Niner

RLT 9 RDO 650b 3-Star Rival 1 Gravel Bike

Niner's RLT 9 RDO 650b 3-Star Rival 1 Gravel Bike hits the mark at balancing the prowess and speed of a road bike with the off-road capabilities of a gravel bike. It's equipped to smooth out rough terrain with ease, but it's got enough oomph to keep up with the rest of your riding crew. The RLT 9 RDO 650b 3-Star Rival 1 Gravel Bike is a sturdy ride that can handle it all, and it can be everything from a daily canyon rider to an adventure rig that keeps you pedaling for hundreds of miles. If it's good enough for the team of off-road riders at Fort Collins, Colorado-based Niner, it's good enough for us.

Niner equipped the RLT 9 RDO 650b 3-Star Rival 1 Gravel Bike with smaller, DT Swiss G 1800 spline 25 650b wheels with Schwalbe tires that improve smooth rolling over choppy terrain, along with stiffness and speed. The brand employs SRAM's Rival 1 series for nimble maneuvering through quick descents and unstable surfaces, along with reliable stopping power that's predictably strong. Speaking of strong, the bike's optimized carbon fiber construction is light and stiff with bump-absorbing compliance that makes for a forgiving ride. The RLT 9 RDO's carbon fork improves compliance over rough surfaces in turn, keeping a smooth ride in check.

We tend to work for our vistas here in Utah, and that means we're exploring dirt roads and canyon winders to get where we need to be. Whether it's off-road riding or pushing it on the pavement, we can't help but be inspired by the smooth rolling from the RLT 9 RDO. The bike's longer chainstay, lower bottom bracket height, and slacker head tube means we'll be seeing a more comfortable ride no matter where we're headed. The bike also includes 26 mounting points for going the distance.