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Ride Review: New Ibis Ripmo AF tames Tennessee’s trails, from singletrack to enduro

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The new Ibis Ripmo AF is their most affordable entry into the Ibis ecosystem, but it doesn’t skimp on performance or spec to get there. With a slightly more aggressive frame than it’s carbon counterpart, and coil spring compatibility, and a starting price with DVO suspension of just $3,000, it’s a great way to get on a bigger bike with a proven pedigree. We took two of them to Eastern Tennessee’s best trails, from Knoxville to Windrock to Johnson City. Between them, we hit everything from rough and rowdy cross country singletrack to pro-level enduro trails. Here’s how it went down. And up. And all around!

Ibis Ripmo AF details & actual weight

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

Our bikes came in with the GX build, which retails for $4,299. We did swap out a few parts for our trip (Industry Nine, Onza and S’manie saddles helped support the Tennessee trip), but it’s shown here in stock trim.

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

Slacker head angles and steeper seat tubes are all the rage, along with stretched top tubes and longer reach measurements. Fortunately, the Ripmo AF does this without making things weird. The 64.9º head angle pushes the fork out front far enough to keep it stable on the descents, but without getting twitchy on the climbs.

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

Cables run internally through the downtube, with a mix of internal and external routing beyond that to the rear of the bike.

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

It’s a 1x specific design, and you can add a removable ISCG05 mount for using chain guides or bash guards. Or both.

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

The DW-Link suspension provides 147mm of efficient, effective suspension. The lower link pivots on Igus bushings, which Ibis says are perfect for high stress, low rotation placements.

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

The rear shift cable moves cleanly into the chainstay with some beautiful shaping on the chainstay yoke.

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

A machined alloy shock mount clevis replaces the carbon version on the carbon bike. Virtually every tube on this bike is oversized, making it super stout…but also a little heavy at 8.25lb for a size medium (claimed).

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

It comes with 29×2.5″ Maxxis tires, but they rate it to fit 2.6″ treads.

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

Besides just the frame, which is awesome, the real highlight of the bikes is the inclusion of a DVO suspension pairing. It’s good stuff, and a surprising spec for a bike at this price point. The rear is a Topaz Air with external rebound adjustment and three-position compression knob that goes from full open to very firm.

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

The Diamond fork gets a ton of adjustability, including both high- and low-speed compression dials, low speed rebound, and DVO’s OTT. That stands for Off The Top, and it’s a preload adjustment for the fork’s negative coil spring that lets you fine tune the feel of the first 30% of travel with minimal impact on the air spring’s feel. The effects are noticeable. Once I got it dialed to my liking, the rough, mottled bike park berm-and-jump lines at Windrock become much more pleasant.

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

The burly frame keeps everything moving the way it’s supposed to, from shifting to suspension to steering.

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

Big brakes (180mm rear,  203mm front) slow the bike down in a hurry, which was a good thing on the pad-burning descents we rolled.

ibis ripmo af alloy frame details and spec list

The top two trim levels get a BikeYoke dropper, which has a handy reset bolt at the top that simplifies service. Ibis’ house-brand stem and bar, with Lizard Skins’ lock-on grips, round out the build…along with Ibis alloy S35 wheels on all three trim levels. For the full build specs and tech overview, check out the launch coverage.

ibis ripmo af actual weight

Actual weight for a size large frame with the GX build (already set up tubeless) is 33.4lb.

Ibis Ripmo AF First Rides Review

first ride review of new ibis ripmo af alloy enduro all mountain bike

Between the three trail systems and bike parks we visited for our test (Knoxville’s Urban Wilderness, Neko Mullaly’s Windrock Bike Park, and Johnson City’s new Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park), we hit everything from flow trail to rock gardens to rooty, roughcut singletrack, to jump lines to heavily armored rocky descents that just wouldn’t end. We’ll have full reviews on each location coming up this fall, but suffice to say, if you’re looking for a long weekend of killer riding, put those on your list.

first ride review of new ibis ripmo af alloy enduro all mountain bike

They’re also great proving grounds for a bike like the Ripmo AF. The suspension pedals along smoothly on flat and rolling sections. Despite the bike’s weight, we never felt like it was slowing us down. Maybe tiring the legs a bit, but it didn’t feel sluggish.

That said, we eased ourselves into it by starting at Knoxville, which was also our longest  ride day by several hours. I also used this to ease Watts into writing a proper review by sending him the kinds of questions I’m mulling over while riding. Here’s his answers:

How did it fit?

Fine? All of the new “progressive geometry” bikes feel a little short to me, initially, but once you settle in, it works. (FYI: Watt’s is 6’0″ with a 34″ inseam and rode a size large. I [Tyler] am 6’2″ with 34″ inseam and rode the XL silver bike)

How did it descend? (rough, smooth, stable, twitchy, planted, etc.?)

Fine? Stable. Slack head tubes can make handling seem “floppy.” At least to me. But at speed, it locks in.

How did it climb?

Fine? Sometimes I fail to navigate long travel bikes through tight switchbacks climbing, but the Ripmo did great.

first ride review of new ibis ripmo af alloy enduro all mountain bike

How did it pedal on the flat and flowy stuff?

Fine? I mean… It’s a biggish bike It’s not going to be a snappy hard tail.

Did the suspension seem to maintain good traction and soak up the impacts?

Yes. I’m relatively unfamiliar with the suspension platform on these bikes… DVO, right?…and could definitely have benefitted from some tuning, but even without bothering, the platform was solid.

Anything in particular stand out about the bike, good or bad?

Ummm…. I crashed on it. Hard. And while that has NOTHING to do with the bike, and everything to do with me… my psyche is still reeling a little bit and honestly doesn’t want to think about the bike.

For the price (roughly $3k), how would you rate its value?

Solid. Ibis has, for a while, existed on the margins of what a lot of people think they can afford or want to invest in. So this makes a “boutique” bike “accessible.” Which is pretty big.

Any other thoughts about the bike?

It was orange. And like I said… I crashed it. Hard.
I’m not a particularly bold rider. I tend to stick to XC and Gravel because while going hard hurts, there’s wayyyyyyy less risk of hurting yourself. And I’m 43 years old and it takes longer to heal from dumb shit. Like when I hurt my shoulder at my son’s 12th birthday and it might never be the same again. I’d have shrugged that off at 30.
This bike made me bold.
There was a learning curve on how to weight it, as it seemed front heavy on the jumps and table tops… but once I got that, I WANTED to keep it in the air. Which was ultimately my undoing. Le sigh.

first ride review of new ibis ripmo af alloy enduro all mountain bike

Which reminded me (Tyler) about the front end. Yes, it was a little harder to unweight for quick lifts off the ground. It took more effort. Fortunately 160mm of fork travel goes a long way toward reducing the need to lift it over stuff. I don’t think it was the geometry of the bike that caused this – the chainstay length is similar to other bikes in this travel category. It’s probably just the weight. So don’t skip arm day.

first ride review of new ibis ripmo af alloy enduro all mountain bike

It’s easy to say a good all-mountain/enduro bike “shines on the downhills”, but this bike kinda shines everywhere. It certainly handled the rocky bits of Year Round Get Down in Knoxville, along with those at Windrock. Other than a little fine tuning to the shifting (we built these bikes the day before hitting the road), neither of them had any issues for the entire three days of riding.

first ride review of new ibis ripmo af alloy enduro all mountain bike

first ride review of new ibis ripmo af alloy enduro all mountain bike

We become more and more comfortable with the jumps and drops, but the Ripmo AF seemed comfortable with them from the start. So we hit them a lot. Because they’re fun. Even when we forgot to put the rear shock back into “Descend” mode, the rear end wasn’t harsh. It’s a bike that seems to smooth the rough stuff at any speed, too, which is good for riders just getting into a long travel bike…it’s not intimidating, and it doesn’t require faster speeds to settle into itself.

That said, it does require you to get the suspension setup properly…check our suspension setup guide and read through DVO’s manual to see how OTT works. You’ll get more out of the bike if you do. Which advanced riders will really appreciate. And this bike is aimed every bit as much at those advanced riders, particularly those who tend to break carbon frames. The slacker front end, big travel and fat tire clearance give you plenty of margin for error.

After three days riding the bike, both Watts and I drove home impressed. It’s nice to see development efforts put into lower priced bikes. So, in some ways, Ibis has both lowered and raised the bar with the new Ripmo AF.

first ride review of new ibis ripmo af alloy enduro all mountain bike

OK, one more jump. Get the full specs and tech overview on the new Ripmo AF here.

IbisCycles.com

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Dr Sweets
Dr Sweets
4 years ago

Damn, I would have really liked to have been on those rides with y’all if nothing else to see Watts on that bomber as it seems so far removed from his customary steeds.

David Benoff
David Benoff
4 years ago

Poor value. You can get a carbon Trance 29 with similar spec for the same price. This thing is a boat anchor.

DeafDaddy
DeafDaddy
4 years ago
Reply to  David Benoff

Poor value, yes. Most bikes are nowadays. $3K+ for an entry level aluminum bike? $5K+ for an entry level carbon bike? No wonder I’ve given up. Tariffs or cost of living increase be damned, bike prices have become egregious as of late. Boat anchor? Only pro racers care about weight. Do you race XCO events? Seriously, when have normal riders suddenly become weight weenies? I truly do not understand the paper pushers crying foul when they see a bike that gained 1 gram over the previous model despite improvements?

stiingya
4 years ago
Reply to  David Benoff

@David. Um no, you can’t… The GX trance 27.5 is 5600 VS 4300 RipmoAF, the NX Trance 27.5 is 4300, (and they aren’t making it for 2020) VS 3000 for the Ripmo AF. 1300.00 more. yes lighter, not a 29er, and the Trances geometry is very out of date at this point. (if your talking the Trance29, not a comparable bike. Probably there will be a RipleyAF before too long and then you can try that) The Trance 27.5’s 73.5 seat tube angle in 2019 is just embarrassing… also short and a 67 head tube. So yes they are lighter, but more expensive and not in the same league as the Rimpo AF. Course the Aluminum Reign 29 has a 3000 dollar build that is a direct competitor to this. Spec is probably not quite as good? (dropper/suspension/wheels?) But dang close, thought it’s not gonna be any lighter than the Ripmo AF so either buy a boat anchor or spend more money and get the lighter ones…?

PL
PL
4 years ago

OTT is negative coil spring preload, not air spring chamber adjust, right?

C Arm
C Arm
4 years ago

David, not sure how you see that as similar spec! NX is not GX and a Fox Rhythm is certainly not a DVO Diamond, and I won’t get into the wheels, but they are both bikes. I would only compare this with a YT or Canyon.
Looks great, Tom, Colin, Hans, and Scot! You too Roxy

justin
justin
4 years ago

On flowy, peddaly sections and pumpy sections, did you feel the Ripmo still performed well despite the more progressive shock kinematics and slack head tube angle? Its seems they designed the Ripmo AF for more of the enduro crowd, whereas the carbon Ripmo can still perform very well on tight singletrack.

Professed
Professed
4 years ago

Progressive kinematic has nothing to do with singletrack handling. It would generate feel livelier than standard Ripmo which is already a peppy bike. 1 degree slacker HA only makes it more secure feeling. I suggest this bike can be weighted better on the front than Ripmo carbon and overall would be the better pick. Frame likely stiffer as well. I got a lot of rub on my Mojo3 chainstays which is unlikely on such a burly alu frame. Well done Ibis!

ed Sanderson
ed Sanderson
4 years ago

So…why is the SLX $1k more?
Using Jenson as a price point (because you know Ibis isn’t paying MSRP on components) the NX drivetrain costs more than SLX. The revive dropper is $200 more on the SLX and the brakes are 100 bucks more. Same wheels, same suspension, same cockpit.

The SLX cheaper drivetrain and more expensive post and brakes should only be a few hundred more than the NX version.

ThSlug
3 years ago
Reply to  ed Sanderson

I thought the same thing, but the SLX build comes with the $400 bike yoke Revive dropper. NX build comes with a cheaper KS. Still seems like a big price difference. I’m guessing the NX is something of a loss leader and they make up some of the margin with the other builds. I’m thinking of buying the NX build, then upgrading to XT for cheaper than the SLX build… but the bike yoke would be sweet to try.

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