The first full-suspension gravel bike takes the shoulder pain and ass agony out of washboard, potholes, and bad pavement.
Niner Bikes launched the “world’s first full-suspension gravel bike,” the Magic Carpet Ride 9 RDO (MCR 9 RDO), to make exploring dirt roads, dirt that is barely a road, and buff trail a genuinely fun adventure — instead of type 2 fun.
After testing it for myself, I can assure you the brand succeeded. I rode this bike for a month. I spent the first 2 weeks pushing its limits on broken pavement, dirt roads, and undulating singletrack through Vermont and Colorado. During the other 2 weeks, I fully committed to this first-of-its-kind build, traversing the country of Jordan from tip to tail on every surface imaginable.
I tested a 53cm MCR with Niner’s four-star Shimano GRX 800 2X build, 650B NEXT carbon Wheels with Project 321 hubs, and 47c WTB tires. It weighed 25 pounds 3 ounces without pedals. This build sits in the middle of the MCR’s price range at $5,900. Depending on specs, the MCR runs between $4,700 (Shimano GRX 400) and $8,200 (SRAM Force AXS LTD).
In short: I’d buy the Niner Magic Carpet Ride bike for touring or just horsing around. It has the relaxed, comfortable geometry of other drop-bar gravel bikes, not the overly slack geometry of a mountain bike.
Those who argue there’s no need for full suspension in gravel, or who say that 29er mountain bikes fill that gap, are missing the subtleties of what this bike brings to the table. It provides efficiency both uphill and downhill. Its geometry is made for pedaling. And the suspension works best for a rider who is sitting, not hanging their butt over the back tire.
Niner Magic Carpet Ride Full-Suspension Gravel Bike Review
When you’re loaded down for touring and don’t know what’s around the next corner, the MCR is the bike you want to be on. In Jordan, I rode blacktop so new and smooth it was still steaming.
I also rode sandy trail littered with baby-head rocks and gravel so rough that without suspension, it would have launched me out of the saddle. The grades both up and down were up to 24% and hit 20% more frequently than I like to remember.
But the Niner handled it all — sometimes passably, sometimes brilliantly. I can’t think of another bike that would have done as well across all conditions.
Beefy, mountain-ready 50c tires alone can’t absorb everything. And when you load a bike with 2 weeks of gear, it makes any bike handle differently. But Niner designed this frame to bear those extra shocks and carry that extra weight, though it remains nimble and responsive without it.
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Magic Carpet Ride: Gravel Bike Suspension
Niner Magic Carpet Ride X-Fusion Shock
Is Full Suspension Good for Gravel Riding?
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