First Ride - 2021 Niner Jet RDO

Less than a month ago we wrapped up our test with the Niner WFO, a big mountain brawler. In a move that is quite indicative of 2021, we literally handed over our WFO and took possession of the new Jet at the same time. While the WFO had us headed for big rocks and high-speeds, were were quite excited to get our mitts on this new Jet. Short-travel 29ers with trail bike geometry are infiltrating more brand's lineups and many riders are finding they are a great intersection of rowdy and efficiency. Let's dig into how the new Jet stacks up.

Highlights

• RDO full carbon frame
• 29-inch wheels
• 120mm (4.7-inches) of rear wheel travel // 130mm (5.1-inches) fork travel
• CVA suspension design
• 165x45 Trunnion shock
• Fully guided internal cable routing
• Lifetime frame warranty
• Universal derailleur hanger
• Enduro Black Oxide pivot bearings
• 73mm threaded bottom bracket with ISCG05 mounts
• Boost 148 rear spacing with 12mm through axle
• Measured weight (size large, no pedals): 30 pounds (13.6kg)
• MSRP $6,190 USD

Niner has given the Jet 9 a much greater update than what may be evident at first glance. Digging into the geometry charts reveals a more modern trail ripper. Longer, lower, slacker, shorter, it is all there in mild to moderate doses. Niner's CVA suspension gets a new leverage curve as well. Available in five builds, every model of the Jet uses the same RDO carbon frame with guided, internal routing, Enduro bearings, and a lifetime warranty.

Geometry

In an arms race to make the latest cross country bikes more trail-ready, Niner has updated the Jet in every predictable way. The biggest change comes in the reach measurement. Our large test bike has a 475mm reach, growing 28mm (low setting) over the prior iteration The head angle slackens just a touch to 66-degrees. Niner tucked the rear wheel in 3mm and now has a 432mm chainstay length across all sizes. The seat tube angle steepens by two degrees to 75.5-degrees.

The Jet 9 makes use of a flip chip in the seatstay. We tested our Jet in the low setting. Putting it in high will steepen the head and seat angles by .5-degrees as well as raise the bottom bracket by 8mm. Other numbers affected are chainstay (-2mm) and reach (+6mm). In the high position, Niner is offering numbers that are not so outlandish as to make the Jet lose its XC chops, but would seem to open up the fun factor dramatically. We loved being able to use the flip chip to open the door to some more rowdy characteristics though.

The Lineup

Niner offers the Jet in five different built options. Every build starts with the same RDO carbon frame. Starting off the line is the 2-Star SX build. For $4,100 riders will get FOX 34 Rhythm fork and FOX Float X Evol rear shock. As the name implies, the drivetrain is SRAM's SX Eagle, but does use a DUB bottom bracket (not Power Spline). Brakes are SRAM Level with 180mm rotors front and back. The wheels are Niner's own and come wrapped in the same Schwalbe 2.6-inch front/2.35-inch rear Nobby Nics as the rest of the line.

Bump up the line to the 3-Star GX for $5,350 and you now get FOX Factory suspension at both ends via a 34 Grip 2 fork and Float X Evol shock. The drivetrain is SRAM's GX Eagle with SRAM G2 brakes. Wheels get a bump to the DT Swiss XM 1900 Spline.

Fans of Shimano drivetrains are in luck with the 4-Star XT build (tested) for $6,190. There's no surprise here with the drivetrain and brakes both being Shimano's XT level goods. Niner did spec the bike with Race Face's Next R carbon cranks and Next R bars to save some weight and add some bling. The wheels get a bump to DT Swiss XM1700 Spline.

Editorial note: Our test bike came with Stan's wheels. This was simply due to supply chain issues and does not reflect any spec changes.

Niner's 5-star builds are split into two sub-options. First is the X01 Eagle at $7,700 with G2 RSC brakes and DT Swiss XMC 1501 carbon wheels. At the top of the pecking order is the AXS LTD build for $9,950. On top of the upgrade to AXS Eagle, the build also gets the XX1 Rainbow cassette, G2 Ultimate brakes and DT Swiss's XMC1200 wheels.

Setup

From the first time we tossed a leg over the new Jet 9 RDO, we were impressed with how at home our size large frame made us feel. The 28mm growth in reach over the previous iteration left us with a roomy and comfortable rider triangle between saddle, pedals and handlebars. With a slightly longer headtube length than most bikes in this category (125mm) the combination of 130mm fork and 29-inch wheels required no additional headset spacers below the stem to raise handlebars to a comfortable and confident descending height.

Properly set sag is key while setting up the Jet 9 RDO to maximize the CVA suspension platform's awesome anti-squat qualities. At the rocker link pivot is a handy mark on the frame and pivot bolt that, when aligned under rider weight, indicate correct sag amount. At 165-pounds (74.8kg) we pumped 195psi into the DPX2 Performance Elite rear shock. Up front, we added a tad more pressure than recommended for our rider weight to keep the fork stable under big hits, which resulted in 82psi in our Factory 34 fork. For shock adjustment settings, we left compression fairly open as the suspension kinematics did most of the work keeping the bike supple and supported. Shock rebound and fork clickers were then set to our preferred mid-to-open settings to keep the bike lively and recovering at a quick rate (fork settings: low speed compression 10-clicks out, high speed compression 6-clicks out, low speed rebound 8-clicks out, high speed rebound 6-clicks out. Shock settings: rebound 6-clicks out, compression 8-clicks out) To match the dry, sandy and loose-over-hardpack terrain we tested on, we settled on 26psi rear tire pressure and and 24psi front tire pressure.

On The Trail

All of our ride time on the Jet 9 RDO was spent across our Boise, Idaho foothills which provided perfectly appropriate trails matched for the intended use of the bike. With higher temperatures and snow receding, we were able to get a good mix of rocky, tree-swerving trails with plenty of chunder to feel how the Jet 9 RDO responds to aggressive riding. We also rode lots of fast, rolling trails with long, arching, loose turns that required plenty of rider input to create speed as well as setting weight into turns to maintain traction. Reaching these summits was no easy feat. Many trails we rode were out-and-backs, giving us plenty of time in the saddle, stomping on the pedals and granny gearing up loose ascents for minutes on end.

Downhill Performance

With many of the geometry changes on the new Jet 9 RDO lending towards improved descending performance, Niner did an awesome job tweaking numbers to elevate the bike's capability once pointing downhill. Having ridden other bikes filling this new category of short travel descending mini-monster trucks, the provided confidence and planted feel of the Jet 9 RDO performs above what you’d expect from a 120mm travel bike. We chalk this up to a blend of supportive FOX suspension and the CVA suspension platform's varying leverage rate. The combination kept the bike closely tracking the ground with awesome mid-stroke support and a smooth bottom-out drop off.

The high leverage rate early in the stroke really allows the Jet 9 RDO to maintain crazy-impressive speed over repetitive, small chatter bumps. This does wonders for smoothing out braking bumps or small rock gardens without passing chatter onto the rider - a loved sensation for any flat pedal rippers out there! Further into the travel, noticeable mid-stroke support allowed us to actively pump our weight into the bike and gain speed out of trail undulations without cycling through excessive shock travel. This has been something that is not always true of short travel bikes. Typically we find ourselves adjusting shock settings, relying on added air pressure and open rebound settings to keep from bottoming out with rider input.

Niner made sure the Jet 9 RDO maintained its dominance as a weapon on the ascents.

Climbing

Despite descent-focused geometry changes, Niner made sure the Jet 9 RDO maintained its dominance as a weapon on the ascents. Much of this can be credited to the CVA suspension design that maximizes anti-squat by using chain tension from pedaling to hold the bike up in its travel (around the 30% sag mark). What this creates at the pedals is an impressively efficient transfer of power without going too far and causing any pedal kickback or funky suspension feel. With the longer and slacker geometry, Niner did steepen the seat tube angle from 74-degrees to 75.5-degrees, maintaining a centered rider position while climbing with more vertical pedal strokes for power transfer.

On meandering trails where you are spinning the pedals and shifting between a handful of gears, we loved how quick and direct our power input translated to an increase in speed. There is no question the Jet 9 RDO pedals like a 120mm travel bike while still providing some give and damping over uphill bumps. While the DPX2 Performance Elite rear shock does have an independent firm pedal lever we preferred to leave things open as the suspension felt plenty firm already. When climbs became lung bursting steep, we found our body weight comfortably centered with no front wheel float. When standing and stomping on the pedals, we again enjoyed plenty of anti-squat that kept power transfer consistent and limited loss of traction. Compared to other bikes in this category, the Jet 9 RDO is a competitive climber that despite it’s slightly beefier parts spec and modern geometry, can hold its own against the rest.

Build Kit

FOX Performance Elite DPX2 rear shock

A standout part that transformed what we previously thought a 120mm travel bike could achieve was the Fox Performance Elite DPX2 rear shock.  Of course aided by the suspension kinematics of the Jet 9 RDO, we found the shock to have a truly bottomless feel that made us forget we were riding a short travel bike. The mid-stroke support was great at maintaining speed and let us aggressively pump into compressions without feeling like a bottom out was ever reached.  An upgrade we see applying to some personal short travel bikes of our own!

Editorial note - The specced rear shock is the new FOX Float X Factory. Production units were not available for this test, so a DPX2 was provided.

Schwalbe Nobby Nic Tires

Tire preference is of course subjective and while the Schwalbe Super Trail casing and Addix Speed Grip compound is completely appropriate for the intended use of the Jet 9 RDO, the Nobby Nic front tire provided a very unpredictable ride experience.  With a large gap between center and side nobs, we found ourselves pushing the front wheel on dry, hardpack corners where we typically have no issues finding a level of traction.  All up to personal preference, but down the line we would opt for a more dedicated front tire design.

Rear Axle Handle

A nifty feature at first - the rear axle has a removable handle that doubles as a 5mm Allen key. Moments into our first ride and a few bunny hops later we realized the male fitting handle did not fit tight into the axle. We don’t foresee the handle ever backing out completely but the few millimeters of play created excessive noise that rattled through the whole bike. We choose to ride without it for most of our test time as we always have a multitool on hand for trailside wrenching and would prefer a quieter ride.

Shimano XT Drivetrain / Brakes

A well-proven drivetrain, we loved the smooth shifting under power and bulletproof construction of the Deore XT shifting. The 4-piston brakes let us drop anchor whenever needed and we are fans of the clean I-SpecEV mounts that create a simple cockpit with brakes, shifters and dropper lever mounting in concert. The one downside and an already well known issue with the Deore XT brakes is the rattling caused by brake pad cooling fins contacting the brake caliper. Nothing a little fuzzy velcro can’t fix - the Jet 9 RDO would likely be a silent assassin if it wasn’t for the brakes.

Durability

Kudos to Niner for putting together a bike that overall is built to handle the abuse it deserves. While there are always lighter, thinner or nicer parts to toss on a bike, the Jet 9 RDO hits a nice balance of appropriate build spec that isn't a tank to pedal around. During our test time we had no stand out issues and don’t see anything that will pose a problem for a long time. With fully guided and internally routed cables that are sealed tightly at entry and exit ports via rubber grommets and enduro MAX Black Oxide bearings found at every pivot, the frame is ready to roll for miles to come.

What's The Bottom Line?

The changes made to the Jet 9 RDO go the distance to provide a more stable, planted and descent-hungry short travel machine. The best part is these changes have not come at the cost of giving up comfort or efficiency while climbing. Built around an incredibly capable suspension platform with an appropriate parts list and manageable weight, the Jet 9 RDO is truly an enjoyable bike to log long miles in the saddle that doesn't shy away from any descent or trail feature it is presented.

About The Reviewer

Jason Schroeder - Age: 26 // Years Riding MTB: 15 // Height: 6' (1.8m) // Weight: 165-pounds (74.8kg)

A once-upon-a-time World Cup downhill racer turned desk jockey, Jason has spent years within the bicycle industry from both sides of the tape.  A fan of all day adventures in the saddle or flowing around a bowl at the skatepark, he doesn't discriminate from any form of two wheel riding.  Originally a SoCal native now residing in Boise, Idaho you can find Jason camped out in his van most weekends at any given trailhead in the greater Pacific NorthWest.