Dust in the Wind
At the risk of seeming sentimental, I am going to give give a huge shout out to my recently "ex-bike".
This bike has been the most fantastic pony in my stable, always ready, always eager to please. Sure, it started out as a svelte 27lb bike, but it packed on the pounds over the years. Did that make a difference?
You bet it did.
In an age where everything needs to be light, strength and durability is often sacrificed. Not so with this bike. It was always a completely different game for this Niner RIP9. Uncompromising traction, travel, power were the keywords at play here. I could count on this bike in any situation. I knew its few limitations, and relied on its many capabilities. I always got off the bike with a big grin. At 32lbs, with monster brakes, big tires and a great big fork, this bike had become something beyond what I'd though possible on a 29er. Sure, it climbed a little slower than the rest, but point it down and LOOK OUT! The latest addition of the Joplin seatpost was the icing on the cake.
Blue, is after all, just a bike. It can be replaced. Or can it?
All of the experiences I've had on this bike, both good and bad, have made this bike what it is, not just to me, but to many other riders out there. My experience on the RIP has certainly painted a picture of the capabilities of this frame. Not only did I learn the limitations of certain components, I sometimes also learned my own. Having the bike remain a constant when testing new products was such an amazing gift.
Blue was a first generation RIP9, new to me the day I got back from Interbike in '06. This bike stood proud against nagging production issues, was always ridden hard, crashed harder, and above all else loved more than it's stablemates by it's first pilot, me.
Blue has gone on to make another owner happy. And it always will.
You're my boy, Blue... I miss you.
This bike has been the most fantastic pony in my stable, always ready, always eager to please. Sure, it started out as a svelte 27lb bike, but it packed on the pounds over the years. Did that make a difference?
You bet it did.
In an age where everything needs to be light, strength and durability is often sacrificed. Not so with this bike. It was always a completely different game for this Niner RIP9. Uncompromising traction, travel, power were the keywords at play here. I could count on this bike in any situation. I knew its few limitations, and relied on its many capabilities. I always got off the bike with a big grin. At 32lbs, with monster brakes, big tires and a great big fork, this bike had become something beyond what I'd though possible on a 29er. Sure, it climbed a little slower than the rest, but point it down and LOOK OUT! The latest addition of the Joplin seatpost was the icing on the cake.
Blue, is after all, just a bike. It can be replaced. Or can it?
All of the experiences I've had on this bike, both good and bad, have made this bike what it is, not just to me, but to many other riders out there. My experience on the RIP has certainly painted a picture of the capabilities of this frame. Not only did I learn the limitations of certain components, I sometimes also learned my own. Having the bike remain a constant when testing new products was such an amazing gift.
Blue was a first generation RIP9, new to me the day I got back from Interbike in '06. This bike stood proud against nagging production issues, was always ridden hard, crashed harder, and above all else loved more than it's stablemates by it's first pilot, me.
Blue has gone on to make another owner happy. And it always will.
You're my boy, Blue... I miss you.
posted by mandy at 6:46 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home