Niner RKT 9 RDO Frameset: On the race course or on the trail, this RKT is ready to launch. We made our original RKT 9 more versatile with a stout 120mm suspension fork and slightly slacker geometry. Hammer the race course or hit the trails with a pedal friendly bike that’s not afraid to get rowdy going down. With 90mm of efficient CVA rear suspension, you’ll be quickest to the top of the climbs, yet pay no penalty going down.
The RKT 9 RDO is intended to do one thing very well fly. All stops were pulled to create the most efficient full suspension race-worthy short travel sled. The frame is constructed using our RDO Carbon Compaction technology, which utilizes highly resilient fibers to provide front and rear triangles that are incredibly lightweight and durable. Punish it on daylong epics and be amazed it will keep coming back for more despite its featherweight feel.
Designed around racing performance, the RKT achieves the lowest standover height of any bike in our line up. This low standover height allows the bike to be leaned further to tackle tight corners and switchbacks, and delivers a truly nimble, race-ready ride.
The original, amplifiedNiner’s legendary RKT 9 RDO is famous for light weight, efficient pedaling and quick handling. It’s been proven since inception on race courses around the world. Riders rave about lightning-quick responsiveness, instant acceleration, and supple suspension.
Yet for many riders, a race is simply a great reason to get out for a long weekend, ride some trails, and mingle with friends after the event. You could say it’s a party up front and business out back.
With that in mind, we’re building our race-ready RKT 9 RDO bikes with premium 120mm suspension forks. This RKT is fast enough to mix up the lead group in a marathon, yet fun enough for an all-day epic on the day after. Thanks to a stiffer front fork, longer travel, and slacker geometry, you can confidently attack the course both uphill and downhill.
CVA suspensionNiner’s Constantly Varying Arc, or CVA™, suspension design is a short dual-link, four-bar system unique to Niner, developed in house and patented. It’s built to be supple yet stable, controlling unwanted suspension movement with calibrated anti-squat, yet remaining active while climbing and descending.
With 90mm of tuned travel in the RKT 9 RDO, it’s sensitive to small bumps in the early stroke yet supportive in the mid-stroke, which gives riders a platform for pumping and popping off terrain. Going down, it’s consistent and controlled. With no need for heavy compression damping to control unwanted movement, CVA shocks are tuned for consistent, confidence-inspiring behavior on descents.
Stiffness, efficiency, light weight, and durability are all critical. That’s why we use Enduro Max Black Oxide pivot bearings, rigid, machined aluminum linkages, and high end fasteners to hold it all together. If you’re going to bother pedaling a full-suspension bike, you’d best make sure it’s made to work right, all the time.
RDO carbon fiberAny race bike worth its weight these days is made from carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is common, but care, quality and attention to detail are not. In our quest to make the best bikes, we’re not cutting any corners. Niner Race Day Optimized carbon fiber is a cut above.
We start with the best grades of raw carbon layered precisely according to the stress points on the frame structure. In construction, our process employs rigid internal molds and results in tighter, more consistent compaction of the carbon fabric.
The result? Increased precision in wall thickness and reduced resin pooling in the final product. Not only are Niner frames stronger, but we can also build more elaborate structures with better ride tuning, increased stiffness, outstanding durability, and less weight.
FEATURES
Our patented CVA linkage design allows for pedal forces to operate independently of rear wheel travel, providing every ounce of the rider’s hard-earned energy a clear path to the pedals, and after extensive testing, our engineers optimized the linkage and bearings to produce the lightest, stiffest version of CVA to date. No detail was overlooked.
A 73MM PF30 BB provides compatibility with the latest 1x and more conventional multiple ring drivetrain configurations and can be adapted to a threaded bottom bracket via adaptors. Frame sizes medium and larger have water bottle mounts on both the underside of the down tube and within the front triangle allowing for ample hydration during longer marathon-style endurance events. When the racing gets rough, the frame finds protection behind titanium frame plates which guard against the potential of a dropped chain, while clear protective decals add impact resistance to common rock-strike and high-abuse areas.
The RKT’s 439mm chainstay length provides the perfect balance of acceleration, climbing traction and the ability to carve up the racetrack. The RKT is the first Niner to feature Boost 148mm x 12mm rear spacing and has clearance for up to 2.4” tires. This feature allows for a wider spoke interface and an overall stiffer wheel and swingarm combo, enabling you to confidently maintain line selection in the roughest conditions.
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