“The 29” wheeled bike isn’t just a token in our line-up. It is our one and only love, our heart and soul out there on the trail.”
Beginning life as a relatively unknown company devoted to just the 29″ wheel size, Niner has grown to become a leader in the 29’er wheel category, crossing boundaries into the realms of cyclocross and gravel bikes – remember, 29″ and 700c wheels are the same diameter.
The Niner BSB 9 RDO is a favourite with at least one member of the Gravel Cyclist crew, along with the Women’s winner of the 2015 and 2016 Dirty Kanza 200, Amanda Nauman. Constructed from Niner’s RDO ultra-stiff carbon layup, the The BSB 9 RDO’s primary role is that of a cyclocross bike, a genre that Amanda excels in. Additionally, the bike does doubles duty as a gravel rig. Tyres greater than 33mm wide are not legal for UCI level cross racing, but the BSB 9 RDO frame will accept tyres up to 40mm wide.
On the subject of tyres, Amanda “Panda” Nauman’s Easton EA90 SL aluminum clincher tubeless wheelset is fitted with the Schwalbe G-One in the 700c x 38mm size and filled with Orange Seal’s tubeless sealant.
Easton’s EA90 SL aluminum clincher wheelset features 20 spokes front and 24 spokes rear with external nipples.
Amanda rides the smallest size Niner BSB 9 RDO frame; the 47cm model measures 51.5cm on the top tube. Note the Jarrito’s bottle cap… Jarrito’s sodas are seriously good stuff! Yum…
Because Amanda’s reach requirements are relatively compact, the Di2 junction box that ordinarily resides beneath the stem had to be relocated to an alternative location beneath the handlebars.
Braking and shifting comes courtesy of Shimano’s excellent R785 hydraulic Di2 levers, mounted to an Easton EC70 SL handlebar.
Computers take up a good amount of real estate and are notoriously difficult to mount to a shorter length stem. Thankfully, Garmin’s out front mount solves this problem and helps reduce clutter.
Chainrings on Amanda’s well-used Quarq equipped SRAM carbon crankset are 50 / 34 10-speed units.
Shimano’s ultra-reliable 11-speed Shimano Ultegra Di2 front derailleur handles the chainring shifting duties. Amanda’s setup also proves that 11-speed chains play nicely on a 10-speed chainring set.
Crank Brothers Titanium egg beater pedals.
Amanda opts for a SRAM PG1170 11-32 11-speed cassette, while a Shimano Ultegra Di2 medium cage rear derailleur performs the shifting.
SDG (Speed Defies Gravity) saddle held firmly in place by an Easton EC90 carbon fibre seatpost.
Amanda eschews Shimano’s BR-785 hydraulic brake calipers for an older generation pair of the company’s top-of-the-line XTR mountain bike brake calipers.
SRAM’s CenterLine X disc brake rotors are tricked out with aluminum fixing bolts. Rockshox Maxle thru-axles feature front and rear on the bike.
Kogel’s bottom bracket bearings are Grade 3, ABEC 5, hybrid ceramic with two seal options – road cycling and everything else – mountain bike, cyclocross and gravel. No adapters are used in Kogel’s bottom brackets – no creaking!
The Niner BSB 9 RDO’s rear hydraulic brake cable is not internalized, but Amanda’s mechanic did a nice job of dressing up the cable with pinkish hue zip ties.
Riding and racing big miles means big calories and a place to store them. Dark Speed Works out of Chicago, Illinois, provide the Speedpack 480 bag.
- Frame: Niner BSB 9 RDO, 142 x 12mm thru-axle rear.
- Fork: Niner RDO tapered carbon fork, thru axle.
- Headset: Niner 1 1/8″ to 1 1/4″.
- Stem: Easton EA70.
- Handlebar: Easton EC70 SL carbon.
- Handlebar Tape: Easton.
- Front brake: Shimano XTR hydraulic.
- Rear brake: Shimano XTR hydraulic.
- Shift / Brake Shift levers: Shimano R785 Di2.
- Front derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2 11-speed.
- Rear derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2 11-speed.
- Cassette: SRAM PG1170 11-32 11-speed.
- Chain: YBN Ti-Nitride 11-speed.
- Crankset: Quarq carbon fitted with power meter and 50 / 34 chainrings.
- Bottom bracket: PF30 BB fitted with Kogel bearings.
- Pedals: Crank Brothers Titanium egg beater.
- Wheelset: Easton EA90 SL aluminum clincher.
- Front tyre: Schwalbe G-One 700c x 38mm.
- Rear tyre: Schwalbe G-One 700c x 38mm.
- Saddle: SDG.
- Seatpost: Easton EC90 carbon.
- Bottle cages: X-Lab carbon.
- Computer: N/A
Amanda, the crew at Gravel Cyclist wish you the best of luck for all of your future endeavors! Huge thanks to Dave for all of his time before and after the race (Amanda’s mechanic).
Awesome write up. I love to see the stuff that’s getting used in these events.
And what a ride by Amanda! Back to back winner!
Cool! But aren’t EA90 rims Alumin(i)um? EC series are carbon.
I probably typo’d and will fix pronto. Wrote this at 1am after nine hours of driving haha.
Ha ha, okay, you are forgiven this time 😉
That frame is supposed to be punishingly stiff. I wonder if Niner will come out with an ‘RDO’ gravel frame with a cushier ride?
Yeah, I’m kind of waiting for them to come out with a carbon RLT… they have alu and steel now, surely a carbon version must be in the wings? The steel looks awesome with that fork and all those braze-ons for bottles and stuff everywhere, but there’s no denying it’s heavy and so not ideal for racing.
where is the grappling hook to tow her personal domestique?