My New Niner RLT e9 RDO!

[Alaskan]

Thank you! One more thing ... can you tell me about the front handlebar mount in that picture?

Here is one on ebay made of carbon fiber in several colors

Handlebar Extension Mount Bicycle MTB Bike Handle Bar Bracket Extender Holder US | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Handlebar Extension Mount Bicycle MTB Bike Handle Bar Bracket Extender Holder US at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

ebay.us

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[Alaskan]

Great looking bike!
You might be one of the rare riders who ride a drop bar bike at 67 (for both men and women). You have picked an excellent bike and congratulations!

Ravi, there are drop bars and then there are DROP bars.

I haven't ridden a drop bar in over three decades. On my new Topstone Neo carbon 3 I put the Richie Venturemax that has a 102 mm drop, very shallow and a big 24 degree flair. (their beacon is only 80mm drop and 36 degrees flair).

These gravel drop bars are great. I actually find it comfortable in the drops on this handlebar and have been reminded of the multiple hand positions available on a drop bar.

At 70, it is a revelation to me and a most pleasant surprise. I live near the top of a long hill. On my Allant or Delite, if I coast down the hill I it 30-32 mph by the time I get to the bottom. On the Neo 3 yesterday I was at 38mph. What a difference an aero position makes. Also I use Eco way more with this bike and can sustain 20-22 mph in Eco for many miles on flat ground. These carbon, drop bar gravel bikes are a blast! I am sure it also helps riding a full powered, class 3 ebike that weighs less than 40 lbs.

https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/wcs-venturemax-handlebar https://us.ritcheylogic.com/us_en/comp-beacon-handlebar

 

[Darlinsk]

Alaskan -
I, too, looked at the Topstone Neo Carbon, but opted against it due of its lack of rack-mount fitments. It’s a beautiful, refined bike. What made you choose it over the Niner? Are you loving it?

I sometimes worry about the longevity of Niner as a company. The good news is that this ebike is built on vanilla components; nothing terribly proprietary.

 

[Alaskan]

Alaskan -
I, too, looked at the Topstone Neo Carbon, but opted against it due of its lack of rack-mount fitments. It’s a beautiful, refined bike. What made you choose it over the Niner? Are you loving it?

I sometimes worry about the longevity of Niner as a company. The good news is that this ebike is built on vanilla components; nothing terribly proprietary.

My choice was driven by several factors:

• Lighter weight
• Suspension, I am too old to ride a bike that doesn't soften some of the impact.
• Trust in the Cannondale brand ( I bought my first Cannodale road bike forty years ago)
• REI was offering a 20% discount
• Bike was available within a week of ordering it (actually arrived at our local REI three days after purchase)

 

[Alaskan]

@Darlinsk On the rack front, I have two other ebikes, a Trek Allant +9.9S that came with alloy fenders and pannier rails. The other one is a Riese & Muller Delite that has a really solid, suspended and integrated cargo rack. On my Topstone Neo Carbon, if just have a small frame bag for personal items up near the stem on the top tube and a seat bag with tools and spares.

I have a really nice bag that I use with the Allant if I want more of a trunk bag. It is a Klickfix ContourMax Saddle bag with its own aluminum frame that clips onto a small mount on the seatpost (not recommended on a carbon seat post). It is quite roomy and requires no rack on the bike. I have a spare mount that I can put on the Topstone Neo if needed.

KLICKfix Contour Max Sport Saddle Bag 0217MAS - black

Top bag of the Contour series. Including KLICKfix Contour Max adapter. Max. load up to 3 kg. ▶ Model: black

www.bike24.com

 

[Alaskan]

One deciding factor I forgot to mention. Even though I was totally smitten with that gorgeous green metallic paint, I was concerned with the shape of the downtube on the 9er. I tend to go long, often doing rides of 40-50 miles and sometimes further. As such being able to carry a second battery is something I look for. It does not have to be integrated, although that is the case with both the Allant and the Delite. With this lightweight gravel bike, I wanted to keep it clean and light but be able to carry along a second battery in the event I wanted to ride the Neo on a century in the mountains. I have a second Bosch power tube on the way and bought a second battery cover from Cannondale to have affixed to it to make for quick swap outs. The Revelate Tangle frame bag hangs below the toptube and is just he right size to carry the spare battery. I put a protective piece of 3m helicopter tape on the top tube to protect the paint from abrasion. With the angle and forward bend in the top tube on the 9er, I would not have been able to do this.

I still look longingly at that green paint job and really like the overall look of your bike. I also really like the 9er capacity to carry larger tires than can be ridden at lower inflation and create greater comfort. That alone certainly makes the bike more tour worthy and provides an added level of functionality.

 

[Darlinsk]

I, too, have been thinking of a second battery, particularly for touring. I have a rear rack, so carrying it shouldn’t be a problem.

The Niner is front suspension compatible, and my husband is trying to convince me to get a Thudbuster seat post. So far, I haven’t felt the need for any of it. Between the cushy tires and my beloved Brooks saddle, I am very comfortable. It might be a different story if I start riding on gravel.

 

[Alaskan]

I, too, have been thinking of a second battery, particularly for touring. I have a rear rack, so carrying it shouldn’t be a problem.

The Niner is front suspension compatible, and my husband is trying to convince me to get a Thudbuster seat post. So far, I haven’t felt the need for any of it. Between the cushy tires and my beloved Brooks saddle, I am very comfortable. It might be a different story if I start riding on gravel.

If you decide to add a seatpost suspension unit, the thudbuster works well but is crude by comparison and the elastomer is not easy to swap out. The Kinekt Body Float, made here in our hometown of Bellingham, Washington. It is easily adjusted for weight by changing out springs, something that is easily done in about 5 minutes. It is also tunable with a screw to adjust he preload on the springs. It is a bit more costly but get consistently high reviews. Their people and service are excellent.

The PNW Coast combines a dropper post with a 40mm air shock in one unit. It is good for absorbing some of the big impacts but does not do much for smaller "chatter" and vibration.

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

Hello All -

I posted my first message a couple of weeks ago, right before ordering a Niner eBike. At that time, the ETA was late Feb/early March. Lo and behold, it became available well ahead of schedule. I picked it up this past Monday, Feb 1st! Exciting indeed.

I've attached pictures, which really don’t do the paint job justice; it glistens sparkly green in the sunshine. I took it out for its maiden voyage on Wednesday on an undemandingly flat, paved bike path in Greenville, SC. The power was mostly smooth and intuitive. At times it got a little ahead of me, but that's probably a result of my lack of experience with e-bikes. All in all, I'm thrilled and looking forward to being able to enjoy cycling in the mountains of western North Carolina. I'll report back after testing it out in more challenging terrain.

Niner had a promotion for a free rear rack with the purchase of the bike. I also purchased the front rack and the frame pack. The racks are aesthetically nice; the jury is out on their functionality. The frame bag, while small, is quite nice.

In the meantime, I'm researching my options for updating the display. The Purion display that came with it is extremely basic. I'm leaning towards the Nyon at this point. It does almost everything I want. I'd love to hear other people's experiences with it, particularly with the one that came out recently. From what I can see, I won't be able to easily get heart-rate without wearing a belt (NOT an option), and it won't integrate with my Garmin watch. Bosch's eBike Connect app gets a very poor rating in the App store, and nowhere have I been able to find documentation of the premium add-on that would allow me to customize the bike's power modes, despite seeing it referenced on this site.

That's it for now. I'll update this post as I become more familiar with the bike.

Whew! That is one gorgeous set of wheels! I have the Kiox and like it, I looked at the Nyon and it just seemed so big after having my Kiox installed. Either one is a good step forward from the Purion. Enjoy your new found freedom, ride like the wind

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

If you decide to add a seatpost suspension unit, the thudbuster works well but is crude by comparison and the elastomer is not easy to swap out. The Kinekt Body Float, made here in our hometown of Bellingham, Washington. It is easily adjusted for weight by changing out springs, something that is easily done in about 5 minutes. It is also tunable with a screw to adjust he preload on the springs. It is a bit more costly but get consistently high reviews. Their people and service are excellent.

The PNW Coast combines a dropper post with a 40mm air shock in one unit. It is good for absorbing some of the big impacts but does not do much for smaller "chatter" and vibration.

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but wanted to give Alaskan a shout out on your new avatar! Carpe Diem!!!

 

[Deacon Blues]

One of the few things I don't like about my Lefty 3 is the lack of decent fender options.
See the photo below on what I'm using now:

They're mountain bike fenders and work okay for keeping wheel spray off of me (for the most part), but they don't do much for keeping the bike clean.
There is a bracket for mounting a rear fender, but to date I haven't found one that fits (haven't looked that hard, though).
The rear fender works much better than the front. Because the single front fork is angled slightly forward the standard mountain bike fender doesn't fit very well. The front section of the fender can't slide all the way in towards the down tube, so it tends to move around a bit and sits a bit cock-eyed.

I've had the Arkel bag for a couple of years and love it. In the photo it's in its most wrapped-up position. I can almost double the length when it's fulled extended.
The mounting kit is very sturdy and it comes on and off the bike is seconds.

 

[Alaskan]

One of the few things I don't like about my Lefty 3 is the lack of decent fender options.
See the photo below on what I'm using now:

They're mountain bike fenders and work okay for keeping wheel spray off of me (for the most part), but they don't do much for keeping the bike clean.
There is a bracket for mounting a rear fender, but to date I haven't found one that fits (haven't looked that hard, though).
The rear fender works much better than the front. Because the single front fork is angled slightly forward the standard mountain bike fender doesn't fit very well. The front section of the fender can't slide all the way in towards the down tube, so it tends to move around a bit and sits a bit cock-eyed.

I've had the Arkel bag for a couple of years and love it. In the photo it's in its most wrapped-up position. I can almost double the length when it's fulled extended.
The mounting kit is very sturdy and it comes on and off the bike is seconds.

Same fender I borrowed from my Delite Mountain. The rear fender does prevent the mud stripe down ones back but the guy behind you better be wearing goggles. and you better be wearing waterproof shoes because the front one will give you popsicle toes. If I need better fenders that bad, I ride my Allant.

I like that Arkel Bag

 

[steve mercier]

Hello All -

I posted my first message a couple of weeks ago, right before ordering a Niner eBike. At that time, the ETA was late Feb/early March. Lo and behold, it became available well ahead of schedule. I picked it up this past Monday, Feb 1st! Exciting indeed.

I've attached pictures, which really don’t do the paint job justice; it glistens sparkly green in the sunshine. I took it out for its maiden voyage on Wednesday on an undemandingly flat, paved bike path in Greenville, SC. The power was mostly smooth and intuitive. At times it got a little ahead of me, but that's probably a result of my lack of experience with e-bikes. All in all, I'm thrilled and looking forward to being able to enjoy cycling in the mountains of western North Carolina. I'll report back after testing it out in more challenging terrain.

Niner had a promotion for a free rear rack with the purchase of the bike. I also purchased the front rack and the frame pack. The racks are aesthetically nice; the jury is out on their functionality. The frame bag, while small, is quite nice.

In the meantime, I'm researching my options for updating the display. The Purion display that came with it is extremely basic. I'm leaning towards the Nyon at this point. It does almost everything I want. I'd love to hear other people's experiences with it, particularly with the one that came out recently. From what I can see, I won't be able to easily get heart-rate without wearing a belt (NOT an option), and it won't integrate with my Garmin watch. Bosch's eBike Connect app gets a very poor rating in the App store, and nowhere have I been able to find documentation of the premium add-on that would allow me to customize the bike's power modes, despite seeing it referenced on this site.

That's it for now. I'll update this post as I become more familiar with the bike.

Sweet looking bike congrats!

 

[AllenO]

A friend and I bought Niner RTL e9 RDOs about 6 months ago, and we both love them. Mine is equipped with a Redshift Shock-Stem and a Kinekt 2.1 seat shock. I found the stock to not have enough side bite for our light gravel and dirt roads, and swapped them out for 700x50 Maxis Ramblers. I can’t say enough good things about them. I was amazed just how much more stable a 50-wide tire is over the more traditional 36-40-wides I had on my previous gravel bike.

The Nyon display would be tempting, if only because it allows riders to customize power assist levels. However, it is my understanding it is not yet available for sale in the US.

 

[Darlinsk]

It IS available in the US, and worth seeking out.

 

[Jmava]

Hello,
New member, no e-bike, but decades of riding analog. Trying to decide between Bulls Desert Falcon, Topstone 2 or 5, and Niner RLT e9. Difficult to gather data since none are available near me. No new topstones available for 6 months in my size (small). I could buy used from Pros Closet, but not my size and no warranty since they’re used. The Bulls and the Niner both available new, but only shipped to me.
So, anyone care to comment on reliability, durability, comfort for either bike? Does either come with lights or prewired? Stem and handle bar sizes for a given frame size aren’t easily discernible either. No data available on their web pages on these topics. I have called customer service for both manufacturers, but not received any useful response. I’d really appreciate anyone’s experience with these brands. Thanks for your help.

 

[Darlinsk]

I have the Niner; no lights or pre-wiring. It’s been very reliable. Really, it’s quite generic. I did a fitting and changed out the stem, handlebars, and seatpost. I consider that pretty much par for the course. I also upgraded the computer.

The Niner site has full specs and geometry. I LOVE my bike!

RLT e9 RDO E-Gravel Road Bike

The RLT e9 RDO is a multipurpose e-gravel bike for any adventure. We’re calling it our first e-gravel bike, but it’s more like a pedal-powered SUV.

www.ninerbikes.com

 

[Jmava]

Darlinsk,
Thanks for your thoughts about the bike. Sorry it's not prewired for lights and the wheels seem inferior to the rest of the set up. That said, I just ordered one. You good experience was very encouraging. Not sure when it will get here. I appreciate you posting. Thanks, John.

 

[Darlinsk]

Darlinsk,
Thanks for your thoughts about the bike. Sorry it's not prewired for lights and the wheels seem inferior to the rest of the set up. That said, I just ordered one. You good experience was very encouraging. Not sure when it will get here. I appreciate you posting. Thanks, John.

Congratulations, John! I hope you love it! In theory I, too, struggled a bit with the wheels … particularly the somewhat odd pairing of the rim and tires. I use inner tubes and keep the pressure no higher than 50 psi, usually 45. Eventually I just forgot about it because it rides so nicely. The wide, slick tires are both fast and cushy. I only ride on roads. Maybe I’ll treat myself to a new set of wheels one day.

Have fun and keep us posted!

 

[Jmava]

A friend and I bought Niner RTL e9 RDOs about 6 months ago, and we both love them. Mine is equipped with a Redshift Shock-Stem and a Kinekt 2.1 seat shock. I found the stock to not have enough side bite for our light gravel and dirt roads, and swapped them out for 700x50 Maxis Ramblers. I can’t say enough good things about them. I was amazed just how much more stable a 50-wide tire is over the more traditional 36-40-wides I had on my previous gravel bike.

The Nyon display would be tempting, if only because it allows riders to customize power assist levels. However, it is my understanding it is not yet available for sale in the US.

AllenO,
Any issues using the Redshift stem with the Niner? Did you need to replace the seat post to use the Kinekt seat shock? Thanks, I’m considering buying them for the Niner I just purchased. Thanks for your help. John