"Eat My Dust". The E.M.D. 9 should give you all the weaponry you need, so you can turn to your riding buddies and say this with total confidence. The E.M.D. 9 is the newest member of the Niner family, building on our commitment to make the best, most versatile line of 29" wheel mountain bikes in existence. And at 3.5 lbs. for a medium frame, the E.M.D. 9 is super light and race worthy. The s-bend rear stays make for a comfy and compliant ride giving the E.M.D. 9 an advantage on all day epics or 24 hour races as well. So if you're looking for a geared only, do everything frame, look to the E.M.D. 9 to exceed your expectations.
Submitted by
EddyKilowatt
a Cross Country Rider
from Monterey, CA
Date Reviewed: February 1, 2012
Strengths: Sturdy frame, quality build, light, climbs well, good value
Weaknesses: Nothing major. Rear brake pipe/cable routing and bosses seem hydro-specific, feel that cable/mechanical would be better suit the no-nonsense feel of the frame.
Bottom Line:
XL frame and 29" wheels were a no brainer for me at 6'4" and 200 lb, and the fit is fine. Never even considered 26".
This was my first build and it was great fun to figure out what I needed, cruise EBay and MTBR for bargains (Ti BB $35 koff koff), and assemble and tune the bike. I'd recommend a bike build as a fun project to anyone mechanically inclined... Niner frame with pre-prepped threads and faces gave no probs during assembly and does not seem finicky about component choices.
Riding, the handling is predictable and easy to carve and it is stiff to pedal and climbs great, easy to get weight onto the rear wheel for traction and is quite controllable on steep descents. Ride IS stiff which is pretty much inherent with aluminum. I originally used a Bontrager carbon fork for this build, which was feather light but punishing on ruts and potholes. I needed to keep up with a faster rider on a full suspension bike so put the M-29 on last year... seems to be a good match for the frame.
I'd recommend this frame for anyone who wants a quality build without succumbing to bling-ism. I don't see it as 'starter' or 'entry-level'; I expect this to fill the Hardtail spot in my fleet even if I add a trail bike in a year or two. I am still learning and improving, and this bike shows no signs of running out of performance for me.
Bike Setup: Stan's Flows on Hope Pro II hubs, RST M-29 fork, BB7 brakes, SRAM X-9 drivetrain with twist shifters, Race Face Turbine cranks with Ti square taper BB, Thomson post and stem, FSA mid-rise bars, WTB Devo saddle, Saguaro rear/Rampage front tires.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Holmes
a Weekend Warrior
from Berthoud, CO
Date Reviewed: November 16, 2011
Strengths: Inexpensive, fairly light and stiff, excellent geometry, frame is prepped from factory, very well packaged for shipping
Weaknesses: Slightly harsher ride than comparable steel frame (mostly felt in the rear wheel)
Bottom Line:
This review is for the 2011 frame. I LOVE this thing so far, great bang for the buck. Handling is intuitive and the bike feels lively and responsive. I haven't been on an aluminum hardtail mtb for many years and wasn't sure what to expect in terms of ride quality. IMO it is excellent. The main thing I noticed initially was slightly more 'feedback' from the rear wheel and felt like I maybe needed to drop a few PSI in the tire. But after a few rides this has become a non-issue.
Aside from that I think it's great that Niner goes the extra mile and preps the headtube and bottom bracket at the factory, a definite plus for the home mechanic. I also like the fact that this frame has a real metal head badge and not some cheesy glued on junk like so many bikes these day.
Strengths: For the price, it was the most bang for my buck. It was light, strong, looked great and I loved the geometry.
Weaknesses: For a frame that retails for about $400 I really can't say anything bad. Sure it could be lighter, but if you want a lighter bike go carbon. The paint did fade and scuff easily, but I was not concerned about that.
Bottom Line:
I couldnt ask for a better bike for what I paid. I sold it because The frame was a tad too small for me and I bought a XL Rig, which I regret. If you are thinking of building a 29er it is a great frame.
Not to mention that Niner is a great company that seems to care a lot about their bikes and what their riders think. You don't get that from the major brands.
Submitted by
John Stallings
a Cross Country Rider
from Sanford NC USA
Date Reviewed: October 29, 2011
Strengths: Everything about this bike is great. I hear people say that niners are not as good as 26 inch mountain bikes because of this or that. What I have noticed is everything is the same or better than a 26 inch bike. I noticed nothing but improvements. I think that anyone that has doubts about the 29 inch layout should not get one. When I see them on the trail I know that right off the bat I have an advantage because of my EMD Niner. I know they will have to be a better rider than me to outdo me.
Weaknesses: The fact that it is a hardtail may be a weakness. With a Niner setup I feel you do not need back suspension. It is one less thing that wears out on your bike and needs to be replaced.
Bottom Line:
I am now a much better Mountain biker than I was before I owned a EMD. The one thing I had to get adjusted to was right at first the ride was so much better I lost focus in technical sections because in my mind I thought the bike could do anything without much focus. I found myself getting careless and ended up going down a few times because of this. So do not do that. Keep your focus.
Similar Products Used: Only 29 inch bike I have ridden.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
thrar29
a Cross Country Rider
from Marietta Ohio
Date Reviewed: October 26, 2011
Strengths: Stiff frame, Strong Welds,S-bend stays,Great geometry all around. 34.9 seat tube, very light frame, same geometry as the air9 and only .4 pounds heavier
Weaknesses: Paint. a housefly could scratch it. Niner needs to work on fixing their paint formula.
Bottom Line:
Very good buy for the recreational mountain biker that is looking for a ride that is stable and functional. There is plenty of room for part improvement if you get tired of the stock setup. its a good idea to get a good chainstay wrap because of the paint problem.
Submitted by
tweickelberg
a Racer
from Babylon, NY
Date Reviewed: August 28, 2011
Strengths: Excellent geometry, esp headtube length and angle.
Weaknesses: scratchable paint.
Bottom Line:
excellent bike for xc racing. this bike can handle it all- rocks, roots, sand, mud, whatever. especially excellent with a 470mm axle-crown fork. Turning this bike is an absolute joy, and the BB height is just right- not tippy, but high enough for excellent clearance.
Submitted by
madsedan
a Weekend Warrior
from Rockwall, TX
Date Reviewed: May 17, 2011
Strengths: Price, geometry, weight, finish
Weaknesses: None honestly
Bottom Line:
I couldn't afford to spend allot on the frame and this was right where I wanted to be, it was a demo bike frame that looked as new when I bought it at a little discount. This was my first full build, everything went together perfectly in my garage, large frame weight 3.9# with the headset installed.
Going from my first bike, Hardrock 29er, to this was a huge step in comfort and capability. The most noticable things are climbing, acceleration, and lateral rigidty when mashing the pedals up the hill. The build is a little lighter than my last bike but feels allot more nimble, light on its toes, when tossing around. Love the bike, period.
Strengths: Niner geometry is the mutt's nuts. They have it nailed..
Weaknesses: Paint! If you look at this bike wrong, it will leave a scratch/scuff mark!
Bottom Line:
I bought this frame not having ridden a Niner and was very satisfied with geometry and ride. The Niner HTs and Jet9 (all share basically the same geo) are do-it-all bikes. I used this bikes for fast XC, 6hr races and rides, and longer all day races and rides. Overall an awesome bike and I would buy again if in the market for aluminum. At this point I want a little more compliance out of my bike and have moved to the MCR9. If you can drop a few more bones I'd go straight for the lightweight comfy steel.
This bike is a great value - I gave a 4 for overall rating because Niner paint should be better - the issues are known and it does not seem like they've done anything about it..very fragile paint!! I knew that and still bought another one..
Submitted by
McGurk
a Racer
from Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2011
Strengths: Looks great, light weight, outstanding geometry, s-bend seatstays, extremely short head tube
Weaknesses: Welds are a little ugly
Bottom Line:
This is a great frame. I am 5'9" with a 30" inseam so I got the small. Other people my size sometimes use the medium, but I was borderline and went with the small hoping for something more nimble. Everything people say about these bikes is true. They turn very quickly, especially with less travel in your fork - I run my Reba at 80mm. They climb extremely well. My only regret is that Niner does not make one in black anymore. My moondust colored frame is growing on me though.
Bike Setup: Sram X-9, 1x9, Reba SL fork, Stan's Crest Rims, Stylo single speed cranks, 23.0 lbs
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
rob1208lv
a Weekend Warrior
from Las Vegas, NV, USA
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2010
Strengths: s-bend curves on the rear triangle, strong no flex
Weaknesses: paint chips easy
Bottom Line:
This bike climbs like a goat and descends almost as good as my 6" travel bike. Super light and still stiff. The paint chips really easy though, just look at the bike to hard and the paint will chip... That's why they give you touch up paint... Bottom line super fun bike and I love it...
Strengths: Really good ride, cheap, good geo, 29er!, solid frame, great tire clearance
Weaknesses: none so far
Bottom Line:
Really solid bike. I raced on it and it was awesome. It rolled over the braking bumps from the 26" bikes and you could rail the downhills. One of the best handling bikes I have ever ridden, and it climbs really well too. I ride mountain a lot more because of this bike. I decided on the EMD 9 instead of the AIR9 because it really wasn't worth the weight difference (.4 lbs) to me in the frames and they have the same geo, so it doesn't really matter. Plus, Rootbeer brown is super cool.
Overall, it's a really solid bike that I think has made me go faster.
Bike Setup: Reba XX, full X9, Stylo Cranks, Elixir CR, Red Chris King BB, Rasta King headset, and Red King hubs on ZTR 355 29er, Small Blocks, Thomson seatpost and stem, WTB saddle
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
KentSB
a Cross Country Rider
from Santa Barbara, CA
Date Reviewed: February 7, 2010
Strengths: Light, responsive, it climbs really well even over technical up, and it comes down amazingly, up or down tight switchbacks, no problem, throw in some baby heads and roots, no problem.
Weaknesses: None
Bottom Line:
The result is amazing. The rides i do are usually tight technical up and down, loose over hardpack, rocks, with baby heads, drops, and roots. I do a local evening ride twice a week, it's usually a 3 hour ride at race pace with a group of 5-15 guys. I'm 53 and the other guys are 20-45. Although i have been working out during the winter, i went from the Lanterne Rouge spot to the top 3 within two weeks. This is a ride group I've been with for 7 years. So we all know how each other performs. This past week they were asking if i was taking anything. They could not believe that the bike made that big a difference. It really does. The bike is six pounds less than my 26" FS. I am 5'11" and got the Medium size, I have a 32" in-seam, I am at the upper limit for the Medium, the bike frame fits me, but if you are a little taller or longer legged go with a Large. The geometry and the 29er wheels make such a huge difference. I wouldn't change a thing, I'd buy this frame and component setup again. After my second group ride on the EMD with the boys, there was a comment... "Looks like we are all going to be needing 29ers".
Bike Setup: Medium EMD, Fox fork F29, Mavic crossmax C29SSMAX, Kenda small block 8, XT (w/36-12), Thomson stem and seatpost, Chris King headset, flat bar, tubes, weights 24.3 pounds.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
shorner
a Weekend Warrior
from Roanoke, VA
Date Reviewed: October 29, 2009
Strengths: Great price
All appropriate contact surfaces are faced and ready to build
Root Beer color is super cool
Weaknesses: none so far
Bottom Line:
My first foray into the 29er scene, and this bike absolutely rocks. Being 6'6" and coming from a 26er, the change was dramatic. Handles great, no noticeable loss of agility, not nearly as harsh as one would expect from an aluminum frame--probably due to the "softer" ride imparted by the larger wheels. No regrets whatsoever from this clyde--nice work Niner. 5 flaming enchiladas across the board.
Similar Products Used: Trek 9.9 carbon, Cannondale CAAD Aluminum
Bike Setup: Fox F29 FIT, Stans ZTR Flow, Hope P2, Truvativ 3.3 GXP 180, BB7 F/R, WTB seat, Weyless (oh yeah) seatpost, Truvativ Stem, CB Opium SL headset, Geax Saguaro, Niner Flat top bar, SRAM X9 FD/RD/991, WTB Rocket V race
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
SpecialK
a Weekend Warrior
from Boston, MA, USA
Date Reviewed: October 18, 2009
Strengths: Light, stiff frame with good vertical compliance on rough trails
Weaknesses: Wish I could put a 120mm fork on the front
Bottom Line:
I've ridden this frame for about a year now. Its the first 29er that I have owned and while I was skeptical of an aluminum hardtail after riding steel hardtails for years, I am sold on the EMD. The EMD is a tremendous value based on performance for the price. It light and stiff but still give some compliance vertically. It doesn't have that tinny feel of old aluminum hardtails and can comfortably be ridden on a 4 hour ride.
It took me a while to get into the whole 29er thing but I am glad I did. They are fantastic on New England singletrack and roll over obstacles that always hung me up on my 26 inch hardtail. The EMD is a great bike for technical XC riding.
The only weakness is that now that I am into Niner frames, I have total bike lust for the WFO. Better start saving now...
Similar Products Used: Cannondale Caffeine, Fisher Rig, Specialized 29ers
Bike Setup: Rock Shox Reba 100mm fork, Sram Drivetrain, Avid Mech brakes, Raceface cranks, Thomson Stem and setpost, WTB wheelset, Panaracer Rampage 2.3 tires
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
agabrielj
a Cross Country Rider
from Louisville, KY USA
Date Reviewed: August 3, 2009
Strengths: Light and stiff. The geometry satisfies all my requirements. Moondust Grey color is nice.
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
Excellent frame. I rode the Gary Fisher Xcal (17.5") frame for a few years (buckled the frame because of a non-riding mishap...it was a good frame as well). I went with the Large (18.5") Niner frame to match the longer toptube of the GF and I'm really glad I did. It fits great and rides great. I love it. I almost waited and purchased the MCR or the Air 9, but I'm glad I didn't and saved a little cash to upgrade the wheelset. The setup weighs somewhere near 24.5lbs and thats good enough for me.
Bike Setup: Stans Archs with the new ZTR hubs, Reba SL 80mm, Salsa Promoto OS carbon bar, x.7 gruppo, Thomson seat and stem, Truvativ Stylo crankset, BB7s.
SSSSSSSSPPPPPPPPPPPAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMM
Up for sale is a lovely Niner E.M.D.9 frame, XL, gloss black
- and -
RST M-29 fork, 80mm, white
Buy them NOW!!!! :rockon: :rockon: :ro Read More »
I have been been thinking of making my first foray into 29er bikes for a little while and I'm not sure which way to go. For the past four years I've been on an Intense 5point5 and Read More »
I currently have an 07 Fisher Cobia and am thinking of buying the EMD 9 frame to replace the Cobia. I can't help but feel like the Cobia is a little off in its geometry (Genesis). Read More »
Also looking to try a niner JET 9...
I am going to be getting a new bike soon and these are on my list, and sense i have never ridden any of them and there aren't any yeti or nine Read More »
I am currently working with a friend compiling a build list for my upcoming project. Take a look over it and let me know any opinions. I am open to all suggestions and comments.
Read More »
