Niner Jet 9 RDO Mountain Bike Frame 2017

Niner's engineers have been busy, going back to the drawing board and revamping almost every frameset for 2017. It was worth the effort though, and the 2017 Niner Jet 9 RDO Mountain Bike Frame is back with a massive facelift, 20 additional millimeters of Continuously Varying Arc CVA travel, compatibility with both 29er and 27. 5 wheels, and even more versatility than its predecessor. It's slacker up front, steeper out back, longer across the top, and flat out better at all the things that made us love the original Jet 9. As with most bikes in the current trail generation, the key element underwriting the new Jet 9's versatile geometry is its Boost rear axle. Bumping the spacing up to 148mm lets Niner chop 21mm off of chainstays by slamming the rear wheel up into the seat tube. The seat tube contributes to that versatility, too. Despite the fact that the 2017 Jet 9 comes with a recommended front travel pairing of 130mm for 29in wheels and 140mm with 27. 5, it's got a similar seat tube angle as the 2016 Jet 9 with a 100mm fork. Adding that much travel up front would typically force you out of the bike's center however, the new Jet 9's geometry keeps you on top of the pedals for stable handling and efficient power transfer. The bike's updates shine at the front end, too. In 2016, the Jet 9 was limited to a 71 or 70. 5 degree head tube, depending on whether you were running a 100 or 110mm fork. For 2017 it drops to 67. 5 degrees when paired with a 130mm fork and 29in wheels and down to 67 degrees with a 140mm fork and 27. 5 wheels. This puts the Jet 9 right on the cusp of moderate stability and enduro abandon. When paired with the new iteration's longer reach and shorter stem, that angle means the bike can ride roughshod across all manner of trail furniture without sacrificing responsive steering. Despite the geometry changes, Niner's Race Day Optimized RDO construction process remains relatively unchanged. This is a good thing, as Niner's compaction metho...