Niner

Air 9 RDO Mountain Bike Frame - 2016

Niner's Air 9 RDO Mountain Bike Frame is Race Day Optimized. That is to say, it's the bike you ride when your only priority is speed. Leave the cargo shorts and baggy IPA jersey at home, because this here is a pain party, and only Lycra is invited. The Air 9 RDO reflects this single-minded philosophy in everything from the low-profile disc brake mount to the inclusion of a PF30 bottom bracket instead of the heavier CYA model. Even the head badge is minimized, because Niner knows that the Air 9 RDO's target audience would rather let their legs do the talking and every extra gram is just wasted breath.

For 2016, the Air 9 RDO becomes the latest member of the RDO family to enjoy the internal molding of Niner's Carbon Compaction System (CCS). CCS gives Niner complete control over the frame's birth, making for tube walls that are virtually perfect, reducing the amount of materials required, and eliminating resin build-up. The result is a claimed weight loss of 100 grams, which is an unheard of leap between model years.

The Air 9 RDO’s geometry and tube shapes, designed to dampen chatter and distribute impact forces to the stronger parts of the frame, remain largely unchanged. Chain torque goes directly to the rear wheel via the same large bottom bracket shell and shapely chainstays of previous models, but with the added benefit of the included Maxle. Niner's World Cup-tested geometry ties the bottom bracket to a tapered head tube via a large down tube to ensure the frame tracks true and responds to every input.

The Air 9 is congenial enough to pair with your preferred tapered, cross-country fork in the 100 - 120 millimeter range. It's a little bit pickier in other areas, requiring a 31.6mm seatpost and a 34.9mm front derailleur clamp, but it now accommodates Shimano's new side-swing style of the latter. It's also compatible with Di2 out of the box, and the seat and down tubes provide enough clearance for 2.4-inch tires.