Niner WFO 9 Review

Mountain bikes have been in production since the early 1980's. In fact my first MTB was a 1985 Ross then I progressed to 3 other hardtails and eventually full suspension. Companies are always looking at a way to get the upper hand over the competition and to make riding a bike faster an easier thing to do for the average Joe.

Niner bikes have been at the forefront of the big wheel revolution. Not just 650B but true Wagon Wheels the big 29" style wheels and as their name indicates it is all they make. The company makes no qualms about it they are firm believers that bigger is better when it comes to wheel size. Niner offers a variety of bikes that satisfy most genras of Mountain Biking. The Niner WFO 9 is designed to be a Enduro machine with the ability to tackle rough terrain at high rates of speed while allowing the rider to climb to the top of the descents.

From early trips to Whistler and passionate lift-line discussions about wheel size to numerous Burro-Down laps at truly negligent speeds, the WFO 9 has always been a curiosity. A bike without an easy niche except for those riders who are quite certain it’s the best bike on the planet – those converts who choose the WFO 9 to confidently dissect bike parks and black diamonds every weekend. This bike has changed how a lot of riders view long-travel 29ers, evolv¬ing from an outlier in the Niner lineup to a bike whose time has come. With trail bikes becoming more and more capable, we’ve shoved the new WFO 9 off the “all mountain” fence firmly into gravity territory. Lower. Slacker. More Travel. So, grab your music, Leatt and full-face before you roll out the door.

While the WFO 9 is an efficient pedaler and will do AM magic under those who have the legs for the climbs, it’s when you adjust your goggles and drop in that it truly shines. You might imagine that the bike’s 150MM of travel puts it into a familiar category of bikes, but it doesn’t ride that way. Coming from a trail bike, the WFO 9 will feel big and capable. If you spend time on DH bikes you will instantly feel at home, except the WFO 9 is likely several pounds lighter than your DH setup. That’s a few extra laps and a few spots higher on any leader board. The long wheelbase puts you in charge of where the bike goes and if you’ve ever had trouble carrying enough speed into that set of 30’ tables, prepare yourself for some hair-raising-shit-eating-grin-overshooting-to- HYFR.

The big wheels bring the kind of speed through the chop and stability in the air that any rid¬er will benefit from. Whips? Snap hard and get sideways. Scrubs? Push a bit earlier to break the increased traction and get the bike down. The wheels stay out of the holes on techy lines, allowing you to get away with 6” of travel in serious clenching moments that just wouldn’t be fun on a trail bike. Float down your favorite trail and wonder when they made it easier. They didn’t.

Bottom line is, all those guys who said 29 will never be fun on big terrain were just plain wrong. That’s okay though, we weren’t sure ourselves when we made the first WFO 9 in 2009. But it’s 2013 and we’ve done the homework. This is the new WFO 9 and it redefines what a Niner can do.

CVA™ SUSPENSION

The WFO 9 features Niner’s patented CVA™ suspension (U.S. Patent No. 7,934,739) and delivers 150mm of fully active travel with superb compliance and damping via a tuned for CVA™ RockShox Monarch Plus RC3 shock. The three modes of the RC3 offer a bit more pedaling efficiency when you need to stomp up to the next stage and the increased shock length and stroke maintain a low leverage ratio for best performance. For those seeking the technical advantages of 29” wheels combined with pedaling efficiency and remarkable sensitivity, CVA™ is the front-runner. The result? A faster, smoother ride up and down the trail.

CVA IS PATENTED (U.S. Patent No. 7,934,739)
CVA is a unique, award-winning suspension design and has been recognized with a US Patent.

CVA IS THE ONLY 29er SPECIFIC SUSPENSION DESIGN
CVA is the only suspension designed to take advantage of the increased bottom bracket drop of 29ers.

CVA OFFERS EFFICIENT PEDALING IN ALL CHAINRINGS
Because the lower swingarm linkage is located underneath the bottom bracket, chain torque in any chainring effectively neutralizes the unwanted forces that degrade power transfer to the rear wheel.

CVA IS POSITIVELY REVIEWED AROUND THE WORLD
CVA-equipped Niners have earned praise from riders in online forums and magazines all over the globe.

Although CVA resembles some of the other parallel link designs, CVA works very differently to isolate pedaling forces and remain fully active under all conditions. Many current suspension designs, especially some parallel link suspension designs, maximize efficiency by anticipating that most of your pedaling will be done in the middle chainring and are designed around this ‘virtual’ pivot location. This means that there is some compromise to the suspension’s pedalability when NOT in the middle chainring or when using a 2x10 set up. The better the design, the less noticeable this compromise is.

In order to isolate pedaling forces across a broader range of gearing, the CVA’s ‘instant center’ location is in front of the drivetrain. With the lower pivot under the bottom bracket, the force at the rear axle resulting from chain tension pulls the two linkages in opposite directions in all gear choices, effectively isolating the drivetrain from the rear triangle. In other words, when a rider cranks on the pedals, the chain is trying to pull the lower link down and away from the bottom bracket, and the upper link in its regular rotational path. Since the rear triangle is one piece, these opposing forces cancel each other out, leaving the only outlet for chain-induced torque being rotation of the rear wheel, where it’s most wanted.

Past the rearward-most position at sag, the axle path moves in towards the bike at a gradual, constantly varying arc, which insures that there is minimal chain growth throughout the length of travel. This also means minimal pedal feed back in the drivetrain while cycling the suspension, essentially isolating it from the fully active movement of the suspension design.

Ultimately, there are many variables in suspension – we believe that we have created a strong, 29er specific system, and that the best way to test it is to go out and ride a Niner full suspension bike.

VERSATILE GEOMETRY

The WFO 9 geometry has been totally revised. Shorter chain stays, slacker head tube angle, shorter head tube, shorter top tube, lower BB height and a lower stand over announce that this bike is ready to get it on.

AIRFORMED TUBING

The next installment of Niner’s airformed trilogy is complete. Shaping the WFO 9 frame tubes with compressed air in a heated mold gives us greater control over wall thickness and material uniformity, allowing the use of less metal. The new WFO 9 is over 300g lighter than its predecessor – total Medium frame weight is 7.3lbs (no Maxle or seat collar) compared to 8lbs (no Maxle or seat collar) for the old model.

TAPERED HEADTUBE

The increased surface area of a tapered headtube allows for a larger downtube, increasing strength and rigidity at this critical intersection. Tapered fork steerer tubes measurably reduce fork deflection, which means your WFO 9 tracks straight and true. The full spectrum of riders from XC racers to those who “only ride park” benefit from these features which is why we incorporate the technology in all our frames.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

• Dedicated 142 x 12mm drops are custom-forged for a sleek look that flows seamlessly to the stays
• New post-mount rear brake mount is hollow to reduce weight
• Custom forged seat stay and chain stay yokes reduce weight and maintain the lines of the airformed tubes
• Bigger Enduro MAX bearings increase durability by distributing suspension load over a larger bearing race and allow the use of new larger-diameter alloy hardware
• Chainstay/Seatstay tree replaced by massive asymmetrical brace, increasing rigidity and incorporating the look and feel of its shorter travel brethren
• Seat Tube Main Pivot is integrated directly into the tube rather than welded to the front of the seat tube
• Custom Forged BB incorporates the lower forward pivot, ISCG 05 mounts, lower shock mount and BSA BB shell in one beautifully shaped (hollow) work of art. The keyed lower forward alloy pivot bolt does double duty as the third ISCG 05 tab.
• Full housing from shifter to derailleur with dropper routing along the top tube
• Zero Stack/Inset head tube is Angleset compatible

Geometry

Specifications

Alex Kachlakev

We are testing the WFO 9 4-Star X01 build bike with an MSRP of $5299. The build kit has solid parts where it counts sporting a Pike RCT3, SRAM X01, and a Reverb post. The pricing on this bike is very competitave many of its rivals are a thousand or more dollars for the complete build. The bike weighed in at just under 30LBS in a size LG. We swapped out the Nobby Nic tire for Specialized Butcher in GRID configuration. All of felt the tires were limiting the bikes potential.

Build Kit

• FRAME: WFO 9 - NINER RED or ATOMIC BLUE
• FORK: RockShox PIKE RCT3 Solo Air 160mm, 15MM
• WHEELS: NOTUBES 3.30/ZTR FLOW EX, 15MM FRONT, 142 X 12MM REAR
• TIRES: SCHWALBE NOBBY NIC SNAKESKIN TL, 2.35
• BRAKES & ROTORS: Shimano XT M785 ICE Tech Pads with 180/160MM Rotors
• BRAKE LEVERS Shimano XT M785
• R/ SHIFTER: SRAM XO1 11sp
• F/ SHIFTER: N/A
• R/ DERAILLEUR: SRAM XO1 11sp
• F/ DERAILLUER: N/A
• CASSETTE: SRAM XG 1195 11sp 10-42T
• CHAIN: SRAM PC 1170
• CRANK SET: SRAM X1 GXP 32T
• BOTTOM BRACKET: SRAM GXP
• SADDLE: Niner Custom with Cr-Mo Rails, Niner Graphic
• SEAT POST: RockShox Reverb
• HANDLEBAR: NINER Flat Top RDO, 780MM, Red Niner Graphic
• STEM: NINER Trail Stem, Red Niner Graphic
• GRIPS: NINER Grrrips

"Increased wheel size decreases the angle of attack. That means bigger wheels make obstacles seem smaller. If you ride very technical trails that have very rocky and rooty sections, you have a couple of options. Either you are a rider that likes to plow through these sections, in which case a 29er would be perfect, or you’re the type of rider that likes to get more playful, bunny hopping above, around or off obstacles, in which case a 27.5” ride would be optimal."

"A larger wheel rolls over objects with greater ease due to its increased diameter. The wheel literally spans a greater distance without being impeded. So a bigger wheel in general will keep you rolling over the rough stuff and will help to maintain your speed through the corners. There is a trade-off to be made here. Would you rather bash through obstacles? Or would you prefer to use said obstacles to your advantage? If the former, a 29er might be best, if the latter, check out a 27.5” ride."

"Wheels with larger diameters tend to have a larger contact patch. The larger the contact patch, the better the wheel connects the rider to the trail through improved traction. Of course there are other factors that affect this such as air pressure and choice of tire, but in general, a smaller wheel standard will have slightly less traction than a larger wheel standard. Do you usually ride in wet and muddy conditions? If so, going for a 29er is a sure fire way to gain more traction."

"Bigger wheels, bigger momentum- it is as simple as that. More momentum will allow you to roll through technical sections with a smaller chance of getting hung up on obstacles."

"Sometimes the reasons are too esoteric to put into words. Sometimes riding is believing. No matter what we say to you here, we challenge you to go test ride a Niner at your local Niner dealer or at a Niner Demo Tour event and see for yourself. Talk to a Niner owner and we guarantee that the owner’s response will be more information than you asked for. Life changing? Maybe. We’ve heard it before.

The basic concept of the larger diameter is simple: it will keep your wheels on top of oncoming obstacles. Rather than riding IN the terrain, you’ll be riding ABOVE it, gaining more control and stability on even the roughest trails. Think of the difference between a skateboard wheel and monster truck tire. The skateboard wheel can come to a grinding halt on a pebble while the monster truck wheel can crush granny’s Oldsmobile. Yes, this example is a little extreme, but you get the idea.

The larger wheel offers increased rotational inertia, which in turn improves the bike’s stability. The extra three inches also increases the amount of tire contacting the ground at any one moment, meaning enhanced tire bite. Dump a Niner into a corner at full speeds and you’ll find that the unparalleled grip and stability will hold to lean angles you never thought possible.

What about speed? 29 is just plain faster. Validated in testing by magazines such as Bike Germany and Velo News, and by that guy who just got a lot faster in your riding group, the advantages of 29 in racing applications are easy to see.

With all the bikes now available, what makes our models best? Niner didn’t just stuff larger wheels on to an existing chassis. It required a lot of work and testing to dial in the geometry to feel right in all situations. Our design parameters from the beginning were to design a bike that didn’t require a learning curve. Since all we do is 29ers, we had to get it right. Expectations were understandably high. The result: Niner’s dedication to The Big Revolution has been critically acclaimed by some of the top bicycling magazines in the world."

Tom Doran

Tom Doran

Alex Kachlakev

Ian Wilkinson

It has been close to 14 years now since I have ridden a "short" travel bike. That bike was a 2000 Orange Patriot with 6" of travel. Back then it was considered a DH bike and by today’s standards it would be an Enduro bike.

I really wasn't sure what to expect when riding the Niner. I had heard a number of varying opinions on 29” wheels and most where positive. There was one issue that had me worried, would turning become harder on a bigger wheeled bike? I found that the bike did feel a bit taller in the corners but gave an enormous amount of traction versus a smaller wheel bike. There is a bit of a longer lean that happens and that was a bit apparent to me. I just had to lean it over a bit further. The wheelbase didn't pose any problems I had been riding gravity bikes with 48" wheelbases on many of the same trails so for me it was a non-issue.

The WFO 9 impressed me with its ability to climb. The first trail I brought the bike onto consisted of a gradual climb up and then fell into tight single-track. Climbing on this for the first time the bike had no issues lifting the front end and went easily where you pointed it. I was spinning at about 3-4 gears down and seated or standing it didn't bob too much. I then decided to spin and easier gear and see if that affected its bob characteristics in any way and luckily it seemed to have no effect. WFO riders will be rewarded with its gobs of traction and its ability to spin or hammer on the way to the top. This trail only has a few rocks so this was more about the way the bike climbed or cornered. It made its way through the S-Turns quickly and with no quirks. There are a few tight turns in these that initially I wasn't getting the bike low enough on. But once it was leaned enough it held its line and carried speed through the turn. The faster off camber stuff on the trail seemed to require a bit more front weight to get the tire to bite.

Up next was a trail in town called Rock Garden. It has a long fire road climb to the top. There is one section on it that is about 75 yards long and is very steep. I had to lean hard over the bars and used an easier gear. The rest of the climb is a steady cadence over somewhat rocky terrain. The bike did great on the way up but in reality people go up this hill to ride down. The rocks here range in size from marbles up to knee high with some boulders thrown in for good measure. Here the WFO did very well the bike stayed on track and made easy work of the rocks coming up at it. There where a few instances I felt the Pike fork giving some so I knew I was charging those sections fast enough to have it flex under my weight. Overall the bike handled the rocks very well and in a stable manner. Having 29" tires and 150mm of travel front and rear will for sure help it get down the mountain. The CVA suspension design seemed to eat up the rough terrain well. Riding the WFO it is apparent that the suspension design does a very good job of staying active.

The WFO climbs well for being a slacker, longer travel bike. It will spin a decent gear without any noticeable bob happening. Once you stand and put down the power it gives some, as longer travel bikes will. The suspension allows pedaling over good size obstacles on the ascents and provides a good amount of traction for the rider. Combine this with 29" tires, and strong riders can climb just about anything aboard the WFO. Coming off many different brands of downhill bikes I can tell you one thing this isn't a Downhill bike. It does climb a whole lot better but when it gets real rough you will feel it more than some of the best DH bikes. Although I have ridden some that preformed less well than this wagon wheeled trail bike did so that is impressive. That being said the Niner WFO handled a wide variety of terrain in very good fashion. It gave confidence-descending rough, rocky, and steep trails while at the same time gave the rider a confidence boost on the way up.

Overall the Niner impressed me a bunch. I had the vision of old men wearing Lycra and toe straps on their pedals when I thought of a 29r before I got my hands on the WFO. The bike seemed to do it all well with few drawbacks.

Tom Doran

Tom Doran

Alex Kachlakev

Alex Kachlakev

Nate Lewis

The WFO was a ton of fun to ride. This was my first time taking a 29er for anything more than a parking lot test and I was impressed. Prior to taking this bike out I pretty much had my mind made up about ride quality for big-wheeled bikes. I figured there would be benefits and compromises, I expected the big wheels to feel a bit more stable and smooth, and possible carry the bike through straight-aways a bit faster. And when hitting a tight corner, I expected the bike to feel cumbersome and a pain in the ass to accelerate. After my first ride on the bike, I discovered that very few of my preconceptions seemed to be true.

Our test ride was composed of a brutally steep and rocky climb up a power line access road/tractor skid trail that rises about 1200 feet, and then a descent down similarly steep rocky narrow single-track. The first thing I noticed while cranking up the hill was how nicely the bike maintained speed while bouncing along the rough cobble strewn surface of the tractor road. On steep climbs, to keep the front wheel from floating up, I had to nudge forward a bit more than I was used to.  This ended up being only a minor hindrance that the bike more than makes up for when pointed downhill.

The downhill end of our ride was a new trail to me, like most trails in SLO, it was steep narrow and rocky but still smooth enough to be fun on a trail bike. The big wheels continued to skip along the top of rocks, and I found my self-taking lines and running into rocks I’d normally only feel comfortable doing on a downhill bike.  Where the bike really surprised me was in corners. The combination of geometry, wheel size, and suspension set up seemed to be consistently confidence inspiring. Banked or off camber, the bike made it easy to get low, press the rear wheel in the corner, and trust that the front end would hold traction.

The last trail I did on the bike was a run down Rock Garden, which made for a good test since I've done the trail about a thousand times on my own bike. I was once again impressed, the one thing that stood out more than anything else was this sensation of acceleration through a long rocky straightaway on the trail that caught me off guard. On my own bike I've grown accustomed to letting off the brakes and gliding through the straight-aways of this trail at a certain speed. On the WFO, the bike seemed to accelerate through these rough sections.  This experience really drove home the benefits that big wheels can have.

I came away from this test with a new impression on 29ers. It turns out that there are far more benefits and far fewer compromises than I had initially thought. My biggest hang up with the idea of big wheels was the performance these bikes would have in corners, it turns out that in the case of the Niner WFO, cornering is one of its strongest attributes.

Tom Doran

Tom Doran

Alex Kachlakev

Alex Kachlakev

Leland Occonor

I recently was back in my hometown of San Luis Obispo, CA, for the holidays. Still to this day, the area offers some of the best mountain biking I have ever ridden, right out the backdoor. I had the chance to get out on the bike, and was lucky to get in some test rides aboard the Niner WFO 9. The X01 build includes SRAM’s XO1 drivetrain, the Rockshox Pike fork, and NoTubes ZTR Flow wheels. With a lengthy 150mm rear travel, this is one great long travel 29er All Mountain bike.

I was able to get in approximately 75 miles of hard riding in 3 days on the WFO. Anyone familiar with the San Luis Obispo area knows it is littered with loose dirt and rocks, nothing more. Thus it is a great place to beat a bike into submission.

Climbing on the WFO was great. With the Rockshox Reverb adjustable seat post, riding through steep hilly terrain was a dream, and not once did I lockout or limit the rear shock in any way. Even when riding on the road, I never felt the need to lock the rear suspension. Niner definitely did a good job with the design of their patented CVA suspension in eliminating any form of suspension bob.

I was a little skeptical on the downhills at first, being on a long travel 29er. I wasn’t sure it would feel good in the corners. However, it felt great in the tight and steep sections of trail. The bike, depending on fork length, has a 67 to 66 degree head angle. This angle is very slack, and helps control the bike on the steep and off-camber corners. The only thing I didn’t like was cornering in flat rocky areas. The bike felt almost too slack, and tended to have a “tipping over” feel if moving slower. When navigating a high-speed flat corner, the bike felt fine. I was running a 160mm fork, and would be curious to see how it felt adjusted down to 150mm.

As for smashing through the rough and technical, the bike felt at home in the rocks. Most of the trails I was riding were extremely technical. However, this bike performed as well as a DH bike under these conditions. The cockpit and overall feel of the WFO was great, and I was in control at all times. The sizing worked out great for me. I was on a large frame, which worked perfect for my height of 6’ 2”. This matched Niner’s sizing chart suggestions on their website.

The only other complaint I have with the frame itself is the rear tire clearance. I was running 2.3 tires front and rear, which didn’t leave a lot of extra room within the seat stay. During my testing, I didn’t encounter any mud (California winter!) while riding, and I am unsure if it would pose any problem in muddy areas.

I am more than pleased with the ride and feel the WFO offers with out of the box performance. I was aboard the WFO 9 X01, which comes in at a little over $5,000. The price tag may be a bit on the high side for an aluminum bike, but after putting it through the paces, I feel it is worth the cost. The suspension design is better in technical areas than many bikes I have ridden, including a handful of downhill bikes! If you are a weekend warrior or enduro racer who enjoys all kinds of terrain, you will love this bike.

Tom Doran

Tom Doran

Alex Kachlakev

Conclusion

There are very few long travel trail bikes that can climb like the WFO and those that can will have a very hard time keeping up with it on the way back down. The bike has a good feel to it. Not to steep or slack the BB height was never an issue we climbed very rocky terrain with the occasional pedal smash. The TT is short for a LG I feel I would prefer it about another inch longer and then run a 35-50mm stem on it but it would not keep me from buying the bike.

Overall we were very impressed with the Niner WFO and if you are going to go wagon wheel it is for sure a bike you should take a serious look at. This is the kind of bike you can do 30-40 mile loops on during one weekend and then the next weekend can be spent riding the chairlifts at the resort. This comes with a great build kit at a reasonable price. This LG aluminum bike weighed in just under 30LBS, which is 1-2 LBS heavier than their big competitors carbon offerings that cost almost twice as much! At some point the WFO may go the plastic route and in doing so should shed some weight hopefully without a large price penalty.

Our test crew has a fairly wide range of ability. I am the slow old guy while Nate and Leland both are pro level riders on the DH scene as well as some Enduro racing. We would for sure recommend the WFO to a friend or anyone looking for a more aggressive 29r to slay trails on and humiliate the strava dorks all across the land with.

Alex Kachlakev

Niner WFO Questionnaire

1. How long has Niner been around?

Niner was started in 2005, so this will be our 10^th year.

2. What was the initial reason for choosing the wagon wheel size?

Chris Sugai, Niner’s owner and founder, started the company 10 years ago after searching for the perfect bike for himself. He fell in love with the 29” wheel from day one. When the company began, production 29ers were limited and the only real offering were to go the custom route. So he sought out to make the best 29” wheeled mountain bike from that day forward and be able to share his passion for the wheel size with the masses. Today everyone here at Niner ride big wheels because we’re all passionate about them as well and believe in the wheel size.

3. Are the benefits of the larger wheels still as relevant today with the advancements in suspension and tire compounds as when Niner first began?

Absolutely. As technology advances it really allows the benefits to become even more pronounced and bikes are able to take an even greater advantage from the wheel size now.

4. When people first ride a 29” Mountain Bike how do people describe the ride?

Impressions have certainly changed over the years as 29” wheels have become more prominent and riders have become more accustomed to them but riders often sight the traction that they feel, the ability of the bike to skip and ride over the top of obstacles and how stable they feel at speed.

5. How long has the WFO been in production? What has been altered over the years on it?

The WFO has been around since 2009. So it’s been around for a while and was really one of the first long travel 29ers available, well before they were commonly accepted. In that time geometry has modernized and become slacker and lower and travel has bumped up a bit as well.

6. When designing the latest WFO what were some of the key elements that the engineers were trying to achieve with it? (rough terrain, steeps, corners, climbing, pedaling etc.)

The biggest efforts were put into refining the geometry. It was a goal to create a slacker, lower and shorter bike. We wanted to create a bike that would meet the needs of modern riders and set a benchmark in the industry for long travel 29ers. As far as the ride, we looked to create a well-rounded and balanced package. Our patented CVA suspension design lends itself to being very efficient on the pedal up and has great feeling to it when pointed down. So with CVA to build around efforts were put into the geometry tweaks and creating a bike that was stable at speed could charge through rough and chunky sections of trails but didn’t compromise pedaling efficiency. We wanted a bike that was going to perform all around.

7. The build weight of the X01 in a size LG is very respectable coming in at 29LBS was weight a big concern?

It wasn’t at the top of the list. We really wanted a bike that was going to be lively and playful as well as being capable of handling any terrain. With that in mind the biggest efforts were in creating a bike with short chain stays that takes advantage of the CVA suspension design

8. Are there any other shocks you have tested on the WFO?

I’ve personally ridden the bike with the stock RS Monarch, Fox Float X and the RS Vivid Air. The guys at PUSH have spent an extensive amount of time on the WFO and have designed their new ElevenSix rear shock to work with the WFO.

9. You went with a shorter TT on the bike what was the reason for doing so?

This was a decision made to help shorten the bike up keep the wheel base to a minimum.

10. How important was keeping the rear stay short with this bike?

This was a huge focus of the bike and one that dictated decisions such as making it 1x compatible only.

11. Will we be seeing a lower, slacker WFO in the future?

We’re always working on new products and constantly trying to evolve and give riders the best bike that we can. That being said the design and geometry of bikes is definitely moving in the direction of lower and slacker.

12. What about a full bore Downhill rig at some point?

Again, Niner has always been pushing the limit on what is capable with big wheels. It’s something that has been discussed but one of the challenges is finding industry partners to help support such a bike. At this time a full blown downhill rip doesn’t make sense, especially when the WFO is so capable.

13. Given the choice would you rather ride rocks, soft soil or jump filled resort runs all day?

Soft soil for sure. Living in Fort Collins we’re greeted with the typical chuncky, rocky trails that define the Front Range, so we’re always on the lookout for real dirt. We’ve got a few hidden gem high country trails where we get to ride loamy black dirt, it’s the best!

14. If Eddy Merckx and Ned Overend where both in their primes who would win a 5000' climb at 10,000 elevation?

Ned Overand for sure. Nothing against Eddy Merckx but there is something special about Ned’s ability, especially at altitude. I’ve raced against him several times but the single speed race at mountain bike national in 2009 in Sol Vista definitely stands out. I took the hole shot only to have him come ripping by half way through the first lap and I ended up a few minutes down on him. He was in his mid-fifties at the time and took all of us to school that day to win another national championship.

Thanks

The WFO 9 is Niner's All Mountain trail slayer. With all new geometry and custom airformed tubing the new WFO sets the standard for other 29" All Mountain bikes to follow. Shorter, slacker and lower than its predecessor the new WFO frame is also 0.7 lbs lighter, making it the perfect bike for riding up to the trailhead before ripping back down.

Check out the details in this video.
http://www.ninerbikes.com/wfo9

Music:
“Pulverized” by Drop Anchor
facebook.com/dropanchorband
dropanchorband.com/

This is some of the lingua franca of the bike business - sometimes you gotta get up to get down. Can the WFO climb? You bet. CVA™ Suspension is efficient even with 1x11 set ups and flat pedals. We grabbed some GoPro Hero 3+ footage of Nate Adams riding the WFO 9 up and down Bobcat Ridge's Ginny Trail in Fort Collins…

Cane Creek Angleset Review

 FEATURES

Cups and Covers	7075 T-6 Aluminum
Head-Tube Length	Design is head-tube length independent
Alignment	Spherical bearing interfaces allow the AngleSet bearings to be aligned with the steerer-tube regardless of head-tube length or slight cup mis-alignment.
Offsets	Steeper or Slacker +/- 0.5, +/- 1.0, +/- 1.5 & Neutral 0.0
Crown Race	Fully face-sealed crown race
Bearings	Dependable black-oxide, sealed cartridge bearings
Interlok®	Interlok® spacer compatible
Manufacturing	Cut in Cane Creek’s Fletcher, NC machining facility from U.S.- made aluminum
Warranty	1 year
Compatibility	Internal parts are cross-compatible across the 10, 40 and 110 series

The AngleSet™ threadless headset makes it possible to change the head angle of a mountain bike with ease. The AngleSet™ offers up to six offset angle adjustments.  With steeper or slacker adjustments from 0.5 to 1.5 degrees, dialing in the perfect geometry to attack the trail is a breeze. 

The proprietary design of the AngleSet™ is head-tube length independent and fits most standards.  A self-aligning feature between the bearings and steerer tube ensure a perfect fit and allows for easy fork installation.

Back in late 2009, several bike manufacturers (including Santa Cruz) voiced a need for adjustability of frame geometry and sought our expertise to accomplish this through the headset.  Our engineering team had been kicking the idea around but this was the impetus to get it accomplished.  In collaboration with our partners, we rapidly developed the AngleSet which allows for up to six offset angle adjustments -steeper or slacker adjustments from 0.5 to 1.5 degrees.  We were pleasantly surprised by the market's reception of the AngleSet, particularly OEMs. It won several media awards as well as a prestigious Eurobike Award.

AngleSet Calculator

There was some complaints early on of creaking from some users. Upon further investigation, we found that improper installation was the culprit.  So we developed an initiative to educate consumers about the finesse required.  This was not a headset that could be pounded in on the side of the trail. In addition to our videos we include a bright yellow "Critical Instructions" sheet wrapped around the headset and secured by a black band which reads 'Knowledge is Power - Read the Instructions!".  The result has been a huge success - gone are the reports of creaking - which makes us extremely happy.

Mountain bikes have evolved drastically over the last two decades. They have gone from being full rigid to full suspension, lost weight, gained better brakes and tires. With all the advancements in technology allowing riders to travel at ever increasing speeds many riders have found it neccesary to slacken their bikes out to keep them more stable at higher rates of speed. Also the terrain being ridden by the masses has gotten steeper as bikes have progessed. Gone are the days when only a few would brave the rough rocky descents. Now many of these trails are being ridden by the genral public. Mountain bike companies have seemed to fall behind rider demand on getting slacker frames made. Cane Creek saw a need to be filled and created the Angleset to help slacken out frames in need.

This began in the Downhill segment and has evolved into the trail bikes being ridden by the masses. One Downhill bike we tested with an Angleset was The Banshee Legend MKII although this bike is already "slack" we ran it in the -1 setting for almost our entire 2 years with the bike. Install was pretty easy, we greased everything and the headset never made a sound!

The bike we are using to test this Angleset is an Intense 275. The bike comes standard with a 67.5 degree head angle. The bike works well on most trails with this HA but there are some faster, steeper trails in the area where a slacker HA would make the bike that much better.

The Cane Creek Angleset uses more parts than competitors angle adjusting headsets. First there’s an upper and lower CNC’d aluminum cup, then a pair of gimbles that accounts for the angle regardless of headtube length, then bearings and normal headset parts like a crown race and bearing cover, etc. The one problem with this design is that it can creak. I have heard of people having really creaky anglesets, and it seems to be the only drawback to them. That said, mine has been quiet as a mouse for the course of 6 weeks since I got it. Cane Creek makes it clear in the instructions about lining up the cups perfectly, and I guess that I managed to do that, because I literally have not had one creak from the headset. I also have an aluminum frame which may have something to do with it.

I used Progold EPX grease because it’s pretty thick and has some good stick to it. Then I greased everything: the inside of the headtube, the cups, the inside of the cups, the gimbles the bearing seats, the crown race… you get the picture. If there was a possibility of metal to metal contact, it got greased. I tightened the top cap bolt to 3.5 Nm and the headset hasn’t given me a single issue. The only thing that this does is it makes your steering tight. Not so tight that you feel it riding, but when standing over the bike, it takes a tiny bit more effort to turn the bars one way or the other. It’s a small price to pay for the handling benefits, but one that should be noted. As to why other people’s Anglesets have creaked, I can only think of a few possibilities. First, they’re probably radder than I am. I’ll be the first to admit there are faster people out there. Second, they may have been used on carbon frames, which don’t have the best reputation for being quiet. Third, I think the EPX grease may have something to do with it. It’s pretty thick, much thicker than Park. It’s thick enough that I don’t use it on bearings, but for assembly applications, it’s perfect though. I’ve also never torque’d my top cap bolt before, but putting it to 3.5 Nm was much more than what I would have called “tight” when adjusting any other headset. Lastly, if the cups aren’t perfectly aligned, it’s obvious why that would create a problem and creaking would ensue, which is probably why Cane Creek mentions it in multiple times in the instructions. Although, Cane Creek says that the gimbles are designed to make up for a slight cup misalignment.

The Cane Creek Angleset might just be the best upgrade you can make to your bike. It was for mine. When I got my Tracer 27.5, it felt much too excited. Almost like it was trying to be a 26” bike. The short stays and 67.5 degree head angle kept the bike from feeling planted. Rather it was lively and flickable. This may not sound like a bad thing, but I wanted it to feel planted and stable. So I put an Angelset on and installed the -1 degree lower cup and bam, my bike is now a downhill sled with some agility. Nothing seems to upset it. In fact it feels like it picks up speed even better now. It’s much more composed and stable. The angleset brings my geometry numbers to 66.5 degree head angle, 17” chainstays, 13.3” bottom bracket height, and a nice long 46.75” wheelbase. The bike feels like it was made for this head angle. The only drawback is that the front wheel sticks out a bit farther, so it takes a little more effort to pull it up over obstacles. However, I got used to it after one ride, and it’s a sacrifice I am happy to make in exchange for the stability the bike now has.

Overall The Cane Creek Angleset allowed us to set up the Intense better for our local trails. It is almost impossible to have angles for a bike that will work well everywhere. Using a headset to adjust the head angle of your bike is a way for the customer to fine tune their bike for their local riding conditions. The Angelset does as Cane Creek intended. With this owners can slacken or steepen their bikes somewhat easily. This can bring new life to an old steed or allow a more Freeride based bike to be turned into a more XC based one. 

The angleset cups are machined in North Carolina. The bearings are black oxide coated for longevity. Everything about this headset screams quality. There’s no reason to think it won’t last for years, and at the same weight as a Chris King headset of the same size, there’s no real downside either. We have had good luck with the Anglesets we have used and would for sure suggest them to friends to use. Their install is pretty straight forward just use grease on every part and they will not make a peep!

Cane Creek has created a game changer with this headset. It will allow the customer to tailor the headangle of their bikes to the terrain they ride on a regular basis. We would for sure reccomend an Angleset to a friend that is in search of a new one and may have the desire to alter their bikes ride characteristics.

 Rider and Words by: Brad Smith