Longhualtrucker is right....so here's a crosspost that is more than apt here as well...
My friend Chris has a Niner 0ne 9. He's had it for some time and has just recently changed the setup a bit. I rode it when I had my last Sinister with the Maverick and 1x9. Then his Niner was sporting Bontrager XXX bars, Stem and fork. Now he's running a Soul Cycles fork, titec bar and stem. The bonty bar was installed by a pro, using a torque wrench. It was ridden about 9 months. After pulling the bar a month or two ago Chris was shocked to see the carbon fiber was destroyed. All Cracked. Off goes the Carbon LOL.
Anyhow the point of this isn't about carbon, it's more about me getting to ride his bike and the Simon back to back. Now the bikes are even running the same exact fork.
We're about the same size and ride similar setups/cockpit. The biggest difference is his 90mm stem vs my 70mm.
Hopping from the Sinister to the Niner my immediate reaction was that it was twitchy....for about a minute LOL. The difference in stem length; bingo. I felt a bit more "on" his bike rather than "in" but that can likely be attributed to the fact that the Sinister was built, literally, for me and it's my Zen. The geo on both is fun, just a bit different. Both are running the Exiwolfs out back (admittedly I have long loathed this tire but it's been GREAT save for the soup and wet leaves). I'd say the Sinister dealt with some of the tighter sections while climbing much better (for me).
All in all I liked how it rode and it was snappy for sure but it was also very harsh. Both frames are aluminum with the same fork...well the Niner is Scandium, "aluminum with an additive" as they say. While neither bike would ever be called flexy, the Niner had no give. Nada. and I'm 230#s. The Sinister uses the straight gauge tubing and gussets to add strength at joints or stiffness where FTW felt it was needed. I guess I am just used to the whole shebang because I was just blown away with the sting of the Niner. I can see why the XC racer guys rock these things. Very high strung, ready to rocket feel with no relief. Reminded me of my old Jake the Snake Cyclocross frame. If I owned that bike it would NOT Be rigid. Now I'm obviously partial to my Simon Bar, but the ride was just much smoother. No flex (ever LOL) but just not an exercise in punishment.
All told, both bikes are fun as hell, but now I know why there are folks out there who hate aluminum/scandium. That said, they should ride other options because a good builder or shop can really tune a frame to you. I think That is Niner's gig as well...they have such a variety of frames there should be one to fit your tastes. I'd really love to try a MCR now.
RJ
My friend Chris has a Niner 0ne 9. He's had it for some time and has just recently changed the setup a bit. I rode it when I had my last Sinister with the Maverick and 1x9. Then his Niner was sporting Bontrager XXX bars, Stem and fork. Now he's running a Soul Cycles fork, titec bar and stem. The bonty bar was installed by a pro, using a torque wrench. It was ridden about 9 months. After pulling the bar a month or two ago Chris was shocked to see the carbon fiber was destroyed. All Cracked. Off goes the Carbon LOL.
Anyhow the point of this isn't about carbon, it's more about me getting to ride his bike and the Simon back to back. Now the bikes are even running the same exact fork.
We're about the same size and ride similar setups/cockpit. The biggest difference is his 90mm stem vs my 70mm.
Hopping from the Sinister to the Niner my immediate reaction was that it was twitchy....for about a minute LOL. The difference in stem length; bingo. I felt a bit more "on" his bike rather than "in" but that can likely be attributed to the fact that the Sinister was built, literally, for me and it's my Zen. The geo on both is fun, just a bit different. Both are running the Exiwolfs out back (admittedly I have long loathed this tire but it's been GREAT save for the soup and wet leaves). I'd say the Sinister dealt with some of the tighter sections while climbing much better (for me).
All in all I liked how it rode and it was snappy for sure but it was also very harsh. Both frames are aluminum with the same fork...well the Niner is Scandium, "aluminum with an additive" as they say. While neither bike would ever be called flexy, the Niner had no give. Nada. and I'm 230#s. The Sinister uses the straight gauge tubing and gussets to add strength at joints or stiffness where FTW felt it was needed. I guess I am just used to the whole shebang because I was just blown away with the sting of the Niner. I can see why the XC racer guys rock these things. Very high strung, ready to rocket feel with no relief. Reminded me of my old Jake the Snake Cyclocross frame. If I owned that bike it would NOT Be rigid. Now I'm obviously partial to my Simon Bar, but the ride was just much smoother. No flex (ever LOL) but just not an exercise in punishment.
All told, both bikes are fun as hell, but now I know why there are folks out there who hate aluminum/scandium. That said, they should ride other options because a good builder or shop can really tune a frame to you. I think That is Niner's gig as well...they have such a variety of frames there should be one to fit your tastes. I'd really love to try a MCR now.
RJ