Niner EMD or or Niner Air 9 or Santa Cruz Highball?

I need a new 29er hardtail frame, to replace my Kona Big Unit which I single speed.

Needs to be alloy really as although its going to be ridden a lot, its a second bike so can’t really justify a second carbon mtb,

I’ve narrowed it down to pretty much either, a Santa Cruz Highball, or a Niner.

It like it racy, and ride with a head down arse up mentality, and it’ll have an 80mm Fox fork on it.

Anyone got a highball that they single speed? or an EMD that they can give an opinion on. I am considering an air 9 but can’t really see where the extra money goes into them?

Thanks

Slight hijack but does that mean you’re selling your kona?

I’ve got an One 9 scandium frame for sale, if you’re that way inclined.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/niner-one-9-ss-frame-stans-ss-wheelset-niner-carbon-forks-all-newunused

I have an Air 9, its light, racy but still very capable. Chucked it down the new DH at Cwmcarn the other day

I wasn’t gonna sell the big unit as the drop outs are pretty worn out which is why I’m changing it. Running it ss it’s creaks pretty bad. It’s fine with the geared dropouts in as you can position them where the frame isn’t worn. If you were wanting to just run it geared, it’s fine. I’m a single speeder though.

By all means drop me an email at cduffner@btinternet.com with your details and I can get in touch when I’ve got my replacement.

I’ve got a Niner EMD. I bought the frame secondhand off here, to see what all the 29er thing was about. Bought some Hope/Crest wheels, rigid forks, and the rest of the kit was from spares. To say I love it is an understatement. Since putting together, I’ve sold all my other bikes (Five, road and SS CX). I use it to commute to work (25% road, 75% woodland trails), weekend local blasts, and occasional Peaks rides. It is soooooo fast – made my Five feel sluggish in comparison, and made the CX obsolete. It does feel out of depth on rocky trails (mainly because it shakes you to the bone), but that is only a small percentage of my overall riding, so figured that I could just cope with it. I have thought about putting suspension forks on it, but think it would detract from the “purity” of the bike. I ride it 1×9 and seems to suit it perfectly. If it broke/got stolen, I’d buy the same again without hesitation. A few pics:

Nick

I ride an Air 9 alloy and love it too.

As far as I know you can’t run the EMD singlespeed unless you run a tensioner as it has vertical dropouts and a threaded BB.

The Air 9 I have uses a press-fit bb30 so you can run Niners fancy eccentric bb to get tension when singlespeed.

I am the same as above and find it capable of most anything including a decent number of road miles at decent speeds.

Mine is set-up with a 100mm sid fork though so differs a little from the above.

I was undecided between the Air9 and the Highball. I initially ordered a Highball but there was ni stock available and i was told it would be about 6 weeks wait for it to be shipped. I cancelked the order and git an Air9 instead!

Ive built up the Air9 singlespeed using a Problem Solvers EBB and its running Niner carbon forks.

Ive only had a couple of rides on it so far but I’ve been really impressed with it, very comfortable and rides well in the singletrack. I’ve not weighed it yet but it feels very light to me 😀

I’ve been riding an Niner One9 Scandium SS rigid and it’s quite ace.

Thoroughly recommend one.

You intend SS or Geared? You can’t run danglies on an One9 it’s SS only (with EBB) Geared then the EMD or Air will suit.

Slightly OT but @ nickwatson, lovely bike.

Fatbar or lite? They look the ‘full fat’ version but that might be the pic. Which stem are you running and what length?

Billys have the Salsa Mamasita frames for 250; just got one for my wife. Similar to what you describe although bb are pf30.

I love my Niner Air 9c

I always say its like riding a road bike hat copes with the rough. Can’t think of a better way of describing it!I think it may be due to the incredibly responsive way it rides.
With the Niner fork and set up as 1×10 mine weighs in at 15.5lbs. Thats lighter than my Ti triathlon bike!

@ normal man – thanks, full fat bar, cut to 750mm. Hope 50mm stem, with 25% rise. Shouldn’t work, but does! Very playful yet still epically fast.

Thanks Nick.

I was interested as I’ve just put some lite’s on my 29er HT and find it brilliant. The 740mm replacing 700, that were previously about 650 when I had bar ends on there. I had taken the bar ends off to try and liked the wider bar but not the back sweep the stock ones had.