Hey there — Steve here with another Bikes We Ride from Maklin Bike Shop. Today I’m sharing my Niner RLT 9 RDO, which I’ve been riding for the last three years. I’ll walk through the build spec, how I had it set up over time, the wheel and tire combinations I ran, and my overall thoughts after comparing it to the other gravel bikes I’ve put significant miles on.
Video review
History & setups we’ve tested
Races ridden on this bike:
Wheelsets used:
- Stans Grail carbon wheels (stock)
- Spinergy GX aluminum wheels
- HED Emporia GA Pro aluminum wheels (favorite setup)
Tires we’ve ridden:
- Challenge Strada Bianca (33mm, 40mm)
- Vittoria gravel tires (likely Terreno Dry)
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Drivetrain configurations:
- SRAM Force 1x mechanical drivetrain
- 10–36T cassette (pre-XPLR era)
- 38T chainring (stock)
- 46T chainring tested for flatter rides
Longest ride / biggest day:
Photo gallery (optional):
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Drivetrain
This RLT came out before SRAM’s XPLR gravel drivetrain existed, so it’s running the original Force 1x configuration with a 10–36 cassette. Around here, that gearing actually worked out well since most of our gravel is pretty flat unless you drop into the river valley. I ran a stock 38T for most of my time on the bike, but I also tried a 46T for a period. The 46T was awesome for flat speed but not realistic for steep climbs.
The Force D1 hoods are on this one, and I personally prefer them over the newer D2 style. Everything has been reliable and mechanically simple.
Wheels and tires
The bike originally came with Stans Grail carbon wheels. They’re very light and ride nicely, but they’re narrow by modern gravel standards. When mounted with wider tires, the footprint isn’t as confidence-inspiring as wider rims.
I rode the bike most often on:
- Spinergy GX aluminum wheels – solid performers
- HED Emporia GA Pro – my favorite on this bike for comfort and handling
Factory Grail wheels (both mine and customer bikes) often needed a re-true after initial break-in, so that’s something to be aware of.
Tires I’ve run include various Challenge Strada Bianca sizes and multiple Vittoria options. The bike has a wide enough footprint to accommodate a large range of gravel tires.
Cockpit and fit
This is a 56cm frame with Niner’s RDO carbon construction. It uses an EC70/EC90 AX gravel bar from Easton, the Niner seatpost, and Niner stem. I also highly recommend the bolt-in Niner frame bag — it attaches cleanly, stays quiet, and can hold two small bottles end-to-end. Very useful for long gravel days.
Two bottle cage mounts are inside the triangle, but none on the bottom of the downtube. A lower cage position would also be helpful; it sits slightly higher than ideal.
Serviceability
One of the things I like most about the RLT is how easy it is to work on. The cables don’t run through the headset, and the routing is tubed internally, making brake and shift line replacement straightforward. It uses a PF30 bottom bracket — not everyone’s favorite — but most creaking complaints we see aren’t actually bottom bracket related. Headsets and saddle rails are the usual culprits. If you do want a threaded option, Wheels Manufacturing and Cane Creek both make great thread-together units.
Comparisons to other gravel bikes
Here’s the lineup of bikes I’ve spent meaningful time on before and after the RLT:
- Trek Checkpoint SL6 & SL7
- Salsa Warbird
- Cervelo Áspero-5
- Time ADHX 45
- Bianchi Arcadex (gen 1)
- Custom Jamis Renegade (newest gen)
The RLT sits right in the middle of the gravel spectrum. Not overly racy like an Áspero-5 or ADHX 45, not overly off-road like a Cutthroat, and not pushed into adventure geometry like the Arcadex or Renegade. Think of it like the gravel equivalent of an endurance road bike — neutral, predictable, and versatile.
If you only had one gravel bike to cover road, gravel, long rides, and all-around mixed terrain, this bike fits that middle ground exceptionally well.
Final thoughts
This frame has been out for a long time, and it’s probably due for a refresh, but I genuinely hope Niner doesn’t push it too far toward either extreme. There are plenty of racy gravel bikes and plenty of off-road mountain-bike-leaning gravel bikes already. We still need bikes that live in the middle — capable, comfortable, predictable all-rounders — and that’s exactly what the RLT 9 RDO is.
It’s been one of my favorite general-purpose gravel bikes, and after three years on it, it still ranks near the top for all-around practicality and riding enjoyment.