RLT 9 STEEL - FRAME
In stock
Steel is truly real
It’s not about where you’re at, it’s about where you’re headed
Reynolds 853 steel
Our love affair with air-hardened Reynolds 853 steel started early. From early flirting with the ROS 9, to the first SIR 9, to our current RLT 9 steel, we’ve crushed on ferrous frames for over 15 years.
Why does Niner steel still feel so real?
In practical terms, Reynolds 853 is a nearly perfect material for creating bike frames. Rather than being weakened by heat, the frame tube junctions actually strengthen after TIG welding. This allows the use of thinner, lighter frame tubes without any sacrifice in durability or strength.
Additionally, steel-framed bicycles have a well-earned reputation for rugged, dependable reliability. Steel has a way of brushing off the inevitable scratches, dings, and rough treatment that accompanies the best adventures. No matter if you have a cross-continent excursion or a county line commute, the RLT 9 steel loves to be loaded up and rolled out.
Steel frame, RDO carbon fork
The RLT 9 Steel features our all-new RDO carbon fiber fork. The combination of steel frame and carbon fork is sure to offer a supple ride, regardless of duration. This beautifully designed fork is composed of famous Race Day Optimized carbon fiber, which is built with a unique process that optimizes complete compaction of the carbon layers under heat and pressure. By maximizing the carbon-to-resin ratio in the finished product, we keep this fork light and stiff while improving compliance over rough surfaces.
We paid mind to aesthetics and functionality in this fork. The brake hose is routed internally through a fully sleeved guide tube. Multiple rack, fender, and cargo mounts make light work of heavy loads, so go ahead, add another day of bikepacking on to your trip. The 12x100mm thru-axle and flat mount disc brake attachments are compatible with contemporary components. If you find yourself wanting to push the limits on a long haul self-supported ride, we’ve got you covered. The new fork features internal wire routing and fitment for a hub dynamo powered light, so the only thing keeping you from riding into the night is your bedtime.
Tire size compatibility for any adventure
Get ready to swoon. With more tire clearance than ever before, the RLT 9 Steel can accommodate tires as wide as 700x50c. Does your next ride require more rubber on the road? Not to worry, swapping out wheels is easy. This bike can accommodate 650b wheels and fit tires as wide as 2.0. Go wild with wheel and tire combinations, just keep it rubber side down out there.
Frame features fit for going farther
Are you a steel connoisseur, an adventure addict, weekend bikepacker, gear hoarder, over packer, grocery-getter or commuter extraordinaire? If you answered yes to any of these, the RLT 9 Steel was made for you. This dream build has 26 mounting points that give you the option to outfit your bike with as many bags, bottles, and racks as you need. You can haul anything from a love letter to your hockey team’s uniforms...
Moving on- We’ve also designed custom bags for each frame size that mount directly to the frame. No more straps or buckles flying around. Just a cleanly designed frame ready for the next journey.
Cleanliness is next to godliness. Our internal cable routing keeps the frame looking tidy. Want an even sleeker bike? Single-speed calling your name? With our PF30 bottom bracket shell, it’s easy to fit a geared or single-speed drivetrain. More gears your thing? This bike is compatible with either mechanical or electronic shifting. Plan on getting rowdy on your ride? Throw a dropper post on, for safety.
Room to roam
Niner RLT gravel bikes have room to fit 700x50c tires (or 650b x 2.0).
Fireroad Geometry
Whether you’re riding across town or across the country, the RLT 9 Steel has a longer chainstay, a lower bottom bracket height and a slacker headtube angle to keep you comfortable.
Interchangeable wheel size
Don’t let the terrain stop you from riding. The Niner RLT 9 Steel can fit both 700c and 650b wheels, for ultimate versatility and adaptability to suit any off road pursuit.
Biocentric Bottom Bracket
Fit any drivetrain, geared or singlespeed. No bolt-on hubs, no chain tensioners cluttering your ride, no brake adjustments with gear changes.Read More
Lifetime warranty
We have you covered with warranty service, small parts, and a support team that actually answers the phone. So go ahead, search out a gravel road you’ve always wanted to explore. Read More
Niner RDO carbon fork
Internal cable routing, so no more fishing for wires. Custom 12x100mm gravel-tuned RDO carbon fork with rack, fender and bottle mounts, plus internal cable and dynamo routing, perfect for those long hauls.
"Niner really nailed it with this bike."
"Riding the RLT off pavement was more comfortable, more efficient, and just plain more fun than riding a mountain bike on similar surfaces."
"After several months on this bike, it’s easy to say I love it."
"This sturdy steel, disc brake, and rack mount-equipped Niner is so much more than an adventure bike."
"All told, the RLT 9 Steel is a bike that’s damned near perfect for what it’s trying to bemdash;a go getter rig destined for weekend adventures, a gravel grinder that begs for all-day rides, and a light touring bike that offers a ticket to lesser used tracks."
"The RLT 9’s steel frame is a well shy;designed piece of Reynolds 853 mastery."
More Information
| Available Frame Sizes | 47cm, 50cm, 53cm, 56cm, 59cm, 62cm |
|---|---|
| Available Colors | Black/Bronze; Emerald Green |
| Frame | REYNOLDS 853 STEEL; EXTERNAL CABLE ROUTING; INTEGRATED BOTTLE, BAG, RACK AND FENDER MOUNTS; FLAT MOUNT; 12X142 THRU AXLE |
Tech Specs
| frame mounts and fittings | 2 Inner Triangle Bottle Mounts, 1 Mount Under Down Tube, 1 on top tube, rack and fender mounts. | Rear suspension travel | n/a |
| Maximum front suspension | n/a | Fork rake | 45mm |
| Shock size | n/a | Shock mounting hardware | N/A |
| Suggested shock sag | n/a | Seatpost size | 27.2mm |
| Seat collar size | 29.6mm | Cable routing | internal, Di2 compatible |
| Front derailleur type | Headset size | 1.125" X 1.5" TAPERED ZERO STACK HEAD TUBE, 44MM UPPER, 56MM LOWER, CANE CREEK DESCRIPTION: ZS44/28.6 ZS56/40 | |
| Pivot bearing specs | n/a | Chainring compatibility | Compatible With Standard 1X, 2X And 3X Systems |
| Maximum chainring size | n/a | Q-Factor | 168mm |
| ISCG compatibility | no | Bottom bracket type | 68MM PF30 BB SHELL (ADAPTORS REQUIRED FOR BSA TYPE BBs) |
| Biocentric 30 compatibility | yes | Brake mount type | flat mount (30mm rear) |
| Maximum rear rotor size | 160mm | Rear wheel spacing | 12x142mm |
| Rear wheel through-axle spec | M12 x 1.75P x 174L | Front wheel axle spacing | 12x 100mm thru axle |
| Front wheel through-axle spec | M12 x 1.5P x 125L | Max tire size | 700x50c or 650B x 2.0 |
Geometry
| (A) TT Length | (B) Seat Tube Length | (C) Chainstay Length Actual | (D) Horizontal Chainstay | (E) Front Center | (F) Wheelbase | (G) BB Drop | (H) Headtube Length | (I) Headtube Angle | (J) Seattube Angle | (K) Standover Height | (L) Reach | (M) Stack | (N) Fork Rake | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | |||||||||||||||
| 47cm | 510 | 470 | 435 | 430 | 583 | 1008 | 75.0 | 110 | 70.0 | 74.5 | 735 | 365 | 543 | 45 | |
| 50cm | 525 | 500 | 435 | 430 | 589 | 1015 | 75.0 | 125 | 70.5 | 74.0 | 757 | 367 | 558 | 45 | |
| 53cm | 545 | 530 | 435 | 430 | 600 | 1025 | 75.0 | 145 | 71.0 | 73.5 | 781 | 375 | 579 | 45 | |
| 56cm | 565 | 560 | 435 | 430 | 611 | 1038 | 70.0 | 165 | 71.5 | 73.0 | 809 | 384 | 597 | 45 | |
| 59cm | 585 | 590 | 435 | 430 | 626 | 1053 | 70.0 | 185 | 72.0 | 73.0 | 835 | 398 | 615 | 45 | |
| 62cm | 605 | 620 | 435 | 430 | 635 | 1062 | 70.0 | 205 | 72.5 | 72.5 | 860 | 406 | 636 | 45 | |
| Imperial | |||||||||||||||
| 47cm | 20.1 | 18.5 | 17.1 | 16.9 | 23.0 | 39.7 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 70.0 | 74.5 | 28.9 | 14.2 | 21.4 | 45 | |
| 50cm | 20.7 | 19.7 | 17.1 | 16.9 | 23.2 | 40.0 | 3.0 | 4.9 | 70.5 | 74.0 | 29.8 | 14.4 | 22.0 | 45 | |
| 53cm | 21.5 | 20.9 | 17.1 | 16.9 | 23.6 | 40.4 | 3.0 | 5.7 | 71.0 | 73.5 | 30.7 | 14.8 | 22.8 | 45 | |
| 56cm | 22.2 | 22.0 | 17.1 | 16.9 | 24.1 | 40.8 | 2.8 | 6.5 | 71.5 | 73.0 | 31.9 | 15.3 | 23.5 | 45 | |
| 59cm | 23.0 | 23.2 | 17.1 | 16.9 | 24.6 | 41.5 | 2.8 | 7.3 | 72.0 | 73.0 | 32.9 | 15.7 | 24.2 | 45 | |
| 62cm | 23.8 | 24.4 | 17.1 | 16.9 | 25.0 | 41.8 | 2.8 | 8.1 | 72.5 | 72.5 | 33.9 | 16.0 | 25.0 | 45 | |
Sizing
Frame Size Recommendations by Height
47CM
4'11"–5'3"
1.5–1.6M
50CM
5'2"–5'6"
1.57–1.68M
53CM
5'5"–5'9"
1.65–1.75M
56CM
5'8"–6'
1.73–1.83M
59CM
5'11"–6'3"
1.8–1.91M
62CM
6'2"–6'6"
1.88–1.98M
Inseam Sizing
For riders who fall between sizes, we recommend sizing down for a more maneuverable ride or sizing up for more stability.