TEST RIDZ

Like I stated in an earlier post I would give the Niner EMD and honest review after riding it. Well, it's been ridden and it performed pretty good. I still don't like the color but it rides pretty good and did I mention stiff? Nothing like a aluminum or carbon hardtail for stiff rear ends! Maybe COB could strip it and put a TRIXIE sticker on it for me? COB???? You listening??

As you can see for yourself below I have both the Lynskey and the Niner's "geo" charts for all to see side by side, well maybe over and under...



size LARGE:

Virtual top tube length are nearly the same. The chain stays are slightly different but the Lynskey has a slider and I ran it at different position so...., BB drop is a little more on the Niner (no biggie), Head tube length is shorter on the Niner (no biggie), but the "the biggie" in my book is the 1* degree difference in head angle! I thought it being 72* instead of the normal 71.5* or 71* that seems to be on most bikes of this size would make the bike very twitchy BUT it didn't. It went where I pointed it and turns on banked berms like my BMX bike, very nice for a big hooped bike for sure!

The Niner gives (/) for it's measurements because of the 80 or 100mm fork option that you could run on it. I really think that with that extra 20mm of travel it would slacken the head angle to a 71* (as stated) and take away the nice handling that this has with a Rock Shox Reba 80mm travel fork. I may try a 100mm fork from the shop and see what happens. As for now I really like how it handles with a 80mm fork on it.

Rear flex like on the Lynskey? None on the Niner, that won me over all by itself! I never experienced rear flex until I rode Ti, it's a weird feeling. I just hope the 29er BMC's have a feel like the Team Elite small hooped bike does, fingers crossed. So there it is.....

LAter G................