E-Bike Overview
A road bike that’ll sprint to 28 mph in seconds and also chew up the gravel section of a race like it was born for it? Welcome to a new dimension of e-bikes: the Niner RLT e9 RDO.
It has a Race Day Optimized (RDO) carbon frame and fork, 700c wheels with 50c tires optimized for all-terrain use, an 11-speed drivetrain for climbing and descending like a boss, and high-quality hydraulic disc brakes.
Designed for hard riding on and off road, this bike will gobble up pavement and singletrack alike and weighs in at just under 40 lbs even with its 500 Wh Bosch PowerTube integrated battery. The fourth-generation Bosch PowerLine CX mid-drive motor is set for Class 3 riding (28 mph pedal assist only; no throttle) and delivers more than enough torque for uphill sections.
Reasons to Buy
Not a comfortable overlander, the RLT e9 RDO is a racing bike that’ll love the dirt. If you like high-speed chases over rough ground (and arms and backside can handle the feedback), you’ll absolutely fall in love with it.
Overall, this road and all-terrain e-bike is best suited to experienced riders — ones who know how to set up a bike and ride it skillfully. Lacking the bump-smoothing shock components you’ll find on an overlanding dual-suspension machine, it’s more of a thoroughbred gravel racing bike. If you can tame it, it’ll rocket you over a variety of terrain.
Things to Consider
If you’re after something more comfortable and steady on rough ground, there are some great e-MTBs with dual suspension that’ll suit you better at a similar price. This is a bike for high-powered sprints and hard riding. However, if you wanted to, you could buy a suspension fork and even mountain bike wheels for this bike, as it’s designed to accommodate them.
