I picked up a new ride to have fun with when trails are too wet to ride. My buddy has a cross bike and suggested a gravel bike. I tried a few, but could not make myself like the drop bars and decided to look for a flat bar gravel bike.

This thing is fun as shit! It looks like a hybrid or a 90s mt bike and shares features of both. It is sold as a gravel bike by Niner after buyers did flat bar conversions to their dropper RLT9.

So far, I have only ridden it in the neighborhood, but plan to hit some easy trails and gravel roads to add variety to my riding options.

Looks cool.  Stay upright in the turns!

I like that!   I have friends riding the drop bar gravel bikes and I never see them use the drops.  Like I never use the drops on my road bike.  If I bought a gravel bike i would seriously consider the straight bar.

Those old 90's hybrids were hated and bad mouthed for many years, but I say for the average rider (ie, not a dedicated roadie or MTB'er), they were the perfect bike.  And I've said that since 1995.  

Your bike is basically a modern, 1x version of those old hybrids, which is awesome!  

My bike is basically a steel version of your Niner.

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I took it on some trails today and it reminded me of how riding was in the 90s. It brought a new challenge to the trails and handled them surprisingly well.

Never thought I'd use the drops on a cross/gravel bike, but you'd be amazed how much better control you get this way, especially going downhill.  Give's you better center of gravity and keeps your ass off the seat for the technical stuff.

All that being said, very cool bike OP