December 8, 2009

Gary Fisher Rig vs. Niner Something

SIR Nine - can be single speed or geared, steel (is real), 2 year warranty


MCR - set up to be geared only, steel, 2 year warranty, does not have horizontal dropouts


Fisher Rig - can be single speed or geared, aluminum, lifetime warranty
Was he really riding a Cobia this summer?!

Nice subtle color, beefy fork, would you ride it rigid?
Nice color, I like the brown wheels, would you keep the components?
I'm pleasantly surprised by the color/graphics. Most of the 2010 fisher graphics seem obnoxious. Looks like the same fork as '08 and '09.

What to think about:
Aluminum vs. steel
-(do you love Reynolds 853?)
-"It has soul."
-Will it rust? what does frame saver do to the paint job?
-how are the welds --does it matter?
-will you ride it in the rain? snow?
-steel is classic, timeless
-aluminum is cheaper, doesn't rust, but has a general life capacity before it just breaks --but if it does, GF has an amazing warranty.

Single speed vs. geared
-SS - always the wrong gear?
-SS - no muck in your derailleur
-SS - what ratio will you run it? will you be changing this often?
-Geared - 1 x 9?, heavy, ride anywhere
-If buying MCR, how difficult is it to run SS, can it be done?

Cost
- Niner EMD - why buy a Niner if you want an aluminum bike?
- is there a 2009 still in the shop? what upgrades to the RIG have they done since '08?

Graphics
- do you like the flecky, glittery paint of a Niner?
- do you want your bike to have the same graphics of one sold 3 years ago?
- do you want your bike to be identified as an '10 model?

Other thoughts...
Resale value?
Sizing - standover?, toe rub on the front wheel?, does the fork hit the frame when it is turned?
Component upgrade? - would you sell some of the components that are stock on the GF?
How difficult is it to get the fork that you want for the Niner? - what about color? Do you really want a hard tail bike?

Niner and GF have been making the 29er bikes for quite a while and seem to know the technology and what works -- rake?, frame geometry?, can you go wrong?

Didn't Gary Fisher sell a steel 29er a while back? Yep--Ferrous seen below.

What else?