Canfield Bikes Introduces 2024 Nimble 9 Hardtail
PRESS RELEASE: Canfield Bikes
Canfield Bikes has opened pre-orders on a limited spring 2024 run of its iconic steel hardtail, the Nimble 9 in three all-new metallic finishes: Bug Zapper Blue, Purple Haze and Galaxy Black.
Cody Chandler ripping Colorado high-country singletrack on the Nimble 9. Photo: Alan Bernholtz
Now in its 5th generation, the Canfield Nimble 9 was perhaps the first steel hardtail to make fun its top priority back in 2010. While things have gotten longer, lower and slacker, the spirit remains the same. Built around aggressive all-mountain geometry and a 150mm fork, the N9 strikes the sweet spot between confident descending and zippy, playful handling, yet remains undeterred by steep climbs standing between it and gravity-fed redemption.
 | The N9 just wants to jump and play and encourages you to take lines that you never thought you would on a hardtail. |
“We love our full suspension bikes,” says Lance Canfield, owner and designer. “But there is something so simple and fun about a steel hardtail with dialed geo. The N9 just wants to jump and play and encourages you to take lines that you never thought you would on a hardtail.”
A 66-degree head-angle dares you to drop in and short chainstays (adjustable down to 16.33-inches/415mm via sliding dropouts) make sure the Nimble 9 lives up to its name.
Combining the revered ride quality of 4130 chromoly steel with vertically compliant, radial-bent seat-stays, the N9 challenges preconceptions of mountain bikes with rigid rear-ends by offering an exceptionally smooth, forgiving yet responsive ride quality.
The 2024 Nimble 9 is available as a frame only, frame & fork combo or as a complete bike with all-new Core and Pro builds. Available now at special pre-order discounted pricing with April 2024 expected delivery.
For pricing, geo and build specs, visit CanfieldBikes.com.
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What type of headset does it have?
I feel like the head angle is suited to mellow terrain and the seat tube to aggressive terrain. XC head angle, enduro seat tube angle. Somewhat wierd combo especially for a hardtail.
People are not necessarily "hung up" on anything, just pointing out that the geometry lives on one end of the spectrum when compared to the majority of current hardtails. If this geo was with a shorter travel fork so there was more opportunity to over-fork, the bike would likely appeal to a wider user base and seem more versatile.
People are going to comment about how a bike compares numbers wise to other bikes.
And yeah the numbers don't tell you everything obviously but they're not irrelevant.
Ahh yes, the people that prefer a slack head angle and taller center of gravity so they have straight line comfort with less ability to corner hard. Makes sense give most people can't corner at all anyways and want the slackest thing they can since they can't ride steeps either.
Compare that to a Kona ESD (PNW), Knolly Tyaughton (PNW), Transition TransAm (PNW), Norco Torrent (PNW), and the Rocky Mountain Growler (PNW), where trails are quite a bit steeper, and the trail surface is VERY different.
66* unsagged HTA is XC territory for a hardtail. That thing will be 67.5* when you sit on it and ride down a trail.
I see this bike's head angle as appropriate for the guys that set a hardtail fork at 15% sag for balance, keeping the fork nice and high in its travel.
Sorry- but you have it backwards.
Chris was always the suspension guy. Lance had nothing to do with CBF.
Know your facts.
I introduced Chris to suspension kinematics and he learned it quickly and has done well with it. We worked together on all Canfield Brothers bikes until we went our separate ways.
For clarity, Chris has not been involved with any design or suspension on Canfield Bikes since leaving the company.
CBF has been "in development" and evolving since our first bikes in 1999. In 2007 we felt like we had something patentable, designing all of our bikes around center of curvature from that point forward, but it wasn’t until 2013 when we had enough data to actually file a patent. I never needed to be convinced. I just needed time to research and validate that we could patent it.
I look forward to seeing what Chris has been working on recently, I’m sure it’s going to be great.
Sincerely,
-Lance
Your a blast from the past....
It ticks all the boxes for me. It's versatile with sliding dropouts and a high enough BB to realistically run 140-160mm forks. All the tubes are STRAIGHT, which I love. I'm running a 210 dropper and 140mm Pike currently, but I have a 150mm Lyrik on the way. I think it's fantastic as is, but need to know if it's better as Transition specs it. The BB with 140mm fork is at 12.6". The WB is 1209mm. The HA is 64.5. The medium frame weighs 6.6 without headset or axle.
I honestly can't think of a thing I'd change on the Transam besides more color choices and bottle mounts on the seattube. The frame has a fantastic steel dampened feel yet is still lively, and it pedals fantastic. I feel the compliance mainly in the rear triangle. What really blew me away was how great a technical climber this bike is. Amazing.
Well didn't mean for this to be a Transam review, but I already wrote it, so not going to delete it. This Canfield is okay, but I think at the very least they should have a gussetless and shorter seatube. It just seems outdated. Otherwise, geometry depends on what it's going to be ridden on. I agree the EPO was a fantastic bike, but it was also ugly, haha, and had poor tire clearance.
Regular price
€3.143,95 thanks but no thanks
edit: on closer look, it doesn't look like it would fit, but I could be wrong
Aren’t you the first president to fall up the stairs?