Looking at buying a Niner Jet 9, full suspension but have heard mixed reviews regarding the reliability of their suspension systems. Can anyone shed some light on that? Thanks

Most FS bikes need new bushings now and then. Some of these can be expensive to buy replacement parts, and generally they have to be pressed in with a bearing press although you can usually ghetto around it, if you really want. (I would just have a shop replace them.)

I haven't personally heard of anything more serious with Niner, but you can google or just mosey over to MTBR in the Niner forum.

CVA is under the bottom bracket so I guess if you high centered just right on a rock you could conceivably damage it. I think doing that on any bike that doesn't have a BB skidplate would be trouble, it's just that Niner happens to have a linkage down there. A lot of riding areas don't have the right types of rock gardens for that to be a concern, anyway.