R.I.P. 9 FIRST IMPRESSIONS
 by Dan
R.I.P. 9 First Impressions

Being a 6' 5" tall rider I do not get to many chances to test ride bikes that fit me. This weekend was an exception. I had an opportunity to ride an XL Niner R.I.P. 9. Let's get the parts out of the way first.
  Rear Shock: Fox RP23
  Fork: Fox F29 RL 120mm of travel
  Headset: FSA headset
  Bar: Easton EA50 Monkeybar riser bar
  Stem: Easton EA50
  Crankset: Shimano SLX
  Shifters: Shimano SLX
  Front Derailleur: Shimano SLX bottom swing
  Rear Derailleur: Shimano SLX long cage
  Cassette: Shimano HG61
  Brakes: Avid Juicy 5 160mm rotors front and rear
  Wheelset: Shimano M756 XT hubs to Mavic A317 hubs
  Seatpost: Raceface
  Saddle: WTB

Building the bike went well. Nothing at all unexpected, though it took me slightly longer than normal to tune any chain rub out of the front derailleur. Setting up the front derailleur on the XL size seems a little bit of a challenge than it is on the smaller R.I.P.s. As some of you might not know, on most full suspension bikes the placement of the front derailleur is determined when the rider is on the bike and the suspension is loaded (sagged). It's best to actually set the suspension and ride the bike in order to test shifting. Once I found the sweet spot, the bike shifted great. (For you super-geeks: the placement I had the best luck with was running the derailleur just a hair lower than even standard Shimano recommendation low, just clearing the big ring, about a millimeter gap between the outer cage and the big ring teeth. That done, on to the ride.
The fist thing I noticed is the more enjoyable ride, with 4.5” of rear wheel travel, the R.I.P. smoothed out the ride over rocky terrain. I found myself descending a lot faster than I normally do down steep rocky hills. The bike climbed quite well, with no bouncing, and had good traction. I did notice that I was hitting my pedals off of more things than on my current bike, but I've been putting in a lot of time on the hardtail lately. The Pro Pedal of the RP23 worked very well, better than most of the other bikes I have ridden with it. Accessibility of the lock-out lever wasn't great. (Like most XL bikes, the R.I.P. would benefit from a remote lock out for the rear shock; it was just about impossible to reach the lockout lever, as it was hiding behind my water bottle.) That was a small price to pay for a bike that did everything was well as the R.I.P. did, though. I'll be riding this bike more in the weeks ahead. Oh, sorry no riding pictures. No one could figure out how to work my new camera, but we'll learn them up good for next time.



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Why Choose our Fit System?

When we chose to develop our Rider Profile on-line fit system, we entered into the project with a few core beliefs. Fit is the most important aspect of any bicycle purchase. That, above all else guides us. Equally important, though, is our belief that proper bicycle fit involves communication between individuals. Regardless of the technology brought to bare in the fitting process, the truth is that accurate and comprehensive bicycle fit demands a motivated individual to conduct the fit and offer analysis, and a motivated individual determined to find the best fitting new bicycle. Together, these two individuals can elevate the entire concept of "fit" to a comprehensive process, involving analysis of the physical dimensions of the customer, but also much more. Our personal approach to each rider's fit needs involves a detailed analysis of all elements of the bicycle--not just the size of the frame and components, but the intended use of the bicycle, and the unique riding style of the individual.
When we set out to develop our Rider Profile on-line fit system, we realized the magnitude of the task at hand: to properly fit a wide variety of individuals to a wide variety of bicycles with the highest possible degree of precision--without having the benefit of a rider here in the store. Creating a successful solution involved admitting that there is no automated form currently available with which to determine bicycle fit with any degree of accuracy, and approaching the fit process from the customer's point of view. Our Rider Profile fit systems has successfully fit over a thousand riders based on our simple and reliable formula: we spend time communicating personally with you. When you complete a Rider Profile from Speedgoat, you receive a personal typed analysis and a CAD-based drawing of your dimensions set over those of the bike you are considering. In an increasingly automated world, we're well aware that our method here is not designed to be the most efficient means of "processing" and individual, but we never set out to process people in the first place. Our goal has always been to match each rider with the perfect bike.

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The Frame Not only did we manage to get the lightest full-suspension 29er frame ever made for this year's Pink Bike, but we also managed to get it hot off the presses. This medium frame arrived here raw and unassembled long before these frames were released. Imagine how tough it was for us to keep this new frame under our hats while sending it off to be custom painted. By any standard, the new Jet 9 represents a huge advance in the design of 29ers. From where we're sitting, this is the frame to have for endurance racing. And racing. And riding.
The Fork Fox's entry into the 29er market made a lot of dedicated big wheel riders very happy. The F29 fork features a lower leg casting designed specifically to handle the larger wheel size, and the ride is pure Fox: supple without slowing you down.
The Brakes The level of craftsmanship found on a Hope braking system makes these an obvious choice for custom bike builds, and the combination of power and control make them a top choice for performance. Hope also provided the matching pink headset and seatpost clamp.
The Wheels

It's nearly impossible to find a wheelset that's as light as an Industry Nine Ultralite, featuring Stan's NoTubes.com 355 rims. Combine the fastest engagement in the industry and an incredibly stiff and responsive ride, and it's no wonder I9 has taken the world of mountain bike wheelsets by storm. Stan and NoTubes.com are the undeniable leaders of all things lightweight, and a big part of the weight savings on these wheels comes from their 355 rim.
Stem, Bar, and Seatpost Ritchey products use a simple recipe: strong, plus light, equals quality. Their WCS components are an industry standard, and we're very proud to feature them again this year.
The Paint It 'ain't a real Pink Bike until it's pink, and this year we were fortunate enough to work with one of the finest painters we've found, Darin, at 2 Wheeler Customs.
Everything Else We broke out the XTR® for the drivetrain, and finished the bike off with WTB saddle and some excellent Conti tires.



 
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