We’re guessing they got quite a bit of interest in their Niner MCR full suspension gravel bike when it debuted at Sea Otter, because they’ve just added a landing page even though it won’t start shipping until early 2019. The quick bits worth knowing are this: It has short travel with lockouts on both ends; a wide open front triangle to fit bikepacking bags; can hold up to 700×50 tires; and it’s full suspension. Wanna know more? Check out our full tech coverage for photos and more details, and check this video run through with Niner president Chris Sugai:
The seat tube angle vs head tube/fork angle is the really jarring element for me. It looks like they tried to marry an enduro bike rear with a gravel bike front.
I guess it’s got its fans, and the weird geometry probably has merit. I’m just not convinced enough to fork over the cash though. Good on you if you like the bike.
My brain keeps asking if the fork is mounted backward… I think I’m close to the target market for this bike, but, I’m having a hard time getting excited about it, it’s a lot of suspension weight when you have 50s to smooth the ride, and then it’s making my Santa Cruz Superlight almost redundant. I’m thinking a Hakka MX with an effective (lightweight) suspension post will take the “6th bike in the garage” trophy, too bad, cause I almost like this…