You will find hydroformed tubing throughout Niner’s line up – the Air 9, E.M.D. 9, Jet 9, R.I.P. 9 and W.F.O. 9 all incorporate proprietary hydrofomed tube shapes. The effect of this upgrade goes much further than appearance. Hydroforming allows us to shape the tubes and optimize strength and stiffness in key areas, giving us the ability to create beautifully tuned frames with the precise ride characteristics we seek for every application. In testing, frames incorporating hydroformed tubing put up stiffness numbers much higher than those with old-style round tubing.
- The shape of a tube is as important now as the material it is made from. Shaping has a huge effect on the way stress is distributed across and around a tube. Controlling the stress distribution enables us to use less material while maintaining or even increasing the frame strength.
- Shaped tubing is found in many frames. It is important to be aware that how a tube is shaped can change the quality of the results. The least expensive method for shaping a tube is via mechanical forming. In this process, tube shapes are