A frame-up custom on the Niner RLT 9 steel frame — the latest Shimano GRX 12-speed drivetrain, a shop-built wheelset, and a classic, understated steel look. One of a run of RLT customs going out the door, and one that looked too good not to film.
The Build
The Look
The whole bike came together around a classic, understated steel aesthetic. The tan-sidewall Panaracer GravelKing SS tires pair with the bronze Niner lettering on the frame, and even the bar tape was chosen to tie into that color story. It’s the kind of build that looks right on a steel RLT — nothing shouting, everything intentional.
Shop-Built Wheels
The wheelset was built in-house: Velo Orange hubs laced to Velocity Cliffhanger rims. It’s a strong, practical gravel wheel that fits the character of the bike rather than chasing low weight. The frame officially clears up to 50mm, and while the GravelKing SS tires are a 45mm, they measure up wide on the Cliffhanger rims and fill the frame out nicely.
Cockpit & Touchpoints
Up front is a Salsa Cowchipper flared gravel bar, wrapped in Wolf Tooth 5mm bar tape. Steve personally prefers a thinner tape, but this rider likes more padding — and that’s exactly the point of a custom build: you can dial it in right down to the bar tape thickness. The saddle is the rider’s own Brooks, already broken in and carried over to the new bike.
Still to Come
The seatpost and stem on it now are placeholders — the final parts are waiting in the back to go on at setup. A rear rack and a set of Ortlieb fork packs are also slated to be added. The bike just looked good enough at this stage that it was worth documenting before the last touches went on.
A shop rule we live by: a bike should be something you enjoy riding — and something you enjoy leaning up against a tree and stepping back to look at. This one checks both boxes.
A classic steel gravel build, personalized end to end
The RLT 9 steel is a practical, good-looking gravel platform, and this build leans into that — modern GRX 12-speed shifting, durable shop-built wheels, and touchpoints chosen by the rider rather than a spec sheet. It’s a straightforward example of what a frame-up custom is for: a bike built around how you ride and what you want to look at.
Want a Custom Gravel Build?
We spec and build frame-up customs at Maklin Bike Shop in Scandia, MN. Tell us how you ride and we’ll put something together.