end clearance, allowing Niner to slam the back wheel up and reduce the chainstays to just 440mm. Stubby stays make for more agility coming through corners and more power-transferring stiffness.


The frame is built according to the specifics of Niner's RDO Carbon Compaction System (CCS). CCS uses internal molds during the curing process to ensure precise control over wall thickness and material distribution, eliminating excess grams and structural imperfections like resin pooling. For the RKT 9 RDO frame, the CCS process has been refined even further, resulting in a frame with a claimed weight as low as 4.5lb. Niner assures us that this process is being outsourced to the rest of the RDO line; but until that happens, the RKT is almost 1/2lb lighter than the current Jet 9 RDO. This is even more impressive when you beat the hell out of it on the trail and realize that the RKT 9's low weight doesn't come at the cost of structural weakness or flex.


Given that it's an XC race bike, Niner tweaked the RKT 9 RDO's CVA travel to hit the sweet spots of low-travel speed. In its initial stroke, the RKT's CVA focuses on maintaining a firm, responsive pedaling platform — a theory that translates well to the trail. Even while riding the shock open, CVA encourages speed on rocky, root-latticed climbs to the point that the RKT fires out of berms on the uphills with almost the same alacrity as it does on the downhills. Alacrity also describes the RKT's enthusiasm as roll overs and light rock gardens usher the travel into the mid stroke, which opens up a bit more to embrace trail furniture without sacrificing momentum or straying from its line. As it hits the end of its 90mm, the travel ramps up to avoid harsh bottom-outs, extending the margin of error just a bit further for when enduro ambitions start to get the better of XC restraint.


Frame Material
CCS carbon fiber
Suspension
CVA
Rear Shock
FOX Float DPS Factory
Rear Travel
90 mm
Fork
RockShox RS-1 Solo Air
Front Travel
100 mm
Headset
Cane Creek
Shifters
SRAM X01
Front Derailleur
n/a
Rear Derailleur
SRAM X01
Crankset
32 t SRAM X01
Bottom Bracket
SRAM PF30
Cassette
11 - 42 t Shimano XT M8000
Chain
SRAM PCX1
Brakeset
SRAM Guide RSC
Brake Type
hydraulic disc
Rotors
180 / 160 mm SRAM Centerline
Handlebar
Niner Flat Top RDO Carbon
Handlebar Width
710 mm
Grips
Niner Grrrips
Stem
Niner RDO Stem
Saddle
Niner Custom with Ni-Cro Ti Rails
Seatpost
Niner RDO Carbon
Seat Collar
34.9 mm
Wheelset
Niner Carbon XC
Front Axle
15 x 110mm
Rear Axle
12 x 148mm
Tires
Maxxis Ikon
Tire Size
[front] 29 x 2.35 in, [rear] 29 x 2.2 in
Pedals
not included
Recommended Use
cross country
Manufacturer Warranty
5 years on frame

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