Niner RIP 9 RDO 27.5+ 5-Star X01 Eagle Bike 2017: The new RIP takes its place as the king of the mountain and Niner’s most capable trail bike. A product of our [R]Evolution, the RIP renews our outlook on what a long travel trail bike can and should do. It’s the go-to for backcountry epics and big terrain when you need every arrow in the quiver.
Built with 150mm of remarkably versatile suspension on a lightweight frame, the RIP gives you all the traction, control and fun that used to be the domain of big, all mountain crushers, but without the extra pounds. Now you can enjoy more travel with less weight, and when you can have more for less?...well, you always say yes.
[R]Evolution geometry
Focusing first on the frame, the critical feature is the [R]Evolution geometry that we have tested, evaluated and carefully selected. The roomy cockpit has a comfortable reach for short stem lengths, giving you quick handling and plenty of maneuverability to go mobbing through rock gardens and barreling big berms. The steep seat angle gets you centered in the bike and pairs nicely with the short 439mm chainstay length for better pedaling efficiency than anyone deserves from a long legged trail bike. And of course the compact rear allows you to square off turns and play your way down the trail.
CVA
But what about all of that suspension? More than just the amount, dialed suspension is a must for any trail bike, and the RIP is built around our patented Constantly Varying Arc (CVA) suspension. At its core, CVA is designed to remain fully active, all the time. The system harnesses chain tension to counteract squat and bob, but unlike other short-link setups, the pair of linkages rotate in opposite directions allowing them to react independently to both pedaling and terrain inputs. What you get is a bike that both pedals great and has plush, stoke worthy suspension for amazing big bike versatility.
Even with the built in efficiency of CVA, this bike is a real ripper, serving up its 150mm of just-send-it suspension to give you a new lease on any trail. Gone are the same old obstacles. What you’ll see instead is a whole new series of fantastically fun features to hit, jump and gap for glory until you’re smiling ear to ear.
27.5” plus compatibility
We embrace change when it means bettering the performance of our bikes. Advances in technology are enabling us to take new approaches to design and engineering, and nothing has had a bigger effect over the last several years than the evolution of wheel dimensions. Having already adopted 29” plus and Boost spacing into our lineup, we’re now introducing another wheel option, 27.5” plus. Given its similar diameter to a 29” wheel with a trail tire, the 27.5” plus wheel adds another layer of versatility to this already amazingly capable trail bike.
Design Features
Designed to be a hard charger, the RIP benefits greatly from the wider Boost spacing in the rear. As most engineers will tell you, the extra millimeters at the axle gives them additional tools when it comes to building better frames. Boost allows them to keep the RIP’s chainstays short, yielding a responsive ride in spite of the healthy amount of suspension travel. But it also opens the door to building in tire clearance that could only be dreamed of previously. With loads of room for the average 29” trail tire, the RIP can also comfortably accommodate 27.5” plus tires, giving you the choice of what wheel and tire combination is right for you.
To best complement the two wheel sizes, the RIP is offered in a number of unique build configurations. The 29er versions are mated to Boost 160mm forks up front, translating to a 66.5 degree head angle and true big hit handling. To offset the slight difference in effective wheel diameter and maintain the intended geometry, the 27.5” plus forks grow to 170mm of travel giving you even more confidence when dropping into chunky trail sections.
The RIP relies on a 1X drivetrain with a few extra features to keep you rolling. Something many will welcome, the 73mm bottom bracket shell is threaded so you can easily service and swap BBs when necessary. It also comes with ISCG 05 tabs so you can mount a guide if you’re looking for an added bit of chain retention confidence. And for those wanting next-level shifting performance, the RIP is also Di2 compatible so you can route wires and enjoy a truly deluxe drivetrain.
The RIP frame itself is built using our Carbon Compaction system. To ensure proper wall thickness and minimize strength sapping voids, the carbon plies are cured under intense pressure. This forces out superfluous resin producing a remarkably resilient structure that not only matches our engineering specifications for strength, durability and weight, but also looks super clean and stealthy.
And let’s face, in spite of a load of great functions and features, sometimes it all comes down to good looks, and the RIP’s got ’em. The two available paint and carbon finish options highlight the frame’s bold lines, while the internal dropper and shifter routing keeps distracting housing out of sight. The result—the RIP is a bike you’ll be psyched to ride on the trails, show off to all your friends, and most of all, you’ll be stoked to call it your very own.
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