FULL SUSPENSION GRAVEL BIKE?! Testing the Niner MCR on pavement, gravel and trail

[@malcolmmehr505]

I just got my hands on one of these. Nice add to my arsenal. Honestly love this bike. I live in Illinois and having this for the gravel trials (that aren’t well kept up) is a blessing. People give me weird looks when I fly past them on this. It’s not a typical bike and that’s why it’s such a good bike. Love it so much

[@Atxcmtb]

Hope you guys stay safe in Boulder! Don’t want you guys getting sick because we love to see you riding!

[@sydandmacky]

Yeah, we're still being super careful!

[@AppleJack76]

Funny how everything eventually returns to it's beginning. My Manitou 2 fork in 1994 had about that much travel.

[@dkharris111]

yup. 50 mm. My OG Quadra 22R and SID. Commonly known as flexly flyer. Nothing like exploding the stack of bumpers mid ride LOL

[@TheAcfallejoseph]

Its what they dreamed they had the tech to build.

[@KSM-25]

Wow Syd, your mobility and strength look awesome in that PT session 🙌🙌🙌💪💪💪

[@nissemeys4766]

I've been waiting for this ever since you joined niner! Stokeddddd!

[@joanneleyva4942]

I am so jealous that you have a full suspension gravel bike! Washboard is such a buzz kill on a gravel bike and it kills my thumbs.

[@lipsterman1]

I finally got the RLT-9 Aluminum gravel bike today. It was back ordered for 3 months but it was worth the wait. Thank you for sharing your videos on the brand. It's a beauty. Merry Christmas to me.

[@sydandmacky]

Woohoo! Merry Christmas! I love the RLT too!

[@jennifersandoval7525]

My Gravelbike is a full-sus XC bike mounted up with 43mm Gravel tires and I love it, even on pavement. I'm a mountain biker at heart so I'm perfectly fine with flatbars, suspension, and 1x drivetrains. And, a descent full-sus XC bike can be as light-weight as a Gravel bike. Before you buy a full-sus Gravelbike, try putting Gravel tires on a full-sus XC bike. I love mine! It's suprisingly fast on pavement while still being very capable on singletrack. Removing the XC tires and putting on Gravel tires makes a full-sus XC bike so much faster on pavement and gravel and also much more comfortable than a full-rigid Gravelbike.

[@garrettsmith8286]

With multiple bikes & hobbies I personally couldn't justify this type of bike. I think my XC HT covers enough of the spectrum that I'd rather spend money elsewhere. Looking forward in seeing where these new breed of bikes lead! Love the videos as usual.

[@loganmumma3337]

I agree. It’s interesting. I love my rigid gravel bike, but it seems a short travel XC bike or hard tail would be perfectly fine for this type of riding without having to add another bike.

[@garrettsmith8286]

@@loganmumma3337 I guess I should add that I do work at a bike shop and get a nice discount & may or may not have a slight bike addiction but still can't justify it! lol

[@derekalbertson1311]

Wishing Syd the very best- you look great (still fit!). Cool bike and video. Thanks and be well!

[@johnnylong2049]

I love that intro... thanks for the video. It helped me on deciding on a full suspension gravel bike or a more traditional

[@Atxcmtb]

Macky needs to ride this bike on some of the Taos MTB trails when you guys are back in New Mexico

[@paulw575]

It's cool to see you out on my local trails. Head out to Betasso Preserve if you want to do a memorable 7 mile single track figure 8. To get there, head out on Baseline road, do the Flagstaff climb to "Realization Climb" (the lookout point), then head north down the dirt road (Chapman) to the 119 and turn left. You can then try the brutal Betasso Link Trail climb or continue on the 119 to Sugarloaf Rd. No bikes allowed Wednesday & Saturday.

[@nateh7674]

"This is a heavier bike at around 25 pounds" me with my 2005 road bike that weighs about that much...

[@chadwells7562]

You must have a steel bike with ancient wheels. I had a 2006 aluminum/carbon Trek 2300 60cm with cheap Shimano wheels and it probably weighed around 21 pounds max

[@rodsmall1324]

I smell a comeback for Girvin Flex stem

[@mikieson]

7:46 would have me giving up and just walking..lol..WTFlip??..that lady just flew past you guys..haha!!

[@4961Studebaker]

Was funny to see. I think it gets lost on many people that there a MANY Olympic caliber athletes in Colorado, and if she was doing internals that was an all out run. Fast!

[@grn9209]

Hope Syd recovers soon🤗

[@killacoop128]

Dirty bismark loop seems like it would be perfect for that bike. Marshall Mesa is one of my go to rides from home.

[@dkharris111]

I am sure thats an awesome bike and very versatile. As all products great for the right person. IMO the reason Gravel riding is so fun is the simplicity. Also as a mid-40s rider it takes me back to the early-mid 90s when mountain biking was mostly rigid which forced you to pick better lines and be more technical minded. My MTB has all the new tech and hyperbole and I love riding it as well however for gravel and SS I am sticking to my rigid for now.

[@colindixon9543]

Now that looks like a fun bike on a fun loop. Stay safe 👍

[@dadlife8289]

Looks like a super fun bike!

[@calebneiman3332]

That bike looks so fun

[@freerangemtb]

I just can't help but think I'd have so much uncertainty going off road with curved bars. I feel like I need wide grips in order to maintain control. But you looked like you were having a great time on this bike. One day, I will probably try a gravel bike.

[@tedwensing1842]

Welcome back, been a while

[@i11horse]

Did you guys have any problems with the rear shock lockout? We tried to build one of these at the shop I work at and it was hard... took months.

[@sydandmacky]

Weird. We just went to the website that the paper that came with the shock told us to go to (X-Fusions manuals) and followed the instructions there and got it hooked up in about 10 minutes. We did take the shock off the bike, which helped. Also, we found that if you leave the end of the cable too long, it has a tendency to stick against the frame when you unlock the shock and then doesn't want to release and lock again. To fix that you can either bend it down or shorten the cable.

[@marysullivan1588]

Who doesn’t mooo when you go past cows while out on the bike 😂

[@jayluikart487]

7:46 is living in Boulder in a nutshell.

[@Sarlasin]

The biggest difference between a gravel and a Mtb probably is the steeper head angle on the gravel. Also your Seat position on the gravel is more leaned forwards so you can paddle faster and more efficient. So in the end the gravel is for riding fast and long distances while a Mtb is more for having fun in the dirt

[@richardhaselwood9478]

Was wondering when you guys would get to this one. Macky's conclusions seem pretty much the same as Clint Gibb's, when he reviewed it (for a couple of months), yes, it's heavier, but it helps prevent fatigue on rough roads. Honestly, you were going over stuff that I would have thought sketchy on my hard tail. Hope Syd is getting better.

[@maartends6051]

For me that just sounds like a mtb with a road steer

[@benjacobson7490]

And now I want a gravel bike

[@brassmnky33]

Wonder if there are any gravel races you would take this bike on or any mtb races you would take this bike on? Leadville? Trans North Georgia?

[@sydandmacky]

That's an interesting question. If it was a gravel race with LOTS of washboard and was pretty much ALL gravel (minimal pavement) I'd definitely consider it!

[@bikingwithemily1109]

I wanta test ride the MCR so bad, a 30k gravel ride would be so smooth and on rough roads on a 7 hour bike ride. I love my diverge but I was a bit happy to get of that 30k gravel trail to bad the road was no better 🤣🤣

[@ADVtheMISSIONARY]

Ah the Auto eject water bottle...my favourite bottle does the same

[@sydandmacky]

😁

[@NicDade]

Looking at the repeated ejections, I keel thinking someone needs to receive a King bottle cage in December.

[@liefyergensen9575]

Wooo!! another video!

[@sapinva]

Looks like a great ride to have... as your 13th bike. Let see it @ 240 fps jumping over the van to flat :)

[@barryray275]

The bike looks great, really makes me think about getting into gravel riding. How was Syd’s treatment?

[@lacika_dnb]

Cant wait when someone release FS long travel eGravel :-D

[@philhunt1442]

Hey, any updates on this bike today nearing 2024? still in use? Has this frame been updated since its release 4 years ago?

[@sydandmacky]

Definitely still in use and still loving it! No geo updates, but I don't really feel like any were needed. Niner has a frame sale going on at the moment and this is one of the bikes on sale (over 60% off!) www.ninerbikes.com/collections/frames/

[@nissemeys4766]

You put a dropper post on it hahaha I don't even have one on my XC bike😂

[@timothywee5360]

Hey Syd and Macky! Super curious about this bike. Just wondering how the maintenance, reliability and spare parts availability for the rear shock has been! I'm very keen on this bike but the lack of information about the shock is holding me back. Also can't seem to find any rear deraileur hangers in stock..any guidance is much appreciated :)

[@sydandmacky]

It uses the same derailleur hanger as all of Niner's mountain bikes from before they went to UDH. So should be easy to find. Haven't had any issues with the rear shock. Have had the bike for 3 or 4 years (2500 miles) and haven't done anything to it but suspect that anyone who services Xfusion could rebuild it pretty easily.

[@sydandmacky]

Also, the framesets are on SUPER sale right now: www.ninerbikes.com/collections/frames/

[@GossieMTB]

5:05 omg cu south! lol

[@ltrtg13]

I'm not too keen on been passed by runners. My problem is, they're not doing intervals. If they were I would be to fussed about it. When I usually get passed by runners, I'm on the flat, smooth trails.

[@travismakoto]

What is the headset that you have? It looks really cool!

[@sydandmacky]

It's the Niner YAWYD stem cap that you add your own bottle cap to! bit.ly/3ijhB2c

[@terrymtbnurse4760]

Great video guys. I'm 53 yo and getting ready to pull the trigger on my first gravel bike. I tend to get tendinitis in my elbow and a sore lower back when riding my MTB bike. Do you think the Niner MCR would alleviate that even if most of my riding will be mixed terrain, probably more pavement than gravel? Appreciate your advice. Ride fast, be safe.

[@sydandmacky]

I definitely think it would help. I didn't talk about it in the video, but I have found myself unlocking the suspension on pavement a lot of the time because of cracks in the road, potholes, etc. You may also find that the different hand positions you get on the gravel bike with drop bars (hoods, drops, top) helps as well. That's definitely one of the benefits of a dedicated gravel bike over riding a MTB on the road! Looks like Competitive Cyclist has a few in stock: bit.ly/3kU882C

[@terrymtbnurse4760]

@@sydandmacky Thank you so much for the feedback. I appreciate it. Can't wait to start my adventures on a gravel bike.

[@FlyWithMe_666]

Bike starts at 2:39

[@cjapps82]

Tell Syd to keep her chin up PT can be a drag but it's got me back walking again (big stack 18months ago...walking quad) so i bright things for her in the future. Macky your official over yoyr N+1 quota thats a cool bike but a hard one to justify in most stables.

[@sydandmacky]

Glad to hear you're back walking! Stay strong! 💪

[@charlesnichols7682]

What would something like this cost? Very Interested.

[@sydandmacky]

Depends on which build you choose: bit.ly/3kU882C

[@johnnydoe66]

I understand the concept and idea of wanting suspension on a gravel bike, but I think just having the ability to run a larger tire would be good enough and much simpler.

[@TrailFeatures]

That bike is stupid. ...How much is it again? 🤔

[@terrymtbnurse4760]

You can get an all titanium gravel bike (Thunderhawk) for that much $$$$. Sweet bike though.

[@gur262]

If you are gonna do this, develop a weird handlebar monstrosity, allowing all a racebike does and being a wide mtb bar at the same time. Add weirdly shaped brake levers that allow being used from both positions, with focus on good feel in the mtb position.

[@andrewpatra]

Definitely ate shit on that road at 8:09, low speed but still removed all the skin on my palms 🤦🏾

[@Atxcmtb]

At some point gravel bikes and XC bikes will fuse to become absolute off-road speed demons

[@sagehiker]

Interesting. Does not fit my desires but cool tech. I have friends that this would be a fit for them.

[@kiltymacbagpipe]

Why more gravel bikes don’t have at least a from suspension fork always puzzles me. Those tires don’t have the squish to them like a fatter mtb tire does. Why shake loose all your fillings when the technology to make it more comfortable is there? People often get really defensive or dismissive about gravel bikes, but your comment section seems really chill.

[@sydandmacky]

Good people around here!

[@MattGrovesFTW]

Is this like the Goldilocks of bikes?

[@syncros99]

That girl is hella fast

[@jonathandefoy6376]

where do you get money for all these bikes? My only, Mountain bike is an eight hundred dollar hardtail. don't get me wrong I love the bike it was a graduation present from my parents. but seriously even the used full suspensions are two thousand dollars.

[@sydandmacky]

We're sponsored by Niner, so we don't pay for them...

[@Potz4pizza]

We now know the answer to "how far will roadies go to not ride a mtb?".

[@SamBessalah]

That's a mountain bike.

[@nateisright]

If the MCR were 1.5kg lighter, it would be irresistible.

[@PIYB]

How many tire marks are on your headliner? 😂

[@MattGrovesFTW]

That girl doing some strides or an interval workout was moving

[@tomroth5115]

Who else would like to see how this bike would perform on the white rim trail!?

[@sydandmacky]

That is a very interesting idea... 🤔

[@carpenter751]

This bike is in a really weird cross over area that I can't get my head around. Is an xc bike better. Then I thought you know an I ibis ripley is also 25 pounds wouldn't that be a better bike on similar rides. My brain hurts. 🤕

[@sydandmacky]

Yeah, my XC bike is 25 pounds too 😁, but this bike is stiffer, has a better geometry for roads and I really like having the multiple hand positions of drop bars. So if you're primarily riding roads (gravel and pavement) it's a better choice. But if are just riding roads to connect MTB trails, I agree that a lightweight XC bike is definitely the way to go!

[@OnCloud911]

Why not simply put skinny tires on an XC full-sus bike? Would likely be more capable and versatile.

[@sydandmacky]

In terms of riding trails, etc, yes, but the MCR is better on pavement and roads (stiffer and better geometry) and it's nice to have the multiple hand positions of drop bars. So if you're riding primarily roads (gravel and paved) the MCR is a better choice!

[@OnCloud911]

@@sydandmacky ok, that makes sense. Cheers!

[@jacobhines9513]

This is my opinion I think the suspension is just adding weight because of how little there is

[@sydandmacky]

Based on how it felt on washboard, I promise you it's doing something! Turns out most washboard is 40mm tall or less 😁

[@jacobhines9513]

@@sydandmacky Ok thanks i already have a CX bike and unless I win the lottery I don’t think I can afford it

[@mericaman9660]

Take it on down hill trails

[@smoothisfast6644]

25 pounds!? That’s heavier than a lot of modern mtb.

[@benjacobson7490]

It's really not a big deal. I do just fine with a 35 lb bikes and specialized butcher/purgatory tire combo

[@SiopaoSauc3]

Macky needs to put actual gravel tires on. 31s are barely road tires now.

[@sydandmacky]

Yeah, it's true. It's just what we had sitting around in the shed though.

[@stevemurray2737]

Frankenstein Bike..

[@Mclovinthedank]

The next trend is mtb without suspension.

[@dkharris111]

LOL. My SS is ahead of the game!!

[@s6p6h]

Ive got a 20 year old rigid Specialized Hardrock sitting in my garage, I hope its not the future of MTB! 😮

[@carpenter751]

Yea I just saw the guy from the hard tail party channel take his suspension fork off his titanium hardtail and replace it with a rigid enve carbon fork. It’s bizarro backwards world

[@SCCyclingLLC]

Salsa Beargrease is basically a full rigid XC bike but with fast tires. What’s old is new again.

[@tamserenity]

WHHAATTT????

[@tamserenity]

I had no idea their was even a thing!!

[@christianholmstedt8770]

I really don't get this bike at all. An XC race bike would be about the same weight and be more versatile.

[@sydandmacky]

Yup, but less enjoyable on roads (paved and gravel). Definitely not the bike for you if you want maximum versatility, but if you're riding pretty much all roads and want to be able to be less sore and go farther, it's a great choice!

[@ebhkkc1]

No thanks

[@tjbarke6086]

What sort of apostasy is this?

[@avramibarasch2326]

why do you need a mask for a bike ride

[@sydandmacky]

It's required for public spaces inside the apartment complex where we're staying (so I needed it to get out) and when passing people within 6 feet on bike paths. Which is why I generally try to give people more than 6 feet when passing!

[@nateh7674]

Uh that's illegal

[@Adventures_with_Sog]

Absolutely pointless bike.Just get a lightweight short travel XC MTB. I wish you guys would get another channel for all these roadie vids! 😔