More than a decade after Niner's first W.F.O. 9 defined the category and set a benchmark for what a long-travel 29er could do, They're bringing it back.
The 2021 WFO 9 RDO draws on years of the 29er evolution to establish a new paradigm of unbridled, big-wheel domination. Reborn with 170mm of stable CVA suspension, a 180mm-travel fork, adjustable geometry, increased frame stiffness, and Niner's signature RDO carbon fiber, the new generation of WFO 9 RDO is an enduro-ready brawler with the pedaling prowess to get you to the top in style. All the descending capability of a 170mm travel 29er is fully expressed in this new WFO 9 RDO. Yet any detectable trace of the dreaded “climbing compromises” chromosome is edited out. We all know that modern enduro bikes have to manage descents into madness on the scale of World Cup DH tracks. Yet they also need to get you efficiently back up to the top when pedaling is your only option. Which, let’s be honest, is usually the case.
We all know that modern enduro bikes have to manage descents into madness on the scale of World Cup DH tracks. Yet they also need to get you efficiently back up to the top when pedaling is your only option. Which, let’s be honest, is usually the case. With this schizophrenic spectrum of duties in mind, Niner have dialed in a “just right” geometry chart for the WFO 9 RDO. It’s low and slack by nature, but not so slouchy as to kick you out of contention on the steepest climbs. At the heart of the WFO 9 RDO is the Constantly Varying Arc (CVA) suspension system. The first suspension layout made specifically for 29ers, CVA debuted in 2008 and has been the core of Niner’s DNA ever since. From a distance, the new WFO 9 RDO looks like a fraternal twin to the trail bike in Niner's line, the popular and handsome RIP 9 RDO. However, Niner’s characteristic full-suspension frame cosmetics deceive your eyes. A closer look reveals that the new WFO 9 RDO is clearly the bigger, brawnier sibling that got its square-jawed genes from cousin Vinnie’s side of the family.