Niner Bikes has embraced the gravel and allroad concepts, driving substantial variation and new approaches that prioritize performance and versatility. This thought process drove the development and execution of the Magic Carpet Ride, better known as the MCR 9 RDO. The MCR 9 is more than a gravel bike. It doesn’t skitter and skate through corners. It doesn’t buck you out of the saddle when you pedal through washboards, ruts, and cobblestoned stream crossings. And descending rough roads at speed is not a white-knuckle fear fest. Why? Because it doesn’t rely simply on tire pressure and undamped frame flex for suspension. Thanks to suspension, the MCR 9 encourages sitting deep in the saddle and pedaling powerfully through chop. It hugs the ground and tracks corners like a slot car. It’s planted and confident on high speed descents. It leaves you fresher, with more energy and less wasted effort, by isolating you from intrusive bump inputs.

The 2020 5-Star LTD build sold here is best applied as a race gravel-allroad focused complete bike package featuring a 2x SRAM Force eTap AXS groupset with HRD disc brakes, along with a FOX fork, X-Fusion Microlite RL rear shock, Stans NoTubes carbon wheelset and kit items perfectly suited for the overall bike concept. Why do we say race-allroad instead of pure gravel? With a 48-35T 2x crankset and 10-33T 12 speed cassette, the drivetrain is better suited to less harsh road conditions and you have the gearing more common to pavement and hardpack dirt use. Of course, you can still use it for any conditions for which the drivetrain suits you. The suspension still offers you great capability and a smooth ride.

Why did Niner create the first drop-bar full-suspension bike? 50mm of Niner's CVA suspension gives you confidence, comfort, and control on off-road excursions. By adding the CVA full suspension concept to a dedicated gravel bike platform, the designers blended the confidence and control of a cross-country race bike with the efficiency, fit, and responsive handling of a gravel bike. The result is a drop bar bike with superior comfort, power delivery, and pure, unadulterated fun. The MCR 9 RDO's specific CVA engineering is stable yet supple while climbing and pedaling; sensitive and supportive going downhill; consistent and controlled in every situation. For the MCR 9 RDO, we changed the suspension curve to emphasize performance for a seated, pedaling rider. Configured overall as a short-travel system. It’s tuned to be especially sensitive to high frequency, low amplitude bumps, and more linear with less end-stroke progression.

In the MCR 9 RDO, Niner made the most sophisticated, tunable suspension system possible, with minimum unsprung weight. By suspending as much of the bike and rider mass as possible, they achieve the most sensitive, compliant ride possible. For the suspension to be effective for riders who are seated and pushing on the pedals, this was a critical piece of the full suspension puzzle to nail down. Air springs are infinitely tunable to suit a wide range of riders and their gear. And oil damping is essential, both for controlling compression energy inputs from the rider and for dissipating rebound energy as the suspension recovers from bumps of all sizes. The X-Fusion Microlite RL rear shock has been an ideal choice and it is set-up specifically for the MCR 9 frame design, taking into account the specs and function of the MCR 9 specific version of the FOX Performance Elite 32 Float AX SC 40mm travel fork 40mm. Set-up is crucial for ideal use, and Niner offers assistance on their website to guide you through the process.

In all other ways, the 2020 5-Star LTD build offers typical Niner performance. All of the details are listed and specifications are listed below. If you require a fast and hugely capable gravel bike with the stability, control and forgiveness that only full suspension can provide, the Niner MCR 9 RDO was developed, just for you.