Hello Cyclingtips readers, It's far from typical for us at Niner to jump in and participate in discussion about product reviews. However it's clear that there may be some unanswered questions regarding this bike. James and David clearly didn't have a good experience and naturally that's not something we want to hear. However we're open to criticism so long as it's fair and grounded in fact. In this case the criticism feels over harsh given the relatively exotic nature of this bicycle. There’s no denying that the MCR 9 RDO weighs more than a similarly equipped, unsuspended bike. We maintain that the control, confidence, and comfort benefits of full suspension quite literally “outweigh” the downsides of added mass. It’s been well established among mountain bikers that full suspension bikes go faster and use less rider energy than unsuspended bikes, despite the added weight. We also maintain that (despite added complexity) a proper suspension system with pivots and a tunable shock (and fork) will always perform better than flexing frames and component parts. Any frame part (or tire, or wheel, or component) that flexes to absorb an impact will return nearly all of the energy back to the rider when it rebounds. This does little to nothing in terms of keeping the wheels of the vehicle planted in contact with the road surface. Suspension is all about control, and control is all about contact. The wheels must remain in contact with the ground in order for steering, braking, and power delivery input to be effective and controlled. By offering infinitely variable air springs with oil damping, our suspension is intended to offer enhanced control via smoothly pivoting frame linkages and properly damped rebound. There's also no denying the FOX AX fork as relatively underdeveloped as a product specification choice. Rest assured, when this project began more than 2.5 years ago, it was among the only options. Also rest assured, that will change before long as more fork options, with different trail figures, become available. There's no denying the frame geometry on paper. Yet nobody, not internally, externally, among testers, buyers, retailers, or members of the press, have commented about the ride performance as James and David have. We're not saying they didn't have their experience, we're just saying, it doesn't add up in the spectrum of many, many riders. Certain ride impressions in this test could be attributed to setup. Appropriate suspension sag is necessary for best performance and admittedly takes some time to set up. Too little sag will leave the rider feeling too high on the bike and pushed up over the front end more than intended. Many riders don’t set up with enough sag because it feels “wrong” on a gravel bike. In fact, with only 50mm of travel available, the bike is intended to use all the travel including 25-30% sag and the occasional, harmless bottom out on bigger bumps. Just because it has suspension doesn’t mean it’s meant to ride beyond its means. Precisely because it has suspension, people tend to push it faster, on rougher terrain, than other gravel bikes. That’s for sure part of the fun of the MCR 9 RDO. But it’s not necessarily a suitable point of comparison. We hope that riders understand that the bike was made as a gravel bike, for pedaling long miles in the saddle. We feel that it performs well for its intended application. I invite you to contact me, Zack at Niner, if you're interested in further constructive discussion. Yes, it's my job to advocate for this bike. However anyone that knows me also knows that I do not represent brands nor products that I do not fully believe in. Upon joining Niner, I was a naysayer just like these guys. Now, I will never ride a rigid gravel bike again. I encourage you to try one and make your own judgement. Regards, ZV
Let me offer up a response. Nearly all of your critique of our review has nothing to do with what’s actually in our review. The bulk of your comment addresses criticism of the suspension performance, when in fact, we’ve made it very clear in both the video review here and the written review on CyclingTips.com that we had no major issues with that aspect of the MCR. I wholehearted agree that a suspension system that incorporates both a spring element and a damper element will generally work better than one that only incorporates a spring. At no point in our review did we suggest that some sort of flex-only system would work better, or that such a thing would make more sense. In fact, we made it very clear that the suspension itself was one of the best parts of the bike, despite the limited availability of fork options and the fact that the AX fork is basically just a shorter version of the 32 Step-Cast 27.5 mountain bike fork that Fox introduced in 2016 (and was almost instantly obsoleted with the introduction of Boost hub spacing). It works just as Niner claims, and at no point did we suggest the MCR is just some sort of short-changed mountain bike. We evaluated it as a gravel bike, as Niner intends it to be. I also don’t dispute that Niner has received plenty of positive feedback on this bike from dealers, testers, buyers, etc. However, to say that "nobody" has commented to the contrary is presumptuous. Niner may not have heard negative feedback from MCR owners/users/test riders, but we have since our review went live, with that specific feedback only further reinforcing the opinions we stated in the review. I will, however, dispute your assumption that our test bike wasn’t set up properly. Dave and I both have many years of experience tuning longer-travel mountain bike suspension forks and shocks with far more tuning parameters than anything on this MCR, and we spent more time on this bike than any other bike we rode at Field Test, partially because we wanted to make sure setup wasn’t clouding our impressions of the bike. Again, we didn’t really have any issues with the rear suspension; while heavy, it does its intended job well. But despite a variety of permutations of air spring pressure, rebound damping, and compression settings, we couldn’t find one that provided the ride quality we wanted while also keeping the front end from diving under situations like braking and hard cornering. It’s an inherent quality of conventional telescoping suspension forks, especially ones that are specifically designed for small-bump compliance, which Niner has very clearly stated as the performance goal for this bike. Our biggest issue with the bike wasn’t with the suspension, but with the frame geometry, which you notably spent little time debating. Yes, on paper, the head tube angle is on the steeper side, but it’s not outlandish by any means, and with the 44mm offset on the fork, it yields a very normal trail figure. But while the trail figure on the MCR is very normal, achieving it with a steeper head tube angle and short fork offset also produces a shorter front center than if you had used a slacker head tube angle and more fork offset to yield the same trail. Also, as with any bike with a telescoping fork, the effective head tube angle is steeper than the static figure when you account for fork compression. Of course, some of that is balanced by the corresponding sag in the rear suspension, but that’s not when we had a problem with the bike’s handling. We found the bike too steep and nervous-feeling under braking and when going downhill, when the rider’s weight is more likely to shift forward. That’s just one aspect of the bike, yes, but it’s one that negatively colors the whole of the MCR experience in our view because it hampers what is otherwise a fun and fast machine, in exactly the situations where you would otherwise be most eager to take advantage of the performance advantages the MCR’s full-suspension format otherwise provides. In fairness to Niner, decisions regarding the front-end geometry were very likely limited to the availability of suitable forks for this application; no argument there. But unfortunately, adjusting the frame geometry to accommodate a fork that isn’t ideally suited for the task yields a bike that isn’t as good as it could be, or should have been, and all we’ve done is clearly state our conclusions as such.
Very interesting discussion guys. It fits in very well with my dilemma on which bike to use for the uk event “battle on the beach” the event starts with 5 k sprint along Pembrey sands in South Wales then turns into some gravel and smooth single track. No hills mainly flat. My question is do I go with my gravel bike at 9kg or FS gravel at 11.5kg. How much penalty for the extra 2.5kg 🤔 ruclips.net/video/KdJTvPGRaWI/видео.html
Irrespective whether someone likes the bike or not, it's refreshing to see a review that doesn't comply to the manufacturers advertising in the hope of gaining sponsors. Thanks for a honest review.
There is a reason there is “nothing else on the market like it”. I love almost all bikes and I applaud Niner for giving the concept a try, but the execution is poor.
11 1/2 kg without pedals is absurd. You'd be way better off with an XC hardtail, or even a rigid MTB like the Salsa Cutthroat if you're main goal is to bike pack.
I've had mine for a weak season of 700 miles or so including a pretty rough 125 mile gravel ride and a spin on a local rooty single track. For starters, the bb is way to low to take this off road. I had numerous pedal strikes and thats no-buano for frame integrety. Ill never do that again. But, I absolutely love the compliance the suspension offers and would take the extra heft any day for endurance riding. Yeah, if I got off on chasing KOM's, I would totally get something light and fast and would just suffer the abuse until the race was over, but the MCR is not ment to get you to the podium. Its meant to get you to the finish line feeling amazing, so you can focus on the miles you just put in. It does amazing on fast decents down rough roads. I always feel like I can control the bike at speed and I know the brakes will stop the bike because the wheels aren't bouncing off bumps, they are on the ground. It lets you comfortly hold the bar, not grab on for dear life, which reduces fatigue. Hydraulicly dampened suspension is the only way to get confidence inspiring tracktion, and the MCR does this remarkably well. It does look like these guys can complain about the heft, but a lot of riders are like me. I cant complain about a couple of pounds untill I loose at least 10-20 from my waistline. FWIW, my 1x setup with an old carbon crank comes in at 25lbs with GRX and time pedals, and alluminum wheels. The dated geometry argument is trash. The speed you can clime is a function of watts and weight. The only way to get faster is put down more power. Chain stay length myth needs to die. If you're not going fast enough, Pedal Damnit!
Yay, I've been waiting for this review! I rode it (also in Sedona) and came away very impressed. I rode a slightly oversized bike so didn't feel the too far forward thing (maybe upsize and get a shorter stem?), but did want a dropper. I can totally see the place for this if you're doing longer rides in the rough (like where I live) where a few extra pounds is worth it for the super comfortable ride. The price is a bit high however, I'd take it at $3k for a alum 2 start build, but not $5k+.
A MTB I'd certainly more capable on rough terrain, but that's not what the MCR 9 is about. It's still a gravel bike and as that, meant for usually longer rides than the average MTB Tour. And I'm pretty sure that on relatively smooth terrain like gravel roads, the MCR9 is still faster than any MTB. It's not meant to compete with the off-road capability of Mountainbikes.
This bike may be for a bloke like me - I LOVVVEEE doing single track mtb trails on my gravel bike and don't want to do full monty MTB stuff. To hell with the weight watchers, I'd take a bike that let's me pedal well, gives me comfort and let's me have fun; over one that makes me want to take a day off after a good day's ride. Cheers Niner!
Braŭljo I don't know what he has, but most race-ready XC rigs are in the 10 kg range. My burly 160/165 mm travel Enduro MTB with meaty 2.4" 650b tires is only 1.4 kg heavier than this gravel bike.
@@COMOMTB Depends on the surface. On a flatter smoother road, it probably won't be simply because a drop bar lets you get into a better low, narrow position out of the wind.
I would rather take a Speshy Diverge for smoothing chatter on a gravel bike. If I wanted a short-travel full suspension bike with drop bars, I'd just buy a Trek Supercaliber and swap out its cockpit. It would even be lighter!
Hats off to Niner for actually building this bike...... However, it's far too compromised in many ways for it to be a success. Too heavy and unwieldy on the road, and then not enough suspension travel for rough trails. It's performance window seems to be too narrow. Add in it's price - and I'm not sure this bike is going to be a raging success.
Confirms my initial thoughts of this bike. I wouldn’t even accept that kinda weight for a full blown XC full suspension bike. I predict that model disappears quickly from the Niner line up. Super thumbs down!
Seems like a very nice bike! I actually see it witha very particular owner/rider... I am looking to have 2 bikes. One Gravel bike and one trail MTB. The Trail bike will obviously be that bike to ride in the woods and mountains on the weekend, feeling the nature and all of that. The gravel bike on the other hand... for me and my needs it seems like the perfect commuter bike, and I will tell you why. I am looking for compliance (lots of it) because I live in a city with roads and streets in very bad conditions. I am looking for pedal efficiency, because I want to get to my office fast and get home fast as well. Same principle goes for the weight, a heavy bike is hard to maneuver, throw arround and pedal uphill (and I must take that one long and hard uphill both ways at the end of my route). So, for me, it has that double suspension to take away those bumps in the pavement of 12 km each way. It is quite lighter than an mtb and it has the pedal efficiency of road like bikes that can't be compared with an MTB that sacrifices it in favor of longer and more forgiving suspension. Based on your review, the only thing here that lacks sense is the weight. I mean, I saw a build of the scott spark XC bike under 9kg and this thing is 11.5kg! I'm shure it can be improoved, but I would be much more confortable starting with a weight of 10kg or less and maybe upgrade some things like the cranks, wheelset, seat, stem and bar to bring that weight down maybe 500g to 1kg.
Note: Scott is giving an official weight of 11.7kg on their new spark rc team (120mm full suspension XC mtb) so I think a full suspension carbon gravel bike should me around 11kg or less to start. Not 11.86 as niner lists the mcr 9. Still dont know the actual frameset weight of each one due to the lack of info (dont know if the weights are with or without the rear shock) but that could be something for niner to consider.
I 100% agree on the simplicity of the rigid gravel bikes... that’s one of the appealing things for me. When I want more I just ride my full suspension trail bike.
@Cyclingtips - Was that 40mm front the ISO standard for the fork? I just put a 44mm Byway in there. 1/4" of space between the top of the tire and the bottom of the fork brace. I'm sure I could go wider than that depending on the knobs on the tire.
nice video. thanks for the review. either way you guys like it or not about the bike, for me i like and love it.. if you guys dont want it just send the bike to us.. will use it to its potential
At first time I know bout gravel bike, I don't like this type of bike. But when just look at this niner.. Waaww I fall with this 😂, maybe it's quite heavy but well it's more look like a real bike now. Very nice inovation
Why don’t people just through drop bars and smaller tires on xc bikes? Seems like roadies just complain they can’t get aero or comfortable on flat bars but other than that if you need an aggressive gravel bike mtbs have had the whole off road thing figured out for a while now
I'd rather have my RLT 9 RDO. Its light and snappy enough that I have taken it down the blues in Steamboat and can trials it up chunky funkys with a wtb nano in the rear. Its light enough and predictable to have fun feeling outgunned. Oddly the mcr would feel less confident on singletrack than a fully rigid rlt rdo
i like the look of it... although i preferred the way the upside down fork looked in the concept model. Also kinda liked the idea of using this for bumpy tarmac too..
your final assessment - That's exactly why I am buying this bike - my arthritic body can't handle the trails around here. I quit riding about 6 years ago because elbow pain and back pain from the constant battering of my rigid frame bike. I haven't received my build yet, but am really looking forward to it. However, your comments about the geometry really bothered me; I've ridden bikes that put too much weight forward and all I did was crash a lot
Who's this bike for? The person who wants to go all in on the MCR concept and try and win/finish the Atlas mountain race. (Which, interestingly enough was won on a Niner Air 9 with a Rigid fork.) Interesting head-to-head I think in as much that, sure, Sofiane won on the Air, but something like 40% of entrants DNF'd. Would they have on this bike?
2kg's heavier than my hardtail and about the same as my duel suspension bike, less stable, not much faster than either, certainly more expensive and less capable than many Gravel bikes..........I'm confused, having said that great to see products like this exist. l
i have this bike and i like it...always when i ride with them...i know why i have it...i like the niner development...because bikes have not always cheap and light...comfort und feeling on the bike is also important...thanks ninereds !!!
I love mine! I dont believe the crap they say about handling at speed. I've bombed down hills over 30mph hitting all kinds of stuff without getting un-settled. I know its heavy, and so am I. So there's only one item in the equation to blame.
Front fork fits a 45mm pretty well, 50mm might rub depending on the tire/wheel combo. It true that it's not the super light weight road bike converted to gravel we are used to seeing, but it handles both trail and road better than a lot of previous gravel bikes. The weight is a factor in steep road climbs, and it doesn't have the gearing from Niner to handle that. However, frame only with the Fox 34 Lightweight or 32 XC make a great foundation for a go anywhere drop bar. If you can look past the weight (which some people won't be able to), the MCR fills a hole that die hard gravel riders have been waiting for. A bike that can survive the occasional downhill run, but spend most of it's days exploring the thousands of miles of dirt and rough Asphalt roads found here in the American West. It even makes single track fun.
This video is NOT an unbiased review of the MCR. You can tell right off the bat that they didn't like it it before they reviewed it, and they just set out to prove it. Even their clever editing of "who is this bike for?" I expected better from Cycling tips. A couple of points I'd like to bring up; 1. The bike is NOT designed to be pedaled out of the saddle especially with the fork being in the "open" position. It's no secret and in all the literature from Niner, and all the previous reviews they mention that it's designed for in the saddle spinning.They didn't bother to mention anything about locking out the fork when hammering out of the saddle, which they didn't do... Why not? The majority of the footage is of someone pedaling out of the saddle with the fork "open" and "pumping" and compressing the bike's suspension (front and rear) continuously. Who rides a bike like that? What's up with that? Why not show it floating at high speed over rough terrain, something it is designed for? 2. They do mention that they didn't feel the need to lock out the rear suspension, although, in all the video footage they show the rear suspension remote in the "locked out" position... That makes me wonder if they didn't know how it worked, and never tried it in the open position... 3. They say the front tire maximum is 700 x 40mm??? Come on! All the literature says 700 x 50mm. It was introduced at the Sea Otter with 700 x 50mm Furious Freds which fit just fine. believe me it fits. 4. Weight - I've got mine down to 23lb 3oz including dropper post, Element Bolt, cinch power meter, 29 x 2.0" Furious Freds, water bottle cage and pump. That said it wasn't cheap. also, I ordered a Lauf Grit Sl to try which will make it 1lb 2oz lighter = 22lb 1oz Very disappointed in their biased review.
Are you the same Mark Jacobson who's extremely active on the Gravel Bike California Facebook page who brags about his MCR a ton? If so your viewpoint may be slightly skewed the other way. To your first point, I'll give you that. To your second point, you're just reaching there, maybe they're saying it pedals well enough to not need to lock it out off road. To your third point, they stated later in the video that they thought the 40mm limit was conservative. And to your fourth point, there's no getting around the fact that 23-25lbs for something carbon and this expensive is pretty inexcusable for a gravel bike when there are many XC MTBs that weigh less for the same price. If you love your MCR then that's great, but you just sound like you're trying to defend your purchase here.
@Mark, did you manage to test the Lauf Grit?, I don't anywone who tested one and all the guys I know who tested the 60mm travel XC one say they would rather not have one in their hard-tails. 23 lbs is still pretty heavy as my full susp Oiz had less than 21 lbs without pedals.
I've got mine down to 23lb 3oz including droper post, Element Bolt, cinch power meter, 29 x 2.0" Furious Freds, water bottle cage and pump. that said it wasn't cheap. also, i ordered a Grit Sl to try which will make it 1lb 2oz lighter = 22lb 1oz
GT Grade with a Lauf Grit 30mm fork, yeah, I think that is where I'm going. I currently have the previous grade with 35 mm tires and it is great. The new one with more comfy back and bigger tires(42..maybe more, I hope) should be even better. For me, it has replaced my XC bike and now it is the 'do it all bike', in the flat-lands where I live. I had some high expectation from this Niner..but the short FC is problematic, especially, as all my mtbs are with a short stem, wide bar combo(even my 9.68 kg Oiz(with pedals) had the same type of cockpit) and I was thinking that maybe this bike could replace my Oiz. From your review..it seems that it can't. #toobad 😁
Don’t forget the extra 30watt the magic carpet ride requires from your poor legs 🦵- Specialized Diverge FSR will smash this over 100miles for the average gravel rider
Hello Cyclingtips readers,
It's far from typical for us at Niner to jump in and participate in discussion about product reviews. However it's clear that there may be some unanswered questions regarding this bike. James and David clearly didn't have a good experience and naturally that's not something we want to hear. However we're open to criticism so long as it's fair and grounded in fact. In this case the criticism feels over harsh given the relatively exotic nature of this bicycle.
There’s no denying that the MCR 9 RDO weighs more than a similarly equipped, unsuspended bike. We maintain that the control, confidence, and comfort benefits of full suspension quite literally “outweigh” the downsides of added mass. It’s been well established among mountain bikers that full suspension bikes go faster and use less rider energy than unsuspended bikes, despite the added weight.
We also maintain that (despite added complexity) a proper suspension system with pivots and a tunable shock (and fork) will always perform better than flexing frames and component parts. Any frame part (or tire, or wheel, or component) that flexes to absorb an impact will return nearly all of the energy back to the rider when it rebounds. This does little to nothing in terms of keeping the wheels of the vehicle planted in contact with the road surface. Suspension is all about control, and control is all about contact. The wheels must remain in contact with the ground in order for steering, braking, and power delivery input to be effective and controlled. By offering infinitely variable air springs with oil damping, our suspension is intended to offer enhanced control via smoothly pivoting frame linkages and properly damped rebound.
There's also no denying the FOX AX fork as relatively underdeveloped as a product specification choice. Rest assured, when this project began more than 2.5 years ago, it was among the only options. Also rest assured, that will change before long as more fork options, with different trail figures, become available.
There's no denying the frame geometry on paper. Yet nobody, not internally, externally, among testers, buyers, retailers, or members of the press, have commented about the ride performance as James and David have. We're not saying they didn't have their experience, we're just saying, it doesn't add up in the spectrum of many, many riders.
Certain ride impressions in this test could be attributed to setup. Appropriate suspension sag is necessary for best performance and admittedly takes some time to set up. Too little sag will leave the rider feeling too high on the bike and pushed up over the front end more than intended. Many riders don’t set up with enough sag because it feels “wrong” on a gravel bike. In fact, with only 50mm of travel available, the bike is intended to use all the travel including 25-30% sag and the occasional, harmless bottom out on bigger bumps.
Just because it has suspension doesn’t mean it’s meant to ride beyond its means. Precisely because it has suspension, people tend to push it faster, on rougher terrain, than other gravel bikes. That’s for sure part of the fun of the MCR 9 RDO. But it’s not necessarily a suitable point of comparison. We hope that riders understand that the bike was made as a gravel bike, for pedaling long miles in the saddle. We feel that it performs well for its intended application.
I invite you to contact me, Zack at Niner, if you're interested in further constructive discussion. Yes, it's my job to advocate for this bike. However anyone that knows me also knows that I do not represent brands nor products that I do not fully believe in. Upon joining Niner, I was a naysayer just like these guys. Now, I will never ride a rigid gravel bike again. I encourage you to try one and make your own judgement.
Regards, ZV
Nice reply. Appreciate you joining the discussion.
Let me offer up a response.
Nearly all of your critique of our review has nothing to do with what’s actually in our review. The bulk of your comment addresses criticism of the suspension performance, when in fact, we’ve made it very clear in both the video review here and the written review on CyclingTips.com that we had no major issues with that aspect of the MCR. I wholehearted agree that a suspension system that incorporates both a spring element and a damper element will generally work better than one that only incorporates a spring. At no point in our review did we suggest that some sort of flex-only system would work better, or that such a thing would make more sense. In fact, we made it very clear that the suspension itself was one of the best parts of the bike, despite the limited availability of fork options and the fact that the AX fork is basically just a shorter version of the 32 Step-Cast 27.5 mountain bike fork that Fox introduced in 2016 (and was almost instantly obsoleted with the introduction of Boost hub spacing). It works just as Niner claims, and at no point did we suggest the MCR is just some sort of short-changed mountain bike. We evaluated it as a gravel bike, as Niner intends it to be.
I also don’t dispute that Niner has received plenty of positive feedback on this bike from dealers, testers, buyers, etc. However, to say that "nobody" has commented to the contrary is presumptuous. Niner may not have heard negative feedback from MCR owners/users/test riders, but we have since our review went live, with that specific feedback only further reinforcing the opinions we stated in the review.
I will, however, dispute your assumption that our test bike wasn’t set up properly. Dave and I both have many years of experience tuning longer-travel mountain bike suspension forks and shocks with far more tuning parameters than anything on this MCR, and we spent more time on this bike than any other bike we rode at Field Test, partially because we wanted to make sure setup wasn’t clouding our impressions of the bike. Again, we didn’t really have any issues with the rear suspension; while heavy, it does its intended job well. But despite a variety of permutations of air spring pressure, rebound damping, and compression settings, we couldn’t find one that provided the ride quality we wanted while also keeping the front end from diving under situations like braking and hard cornering. It’s an inherent quality of conventional telescoping suspension forks, especially ones that are specifically designed for small-bump compliance, which Niner has very clearly stated as the performance goal for this bike.
Our biggest issue with the bike wasn’t with the suspension, but with the frame geometry, which you notably spent little time debating. Yes, on paper, the head tube angle is on the steeper side, but it’s not outlandish by any means, and with the 44mm offset on the fork, it yields a very normal trail figure. But while the trail figure on the MCR is very normal, achieving it with a steeper head tube angle and short fork offset also produces a shorter front center than if you had used a slacker head tube angle and more fork offset to yield the same trail. Also, as with any bike with a telescoping fork, the effective head tube angle is steeper than the static figure when you account for fork compression. Of course, some of that is balanced by the corresponding sag in the rear suspension, but that’s not when we had a problem with the bike’s handling. We found the bike too steep and nervous-feeling under braking and when going downhill, when the rider’s weight is more likely to shift forward. That’s just one aspect of the bike, yes, but it’s one that negatively colors the whole of the MCR experience in our view because it hampers what is otherwise a fun and fast machine, in exactly the situations where you would otherwise be most eager to take advantage of the performance advantages the MCR’s full-suspension format otherwise provides.
In fairness to Niner, decisions regarding the front-end geometry were very likely limited to the availability of suitable forks for this application; no argument there. But unfortunately, adjusting the frame geometry to accommodate a fork that isn’t ideally suited for the task yields a bike that isn’t as good as it could be, or should have been, and all we’ve done is clearly state our conclusions as such.
Very interesting discussion guys. It fits in very well with my dilemma on which bike to use for the uk event “battle on the beach” the event starts with 5 k sprint along Pembrey sands in South Wales then turns into some gravel and smooth single track. No hills mainly flat. My question is do I go with my gravel bike at 9kg or FS gravel at 11.5kg. How much penalty for the extra 2.5kg 🤔 ruclips.net/video/KdJTvPGRaWI/видео.html
Irrespective whether someone likes the bike or not, it's refreshing to see a review that doesn't comply to the manufacturers advertising in the hope of gaining sponsors. Thanks for a honest review.
Thanks William, we are very proud of that! Thanks for noticing.
There is a reason there is “nothing else on the market like it”. I love almost all bikes and I applaud Niner for giving the concept a try, but the execution is poor.
"Down below is a press fit 30 bottom bracket ..." * SKIPS VIDEO *
11 1/2 kg without pedals is absurd. You'd be way better off with an XC hardtail, or even a rigid MTB like the Salsa Cutthroat if you're main goal is to bike pack.
I've had mine for a weak season of 700 miles or so including a pretty rough 125 mile gravel ride and a spin on a local rooty single track. For starters, the bb is way to low to take this off road. I had numerous pedal strikes and thats no-buano for frame integrety. Ill never do that again. But, I absolutely love the compliance the suspension offers and would take the extra heft any day for endurance riding. Yeah, if I got off on chasing KOM's, I would totally get something light and fast and would just suffer the abuse until the race was over, but the MCR is not ment to get you to the podium. Its meant to get you to the finish line feeling amazing, so you can focus on the miles you just put in.
It does amazing on fast decents down rough roads. I always feel like I can control the bike at speed and I know the brakes will stop the bike because the wheels aren't bouncing off bumps, they are on the ground. It lets you comfortly hold the bar, not grab on for dear life, which reduces fatigue. Hydraulicly dampened suspension is the only way to get confidence inspiring tracktion, and the MCR does this remarkably well. It does look like these guys can complain about the heft, but a lot of riders are like me. I cant complain about a couple of pounds untill I loose at least 10-20 from my waistline. FWIW, my 1x setup with an old carbon crank comes in at 25lbs with GRX and time pedals, and alluminum wheels.
The dated geometry argument is trash. The speed you can clime is a function of watts and weight. The only way to get faster is put down more power. Chain stay length myth needs to die. If you're not going fast enough, Pedal Damnit!
Yay, I've been waiting for this review! I rode it (also in Sedona) and came away very impressed. I rode a slightly oversized bike so didn't feel the too far forward thing (maybe upsize and get a shorter stem?), but did want a dropper. I can totally see the place for this if you're doing longer rides in the rough (like where I live) where a few extra pounds is worth it for the super comfortable ride. The price is a bit high however, I'd take it at $3k for a alum 2 start build, but not $5k+.
Upsizing is often a good option for mountain bikes, but on this, the top tube is already quite tall for any given size so I wouldn't recommend it.
Says you cant do wheelies on but shows a clip of doing wheelies on it.
you can easily get a hardtail thats under 8kg for that money and that will be more comfortable and more capable
New s-works epic has a lighter frame than any gravel bike. Weird huh?
That's the truth. That weight is insane. It's almost as much as my full suspension trail mountain bike.
A MTB I'd certainly more capable on rough terrain, but that's not what the MCR 9 is about. It's still a gravel bike and as that, meant for usually longer rides than the average MTB Tour.
And I'm pretty sure that on relatively smooth terrain like gravel roads, the MCR9 is still faster than any MTB.
It's not meant to compete with the off-road capability of Mountainbikes.
One of the most interesting gravel bikes...👍
This bike may be for a bloke like me - I LOVVVEEE doing single track mtb trails on my gravel bike and don't want to do full monty MTB stuff. To hell with the weight watchers, I'd take a bike that let's me pedal well, gives me comfort and let's me have fun; over one that makes me want to take a day off after a good day's ride. Cheers Niner!
I just picture this bike shining on those long, rolling Kansas gravel roads which are 80% stutter bumps. Not rocky Sedona singletrack.
Heavier than my 100mm travel, dual suspension, dropper post equipped mtb...
What mountain bike do you have?
This thing is 25 pounds! I have a 100mm Santa Cruz blur that is 2 pounds lighter. With the lockout I’ll bet it’s faster than this bike
Braŭljo I don't know what he has, but most race-ready XC rigs are in the 10 kg range. My burly 160/165 mm travel Enduro MTB with meaty 2.4" 650b tires is only 1.4 kg heavier than this gravel bike.
@@COMOMTB Depends on the surface. On a flatter smoother road, it probably won't be simply because a drop bar lets you get into a better low, narrow position out of the wind.
maybe a hardtail gravel bike is much appreciated. than this this one.
I would rather take a Speshy Diverge for smoothing chatter on a gravel bike. If I wanted a short-travel full suspension bike with drop bars, I'd just buy a Trek Supercaliber and swap out its cockpit. It would even be lighter!
Its weird but when i look at this bikes profile i cant stop thinking about my old 2011 Giant Anthem MTB.
Hats off to Niner for actually building this bike......
However, it's far too compromised in many ways for it to be a success. Too heavy and unwieldy on the road, and then not enough suspension travel for rough trails. It's performance window seems to be too narrow.
Add in it's price - and I'm not sure this bike is going to be a raging success.
Confirms my initial thoughts of this bike. I wouldn’t even accept that kinda weight for a full blown XC full suspension bike. I predict that model disappears quickly from the Niner line up. Super thumbs down!
Put a drop bar and some frame mounts on a Trek Supercaliber and it’s a better gravel bike than this,
@@kidsafe likely. I would certainly take a Salsa Cutthroat over this. At least you could then use a Fox SC 100mm fork and still have road gearing.
Seems like a very nice bike!
I actually see it witha very particular owner/rider...
I am looking to have 2 bikes. One Gravel bike and one trail MTB. The Trail bike will obviously be that bike to ride in the woods and mountains on the weekend, feeling the nature and all of that.
The gravel bike on the other hand... for me and my needs it seems like the perfect commuter bike, and I will tell you why.
I am looking for compliance (lots of it) because I live in a city with roads and streets in very bad conditions. I am looking for pedal efficiency, because I want to get to my office fast and get home fast as well. Same principle goes for the weight, a heavy bike is hard to maneuver, throw arround and pedal uphill (and I must take that one long and hard uphill both ways at the end of my route). So, for me, it has that double suspension to take away those bumps in the pavement of 12 km each way. It is quite lighter than an mtb and it has the pedal efficiency of road like bikes that can't be compared with an MTB that sacrifices it in favor of longer and more forgiving suspension.
Based on your review, the only thing here that lacks sense is the weight. I mean, I saw a build of the scott spark XC bike under 9kg and this thing is 11.5kg! I'm shure it can be improoved, but I would be much more confortable starting with a weight of 10kg or less and maybe upgrade some things like the cranks, wheelset, seat, stem and bar to bring that weight down maybe 500g to 1kg.
25 pounds is heavy for you guys?! My hardtail is about 36 pounds! My "gravel" bike is about the same too! Guess these I'm just too used to mtb! Lol
Note: Scott is giving an official weight of 11.7kg on their new spark rc team (120mm full suspension XC mtb) so I think a full suspension carbon gravel bike should me around 11kg or less to start. Not 11.86 as niner lists the mcr 9.
Still dont know the actual frameset weight of each one due to the lack of info (dont know if the weights are with or without the rear shock) but that could be something for niner to consider.
I 100% agree on the simplicity of the rigid gravel bikes... that’s one of the appealing things for me. When I want more I just ride my full suspension trail bike.
This bike is for ME! I'm broken and want to be on gravel and don't want to feel like I'm 90 yrs old. :)
@Cyclingtips - Was that 40mm front the ISO standard for the fork? I just put a 44mm Byway in there. 1/4" of space between the top of the tire and the bottom of the fork brace. I'm sure I could go wider than that depending on the knobs on the tire.
Another quality video great review ,,I must say I'm hooked on all things Cycling tips !
nice video. thanks for the review. either way you guys like it or not about the bike, for me i like and love it.. if you guys dont want it just send the bike to us.. will use it to its potential
6lbs frame + 3lbs fork. No escaping the reality Niner's CVA is really heavy, be it this or their MTB.
I'll take a Lauf, the right set of tubeless tires and good tire clearance.
At first time I know bout gravel bike, I don't like this type of bike. But when just look at this niner.. Waaww I fall with this 😂, maybe it's quite heavy but well it's more look like a real bike now. Very nice inovation
Why don’t people just through drop bars and smaller tires on xc bikes? Seems like roadies just complain they can’t get aero or comfortable on flat bars but other than that if you need an aggressive gravel bike mtbs have had the whole off road thing figured out for a while now
Someone had to do it. Next thing we need is a Downhill fork and a wider handlebar....shit, what is wrong with the bike Community?!
I'd rather have my RLT 9 RDO. Its light and snappy enough that I have taken it down the blues in Steamboat and can trials it up chunky funkys with a wtb nano in the rear. Its light enough and predictable to have fun feeling outgunned. Oddly the mcr would feel less confident on singletrack than a fully rigid rlt rdo
Clint Gibbs has an interesting perspective on this bike. The terrain he rides is much more well suited to the bikes geometry and suspension setup.
I would like to see this compared with a cane creek Thudbuster. I'm kind of afraid for Niner that that thing actually does archive the same.
Slap drop bars on a Trek Supercaliber and probably have a far better bike.
i like the look of it... although i preferred the way the upside down fork looked in the concept model. Also kinda liked the idea of using this for bumpy tarmac too..
I think, the fork doesn't need too responsive like that .. 🤔
your final assessment - That's exactly why I am buying this bike - my arthritic body can't handle the trails around here. I quit riding about 6 years ago because elbow pain and back pain from the constant battering of my rigid frame bike. I haven't received my build yet, but am really looking forward to it. However, your comments about the geometry really bothered me; I've ridden bikes that put too much weight forward and all I did was crash a lot
Great review guys ! I'd really like if you guys could review the new Vaast Gravel bike made out of magnesium !
We already have one on hand for review!
@@jameshuang4205 awesome ! Can't Wait !
Outta my price range
Dear gawd look at that pedal bob
Thanks for the review!
Who's this bike for? The person who wants to go all in on the MCR concept and try and win/finish the Atlas mountain race. (Which, interestingly enough was won on a Niner Air 9 with a Rigid fork.) Interesting head-to-head I think in as much that, sure, Sofiane won on the Air, but something like 40% of entrants DNF'd. Would they have on this bike?
2kg's heavier than my hardtail and about the same as my duel suspension bike, less stable, not much faster than either, certainly more expensive and less capable than many Gravel bikes..........I'm confused, having said that great to see products like this exist. l
Nice gravel
Wow, you didn't hold back on that one. Thanks for the honest review.
cant wait for the niner gravel bike with flat handle bars
i have this bike and i like it...always when i ride with them...i know why i have it...i like the niner development...because bikes have not always cheap and light...comfort und feeling on the bike is also important...thanks ninereds !!!
I love mine! I dont believe the crap they say about handling at speed. I've bombed down hills over 30mph hitting all kinds of stuff without getting un-settled. I know its heavy, and so am I. So there's only one item in the equation to blame.
Front fork fits a 45mm pretty well, 50mm might rub depending on the tire/wheel combo. It true that it's not the super light weight road bike converted to gravel we are used to seeing, but it handles both trail and road better than a lot of previous gravel bikes. The weight is a factor in steep road climbs, and it doesn't have the gearing from Niner to handle that. However, frame only with the Fox 34 Lightweight or 32 XC make a great foundation for a go anywhere drop bar. If you can look past the weight (which some people won't be able to), the MCR fills a hole that die hard gravel riders have been waiting for. A bike that can survive the occasional downhill run, but spend most of it's days exploring the thousands of miles of dirt and rough Asphalt roads found here in the American West. It even makes single track fun.
Dropper is factory on the 1x drivetrains.
Press fit bb, 11kg overall weight? Man, I still have hope for this bike but no more hope is left after this vid
They do a good job of talking it down. Its better in real life.
This video is NOT an unbiased review of the MCR. You can tell right off the bat that they didn't like it it before they reviewed it, and they just set out to prove it. Even their clever editing of "who is this bike for?" I expected better from Cycling tips.
A couple of points I'd like to bring up;
1. The bike is NOT designed to be pedaled out of the saddle especially with the fork being in the "open" position. It's no secret and in all the literature from Niner, and all the previous reviews they mention that it's designed for in the saddle spinning.They didn't bother to mention anything about locking out the fork when hammering out of the saddle, which they didn't do... Why not? The majority of the footage is of someone pedaling out of the saddle with the fork "open" and "pumping" and compressing the bike's suspension (front and rear) continuously. Who rides a bike like that? What's up with that? Why not show it floating at high speed over rough terrain, something it is designed for?
2. They do mention that they didn't feel the need to lock out the rear suspension, although, in all the video footage they show the rear suspension remote in the "locked out" position... That makes me wonder if they didn't know how it worked, and never tried it in the open position...
3. They say the front tire maximum is 700 x 40mm??? Come on! All the literature says 700 x 50mm. It was introduced at the Sea Otter with 700 x 50mm Furious Freds which fit just fine. believe me it fits.
4. Weight - I've got mine down to 23lb 3oz including dropper post, Element Bolt, cinch power meter, 29 x 2.0" Furious Freds, water bottle cage and pump. That said it wasn't cheap. also, I ordered a Lauf Grit Sl to try which will make it 1lb 2oz lighter = 22lb 1oz
Very disappointed in their biased review.
Are you the same Mark Jacobson who's extremely active on the Gravel Bike California Facebook page who brags about his MCR a ton? If so your viewpoint may be slightly skewed the other way. To your first point, I'll give you that. To your second point, you're just reaching there, maybe they're saying it pedals well enough to not need to lock it out off road. To your third point, they stated later in the video that they thought the 40mm limit was conservative. And to your fourth point, there's no getting around the fact that 23-25lbs for something carbon and this expensive is pretty inexcusable for a gravel bike when there are many XC MTBs that weigh less for the same price.
If you love your MCR then that's great, but you just sound like you're trying to defend your purchase here.
@Mark, did you manage to test the Lauf Grit?, I don't anywone who tested one and all the guys I know who tested the 60mm travel XC one say they would rather not have one in their hard-tails.
23 lbs is still pretty heavy as my full susp Oiz had less than 21 lbs without pedals.
I think it is a beautiful bike. If it wasn’t so heavy I will get one for sure.
I've got mine down to 23lb 3oz including droper post, Element Bolt, cinch power meter, 29 x 2.0" Furious Freds, water bottle cage and pump. that said it wasn't cheap. also, i ordered a Grit Sl to try which will make it 1lb 2oz lighter = 22lb 1oz
@@markjacobson298 That's impressive! But yes, as you said, getting one of these down to that sort of weight would not be inexpensive by any measure.
Gt grade?
James Huang love to see a review
@@scott907 Already done! cyclingtips.com/2019/12/gt-grade-carbon-pro-long-term-review-a-big-improvement-over-v1-0/
GT Grade with a Lauf Grit 30mm fork, yeah, I think that is where I'm going. I currently have the previous grade with 35 mm tires and it is great. The new one with more comfy back and bigger tires(42..maybe more, I hope) should be even better.
For me, it has replaced my XC bike and now it is the 'do it all bike', in the flat-lands where I live.
I had some high expectation from this Niner..but the short FC is problematic, especially, as all my mtbs are with a short stem, wide bar combo(even my 9.68 kg Oiz(with pedals) had the same type of cockpit) and I was thinking that maybe this bike could replace my Oiz. From your review..it seems that it can't. #toobad 😁
@@eugenux How did the GT Grade with Lauf fork work out? I'm thinking going the same route.
Don’t forget the extra 30watt the magic carpet ride requires from your poor legs 🦵- Specialized Diverge FSR will smash this over 100miles for the average gravel rider
Gravel suspension bikes are like mom minivan on a 1/4 mile race...that are fast? Maybe...they are gonna win? Never 🤷♂️