With so many lovely gravel roads around here I've been keen to get a disk braked gravel bike for a while. The Niner RLT looked to be just the ticket and after a bit of a wait for it to ship I can now say I have a bike that's perfect for about 80 per cent of the riding I do. After a couple of days and a steep learning curve on installing disk brakes I'd have to say I'm very happy with the bike so far. It's light and fast and comfortable and makes me want to ride all day. I'm still in the shakedown phase so my longest ride is 25km today on the flat. Something a bit more demanding looms tomorrow.
And how does it ride? Like a dream. Once I got the tyres right from the stock of offcasts in my shed right (Challenge Almazano, review to come). It soaks up the bumps nicely, and while the effect of the slightly long wheelbase is noticable in out-of-the-saddle efforts it's a bike that invites the rider to the stay seated and spin rather than jump up and grind. The steering is nicely predicable. I have a feeling we'll have many happy miles together, on road and off.
2036km so far this year.
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3 comments:
"PPS-2 double puncture protection strip. Better traction and cornering in loose pack gravel" So which is going to be more important? Not puncturing or not stacking your shiny new steed?
Not convinced they're much for the cornering. It was a front wheel washout which rooted my last frame. Will be taking it easy around the corners, the bike is fine but the meatsack is carries makes it a bit top-heavy. They're sweet tyres though for most outings.
nice tyre...
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