A frame-up Niner RLT 9 RDO built for a rider who wanted one bike for big mountain climbing, bikepacking, and fast local Minnesota gravel. SRAM Force 12-speed 2x Wide for the gear range, and a hand-built wheelset on Chris King hubs and HED Belgium Gravel rims — a build-once, ride-for-a-decade setup. A drivetrain configuration Niner doesn’t offer stock.
The Build
This one went a different direction than most RLT builds. The RLT 9 RDO is Niner’s carbon gravel frame — versatile, neutral-handling, and able to clear 50mm tires — and we build a lot around it because it’s such a solid all-arounder. The rider wanted something capable of big mountain climbing out west, loaded bikepacking, and fast local gravel here in Minnesota, so we spec’d a 2x Force 12-speed setup and built a custom wheelset around Chris King hubs. The result handles everything from loaded touring to steep alpine passes while still feeling quick on everyday gravel.
The Drivetrain
The heart of the build is the SRAM Force 12-speed 2x Wide drivetrain. The 43/30 chainrings paired with a 10–36 cassette give tight gearing for fast gravel plus a true bailout low gear for big climbs — a perfect match for the mixed riding this bike will see, from Minnesota gravel to fully loaded mountain passes.
The Wheels
The wheels were a major part of this build. We laced Chris King hubs to HED Belgium Gravel rims with DT Aero Comp spokes and brass nipples. It’s not a super-light set — around 1,700 grams after assembly — but it’s incredibly solid, versatile, and dependable. This is the kind of wheel you build once and ride for a decade.
Tires & Cockpit
The Challenge Strada Bianca tires add a really nice ride feel. They can be a little harder to mount, but once you learn the technique they go on fine — and we’ve ridden the 33s, 36s, 40s, and 45s, all great. The tan sidewalls look loud at first, but tone down beautifully once they get some dust and miles on them.
The cockpit pairs Niner’s carbon seatpost (great flex and comfort) with the Easton EA90 AX bar — a subtle ergo top with comfortable reach and drop that’s become a popular choice in our fittings. At 46cm it runs a touch wide for the 56cm frame, but it fits this rider well. The Infinity gravel saddle was a specific request — the rider already runs the road version. With red Lizard Skins 3.2 tape tying into the red King hubs, the bike came together with a clean, cohesive look.
The Value
Like many of our Niner builds, this one started from the frameset using parts kits we keep in stock. That lets us match the bike exactly to how the rider is going to use it, often at a price competitive with stock complete bikes — and because we’re small and nimble, we can mix components across tiers to build something unique without overpaying for features the rider doesn’t need.
Want a Custom Gravel Build?
We can spec, order, and build any configuration. Stop by or reach out.