Ibis Ripley Review
The new Ibis Ripley is seen here in “Tang” orange (click to enlarge).
The Ibis Ripley came out a few years ago and it was a ground-breaking frame for Ibis that allowed the company to grow. Brand-loyal customers were happy to finally have an Ibis 29er option. Highlights were an elegant bike that integrated concentric bearings in the frame to accommodate pivot movement. Fans celebrated its amazing handling that ‘didn’t feel like a sluggish 29er.’ Other highlights were a light sub-6 lb frame that allowed a water bottle mount inside the front triangle.
The new Ibis Ripley LS is ready to carve (click to enlarge).
But the Ripley was not without its problems with its unwieldy cable routing and frame bearing mounts that could develop creaks. Couple that with a 29er crowd and trail bike market that was maturing. Folks had grown up to 29ers as they no longer feared its handling characteristics. Also, trail bikes have evolved to short-travel, big-tired, terrain eating tools that should be capable of railing most fun, rowdy trails with commitment. Bike descending ability is now more a product of geometry rather than just travel.
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uCX3CTFa4g
Ibis Ripley 29 has been reimagined and reissued with two geometry choices, the original and the new LS which stands for Long and Slack.
So the new Ripley is here to address all these demands. But with such a loyal fan base of the the old geometry, Ibis felt compelled to keep the old and call it the Ripley. The new geometry bike is called the Ripley LS.
Internal cable routing is now silent through rear suspension movement (click to enlarge).
The New Ripley and the Ripley LS
- There are two geometry options: The proven, much loved geometry of the original or a new-school long and slack version called the Ripley LS
- Internal cable routing using our port system that is found on the HD3
- Increased tire clearance
- Threaded bottom bracket
- Seat mast lowered by 1/2” to accommodate today’s longer droppers
- Choice of Boost 148 (starting in November ’15) or 142mm x 12mm Shimano through axle (now)
- Stiffer eccentric cores
- New rubber molded chainstay and seatstay protection (this retrofits to the original Ripley)
- New colors (“Tang” and “Black”)
Continue to page 2 to learn more about the new Ibis Ripley LS and a full photo gallery »
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