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R- 9 compared to Sunday

intensified

Monkey
Mar 31, 2004
519
6
Canton,Ma
Me and a bud are looking at new frames. I did a search and didn't see this exact one so I figured what the hey, I know there are a million of the vs. Sunday threads.

As for the pilots - couldn't be more apart,, one short fast pro and one tall expert.

The thingsI am wondering about are cornering and brake jack, also we are on the east coast here.

Both bikes look awsome, I rode both but, only in the parking lot.

Any probs running a 2.8 mich. on the rear of either bike?
 

bballe336

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2005
1,757
0
MA
I'm not very fond of the Sunday so I guess my opinion is biased. But I will be on an R9 next season. The R9 is an awesome bike. It is very fast and genuinely fun to ride. The second I got on an R9 I felt immediately comfortable and was definitely riding faster. I can't really explain why but the R9 gave me the kind of feeling where you don't take notice of what you're riding, you just ride. It is definitely a nice feeling though. The R9 corners very well and I noticed almost no brake feedback.

The regular R9 is fine for riders about 5'10" and up. If you're shorter than that you may want to ride the shorty version.
 

FCLinder

Turbo Monkey
Mar 6, 2002
4,402
0
Greenville, South Carolina
If you like the Sunday, also try the Giant Glory. It feels about the same as the Sunday and has no brake jack. I know nothing about the R9, but it looks like a sweet bike.

Good luck man.
 

intensified

Monkey
Mar 31, 2004
519
6
Canton,Ma
I'm not very fond of the Sunday so I guess my opinion is biased. But I will be on an R9 next season. The R9 is an awesome bike. It is very fast and genuinely fun to ride. The second I got on an R9 I felt immediately comfortable and was definitely riding faster. I can't really explain why but the R9 gave me the kind of feeling where you don't take notice of what you're riding, you just ride. It is definitely a nice feeling though. The R9 corners very well and I noticed almost no brake feedback.

The regular R9 is fine for riders about 5'10" and up. If you're shorter than that you may want to ride the shorty version.
Thanks for the feedback, I thought the r-9 had a great feel to.but it wasn't on the mtn. Seems like it would be real stable at speed?

What is it that you didn't like about the Sunday? Looks like they solved some of the issues for '07.
 

SuspectDevice

Turbo Monkey
Aug 23, 2002
4,155
355
Roanoke, VA
There is no snow on the ground and plenty of Sundays and R9's to ride in new england. Get some bikes, go to some trails and ride them, and make your decision. Both are great bikes with excellent track records from great companies.

If you are looking for an R9 to demo stop by ATA in Concord and ask for Matt.
 

intensified

Monkey
Mar 31, 2004
519
6
Canton,Ma
There is no snow on the ground and plenty of Sundays and R9's to ride in new england. Get some bikes, go to some trails and ride them, and make your decision. Both are great bikes with excellent track records from great companies.

If you are looking for an R9 to demo stop by ATA in Concord and ask for Matt.
That is great info,,,Thanks, I will take you up on that!
 

ska todd

Turbo Monkey
Oct 10, 2001
1,776
0
Check with the guys over at JRA in Medford. I believe they should have some Sunday action for ya to scope!

-ska todd
 

intensified

Monkey
Mar 31, 2004
519
6
Canton,Ma
Glad I asked, rm always helps out..I will have to set it up and get my bud up here, it will be the east coast shootout,,, I'm sure niether bike is a looser.
 

A.P

Monkey
Nov 21, 2005
423
0
boston
Both are great. Ive taken many runs on both bikes and I would say they just come down to different styles of riders. Ride both and see which fits you better.
 

profro

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2002
5,617
314
Walden Ridge
I've ridden both the Glory and the Sunday and they didn't feel the same.

I would say go for the R9. I personaly didn't like the way the Sunday felt. It didn't respond like I wanted. I have ridden the Sunday enough to make the decision for myself. I haven't ridden the R9, other than in the parking lot. But I liked the way it felt and would want to ride it more. Plus Frank is a super cool guy and I like what Sinister is doing.
 

MichaelT

Monkey
Sep 19, 2001
161
0
home
Ride both then choose. They are very different bikes.

You are welcome to rip around on my Sunday. Just drop me a line at work. e.thirteen - 978.537.9313.

Michael
e.thirteen / Evil
 

mtbpaint1

Monkey
Apr 25, 2005
326
0
University of Connecticut
My best friend has an R9, once upon a time at a Mount Snow race, my derailleur hanger snapped on my canfield , and the chain shattered on the last practice run of the day. With very little time on an R9 I raced it (kids 4 inches shorter than me, a lot lighter, and sets his bike up for a completely different riding style) I destroyed any of my past times on that course and got four places better than I had the previous race...my R9 comes in next week:happydance:

I've spent a fair amount of time on two sundays, and I can't say they're not awesome bikes, they're certainly the pin although the R9 just feels right and you cant beat Sinister reliability
 

cogs

Monkey
Feb 13, 2005
140
0
I had a Sunday and went to a R9.

After destroying 3 sets of 165mm cranks, it was getting too expensive to maintain. Also, the quality of the build is better with the R9 - ie..welds, bearings, paint, etc....

Just my 2 cents...
 

skinny mike

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2005
6,415
0
to me, one big selling point of the r9, or any sinister, is that on any given race weekend in the northeast, you can talk to the guy who not only owns the company, but welded your frame as well.
 

bballe336

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2005
1,757
0
MA
Thanks for the feedback, I thought the r-9 had a great feel to.but it wasn't on the mtn. Seems like it would be real stable at speed?

What is it that you didn't like about the Sunday? Looks like they solved some of the issues for '07.
The R9 is real stable, it has a long wheelbase and it's low, long, and slack. My main complaint with the sunday is the DW Link, I don't like it much. It doesn't pedal all that well and it doesn't absorb bumps any better than a single pivot does. If you like the sunday and it works for you thats cool, it's just not my cup of tea.
 

Superdeft

Monkey
Dec 4, 2003
863
0
East Coast
to me, one big selling point of the r9, or any sinister, is that on any given race weekend in the northeast, you can talk to the guy who not only owns the company, but welded your frame as well.
This is a good point, frank mentioned to me that he designed the bike to make him faster, not throwing a bunch of prototypes at a pro until that person was happy. He said it's a weekend racer's bike that strikes a great balance between pedaling, crank clearance, suspension plush through the rocks, braking performance and cornering prowess. The bike is very forgiving, likes sag, and rips.
 

rigidhack

Turbo Monkey
Aug 16, 2004
1,206
1
In a Van(couver) down by the river
I'm pretty much biased too, but the R9 is a friggin' great bike. For me, the decision between the Sinister and the IH (if you discount my Sinister loyalty (not sponsor related)) would come down to reliability. The Sunday is obviously a great bike, but for someone like me who would more or less prefer to set it and forget it, you can't beat the simplicity of the R9.

I had read a bunch of stuff about the R9 being too long and slow, and in the first 4 seconds of my first demo ride on one I might have bought that - it does feel long and slow at walking speed. Once you get any kind of speed up at all, the bike becomes insanely comfortable, predictable and easy to control. If I ever decide to drop the $ for a pure DH rig I already know what I'd get.
 

dexter

Turbo Monkey
Sep 23, 2001
3,053
99
Boise, Idaho
umm lets see rode for sinister for a year and half, then had the money to get any dh frame i wanted and kept got a new sinister. one of my all time fav bikes, so fun, so fast, so plush, so everything
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
My main complaint with the sunday is the DW Link, I don't like it much. It doesn't pedal all that well
Hmm something is up with that claim. I don't own a sunday, nor do I plan to - but if there's one thing i've noticed riding them, they pedal pretty damn well. Either the bike was horribly undersprung for you, or something is amiss.
 

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
If you like the Sunday, also try the Giant Glory. It feels about the same as the Sunday and has no brake jack. I know nothing about the R9, but it looks like a sweet bike.

Good luck man.
Honestly, I spent some time on back to back runs at Diablo this year on my Sunday and a Glory, and I didn't find them to be similar at all. The geometry it totally different, the Glory feels about 1/2 inch higher to me, the Sunday seems to track better through bumps, and has better braking characteristics in my opinion.

Dave
 

dw

Wiffle Ball ninja
Sep 10, 2001
2,943
0
MV
My main complaint with the sunday is the DW Link, <snip> It doesn't pedal all that well and it doesn't absorb bumps any better than a single pivot does.
There is NO possibility that you have ridden a dw-link bike with any sort of correct setup for you. Zero. You can say a lot of things about a lot of bikes, but your two comments above about dw-link are physical impossibilities.

I respect your personal opinion.

The laws of physics do not allow your statements to be true, end of discussion.
 

SuspectDevice

Turbo Monkey
Aug 23, 2002
4,155
355
Roanoke, VA
There is NO possibility that you have ridden a dw-link bike with any sort of correct setup for you. Zero. You can say a lot of things about a lot of bikes, but your two comments above about dw-link are physical impossibilities.

I respect your personal opinion.

The laws of physics do not allow your statements to be true, end of discussion.

The laws of probalility don't allow his statements to be true either Dave.

Eli, when did you ever ride a dw link bike anyway?
 

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,698
1,053
behind you with a snap pop
Honestly, I spent some time on back to back runs at Diablo this year on my Sunday and a Glory, and I didn't find them to be similar at all. The geometry it totally different, the Glory feels about 1/2 inch higher to me, the Sunday seems to track better through bumps, and has better braking characteristics in my opinion.

Dave
Ha ha,
He has never really ridden one either. His Glory is still on order. :rofl:
This thread is a perfect example of why you shouldn't listen to people on the internet. I learned this lesson in 1998 when I ended up with a Risse Champ. :disgust1:
 

FCLinder

Turbo Monkey
Mar 6, 2002
4,402
0
Greenville, South Carolina
Ha ha,
He has never really ridden one either. His Glory is still on order. :rofl:
This thread is a perfect example of why you shouldn't listen to people on the internet. I learned this lesson in 1998 when I ended up with a Risse Champ. :disgust1:
I have been on both bikes on the trail Jeremy. Now I have not had enough time on both to tell a difference. My option is they are both great bikes.
 

nh dude

Monkey
May 30, 2003
571
16
Vt
.
I had read a bunch of stuff about the R9 being too long and slow, and in the first 4 seconds of my first demo ride on one I might have bought that - it does feel long and slow at walking speed. Once you get any kind of speed up at all, the bike becomes insanely comfortable, predictable and easy to control. If I ever decide to drop the $ for a pure DH rig I already know what I'd get.
ditto
if it still feels to sluggish fiddle with your rear shock for a firmer less sagged out ride that really did the trick for me turning it into 50% plow style and 50% hop skip pump jump style
then get it up to speed
 

FCLinder

Turbo Monkey
Mar 6, 2002
4,402
0
Greenville, South Carolina
Honestly, I spent some time on back to back runs at Diablo this year on my Sunday and a Glory, and I didn't find them to be similar at all. The geometry it totally different, the Glory feels about 1/2 inch higher to me, the Sunday seems to track better through bumps, and has better braking characteristics in my opinion.

Dave
I didn't get to ride the two bikes back to back. I only said, to me they felt the same. I am also not saying one bike is better than another. They are both great designs and feel great to me.
 

Pip3r

Turbo Monkey
Nov 20, 2001
1,112
0
Foxboro MA
Granted I've only ridden an R9 around a parking lot, i was really surprised at how well it rode (geometry wise) considering i always thought they were super funky looking
Then again, i know many people who have been around for years and ridden countless bikes and are straight up blown away by the Sunday. Smutok who obviously spent plenty of time on an R9 came down after his first few runs on a Sunday at the US Open this year and said "This bike is way too fast for me"...
 

Red Bull

Turbo Monkey
Oct 22, 2004
1,772
0
970
My main complaint with the sunday is the DW Link, I don't like it much. It doesn't pedal all that well and it doesn't absorb bumps any better than a single pivot does. If you like the sunday and it works for you thats cool, it's just not my cup of tea.
when will you stop talking out of your ass and learn to ride a bike?
 

bballe336

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2005
1,757
0
MA
There is NO possibility that you have ridden a dw-link bike with any sort of correct setup for you. Zero. You can say a lot of things about a lot of bikes, but your two comments above about dw-link are physical impossibilities.

I respect your personal opinion.

The laws of physics do not allow your statements to be true, end of discussion.
I am sorry that I rode a sunday and then formed an opinion about it. Of course it was wrong, now I know better, thanks internet!
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
So it is physically impossible that in my opinion the bike doesn't pedal all that well? Downhill bikes don't pedal well, period. None of them pedal well enough for me to want to go on long XC rides with them or anything.
Your statement is silly. Of course long travel bikes don't pedal that well, but the point is that the Sunday was designed to pedal much better than other downhill bikes.

That's like saying, "Well, this Porsche GT3 handles like crap." and then later backing off and saying "Dude, in comparison to Formula 1 cars..."

Just because not every one loves the bike doesn't mean that what I am saying is physically impossible.
Actually, some things are physically impossible. You made some specific, very quantitative statements about your dislike of the bike. What you stated about it can be demonstrated in hard data to be either better or worse than the competition.

I've never ridden a Sunday and there is a lot of love for DW and Iron Horse on this board that can be a little hard to overcome, and I understand that, so please don't think I'm trying to insult you.

However, certain things can be boiled down to physical data, not rider tastes. You may not like the way it handles, you may not like the way it absorb bumps, or whatever... but when you say two measurable characteristics aren't good, and you say that in front of the engineer who measured them, you'd better be prepared to be told you're wrong ;) - but nobody told you you had to like the bike.
 

bballe336

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2005
1,757
0
MA
Your statement is silly. Of course long travel bikes don't pedal that well, but the point is that the Sunday was designed to pedal much better than other downhill bikes.

That's like saying, "Well, this Porsche GT3 handles like crap." and then later backing off and saying "Dude, in comparison to Formula 1 cars..."


Actually, some things are physically impossible. You made some specific, very quantitative statements about your dislike of the bike. What you stated about it can be demonstrated in hard data to be either better or worse than the competition.

I've never ridden a Sunday and there is a lot of love for DW and Iron Horse on this board that can be a little hard to overcome, and I understand that, so please don't think I'm trying to insult you.

However, certain things can be boiled down to physical data, not rider tastes. You may not like the way it handles, you may not like the way it absorb bumps, or whatever... but when you say two measurable characteristics aren't good, and you say that in front of the engineer who measured them, you'd better be prepared to be told you're wrong ;) - but nobody told you you had to like the bike.
I have a lot I want to say right now. I understand that I can't because unless my opinion of the sunday is "Best bike ever, so fast, pedals the best, etc" then I will get flamed. It's ridiculous. I think I'm gonna hold my tongue because in a few years the sunday will be old news.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
There is NO possibility that you have ridden a dw-link bike with any sort of correct setup for you. Zero. You can say a lot of things about a lot of bikes, but your two comments above about dw-link are physical impossibilities.

I respect your personal opinion.

The laws of physics do not allow your statements to be true, end of discussion.
:rofl: :rofl:

I don't think I've ever used this term before "LOL"


I can say that the sunday (well, sundayS although they were both owned by the same guy), pedaled extremely well......better than my single pivot turner, and better than most bikes I've ridden of any design (vpps being just as active/efficient feeling). I do think it may have been a setup thing. I went out of my way to pedal over a bunch of chop in a few places and it tracked really well without any sort of noticible pedal wierdness.

I've got no plans to get one because I think they shoot through their travel too easily but I was impressed with how the rear end worked other than that.
 

jvnixon

Turbo Monkey
May 14, 2006
2,325
0
SickLines.com
I have a lot I want to say right now. I understand that I can't because unless my opinion of the sunday is "Best bike ever, so fast, pedals the best, etc" then I will get flamed. It's ridiculous. I think I'm gonna hold my tongue because in a few years the sunday will be old news.
What's the point of posting that first snipet, and not finishing the rest? Why would you post on a board where you can't say what you think if you believe what you're saying?

If you believe in your opinions, and they're not contrary to facts maybe you'll help someone make an educated decision.