Description:The RL9 is the newest concentric based, floating rear shock design utilizing “Mert Lawwill’s” suspension technology with 9 inches of travel that tracks the terrain like no other and offers you the control you demand and Lawwill performance unmatched by our competition. The RL9 combines a race proven rear suspension with a Moto-X influenced floating rear shock placement, 8 inch (203mm) floater rear brake system and Rotec Cycles famous concentric bottom bracket swing arm design for the ultimate in rear-end tracking and stiffness! The RL9 comes equipped with a 9.5x3 Progressive Suspensions CVT 3-way. The RL9 also features our “DMS” damper mounting system for the Hopey steering damper for those who demand unsurpassed steering control in the ruff and at speed!
Submitted by
mzmmzmzz
a Downhiller
from Seattle WA Date Reviewed: July 3, 2008
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
found in a dumpster
Strengths:
paint job looks ok.
Weaknesses:
Too many to list....., poorly designed, prone to failure, abysmal geometry, ect...
Similar Products Used:
Transition
Bike Setup:
typical DH setup
Bottom Line:
Dont waste your cash, this bike just plain sucks and all the fags at the DownHill Zone dont know what the hell their talking about when it comes to DH bikes. Buy Transition.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Josh Stark
a Racer
from Carnation, WA Date Reviewed: March 19, 2007
Favorite Trail:
SST/ any whistle trail
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Purchased At:
Sponsored
Strengths:
This bike is all around awsome! i have been riding for them for about 6 months and it has been the best bike ive ever rode...Its takes studder bumps the best...it is a very fast bike that is awsome in the air
Weaknesses:
NONE
Similar Products Used:
v10/m3
Bike Setup:
boxxer/5th element/gravity cranks/5050's/sdg i beam/SIC stem and bars
Bottom Line:
The is one of the best bikes you will ever ride..i am very happy with the bike and im glad im racing for them! Customer service is also awsome!! Go out and get one!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Adam Schaeffer
a Downhiller
from Seattle Date Reviewed: March 5, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Sin/Gully/InDeep/Facro
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Purchased At:
The Downhill Zone, of course
Strengths:
Buttery action, laterally stiffest thing on the market, concentric bb pivot=amazing pedalling, hopey mount built in, floating brake included, geometry is spot on for all types of high speed crushing - if there's no line this bike makes a line
Weaknesses:
Some may say its heavy, I say its solid and holds a line. Issues such as shock choice and tire clearance have all been resolved in the upcoming 07 frame. 83 shell may limit bb choice, but wider cranks feel super solid when stompin' it.
Similar Products Used:
I sell most high-end boutique frames, so I have my pick of the litter. This is the one I chose, and I'm lovin' every minute of it!
Bike Setup:
Tits: Boxxer team/Ti Avy/Hadley rear, Phil front, mavic 729,DT AlpineIII/4 pot XT caliper,xt lever body,straitline blades,goodridge lines+pads,Hope 2piece rotors/Middleburns,Gamut Guide,E13 ring,Truvativ bb,Speedplay Drilliums/Syncros FBI headset,Romic top crown+bolt-on stem,Funn Full-on bar,Hopey/8 speed Attack shifter,11-28 cass,105 short der/Thompson post,RocketV Ti/Neves or Minions depending on conditions
Bottom Line:
If you want the ultimate big mountain bike than this is the frame to start with. It holds speed unlike any bike I've ridden. Be ready because it falls down the hill FAST, whether you want it to or not. Hitting drops is great fun, it feels so stable that you'll want to go big all day. I don't believe that there is a better bike out there for riding the upper mountain at Whistler. If that's your preferred style of riding, than this is the frame for you. Floating shock creates what I call a very "quiet" ride - the rider is insulated from the trail noise, which allows you to attack any line you want. Floating brake allows fully active travel while braking. Hopey mount welded to the tt. Every detail of this beauty is designed to allow you to focus on the trail by keeping things as smooth as possible. All you need is half a run down any trail at Whistler and you'll be sold. This is one bike that won't hold you back. 5 out of 5: you can't put a price on the kind of fun you can have on this machine.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
April
a Downhiller
from Issaquah, WA Date Reviewed: July 9, 2006
Favorite Trail:
No Joke / Dirt Merchant
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Strengths:
Very solid bike. The Lawill suspension design is extremely active. The bike sticks to the ground like glue and is also very stable in the air. The bike is also very stable at speed. The low standover height and low CG is what really sold me on this bike as compared to the other options out there. The bike is built to house a hopey steering damper and comes with a floating brake.
Weaknesses:
The frame design does not support the Fox DHX shock. The bottom bracket shell is 83 mm so there are not many options out there.
Similar Products Used:
This is my first downhill bike. I've also tried a Norco Six. My XC bike is a SC Heckler.
Bike Setup:
Fox 40 RC2 fork and Marzocchi ROCO shock w/ Ti spring. Kenda Nevegal Stick-E tires. Still waiting for my Hopey steering damper to come in.
Bottom Line:
This bike has already been put throught the paces 5 days straight at Whistler and one DH race. This bike is definitely a confidence builder since it takes drops and hits very smoothly.
This bike will soak up all the nasty rocky and rooty stuff, but you'd better be going fast, otherwise you will lose all momentum (which is not the hot ticket on the rocky, rooty stuff). The bike really does great in the air (very stable and smooth on A-Line).
This bike is great for big guys/gals due to the beefiness of the frame, but also great for small guys/girls due to the low standover height.
The customer service is great, as Rotec is basically a one man operation. For me, the Rotec is a great choice among its competitors (V10, M3, etc.), if you can deal with being limited on the selection of some parts due to the frame design. I know that in the coming years, the Rotec will support a larger variety of components.
$
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
Overall Rating:
