It’s not fat- it’s big-boned!
In an effort to turn their popular rowdy hardtail up a notch, Niner have just released a chubby-rubber variant. The ROS 9 Plus (for Rolls Over Sh*t… Plus) uses what the company considers the most versatile of big-tyre options: 3in treads on the classic 700c bead diameter allowing for decent snow performance without turning summertime rides into a rolling freakshow. In fact, the 29+ wheel size is in keeping with the ROS’ simple-but-playful remit: no suspension but geometry and features that encourage mischief.
Clearance aside, the ROS 9 Plus shares much with the standard ROS: an abuse-tolerant 4130 CrMo frame, short chainstays, 12mm rear thru axle, removable cable guides and an eccentric bottom bracket for an improved singlespeed experience. The ROS+ experience is one-by only for clearance reasons, chain guides are OK, and Stealth-style dropper routing is supported.
The ROS 9 Plus gets its own bow-legged steel fork with a 15mm thru axle. Only complete bikes are being offered at this point, with a sensible combination of SRAM X1 drivetrain, Shimano Deore discs, and Stan’s Hugo wheels. A limited edition version is also being offered in support of IMBA, that model with a very yellow paint job and colour-matched singlespeed dream build.
No word on pricing yet from distributors Jungle Products, but US MSRP is $3,000. The IMBA bikes are being auctioned on eBay and look set to land well north of that.
