[carter1]

I am currently riding my 07 Kermit XL SIR 9 with Reba Race and a dented top tube, courtesy of Squirrel Gap in Pisgah. Niner is going to do a crash replacement frame for me, but it will be an 09 frame.
I know that the EBB will be different and I'm looking forward to trying the new design, but does anyone have hard facts that anything else will be different. My first SIR 9 was a large. My steer tube was cut for the large head tube with room for a couple of spacers. My top tube developed some rust at the top tube gusset after a short while. After sending photos to Niner they gave great service and replaced my frame.During my conversations with Chris or Steve (sorry, can't remember which), he recommended that I try an XL-it was really good advice, I love it! The flip side is that the steer tube is the absolute perfect length for the head tube with no distance spacers. I just need to know if I need to start figuring out what fork I need to be looking for if the 09 head tube is longer.
Thanks in advance,
c

 

[fux]

Looking at the catalog, it say here that the headtube is 130mm on the 09 and was 120mm on the older bikes.

 

[carter1]

Ok, so I've got a new Reba on the way, headtube length issue solved.

Other differences I see are a decrease in Front Center distance from 27.3 to 26.8.
The wheelbase has also been lengthened from 44.3 to 43.7.
The seat tube angle has been steepened from 73 to 73.5.

I'll be going into my third year on the SIR 9 and have really grown to love this bike. Like my custom Carl Strong road bike, it goes where I look and is still comfortable after hours in the saddle. The only thing I have thought about trying is to change is my front to rear bias on the bike (switch to set back seat post and shorter stem), because I tend to shift my weight back for cornering and to make it easier to manual the front end over trail obstacles quite often.

I'm really looking forward to the new and improved SIR 9, I'm just curious how the changes will affect the ride.

c