Niner Jet 9 1 Star Nx1 Bike Review
A great bike for straight lining speed, the Jet ix's dull steering makes hard work out of tech and turns
Price: $two,600 Listing
Pros: Gets more confident with speed and straight lines
Cons: Slower handling, not so good in the turns
Manufacturer: Niner
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The Jet 9 has seen significant changes in its build kit and a change in price since we tested it in 2017, every bit a result, this review is outdated.
The 2018 Niner Jet 9
The 2018 Jet nine has the same frame and components equally the 2017 version we tested except for its fork, rear shock and color. The bike goes carmine for 2018 as you lot can see below at correct. The 2017 version is on the left.
The Jet nine trades in a RockShox Yari RC with 35mm stanchions for a Fox 34 Float Rhthym fork. Both are 130mm. Nosotros detect the Fox fork to exist plusher off the top than the RockShox Yari, which offers more mid-stroke and full travel support for difficult-charging riders. This change volition probable result in the Fox fork softening up the Jet ix'south front cease. In this case, that shift is doubly probable as the Flim-flam fork has smaller stanchions. We found the 2017 Niner to accept an overly plowing feel so this could be a good change. Replacing the 2017 RockShox Monarch RL with a Play a joke on Float DPS Performance EVOL rear daze is more than of an even merchandise. We don't expect the rear cease to ride much differently.
Fun comes in many forms, testers on the Niner are happiest when aimed straight and carrying speed.
Credit: David Clock
Fun Factor
Overall, the test riders did not rank the Jet ix very high in the fun factor section. There are a number of reasons why, including a high seated position, large sizing, and long wheelbase. For these reasons, one of the riders only couldn't get comfortable on the bike. While all riders feel that the bike is capable downhill, it is rather slow to react, and a few testers institute information technology difficult to wheelie the bicycle. I of the testers says the Jet 9 was "fun in the way driving a truck is fun." The balance agree.
Situations where the Jet nine is most enjoyable, are on higher speed trails without a lot of tight corners. Cheers to its ample intermission, the Jet ix is pleasant on faster, rockier downhills. On flatter trails that require a lot of rolling speed and momentum, the 29-inch wheels and efficient pedaling platform of the CVA intermission design makes the Jet 9 quite capable and comfortable.
The Jet ix's efficiency overshadows it'south fun. Information technology rates among the least fun in the test. Although the frame pattern itself limits the Jet nine'south fun factor, adding a dropper post and a front tire with more bite would improve the cycle's fun quotient. The Ibis Ripley is outfitted with the aforementioned amount of travel as the Jet 9. The Ripley is infinitely more fun in almost all situations. This is especially true through the bends in the trail. Intrigued past the planted downhill feel? The Santa Cruz Hightower is a stable pinner with much better trail manners.
The Jet 9 likes to operate at high speeds in straight lines bulldozing whatever root or rock in its path.
Credit: David Clock
Downhill Performance
Overall, the Jet 9 is an achieved descender then long every bit the trail is on the straight side and is not particularly steep. Because of its longer-travel design, slacker head tube angle and plush RockShox intermission, the Jet 9 is eager to attack mesomorphic and more technical sections at higher speeds than almost other bikes in the test. 1 rider called the Jet nine a downhill bruiser in the category, more of a trail-oriented cycle than cross country. But it doesn't quite edge into longer travel, more aggressive trail bicycle territory.
In a straight line, the Jet 9 is confidence inspiring on the descent. The faster you lot go on the Jet 9, the more stable information technology gets, unless you have to scrub speed and brand a turn. The CVA suspension design and RockShox platform have first-class mid-stroke back up with a progressive stupor rate, meaning that information technology provides enough of subtle action on smaller hits without bottoming out on bigger ones. As a result, it rides like a bike with more suspension than it has. I of the testers mentioned that square edge hits unsettled the Jet 9 a bit, merely overall, testers felt the Jet ix was quite capable when the trail pointed downhill — its strongest attribute.
In more high-speed, sweeping corners, the 29-inch wheels, and aplenty suspension of the Jet nine made it experience secure, although a forepart tire with more than bite than the stock Maxxis Agog would ameliorate high-speed cornering significantly. When it came to tight downhill switchbacks, the tall seat position and longer wheelbase of the Jet 9 made it experience less quick and nimble in and out of turns than other bikes in the test. The "driving a truck" comparison was noticeable when trying to maneuver the Niner through tight corners.
The Jet 9 is amongst the least adept descenders in the examination. Despite the extra travel, the Santa Cruz Hightower handles much better than the Jet 9. Riders who like getting aggressive will accept a much more pleasant and calm feel on the Santa Cruz. Favor nimble handling and want to stay in the 120mm travel range? The Ibis Ripley LS is a ninja that operates with high levels of precision on the descent.
The Niner is a certain-footed climber that requires serious torso English language to manuever finer.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Climbing Operation
All the testers agree that the Jet 9 feels like 1 of the slowest climbers in the test. This doesn't seem to exist owing to the CVA suspension though, equally at that place is minimal pedal induced bob. Based on rider feedback, the lack of climbing prowess is more a matter of the bike's weight and body positioning. It's a workout trying to accelerate out of corners and steering into tight uphill switchbacks. One of the testers says, "I found myself in the granny gear on the Jet 9 more than than any other cycle."
The CVA suspension performs well, even with the RockShox Monarch in open mode when climbing. Information technology shines in more technical situations where the active suspension design tracks well over rocks, helping the bike maintain rear tire grip and momentum. Although all three testers agree it feels similar the slowest climber, the Jet ix is not a bad climber. The pedaling platform feels quite efficient and capable over rocky sections.
The Jet 9 was 0.6 seconds faster on our uphill test class than the slowest climbing bike, the Trek Fuel EX, on boilerplate. The Giant Canticle was merely slightly ahead while the Santa Cruz Tallboy held a pretty strong margin.
We raced the Jet 9 against iv similar curt travel trail bikes. The Jet 9 was a middle-of-the-road climber in our benchmark timed testing. The Niner was quicker uphill than the 2017 Trek Fuel EX and 2017 Specialized Camber but slower than the speedy 2017 Santa Cruz Tallboy, and the fast-steering 2017 Behemothic Canticle.
One tester says the Jet 9 would benefit greatly in the climbing department past dropping a couple of pounds, starting past swapping to tubeless tires. Ii of the testers do non like the stock Niner saddle that came on the Jet 9, citing that it makes climbing seated in the saddle a bit uncomfortable. Switching between rear stupor settings is difficult on-the-fly, equally the stupor is mounted low, making the reach to the adjustment lever longer and more awkward.
The Jet nine rates just under par in a field filled with great climbers. In contrast, the Santa Cruz Tallboy and Ibis Ripley are fantabulous, piece of cake climbing options with like downhill capabilities.
The Jet nine is much happier on wider swooping turns when compared to tight aggressive corners.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Cornering, Handling and Trunk Linguistic communication
As mentioned above, as long as corners are not tight, the Jet 9 performs well. It's especially conviction inspiring in higher speed corners where the momentum of the 29x2.four inch Maxxis Ardent front tire carries the bike through with authority. However, all testers agree that for rockier, looser weather condition, a front end tire with more ambitious tread than the Ardent would be preferable.
Testers hold that the Jet 9 feels like a lot of mass to maneuver effectually into tight corners, and a lack of dropper post doesn't help the situation. Because of its longer wheelbase and the fact it'due south on the large side for a Medium bike, the Jet 9 struggles more than than whatever of the other bikes in tight switchbacks. The measured 66.8-degree caput tube angle improves steering confidence when cornering on the descent, but the bicycle certainly feels a bit lazy taking turns uphill.
One of the riders has to sit forward in the cockpit to go on the forepart planted when negotiating tight uphill switchbacks. Another rider has to constantly motility around to find comfortable positioning and apply a lot of body English to go the Jet 9 to steer into tight corners. The Jet 9 is non on the quick side of the handling spectrum. It requires a passenger comfortable with putting more effort into making the cycle plough sharp and speedy.
Ease of Maintenance
It is important to take into consideration how hard or like shooting fish in a barrel your bike's intermission design is to maintain. Yep, functioning is important, just paying for plush, time-consuming, repairs is no fun. Our ease of maintenance rankings take the frame and suspension design, fork, rear daze, brakes and dropper mail into consideration. Read about our ranking methods in the trail bicycle review.
Niner's break design is non especially complicated. It does crave regular maintenance to keep information technology operating free of creaks. The service is not specially difficult; it is the frequency that tin can be tedious. RockShox recommends servicing its suspension components more frequently than Fox. We rate its ease of maintenance a petty lower every bit a result. The SRAM brakes are a piddling harder to piece of work on than Shimano alternatives.
The Jet 9 utilizes Niner'southward Constant Varying Arc (CVA) suspension and a mid-length rear end.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Frame Design and Suspension Overview
The 2017 Jet 9 has more travel and a slacker head tube bending than its predecessor. At 130mm front travel and 120mm rear, the Jet 9 boasts more travel than most bikes in the test, matching the Expedition Fuel EX seven. The Jet 9's slackened 67.v-caste head tube angle, and 435mm long chainstays attempt to find a reasonable balance between loftier-speed stability and slower speed maneuverability, although we experience it leans towards the former. This bike besides features Boost 15x110mm front and 12x148mm rear hub spacing to amend wheel and frame stiffness while accommodating 27.v+ tires equally wide equally three.0 inches.
The CVA suspension features counteracting linkage forces, with a lesser link pulling downwards when pedaling to prevent squat, and an upwards rotating elevation linkage that adapts to changes in terrain, making for a noticeably efficient and fully active suspension platform.
Build
Overall, the Jet 9 features some build highlights and lowlights, and comes in about average for build quality.
Fork and Daze — The 130mm travel RockShox Yari fork is one of the most capable in the test, with its 35mm thick upper stanchions resembling the Freeway. Notwithstanding, despite its competent performance, the Yari is a rather heavy fork that makes the Jet 9'south front-end one of the heftiest in the test.
The RockShox Monarch RL Debonair works very well with the CVA break, making it descend like a wheel that has more than 120mm of rear travel while all the same pedaling efficiently uphill.
Fit — The Jet 9 is a big bike and the Medium felt more comfortable to riders who typically ride a size large.
Jet nine Sizing Guide — XS (5'0" - five'5"), S (5'iii" - v'9"), M (five'8" - 6'0"), Fifty (5'11" - half-dozen'3"), XL (half dozen'three" - half dozen'7")
Maxxis Ardent tires on the front end and rear of the Niner offering just plenty bite to keep tidy in the corners.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Wheels and Tires — The Niner Alloy wheels characteristic heave spacing and stand up to the bike's intended uses. The Maxxis Ardent didn't have as much bite as testers would like upward front only worked fine on the back of the wheel.
The Maxxis Ardent, while respectable, should be upgraded to bring functioning upwards another level.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Groupset — The Jet 9 came with SRAM NX 1x11 shifting, which all testers constitute serviceable, although one rider suggested going from a 32-tooth to a 30-molar front chainring considering the bike's heavier weight. The Jet 9 features a threaded bottom bracket, ISCG 05 tabs for a chain guide and can merely run 1x drivetrain, with no provision for a front derailleur. Although we think of them as lower course, the performance of the SRAM Level brakes seemed adequate.
The Jet 9 is outfitted with a fun-limiting rigid seatpost.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Handlebars, Seat and Seatpost — The Niner-spec 780mm-broad blend handlebar and stem are stout and piece of work well. Merely 2 riders didn't intendance for the Niner saddle. The Jet 9 would especially benefit from a dropper mail, every bit the angled seat tube prevents the traditional seatpost from lowering more halfway into the frame. Although non equipped stock with a dropper, the Jet 9 tin can exist set up with either an internal or external routed dropper mail.
The Niner'southward cable routing is sloppy and could hook a shoe or crank arm.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Notables — The Jet 9 accommodates ane water bottle cage for an oversize water bottle inside the front triangle, which is nice. The unsecured, loose-hanging rear restriction and rear derailleur cable at the midship of the bike sometimes interfered with the riders' legs and detracted from the blueprint artful of the bike.
Build Options
The Niner Jet nine is available in a range of build options with the 1 Star NX1 aluminum build at the bottom of the butt. It'south all carbon from at that place, starting with a $3,000 Jet 9 RDO frame.
Note: While the Jet 9 1 Star NX1 is 27.5+ compatible, Niner only sells a 29er consummate build.
The Jet ix RDO two-Star SLX bike is available with either 27.5+ wheels for $four,800 or 29er hoops for $iv,500. Both bikes come with a Shimano SLX drivetrain, a KS LEV dropper mail and a RockShox Expressway RC, a 140mm for the 27.5+ version and a 130mm for the 29er. They share a rear shock with the 1 Star NX1 build, a RockShox Monarch. The 29er likewise rocks the Maxxis Agog tires front and rear while the 27.v+ gets Maxxis Rekon tires forepart and rear.
The Jet 9 is a fast-rolling bruiser of a trail bike.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Value
For the retail price of $two,600, the Jet 9 comes in on the lower end of the value spectrum compared to other bikes in the examination. Although information technology offers high-operation suspension, its drivetrain and brakes are lower class than other bikes in the test, and it lacks a dropper post.
Suggested Upgrades
To ameliorate the Jet 9's performance, we would like to run into the Jet 9 outfitted with tubeless tires. This could drop almost a pound of weight and is neither expensive nor fourth dimension-consuming and is a highly recommended first modification for this bike. Installing an internally routed dropper post is 2nd priority. Swapping out to a smaller 30-tooth forepart chainring would also assistance riders who alive in more than mountainous areas, improving the low gear climbing adequacy of the bike since it cannot suit a 2x drivetrain. A front tire with more aggressive tread than the stock Maxxis Ardent would be preferable for riders in rockier, looser conditions. Depending on condolement, y'all might want to supercede the stock saddle.
The Niner is a respectable trail bike that lacks agility but has plenty of straight-line conviction.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Conclusion
Although riders have some criticisms for the Niner Jet 9, overall it is a capable and conviction-inspiring wheel, so long every bit the terrain isn't too steep and doesn't take too many tight corners. The Jet 9 is well-suited for someone who primarily rides college speed, straighter trails that are rockier and more technical than your boilerplate singletrack. Thanks to its efficient pedaling platform and larger size fit, the Jet 9 would be an ideal bike for all-day rides where stability and confidence thing more than maneuverability, especially when rider fatigue kicks in. Although it's not the all-time spec, the Jet 9 is solid and tin run traditional 29-inch wheels or 27.v wheels upward to 3.0 inches wide; a nice perk that two bikes in the test lack.
Source: https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/biking/trail-mountain-bike/niner-jet-9-1-star-nx1-2017#:~:text=Nimble%20and%20playful%20this%20bike,natured%20character%20should%20look%20elsewhere.
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