KonaRider125

Just released today, Niners new carbon gravel bike!!

RLT 9 RDO


This thing looks next level, what you guys think?

birru

It reminds me a lot of my Jamis Renegade, but maybe a little more responsive and with a cooler paint job. Practical carbon. I like it.

mstateglfr 

$2300 for a frameset? $3000-9000 for the bike?

That website asked why I ride gravel. I think I ride gravel to simplify, to explore, and for quiet. I would constantly think about the frame when in use or in transit. Not for me as I can(and do) what I want on gravel for half the cost of the frameset alone.
Nice looking, but it had better be for that price.

limited to 40mm tires, weak.
pf bb...meh.

The fork's mounting locations is creative, so thats a plus.

af2nr

It looks interesting. I'm now guessing they produced more BSB's this year to try and get more people on it in the gravel, and have since significantly dropped the price on them, multiple times. If the geometry isn't too much for someone it appears to be a better deal than the RLT, at the current prices at anyway.

KonaRider125

I've had a aluminum RLT 9 for about 6 months now, and its a awesome bike. The geometry is dialed in and the ride is quite comfortable, I am curios how much better the carbon model is going to be.

Price wise, the new RLT is competitive with other performance carbon cross/gravel bikes like the Santa Cruz Stigmata and Pivot Vault.

Marcus_Ti

Yea...40mm tires is a big downer.

And the $9000 build starts reasonable- but just goes off the rails to silly spec to spend as much money as possible. Who wants/needs $3000USD ENVE deep-section carbon wheels on gravel/offroad? Could drop the price 30% right there on that item. I only looked at it in detail because I was looking for a Di2 build.

Even then $2300 for frameset along is high. Smaller builders have much more capable framesets for not much more. For that much money they could at least hide the brake lines.

shoota 

Agreed, crazy expensive. There have to be better options out there. $5000 for any Ultegra carbon bike is pushing it. That is not an expensive groupset.

50voltphantom

The dual cage mounts on fork get a huge thumbs-up from me. Carrying enough water on 60+mile rides in the county is a challenge when it's hot. They could've gone for more tire clearance but I make do on 33's just fine. I'd ride it.

FlashBazbo

It's lighter than the aluminum RLT (good), it's shorter with more compact geometry (not so good in serious gravel) and it offers a lot less tire clearance (again, not so good in serious gravel / mud). I will stick with my Lynskey custom -- based on the geometry of the aluminum RLT9. I think the aluminum bike's geometry is just about perfect for any kind of gravel.

But, if your variety of gravel means riding at high speeds on smooth, manicured gravel roads, I can see the appeal of the carbon RLT9. I think this would be the PERFECT bike for a lot of the flat plains country -- it's a road bike for dirt/gravel roads! If you're doing rock gardens, deep stream crossings, and other semi-MTB style gravel, I don't think this is the bike you want.

athrowawaynic

I'm guessing they wanted an offering to compete with the likes of Open U.P., as well as any number of other carbon gravel bikes.

Love my aluminum RLT. Hear great things about the steel RLT. But definitely wondered why there wasn't a carbon version.

Garfield Cat

Price is high. But there are buyers just like road bike prices.

kuroba

It'd make me nervous to ride such an expensive (and carbon!) bike the way I ride gravel roads. It looks very sweet, I'll give them that (:

absoludicrous

I have noticed the groupset pairing on Niner bikes doesn't equate. And $3,000 for the 2-star with Apex—no way. That should be at least Rival, if not Force.

shoota 

Couldn't agree more.

Marcus_Ti

Well the frameset is a $2300usd frameset. So they basically are saying the wheels/bars/post/transmission is only worth $700USD in the bottom build.

Meanwhile the 5-star build...$2300 frameset, $1800USD Di2 hydraulic transmission (consumer price), $3000USD in ENVE wheels....leaves $1700USD unaccounted for.

KonaRider125

Anyone buy this bike yet or have a chance to test ride? I'd be very interested to hear how the ride quality compares to the aluminum RLT.

TimothyH

I'm thinking of buying the RLT carbon frame and doing my own Di2 build. Trying to figure out if I'm a 53 or 56. Calling all over the Southeast and there are none to be seen.

Also considering a Ridley X-Trail Carbon Ultegra but the only X-Trail carbon available anywhere are through Performance. Even these are not in stock anywhere and the website has a different "Performance exclusive" build with lower end components.

Lots of smooth double track and groomed gravel here in North Georgia.

-Tim-

Ben I.

I have an X-Trail in a Large which I think is a 56. I'm 6' 2" and it fits me great. Love the ride, comfort but still fast. Even though it comes with Challenge Gravel Grinder 38mm tires, I noticed that there isn't much clearance so since I decided to go tubeless, I decided to go a little smaller with the tires as well. Other than that very minor annoyance, I love the bike and have around 3k miles on it already.

TimothyH

Which model do you have? Alloy or Carbon?

What is the build and how much does it weigh?

tangerineowl

There's a nice 1x secondhand alu 56 build over on PacelineForum at the moment, going for $1750 with free shipping.
Just putting that out there.

Ben I.

I got it from Performance and they called it the CR1. It was full carbon but have never actually weighed it so I can't help you there but I'd say in the low 20s.

Admittedly, the build was a little wonky but I haven't changed much because it works fine for me. Depends a lot on where you get it and which build but mine was as follows:

-4za aluminum bars, stem, and seatpost
-entry level compact crankset (Shimano RS500 non-series crankset) which I've actually replaced for an identical
one, but in 46/36 because I like the gearing better for gravel and the like.
-105 front derailleur
-Ultegra rear derailleur
-not sure what the shifters are offically called
-RS505 disc brakes which have been good so far
-SRAM Centerline 160mm front/ 140mm rear rotors which I have replaced with Shimano IceTec rotors
-DT Swiss 24db Spline wheels with Centerlock hubs, I switched to a custom wheelbuild. The stock ones were great but I like having an extra wheelset and if I'm getting an extra, might as well upgrade, so the stock ones are now my back up set.
-15 x 100 thru axle front, 12 x 142 thru axle rear, really like having TA's since as a friend pointed out, makes the disc brakes line up correctly every time.

As it came, still a very good bike and love riding it. Great for long rides, have a frame bag on mine most of the time for extra storage on long rides.

Just let me know if you need anymore info Tim!

-Ben

TimothyH

Thanks.

I'm budgeting for an Ultegra level bike, Di2 if I can swing it.

biggus duckus

Nice looking bike but I would definitely crash and chip it almost immediately.

TimothyH

So does anyone actually own one of these?

I'm seriously considering buying one of these and going to look at the one owned by the Niner rep, built up with Ultegra Di2 and hydro. I want to lay eyes and hands on it before I put down this kind of money.

Would really appreciate feedback from anyone who has seen or touched one, or if there happens to be an actual owner out there.


-Tim-

Seattle Forrest

That's why I bought mine.