With the introduction of the W.F.O.9, Niner proves they aren't just at the forefront of 29er design--the are that forefront. While other long-travel 29er suspension designs exist, none feature a suspension system originally developed with the single-minded goal of combining long travel and 29" wheels.

Niner's CVA suspension system is far more than just another acronym. The system simultaneously addresses two major challenges inherent in developing a suspension system for a 29er: the linkage placement is designed to work specifically with the relatively lower bottom-bracket height (relative to the rear axle) of a 29er. At the same time, the design centers the line of torque of the chain within those linkages, creating a suspension design that pedals extremely well while also staying active and ready to absord everything in the bike's path. And the combination of 29" wheels and 5.5" of suspension travel combine to offer a whole lot of absorbing. This is a bike without fear. Niner takes the business of envelope pushing seriously. Questions arose. "What will people do with 29er with 5.5" of travel?" they wondered. "What kind of abuse is this thing going to see?" Niner prepared the W.F.O. for anything, putting the frame through exhaustive testing and continual refinement during an extended development and testing phase.

The frame bares a strong resemblance (and led to the development of) the R.I.P.9, but is even stiffer and designed to withstand even more extreme conditions. Like the R.I.P.9, the W.F.O.9 features a 1-1/8" to 1.5" head tube and an included headset allowing the use of 1-1/8" forks. Niner's trademark attention to detail is apparent. The amount of thought that went into this frame is truly mind-boggling. The only explanation is a simple one: the crew at Niner not only rides bikes; they still dream of even better bikes, bikes that haven't been made yet, things that haven't been done. Ground-breaking Niner frames like the W.F.O.9 come about for the best possible reason: because these guys are looking for new personal bikes--the kind they want to ride.