Book of Paul H

Paul H

Fearless OOS Poser
Also... not sure if I want to go carbon on this hardtail.
I am figuring this is going to be the bike that I would abuse the most.
 

mtbiker87

Well-Known Member
Go steel ! They say it's fo real !.....Seriously though, I've had both steel and alloy HT's, and have ridden carbon as well(demos). For me, steel wins. Rides the best, and takes all the abuse you can dish out. The weight penalty is, at lest in my eyes, worth it, unless you are planning for this thing to be a race whip. If I didnt want my Knolly so bad, I never would have parted ways with my 456. Luckily, I still have my steel SS, which they will have to pry from my cold, dead hands. It dont ride as well as my 456, but still better than any alloy HT i've owned.
 

Paul H

Fearless OOS Poser
Go steel ! They say it's fo real !.....Seriously though, I've had both steel and alloy HT's, and have ridden carbon as well(demos). For me, steel wins. Rides the best, and takes all the abuse you can dish out. The weight penalty is, at lest in my eyes, worth it, unless you are planning for this thing to be a race whip. If I didnt want my Knolly so bad, I never would have parted ways with my 456. Luckily, I still have my steel SS, which they will have to pry from my cold, dead hands. It dont ride as well as my 456, but still better than any alloy HT i've owned.
I am starting to become a weight weenie but I am conflicted. I want the bike to be able to take abuse but want this thing to be light too. I am thinking... no point if its going to be heavier than my Hightower. I am figuring the alloy version will be around 26-27lbs. I think my cheap ass Talon is about the same weight which kinda pisses me off lol
 

mtbiker87

Well-Known Member
True enough. The Talon probably would be around the same weight as a steel HT depending on how light go on the components. But the ride quality between a good steal HT with light parts, and a low/mid range alloy HT will be definitely noticeable to most riders.
 

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
So what does something like this, actually ride like (Pipedream Moxy - "it climbs like an eMB and descends like a runaway steam train")? I mean, can you hop over logs with it it, lift the front, lift the rear wheel? Or, are you just on it guiding it down some gnarly trail?


Doctahawk.jpg
 
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Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Steel is great, and I love my steel hardtail, that being said...

The only thing that's keeping me from riding carbon is $$. Significant weight penalty on my steel frame.

You shouldn't worry about breaking a frame. And legitimate manufacturer has a great warranty and they're super reliable now anyway. Plenty of shitty steel frames break.

I'd even choose an aluminum frame if it road well, which is entirely possible. And then even there the $$ is the only reason I ride what I ride.
 

Paul H

Fearless OOS Poser
Steel is great, and I love my steel hardtail, that being said...

The only thing that's keeping me from riding carbon is $$. Significant weight penalty on my steel frame.

You shouldn't worry about breaking a frame. And legitimate manufacturer has a great warranty and they're super reliable now anyway. Plenty of shitty steel frames break.

I'd even choose an aluminum frame if it road well, which is entirely possible. And then even there the $$ is the only reason I ride what I ride.
I am pretty much on the same boat. Its all about $$
If we are talking about Niner, the aluminum is cheaper... way cheaper than the the RDO or the SIR
Here is another kicker.... for shits and giggles, lets just say I get the RDO. This only means I am going to want to put fancier components which means more $$. Do I want to spend all that much on a bike that I would prolly ride 20-30% of the time? I am pretty sure the Hightower will get the lion's share of saddle time.
If I get the aluminum, I can get away with installing slightly cheaper components.

Ritchey p29er nuff said!
I haven't researched the Ritchey all that much but just at a glance, I didn't see anything that is a boost.
EDIT: Nevermind.... just visited their site.
The Ultra is 5.6lbs and P650 is 4.8lbs. The Niner Air 9 AL is 3.5lbs and SIR is 4.4lbs. Niner wins :p

All I know is that I am definitely conflicted here.... sure I want a fancy carbon bike.... I mean just the lines are sexy as hell without them nasty welding marks.
Maybe I should just screw all this and keep my cheap ass Talon and be happy with it lol
 
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Paul H

Fearless OOS Poser
Come on! @fidodie @Juggernaut and @qclabrat
Weigh in here and at least tell me to F off!
I expect a few expletives from you guys by the time I return from my ride this morning.

Got clearance from the CFO to spend $$ on a bike.
Little does she know $$ will end up being $$$$
 
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mtbiker87

Well-Known Member
If we'er talking budget here, but allowed to spend some cash, id be looking for a decent quality steel frame, with modern type geo, that you could bolt the parts from the Talon on. You dont need boost, or carbon anything, to build, a good hardtail. Its BS that you cant find good non boost wheels, not when i can still find decent 26er parts. For less than that niner, you could buy any number of decent steel hardtails that would take your current parts.
 

Juggernaut

Master of the Metaphor
The “original” Air9 Carbon was the best bike I’ve ever owned. That being said, niner has had more than its share of QC issues inthe last few years, and their history with cracked Aluminum/scandium hardtails is well documented. If it was my project, I’d buy the best frame/fork I could, and build it up from there over time. Run takeoff parts and replace with “the good stuff” in dribs and drabs as $$ “materialize”. Hell, singlespeed it for a while...
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
Bikes are your primary hobby. Get what you really want.
Esp if you have the green light. window could close.

could be worse, you could have a thing for exotic cars.

i just rode my flat handle, steel, single speed, hipster urban bike. it is the right bike for the mission.
it made me happy. And i crushed the guy in the trek team kit......
 

scotth

Well-Known Member
I am pretty much on the same boat. Its all about $$
If we are talking about Niner, the aluminum is cheaper... way cheaper than the the RDO or the SIR
Here is another kicker.... for shits and giggles, lets just say I get the RDO. This only means I am going to want to put fancier components which means more $$. Do I want to spend all that much on a bike that I would prolly ride 20-30% of the time? I am pretty sure the Hightower will get the lion's share of saddle time.
If I get the aluminum, I can get away with installing slightly cheaper components.


I haven't researched the Ritchey all that much but just at a glance, I didn't see anything that is a boost.
EDIT: Nevermind.... just visited their site.
The Ultra is 5.6lbs and P650 is 4.8lbs. The Niner Air 9 AL is 3.5lbs and SIR is 4.4lbs. Niner wins :p

All I know is that I am definitely conflicted here.... sure I want a fancy carbon bike.... I mean just the lines are sexy as hell without them nasty welding marks.
Maybe I should just screw all this and keep my cheap ass Talon and be happy with it lol
Niner.....Down for Life
 

Paul H

Fearless OOS Poser
@mtbiker87 I currently have 2 decent wheel sets; a 27.5 plus and a 29er and both are boost so I need a boost frame to use the wheels I have already have.
I have a set of non boost 27.5 Giant SX-2 wheels thats on the Talon but they don't count as they will be on the chopping block.

After 5 years.... 5 freakin years of riding and for first time today, on a 29er. What the F was I doing riding 27.5 in NNJ?!?!?! The roll over was freakin amazing!
Addix.... best freakin tires so far! I might be exaggerating from the new tire novelty but the 2.35 Addix had as much traction, if not more than the 2.8 Rekon.
XT M8020.... loving it! Guides R.... goodbye.

I initially thought 29er hardtail for places like 6MR and Nassau but are these more 27.5 territory? I guess it doesn't matter much since my plan was to get a hardtail that can take both 27.5+ and 29er anyways.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
Wait till you try a fatbike!????‍♂️

So you ran the SC as a 29r?

Glad you are enjoying the payoff. Very cool when shit comes together.
 
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