Jet 9 RDO XX1 Build...this one goes to eleven

[Palmares]

First ride complete, I absolutely love this bike. This is also my first ground up build and I happen to be rather proud of it. It also gave me an excuse to buy some great tools (star nut setter, crown race setter, headset press...)

On the first go, my bb to chainstay housing was too short. I was banging my head against the wall, then I came here and read about 120mm housing. Re-cable the aft section, shifts perfectly.

Lastly, XX1 is just the trickest kit out there. Always having any gear on demand is going to make me lazy (or give me freedom to concentrate on other things.) If you have the means, I highly suggest picking it up.

Enough commentary. Build specs:

White Jet 9 RDO v1.1
SID XX fork
Cane Creek/Niner headset (had a red chris king ready, wont fit, oh well.)
Enve bars
Niner Rdo seatpost and 90mm stem
XTR brakes and 160 rotors
XX1 crank, rear d, chain, cassette
Stan's Crest rims built on DT 240s
Kenda Small block 8 tires running tubeless
Specialized Toupe saddle








Need to trim brake cables, and slam the stem. Still getting all adjusted.

[501Levi]

I want to **** your bike.

[muzzanic]

They are Dame good arn't they.

[October26]

That is one of the best bikes I have seen yet.

[schocka]

Great job! How do you like the SID? I am gathering parts for a very similar build but am struggling with fork choice.

[fredbooxe]

Extremely nice!

Do you know what it weighs?

[Palmares]

Thanks for the compliments all.

I cant believe i forgot to include weight!

23.6 lbs, and that is with some pretty heavy duty tires. With some racing ralphs I think it would shed a pound.

[Palmares]

Great job! How do you like the SID? I am gathering parts for a very similar build but am struggling with fork choice.

I will pay the SID the best compliment I can give: I completely forgot about it while riding.

Coming from an older Lefty (hate it), remote lockout was super important to me because on the lefty, if I left it open after a descent it was like pedaling in sand.

Yesterday I took this thing to the park and abused it. I left it open all day and never thought about locking it. It just simply works. Absorbed everything I threw at it, and yet was somehow stiff enough to not notice when i was out of the saddle hammering.

Found it at Jensen on closeout at 399. I wanted a World cup, but couldnt justify the extra $500-$600 for a carbon steerer. After yesterday, convinced Ill never miss it.

[Palmares]

They are Dame good arn't they.

They are indeed.

Also many thanks again for the cable routing thread. I think that should be stickied so others like me dont waste a day of their life trying to figure out why their new bike wont shift into the small cogs.

[schocka]

I will pay the SID the best compliment I can give: I completely forgot about it while riding.

Coming from an older Lefty (hate it), remote lockout was super important to me because on the lefty, if I left it open after a descent it was like pedaling in sand.

Yesterday I took this thing to the park and abused it. I left it open all day and never thought about locking it. It just simply works. Absorbed everything I threw at it, and yet was somehow stiff enough to not notice when i was out of the saddle hammering.

Found it at Jensen on closeout at 399. I wanted a World cup, but couldnt justify the extra $500-$600 for a carbon steerer. After yesterday, convinced Ill never miss it.

that's a heck of a deal you got there. I am leaning towards the 2013 SID XX 120mm @ $660, unless I come across a better deal.

[BruceBrown]

Thanks for the compliments all.

I cant believe i forgot to include weight!

23.6 lbs, and that is with some pretty heavy duty tires. With some racing ralphs I think it would shed a pound.

Sweet looking build, Palmares. Congrats on your 1st ever build from the frame up. Well done.

In terms of tires, not sure about shedding a pound of weight loss going from Small Block 8's to Racing Ralphs. If you got the tubeless ready Small Block 8's (DTC - SCT), they average around 680g per tire. If you got the other ones (DTC), they average about 588g per tire.

Compare that to the Racing Ralph 2.25 with SS and tubeless ready average about 651g per tire, and without the SS (Snakeskin) they are about 565g per tire. Now if you are talking about the new tubeless ready 2.1 Racing Ralphs - they come in around 500g per tire. Regardless, you'd have to shed 454g in total tire weight to lose a pound and that's only feasible if you go to something like the Maxxlite 29 tires or Schwalbe Furious Fred tires.

Probably more important is to view the rolling resistance properties. Small Block 8's don't score as well as the Schwalbe tires (Ralphs, Rons, Nics) in these tests.

I wouldn't sweat it though with that build and overall bike weight. It looks great.

[Palmares]

.

Probably more important is to view the rolling resistance properties. Small Block 8's don't score as well as the Schwalbe tires (Ralphs, Rons, Nics) in these tests.

I wouldn't sweat it though with that build and overall bike weight. It looks great.

Thanks, great article. I was all set to go with Schwalbe, but two of my riding buddies swear by the small blocks. We have extremely dry conditions here, leaving either scorched earth hardpan or very loose fine dry dirt and rock/gravel. Add to that tons of various thorny plants (mesquite, tubmleweeds, etc) and tire selection becomes tougher. They both (anecdotally) say they got more flats on racing ralphs. They said the kendas solved the problem, so in this case I went with local knowledge, despite being a data geek.

Im glad im not paying a weight penalty. Rolling resistance has to depend on the condititions, but man 15 watts is a lot.

[danvar]

They are indeed.

Also many thanks again for the cable routing thread. I think that should be stickied so others like me dont waste a day of their life trying to figure out why their new bike wont shift into the small cogs.

Nice build Palmares. Could you point me out to this specific thread you are referring to. I have read quite a few on the subject already but since things keep changing (go full housing, dont go full housing) I want to make sure I know the latest and what works the best.

[Palmares]

Nice build Palmares. Could you point me out to this specific thread you are referring to. I have read quite a few on the subject already but since things keep changing (go full housing, dont go full housing) I want to make sure I know the latest and what works the best.

Jet9 RDO woe

Here is the one im referring to. On the last page muzzanic had pics of exactly how to do it. I did 120mm housing between bb and chainstay, no housing inside. Works great now.

[chrisgardner73]

Great looking bike! I'm going with XX1 on the Air 9 RDO that I'm currently building up, and can't wait to try it out!

How are the wheels treating you? I plan on going with the Crest/DT240s combo as well. I'm currently running Arch/DT240s wheels on my RIP 9, and like them a lot. Just not sure if I'll notice a difference (possible besides weight) with the Crests.

[Palmares]

Great looking bike! I'm going with XX1 on the Air 9 RDO that I'm currently building up, and can't wait to try it out!

How are the wheels treating you? I plan on going with the Crest/DT240s combo as well. I'm currently running Arch/DT240s wheels on my RIP 9, and like them a lot. Just not sure if I'll notice a difference (possible besides weight) with the Crests.

Ironically i have put my new xc build through the wringer this last week. I took a little new years trip and absolutely abused it on some really rough trails.

The wheels were great, super stiff, strong and light. 1590~ grams-ish. You'll love 'em.

[drz400sm]

Ironically i have put my new xc build through the wringer this last week. I took a little new years trip and absolutely abused it on some really rough trails.

The wheels were great, super stiff, strong and light. 1590~ grams-ish. You'll love 'em.

If you don't mind me asking, which bottom bracket did you go with? I'm still waiting for my frame to show up and starting to get all the components together. Im new to the whole bb30/pf30 thing and not sure if I understood niner correctly when i contacted them.

If you went with the bb30 cranks...do you know if you can press fit the bb30 bearings? Or will it need the pf30 bb? Just snagged the x9 jenson special as a temporary solution till I can save for xo or possibly a xx1 drivetrain. It came with the bb30 bb bearings and wasn't sure if they can be used on the j9 rdo. Thanks!

[muzzanic]

If you don't mind me asking, which bottom bracket did you go with? I'm still waiting for my frame to show up and starting to get all the components together. Im new to the whole bb30/pf30 thing and not sure if I understood niner correctly when i contacted them.

If you went with the bb30 cranks...do you know if you can press fit the bb30 bearings? Or will it need the pf30 bb? Just snagged the x9 jenson special as a temporary solution till I can save for xo or possibly a xx1 drivetrain. It came with the bb30 bb bearings and wasn't sure if they can be used on the j9 rdo. Thanks!

If the crank that you have brought is a BB30 crank, You will need the Press fit 30 ( PF30 ) bottom bracket.

Bearings don't just press in on there own.

[GSJ1973]

Beautiful bike!

Those SB8's are some of the scariest tires I've ever ridden. Rocket Ron or Racing Ralph FTW!

[PHS]

Palmares, Great looking bike!
What length are you running your fork at?

Thanks!

[agoura_biker]

Beautiful bike! Love the Stone gargoyle! I'm working on a case of Stone Pale Ale, but I'm also a fan of Arrogant Bastard and Ruination. Cool to have that to look at during a ride!

[mjduct]

who makes that water bottle cage? I've never seen anything like that...

[PHS]

who makes that water bottle cage? I've never seen anything like that...

Blackburn carbon cage I believe.

[Palmares]

Palmares, Great looking bike!
What length are you running your fork at?

Thanks!

Fork is 100mm. I considered 120 for "versatility" but went with the 100 for xc purebred. Turns out, Im real happy with it. I rode some of the gnarliest stuff I have ever done over new years, and it performed beautifully. No regrets.

[Palmares]

Beautiful bike! Love the Stone gargoyle! I'm working on a case of Stone Pale Ale, but I'm also a fan of Arrogant Bastard and Ruination. Cool to have that to look at during a ride!

Being a former San Diegan, Im a stone diehard. Im actually really into Levitation as my "training" beer. All of the goodness, less alcohol.