Meet Niner Superfan Daniel Williams
How is it that Niner riders tend to become loyal, lifelong #Ninerds? We sat down with Loveland, Colorado trail ripper and Niner super fan Daniel Williams, to discuss his experience with Niner Bikes. He's owned three older models in the past and rides three current Niners on a regular basis.
Hey Daniel, thanks for answering some questions about your Niner experiences! Could you start off by giving us a short background about yourself and where you live?
I grew up in Loveland, CO and used to ride BMX bikes on whatever random trails we could find. I moved to Ohio and then Little Rock, Arkansas in the mid to late nineties didn't stay at either place very long, always ended up back in Colorado. For a number of years I worked at and owned tattoo shops between Denver and Fort Collins until we (my wife and I) found out that we were having our 2nd daughter at which point I began the career that I am currently involved in with the City of Loveland.
How many Niners have you owned in your lifetime? Which ones?
I have previously owned the 2015 Jet 9 (Aluminum), 2015 WFO 9, and 2016 Jet 9 RDO. I currently own the 2015 Jet 9 RDO, which is the bike that I ride the most, the 2016 RLT 9 Steel, and the 2018 Rip 9 RDO 4-Star Build.
Which Niner has been your favorite and why?
So far, my favorite is the 2015/2016 Jet 9 RDO. I've always been more of an aggressive rider and significantly faster going down than climbing. The Jet’s CVA suspension platform makes up for my poor climbing skills and is very accommodating to my abusive descents. Although, after some slight modifications, my RIP 9 RDO is quickly becoming a favorite.
Has your riding experience improved because of your Niners?
I think that going from 27.5 to 29, and realizing how well the tires rolled over everything, helped me build confidence on the trail knowing that if my poor bike handling skills got me into trouble, the wheels could definitely help me get out of it. Also, they were definitely much faster rolling which was my overall goal in the switch.
Why did you/continue to choose Niner over other brands?
I have abused my 2015 Jet 9 RDO beyond what I thought I could abuse a bike and still have it be maintainable and have had almost zero problems with it. I put a 130mm Rockshox Pike on it and have definitely always ridden it more as an aggressive trail bike versus a cross country race platform. This has allowed me to be able to perform fairly well and reach all of my goals that I set on it. I've also always liked that Niner is a local company. There have been several times where I've just showed up to the HQ randomly needing some obscure part and they've always been able to just find it right there for me. They have super friendly and helpful customer service.
What would you say to people who are thinking about buying a Niner?
Buy it. In my experience, Niner has always been a solid company and has made some pretty solid bikes. They have always supported local grassroots racing and seem to be fairly involved with the local cycling community which is always a bonus.
Awesome, thanks for the time and responses, Daniel! See ya out on the trails!