So surprised this channel isn't at 100k+ subs yet. What a great job you do, Clint! Thanks for all of the great content. Hope to see more XC race-related videos in the future.
Hey Clint, I just completed a 900 mile, 11 day tour of Quebec and Maine on my Niner RLT Steel, which I packed bikepacking style with sleeping bag on the handlebars, frame pack, and large seat pack. I also wore a small backpack to accommodate a few bulky but light items, such as sneakers. The bike is, as you say, ideal for loading up and going on long tours -- well, long by my standards anyway. The long wheelbase and forgiving steel frame was comfortable for all day riding, and did well with some added weight on it. The tour included some gravel riding, as well as plenty of riding on rough/decaying shoulders. As it was mostly paved, I used 28mm tubeless tires, which worked fine on Quebec's bike paths of finely crushed gravel. Thanks for recommending this bike to me a couple years back. I'm glad I finally got to take the tour I had in mind when I built it.
Thanks and greetings from Brazil, the gravel RDO Niner, came in here, That's why I came to your videos. Based on your opinion, It will probably be my next bike.
Nice video with explanations. A few weeks ago I only knew of two types of bikes, a road bike and a mountain bike. This gives me ideas in case I want to branch out later. Thanks for these informative videos. Looking forward to the next VLOG.
I have been following your reviews on this bike for quite a while. I just sold my road bike with the intention of replacing it with the RLT RDO. Looks like today is the day. On the fence on the 3 star vs 4 star.
Either one will be fine. Shimano brakes tend to be less finicky. If I didn't have a cyclocross race bike that also had SRAM Road shifting I would have gone with the 4-star.
In case helpful for anyone....I bought the RLT RDO, largely due to Clint's enthusiasm. I took it on a few gravel rides, and it was really outstanding for that application. I even got 2nd place in a race in the Georgia mountains! However, just a word of warning, in case it's not obvious, this bike is made for STABILITY and going straight. It takes quite a bit of body english to get it to turn, especially at slower speeds. So, if you're like me, and you have dreams of gravel but end up riding these types of bikes mostly on tarmac (commuting, etc.), I'd suggest getting something with steeper angles and snappier handling. I ended up selling my RLT frame and am swapping over components to a BSB. Hoping I like it better for the mostly-tarmac, sometimes-gravel duties. (Clint discusses this comparison in his CX vs. gravel videos, so I certainly don't blame him at all for my purchasing snaffus...one lives and learns!)
Great bike! My Marin Gestalt came as stock with those tyres, although smaller at 30mm. Great, but I wanted wider, more multi-use, so went with Continental contact travels. I’ll certainly be keeping hold of those Shwalbes though!
Clint, fantastic review! If I may ask, what size of the Niner RLT 9 RDO would you recommend, for a person with height of 6'1"? 59cm or 60cm? Thanks in advance. Marek
Hi, I am also 6'1" and taking a look at this bike. Curious if you ever rode one, or found a size that you liked? I test rode a 56 the other day and it was surprisingly comfortable, however I am a new-ish bike rider and am not sure what type of things I should be looking for. Curious to hear your opinions. Thanks,
Oh yess..i change the tire to 700x28 gatorskin my god bike is fast on road..now coz i upgread the hubs with sealed bearings novatec hubs bike is so smoth and fast on road and gravel
Thanks for the reviews. It's interesting to follow your thought process as you moved through the different frame types. I'm curious what pressure you use. Also, how well does 38mm handle loose river rock?
There’s not much difference in the frame. However the one that I have now has Shimano GRX which I prefer over SRAM. I had a lot of problems with the SRAM brakes.
Just out of curiosity, what does your 3 star weigh without pedals/cages/etc? New to Niner, but am considering the 2018 5 star, if weight is something they take into consideration when designing these bikes. Thanks in advance, great videos!
Clint, I can get the Niner carbon frameset 35% off. Hard to resist. The specs say it fits up to 40mm tires. That's about as big as I run, but I'd like to know if that's an absolute limit with hardly any clearance, or a healthy amount of clearance. Thanks for the advice.
I'm about to add the Warbird carbon to my bikes in the garage. I hear it's killer and looking forward to riding it. I would also love to see a comparison video too because I love this 9'er bike.
Nice bike for sure. I went 1x on the mtb and never looked back. I agree about 2x for gravel you need the range especially for road sections. I did forget about something after having not been on 2x for awhile and that is dropped chains. I did the southern cross route the other day and some of those descents are steep and go on for awhile. I dropped the chain twice on my shimano 105 setup with the 40t xt cassette and a road link on one descent. In all fairness it was a scary rough decent. What do you think about a tanpan and a xt mtb derailleur, would that help keep the chain on?
Great review as always, on the fence between a stage 3 or 4 build. Why did you go with a 3 instead of 4? Wondering if the price difference is worth it for a guy at my level which.
It's because I also have Sram on my cyclocross bike and I wanted to have the same shifting on both bikes. but Shram Road brakes are a bit more finicky than Shimano so if it weren't for that I would have gone with the four star build
Clint, I just bought it! Thanks to your reviews and Cross vs. Gravel project, Just curious - are you running a 50/34 with a 11-34 in the rear cassette?
Cezar .....hi clint I really like your channel on UA-cam I'm thinking about buying a bike to 3000dol I choose between niner 9 which you have a canyon played on ultegra you think about srsm rival and why 9 is so expensive ... I will add from earlier I rode a montain bike and I am looking bike for long trips sorry im grom Poland
Niner is a boutique brand and a smaller company that does a lot for trail advocacy. You can also call them directly for customer service. Those are some reasons why they are more expensive, so you have to decide if that's worth it for you.
Clint (and anyone else with this bike) - any experience with paint chipping off the rear dropout or the down tube? I have seen some reviews saying this bike had paint issues, but am thinking it is isolated/normal wear and tear.
Clint Gibbs thank you! I was looking at your similar 3 star build from bike bling? I have never dealt with them so I am a bit skeptical but appear to have some good reviews.
Any thoughts on Niner's status as a company going forward? Should we grab this bike now because 2019 is unclear. Specifically the quality and components you describe in this video.
My interactions with them as a company has been business as usual. I also talked to someone with some inside knowledge of the company and they're confident things will continue as normal. Let's hope, because these are awesome bikes!
Good to hear. Sometimes new people means different philosophy. I spent 16 years in Colorado. Boulder County to be exact. Enjoyed Niner's growth in popularity. Wish them the Best.
Yes, indeed my son, thine pedals are a sacred piece of equipment to be held in the highest regard. One should never take thine name of thine pedal in vain, less that man face the wrath of the gravel goddess, Gravphrodite. Do not forsakeith her, my son.
It is frustrating indeed. I spent 45 minutes in a hotel room trying to center the brakes on my CX bike the night before a race. I'm going to contact SRAM about it.
Clint Gibbs I also have issues with my SRAM/Avid DB3 brakes going off centre regularly on my Hybrid. Also they are consistently the noisiest disc brakes I have on a bike. My 2 hardtails both have Shimano brakes and they are completely trouble free. I'd be interested to find out if SRAM get back to you on the issue.
I had a trek 520 that I use for several years. About 20 miles commuting each way. Great bike for carrying panniers. The 520 is one of the best touring bikes made, and probably the longest running bike and Trek's line up, but it's not built to be a gravel race bike. It won't be a stiff and fast as the Niner rlt 9 RDO.
So surprised this channel isn't at 100k+ subs yet. What a great job you do, Clint! Thanks for all of the great content. Hope to see more XC race-related videos in the future.
Hey Clint, I just completed a 900 mile, 11 day tour of Quebec and Maine on my Niner RLT Steel, which I packed bikepacking style with sleeping bag on the handlebars, frame pack, and large seat pack. I also wore a small backpack to accommodate a few bulky but light items, such as sneakers. The bike is, as you say, ideal for loading up and going on long tours -- well, long by my standards anyway. The long wheelbase and forgiving steel frame was comfortable for all day riding, and did well with some added weight on it. The tour included some gravel riding, as well as plenty of riding on rough/decaying shoulders. As it was mostly paved, I used 28mm tubeless tires, which worked fine on Quebec's bike paths of finely crushed gravel. Thanks for recommending this bike to me a couple years back. I'm glad I finally got to take the tour I had in mind when I built it.
That sounds like a great trip! Happy for you!
Thanks and greetings from Brazil, the gravel RDO Niner, came in here, That's why I came to your videos. Based on your opinion, It will probably be my next bike.
Nice video with explanations. A few weeks ago I only knew of two types of bikes, a road bike and a mountain bike. This gives me ideas in case I want to branch out later. Thanks for these informative videos. Looking forward to the next VLOG.
I have been following your reviews on this bike for quite a while. I just sold my road bike with the intention of replacing it with the RLT RDO. Looks like today is the day. On the fence on the 3 star vs 4 star.
Either one will be fine. Shimano brakes tend to be less finicky. If I didn't have a cyclocross race bike that also had SRAM Road shifting I would have gone with the 4-star.
Just ordered my 4 star thanks a lot impart to your reviews. Thanks!!
Picked up my 4 Star build on Friday. Love this bike!
In case helpful for anyone....I bought the RLT RDO, largely due to Clint's enthusiasm. I took it on a few gravel rides, and it was really outstanding for that application. I even got 2nd place in a race in the Georgia mountains! However, just a word of warning, in case it's not obvious, this bike is made for STABILITY and going straight. It takes quite a bit of body english to get it to turn, especially at slower speeds. So, if you're like me, and you have dreams of gravel but end up riding these types of bikes mostly on tarmac (commuting, etc.), I'd suggest getting something with steeper angles and snappier handling. I ended up selling my RLT frame and am swapping over components to a BSB. Hoping I like it better for the mostly-tarmac, sometimes-gravel duties.
(Clint discusses this comparison in his CX vs. gravel videos, so I certainly don't blame him at all for my purchasing snaffus...one lives and learns!)
Afrer over a year Trek 520 2018 model totally fully recomemded to all cyclist out there...all weather riding of trek 520 2018 its fun and comfy
Great bike! My Marin Gestalt came as stock with those tyres, although smaller at 30mm. Great, but I wanted wider, more multi-use, so went with Continental contact travels. I’ll certainly be keeping hold of those Shwalbes though!
Why did you cover up the "Damn" on the top tube?
Excellent review!
I do feel that 1x drivechains on gravel and road bikes is a case of fashion over function
Please explain.
Why do you say that? Please do explain.
Clint hope to see you this weekend at santos for the fat tire festival
Wish you could get a Ritchey outback steel and do a review.
Clint, fantastic review! If I may ask, what size of the Niner RLT 9 RDO would you recommend, for a person with height of 6'1"? 59cm or 60cm? Thanks in advance. Marek
Hi, I am also 6'1" and taking a look at this bike. Curious if you ever rode one, or found a size that you liked? I test rode a 56 the other day and it was surprisingly comfortable, however I am a new-ish bike rider and am not sure what type of things I should be looking for. Curious to hear your opinions. Thanks,
Oh yess..i change the tire to 700x28 gatorskin my god bike is fast on road..now coz i upgread the hubs with sealed bearings novatec hubs bike is so smoth and fast on road and gravel
I agree with the 2x drive, especially in my area near the Appy mtns.
That goes for the Seattle area too.
Thanks for the reviews. It's interesting to follow your thought process as you moved through the different frame types. I'm curious what pressure you use. Also, how well does 38mm handle loose river rock?
Hey Clint, great video and I realize this is an older review. Curious if you like this bike or the newer model better and why?
There’s not much difference in the frame. However the one that I have now has Shimano GRX which I prefer over SRAM. I had a lot of problems with the SRAM brakes.
Really helpful channel.
Just out of curiosity, what does your 3 star weigh without pedals/cages/etc? New to Niner, but am considering the 2018 5 star, if weight is something they take into consideration when designing these bikes. Thanks in advance, great videos!
Clint, I can get the Niner carbon frameset 35% off. Hard to resist. The specs say it fits up to 40mm tires. That's about as big as I run, but I'd like to know if that's an absolute limit with hardly any clearance, or a healthy amount of clearance. Thanks for the advice.
I still have some space with 40c so you could probably go just a hair bigger.
Nice Video!! Can you compare the RLT9 RDO to the Salsa warbird and others in the salsa lineup?
I'm about to add the Warbird carbon to my bikes in the garage. I hear it's killer and looking forward to riding it.
I would also love to see a comparison video too because I love this 9'er bike.
Nice bike for sure. I went 1x on the mtb and never looked back. I agree about 2x for gravel you need the range especially for road sections. I did forget about something after having not been on 2x for awhile and that is dropped chains. I did the southern cross route the other day and some of those descents are steep and go on for awhile. I dropped the chain twice on my shimano 105 setup with the 40t xt cassette and a road link on one descent. In all fairness it was a scary rough decent. What do you think about a tanpan and a xt mtb derailleur, would that help keep the chain on?
I would get something like an MRP chain guide
How do you think this would compare to the ibis gravel bike
Great review as always, on the fence between a stage 3 or 4 build. Why did you go with a 3 instead of 4? Wondering if the price difference is worth it for a guy at my level which.
It's because I also have Sram on my cyclocross bike and I wanted to have the same shifting on both bikes. but Shram Road brakes are a bit more finicky than Shimano so if it weren't for that I would have gone with the four star build
Would say the RDO has more comfort and speed than the Steel or Aluminium versions?
Clint, I just bought it! Thanks to your reviews and Cross vs. Gravel project, Just curious - are you running a 50/34 with a 11-34 in the rear cassette?
Nice! 50/34 with 11-32. Enjoy the bike!
Why did you cover up the word Damn on your bike?
Cezar .....hi clint I really like your channel on UA-cam I'm thinking about buying a bike to 3000dol I choose between niner 9 which you have a canyon played on ultegra you think about srsm rival and why 9 is so expensive ... I will add from earlier I rode a montain bike and I am looking bike for long trips sorry im grom Poland
Niner is a boutique brand and a smaller company that does a lot for trail advocacy. You can also call them directly for customer service. Those are some reasons why they are more expensive, so you have to decide if that's worth it for you.
Clint, what size frame are you? I'm 5'9" and am between size and would like your opinion on which size to purchase. Thanks!
I am about your height and the medium fits me very well.
Excellent review Clint! What size is the bike? I am 5 ft 9 and I believe you've said you're the same or almost the same height.
Medium
Thx. I assume that's a 53? Sizing on the website is not small, med, large.
YellowEpic Correct, I was thinking about giant. Sorry about that.
Clint (and anyone else with this bike) - any experience with paint chipping off the rear dropout or the down tube? I have seen some reviews saying this bike had paint issues, but am thinking it is isolated/normal wear and tear.
I've had no issues with paint wear so far. I don't think I would personally try to touch up paint on carbon
Clint Gibbs decided, I’m buying one! Thanks Clint!
Clint, I just bought it! Just curious - are you running a 50/34 with a 11-34 in the rear cassette?
Clint I was thinking of picking up an RLT 9 carbon. At 5’6” would you recommend a 50 or 53cm. I am assuming you had this bike in a 53.
50 most likely. Yes, I had a 53. I'm a little over 5'8"
Clint Gibbs thank you! I was looking at your similar 3 star build from bike bling? I have never dealt with them so I am a bit skeptical but appear to have some good reviews.
Any thoughts on Niner's status as a company going forward? Should we grab this bike now because 2019 is unclear. Specifically the quality and components you describe in this video.
My interactions with them as a company has been business as usual. I also talked to someone with some inside knowledge of the company and they're confident things will continue as normal. Let's hope, because these are awesome bikes!
Good to hear. Sometimes new people means different philosophy. I spent 16 years in Colorado. Boulder County to be exact. Enjoyed Niner's growth in popularity. Wish them the Best.
Back in 2014 what trance did you hand was it the trance 2
2014 Trance 27.5 1
how did you get it when you cant get them in the us?
They were available in the U.S.
Why did you cover the slogan? I'm curious
He's a christian and recognises that using profanity on his bike is unnecessary and also sets a bad example. Kudos Clint
Yes, indeed my son, thine pedals are a sacred piece of equipment to be held in the highest regard. One should never take thine name of thine pedal in vain, less that man face the wrath of the gravel goddess, Gravphrodite. Do not forsakeith her, my son.
Nice bike. A second for SRAM brakes going out of center. Frustrating.
It is frustrating indeed. I spent 45 minutes in a hotel room trying to center the brakes on my CX bike the night before a race. I'm going to contact SRAM about it.
Clint Gibbs I also have issues with my SRAM/Avid DB3 brakes going off centre regularly on my Hybrid. Also they are consistently the noisiest disc brakes I have on a bike.
My 2 hardtails both have Shimano brakes and they are completely trouble free. I'd be interested to find out if SRAM get back to you on the issue.
I don't use anything other than TRP Spyres for that reason.
Carbon frame? Thanks
Yes
DAMN tape!!
Thats nothing for my 2018 trek 520
Chickens bike you have...2018 TREK 520 THE BEST GRAVEL BIKE
I had a trek 520 that I use for several years. About 20 miles commuting each way. Great bike for carrying panniers. The 520 is one of the best touring bikes made, and probably the longest running bike and Trek's line up, but it's not built to be a gravel race bike. It won't be a stiff and fast as the Niner rlt 9 RDO.