Niner One Nine build

2010 race rig, Thanks to the boys of Dark Horse cycles for the sponsorship and support.

Niner one nine SS frame
Niner carbon fork
Shimano XT crankset
Shimano XTR pedals
Thomson stem
Thomson post
Thomson seatpost collar (sweetness)
Hope hubs SS/trials edition (steel freehub body)
Stans ZTR 355 and Arch combo
Ignitor front Karma rear (subject to change, depending on conditions)
Origin 8 carbon bars
Avid Juicy 7 brakes

19.2 LBS



Been testing out the new race rig the last few weekends...
Just a few things of note...

Weight:
Dropped a pound and a half off the Stumpjumper for a weigh in of 19.2 and this was without really trying. Lighter parts were available and I'm sure I could have cracked 18.5 without much effort but with me durability is often a issue so I went with the tried and true setup. The bike rides light and accelerates well.

Handling:
I always felt like the Stumpjumper steered like a truck. Switchbacks were a bit of a chore requiring lots of energy wasting body english. The handling is a little quicker than the Specialized but in a good way. The Niner is not twitchy by any means, I wouldn't want anyone to think that. It's handling lies somewhere between my old Vicious Cycles monolith (nervous 26er) and the Spec. Just right. Switchbacks are now a breeze.

Technical:
Riding trials type stuff as well as jumping logs is a matter of timing and proper angle on the approach. I have noticed this bike is balanced better (more to the center) than the Spec. That requires a small adjustment in my wheelie hop but I'm confident that one or two urban shredding sessions will cure me of that. Riding super technical trails will take a little getting used to. I believe a stable bike is better technically, That being said this is a race rig (designed to go fast) not a trail bike so trade offs will be made.

Cornering:
I've yet to let it go in any corners mostly due to ice and snow but have noticed that the bike seems to stay under you a little more. I'm not sure why this is but suspect it has to do with the rider being more centered on the bike. Arizona is all about cornering and with the Ignitor up front and the Karma on the rear I'm fairly confident there won't be much adjustment needed in order to go fast.

At the current time my bike is on its way to Tucson Via Fed-Ex so no pictures are available. If you need to see the machine catch me at an upcoming event. I may even let you take a spin....

...Damn, this kit makes me look sexy...