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| RLT 9 and RLT 9 Steel: SEEK THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED
As our daily lives grow increasingly hectic, more and more people are looking for adventure outside the beltway, and the RLT is all about taking a broader approach to road riding and seeking the Road Less Traveled.
The RLT 9 blurs the distinctions between road and off-road riding, finding its niche instead in the undefined world of the all-rounder. With a low bottom bracket it hugs the ground like a road bike, but with disc brakes, a longer wheelbase and clearance for bigger tires, it confidently goes where others cannot.
If what you seek is an all terrain road bike that pairs the wonder of exploration with the responsive ride of a race bike, then the RLT 9 is your match. The light yet robust aluminum alloy tubing provides the ideal platform to turn power into speed. It will never shy away from the race day challenges of a gravel grinder or an occasional cyclocross crusade, and will deliver you across the line with the spirited ride of a winning thoroughbred.
While other frame materials fall in and out of favor, steel stands the test of time. The classic comfort and traditional mystique of steel begs for the romance of the road, and the new road is the old road, a dusty unmaintained byway that time forgot. The RLT 9 Steel is equipped to savor this experience, easily mounting panniers and racks for camping while taking direction only from your lust for adventure. It seeks the purity that once was cycling and asks only that you stay your own course. The RLT 9 Steel will follow your lead.
Whichever you may choose to suit your own sense of adventure, the RLT 9 will steadfastly support you in all your endeavors. Inspired by the notion that not all who wander are lost, and built to travel wherever your whim might take you, the RLT sets no boundaries. Instead, it asks you to find your Road Less Traveled.
DESIGN Designed with durability and comfort in mind, the RLT's frame is built with specific tube shapes and features. By hydroforming the tubes, we can create shapes that encourage compliance in one plane while maintaining stiffness in another. A forged proprietary through axle dropout enhances pedaling efficiency and handling while also providing exacting disc alignment to the chainstay, post mounted brake caliper. The seat tube is sized for a 27.2mm seatpost, to further take the edge off rough road feedback, especially when used with our ultra-compliant RDO Seatpost.
NINER CARBON FORK The RLT of course makes use of our world-renowned carbon forks. Built to stand up to the abuses of offroad riding, the RLT fork is likewise equipped for through axle use for the ultimate in steering precision, but it's carbon layup is refined to quiet the high frequency chatter more likely encountered by the rough road and unpaved rider.
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SOUTHEAST NINERD WEEKEND IN THE WOODS By: Bonnie Brubeck
The first weekend in August, a group of Niner Ambassadors, friends and a few special guests descended on Mulberry Gap Mountain Bike Getaway in Ellijay, GA for some good fun, riding and shenanigans. We think of our Ambassadors as the Niner extended family, so what better way to get everyone together for the first annual southeast family reunion! The Pinhoti Trail System did not disappoint, and southeast rep Mike Stanley was there with bikes galore (has everyone tried the WFO 9 yet?) and a few cold beverages for all. The wonderful thing about Mulberry Gap is the communal, home cooked, plentiful meals they provide. With folks arriving at different times on Friday evening, everyone settled into their cabins or campsites anticipating great rides in the morning. Breakfast and coffee were the first order of business on Saturday, and then everyone gathered for a special thank you and welcome by company president Chris Sugai, who flew in to ride with the Niner Southeast family for the weekend! Our first Saturday ride found us pedaling up a long gravel climb which offered some amazing views at the summit, followed by rippin' fast, singletrack downhills and whoops of laughter as we all gathered again at the bottom. As the singletrack pitched back up, we kept a chattable pace, enjoying the perfect weather and each other's company as we crested the mountain again and shredded down the other side. After a late lunch back at camp, several riders went out for more, or took advantage of the demo truck and tried a new ride for part two. Some stayed around and had a cold beverage, enjoying the scenery and playing with the kids. Mountain bikers are a special community. We all made new friends that day on the trail, and come dinnertime it was like we had known each other for years. By Sunday morning we may not have known the details (or even the title) of each person's job, but we sure had debated the advantages of Strava, the adventures of bikepacking and the personality of the trails within our own states. Over homemade peach cobbler and ice cream we suggested future adventures and opportunities to ride together in our respective home states. We laughed a lot. Invitations were made. Come morning we were sad to go, even though many of us snuck out for a ride before the real world pulled us back toward home. Sweet singletrack, great food, new and old friends sharing experiences that will connect us again in the (hopefully) near future. Niner Ambassador Weekend Southwest was a summer camp success! This is what it is all about. |
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In 2007, Cycles Unlimited broke the mold in Springfield, Missouri by choosing to pursue a LEED Gold certification for their shop. In case you're not familiar, LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and it means the building is optimized for "green-ness," as manager Jason Feagans puts it. A gold certification isn't easy to get. "Basically, we collect rainwater to use as grey water, we use a lot of natural lighting, we've got corked floors, solar-powered parking lot lights, impervious concrete... our lawn is native buffalo grass," says Jason. Even the distance the building materials had to travel was considered. If this sounds meticulous, you're right- especially because at the time it was unprecedented in Springfield, not a town known especially for environmental consciousness. But since the bike shop went green, the whole street has followed suit, with other businesses pursuing LEED's certifications and community initiatives, like the farmers market. "We've become kind of the row for all that" says Jason. Cycles Unlimited is a community leader in other ways as well, supporting local events and trail building on the land just south of town. The trails in Springfield are rocky. Some, like the ones featured at this month's Single Track Mind Festival, are flowy and machine-built. Others, like the ones that Jason and Cycles Unlimited worked on, are a little more twisty and winding. Jason describes the terrain as similar to the east coast, "but more rocky than rooty." Perfect testing grounds for the Niner fleet. The shop prides itself on superior service and educational initiatives, including trail beta, buyers guides and professional bike fits. They're also a true independent bike dealer, which means they get to choose exactly what they carry. You'll find a little of everything, but Jason says it's all the best of the best. To read more Cycles Unlimited, look for them in Mountain Flyer Magazine's next issue, or just swing by the shop and test out a bike! |
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The best way to learn about any new bike is to ride it. That's why we have scheduled a whole series of events where you can go Demo a Niner. Click HERE for a full listing of the most recent dates and locations, and check back often to ensure event details haven't changed. |
 | | Niner Demo Tour Partner - Schwalbe |
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 | | Niner Demo Tour Partner - SRAM |
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| Niner employees are passionate riders who believe that time spent on the trails with friends is as important as time spent in the office. Scraped knees, riding tales, and camp fire smell in our jackets remind us of our primary goal - building beautiful, dependable bikes that you will enjoy as much as we do. Thank you, from the Niner Bikes Crew!
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If what you seek is an all terrain road bike that pairs the wonder of exploration with the responsive ride of a race bike, then the RLT 9 is your match. The light yet robust aluminum alloy tubing provides the ideal platform to turn power into speed. It will never shy away from the race day challenges of a gravel grinder or an occasional cyclocross crusade, and will deliver you across the line with the spirited ride of a winning thoroughbred.
While other frame materials fall in and out of favor, steel stands the test of time. The classic comfort and traditional mystique of steel begs for the romance of the road, and the new road is the old road, a dusty unmaintained byway that time forgot. The RLT 9 Steel is equipped to savor this experience, easily mounting panniers and racks for camping while taking direction only from your lust for adventure. It seeks the purity that once was cycling and asks only that you stay your own course. The RLT 9 Steel will follow your lead.Whichever you may choose to suit your own sense of adventure, the RLT 9 will steadfastly support you in all your endeavors. Inspired by the notion that not all who wander are lost, and built to travel wherever your whim might take you, the RLT sets no boundaries. Instead, it asks you to find your Road Less Traveled.
DESIGNDesigned with durability and comfort in mind, the RLT's frame is built with specific tube shapes and features. By hydroforming the tubes, we can create shapes that encourage compliance in one plane while maintaining stiffness in another. A forged proprietary through axle dropout enhances pedaling efficiency and handling while also providing exacting disc alignment to the chainstay, post mounted brake caliper. The seat tube is sized for a 27.2mm seatpost, to further take the edge off rough road feedback, especially when used with our ultra-compliant RDO Seatpost.
NINER CARBON FORKThe RLT of course makes use of our world-renowned carbon forks. Built to stand up to the abuses of offroad riding, the RLT fork is likewise equipped for through axle use for the ultimate in steering precision, but it's carbon layup is refined to quiet the high frequency chatter more likely encountered by the rough road and unpaved rider.
As the singletrack pitched back up, we kept a chattable pace, enjoying the perfect weather and each other's company as we crested the mountain again and shredded down the other side. After a late lunch back at camp, several riders went out for more, or took advantage of the demo truck and tried a new ride for part two. Some stayed around and had a cold beverage, enjoying the scenery and playing with the kids.Mountain bikers are a special community. We all made new friends that day on the trail, and come dinnertime it was like we had known each other for years. By Sunday morning we may not have known the details (or even the title) of each person's job, but we sure had debated the advantages of Strava, the adventures of bikepacking and the personality of the trails within our own states. Over homemade peach cobbler and ice cream we suggested future adventures and opportunities to ride together in our respective home states. We laughed a lot. Invitations were made.Come morning we were sad to go, even though many of us snuck out for a ride before the real world pulled us back toward home. Sweet singletrack, great food, new and old friends sharing experiences that will connect us again in the (hopefully) near future. Niner Ambassador Weekend Southwest was a summer camp success! This is what it is all about.
