This content is excellent, echoing what others have said, this is easily some of the best comparison analysis on bikes that I have seen, really great stuff! I'm exploring a replacement for my current trail rig, 2018 Santa Cruz Hightower 140/130 with a fox 36 instead of a 34. I wonder if that fork could be spec'd for the Ripley and would that extra stiffness in the front end negatively affect the overall fun factor? Ripmo sounds awesome, but Northeast riding the big chunky stuff is more bike park days for my skillset than what I encounter on most ride days at my local trails.
Love your content, without a doubt some of the best, most well-rounded approach to reviewing bikes! You often offer comparables at the end of your videos and I missed that in this one. As a previous Ripmo V2 owner, and owner of many other bikes in the category, I had a pretty good sense of how the V2 stacked up. What would be your comparables to the new Ripmo?
The production is getting better and better. These are some of the best reviews out there! One question which no outlet has touched yet: how does the Ripmo compare to the Hightower? It is also close to the Bronson, but i'm not a fan anymore of the defensive feel MX wheels give me.
Thanks! I’d imagine the Hightower launch timing is why you haven’t seen much. My collarbone is on the mend and I’ve got a Hightower on the way. Stay tuned.
@@bikersedge yeah, makes sense. i thought of the Hightower 3 since that is what i know. But people probably have their eyes on 4. wish you complete recovery! had the same a long while ago
Coming off an SB160, now on the Ripmo since July. I am now going to drop in a RS Vivid air shock. Should change its ability in the lower end of the stroke. The vivid was exceptional on the SB160. Compared to the SB160, the Ripmo climbs much quicker and leaves me less fatigued. Also beating strava climb times and I'm not really trying to. So that has been eye opening to me.
Good stuff. The Ripley would be my weapon of choice between the two and I agree that having two different riding bikes in the trail category is a good thing.... any plans on adding components to your web store?
It almost sounds like I'm where I want to be with the AF. Ya, its the old frame, old geo, but over forked, with the cascade link, that bike is every bit as capable as some enduro bikes and still pedals pretty damn well for the category. That said, I do really like that the new gen seems to leave room to tinker. With a custom tune you could potentially run the ripmo at 140mm, or anything in between, which was something I loved about the old gen too. Cascade links, offset bushings, short stroking... it was all on the table. Cool to see that ethos still used here.
@bikersedge I owned a V1 ripmo a few years ago. That bike felt very efficient and agile even on mellow trails. Has this new ripmo lost any of that in favor of more capability or does it feel similar to the V1 ?l
Agree. Had a V1 Ripmo and now a V5 Ripley. New Ripley climbs better and is more energetic descending. V1 probably has an advantage when things get really rough, but it’s a narrow difference. In my opinion, the version of the DW link on the new Ripley is best Ibis has used.
I think the sharing of frames is smart from trail and enduro bikes. Rocky Mountain did that w the Instinct/Altitude until this year. I know you love the new Altitude, but it seems mostly an ultra-capable race rig and less versatile than the previous gen. Ibis is going in the right direction w R&D. There were too many models and specs in the Industry to be sustainable.
I think sharing a frame can work if done right. Ibis has nailed it with this. I think they’ve done it better than Rocky with the previous gen Instinct and Altitude.
I went with the Ripley with a 150 lyric and 35mm riser bars. Only 2 rides so far, incredibly fun, but I feel like the front end seems to drift a bit in the corners. I’m wondering if I’m too high on the front end with that combo, if I should have gone with a 140 pike. Curious about your thoughts on this?
@@bikersedge Yeah i will have to try the spacers first. I'd love to hear if you ever try the ripley with a 150mm fork if you feel that same drift. Probably should have bought it with a 140 first but I do enjoy the extra travel!
Hard to agree with the "less compromised" argument when the two bikes have the same frame. That feels like the epitome of compromise. The V4 definitely skewed more XC and the Exie stepped on its toes, but for me, that's the bike.
@@adamleininger1387 I get that but they’re definitely different enough that neither one feels compromised. They both for the application very well with enough distinction between them.
I agree 100%, one of the bikes has to be compromised. I think it's the ripley, if they would have done something better with the sizing maybe it would have worked out but I don't want a 1241mm wheelbase on my light trail bike. I could fit on the medium Ripley if it had just a little longer reach then it might work and I could probably get around the weight thing. I have 1255mm WB Enduro bike and a 1221 WB 140mm trail bike and that thing is so fun to scoot around corners. I'm sure the Ripley is a fun bike, the V4 was definitely fun, but where I live that thing would be too long for the tight trails.
I have been sitting here and probably will be for the next t few months trying to figure out hd6, ripmo , or Ripley.... currently have a smuggler and would enjoy a bigger bike some days. But I don't really mind riding small bikes in the gnar. Makes me feel alive haha
Love your review style and appreciate the content. I'm outside the US and have somewhat limited access to brands. How do the Giant Reign and Trance fare against the Ripmo here? I'm a larger rider who enjoys climbing but current bike's suspension lets me down on the heavier local stuff especially bigger drops and rough climbs. Quite a lot of black diamond or double black stretches on the trails here, but jungle terrain means you need to be able to get through some tight rooty corners on occasion. Can probably get any of those three models, but Ibis models are a bit pricier. From what I've seen Ripmo seems to be a good balance between a capable climbing all-mountain but still happy to take on some enduro stuff when it needs to?
Hey thanks! I would have to say the Ripmo falls between the Trance X and Reign. It might be the perfect middle ground. It’s more than capable of very rough terrain. Remember suspension can usually be tuned to help on the bigger drops while maintaining decent off the top sensitivity.
If I could have only one bike, I would pick a bike with 160mm fork and a 77* STA and 65* HTA which is essentially the new Ripmo. This type of bike has the most versatility. With light fast-rolling tires, it's a long travel Downcountry bike. With burly aggressive tires, it's a short travel Enduro bike. The new Ripley doesn't doesn't have that range of versatility. However, I would be curious what the Ripley would be like with 150mm Fox 36 or Lyrik fork (or even a 160mm fork).
@@casestudymtb - Buy a light-weight long-travel Trail bike -Buy a long travel Trail bike that isn't overly long and slack. About a 77* STA and 65* HTA is about right. -Install light-weight fast rolling Downcountry tires like Rekons or Wicked Wills. I have 150/160mm travel Stumpy Evo Expert with Rekon tires that has ~77*/65* geo and weighs 31.5 pounds. Rolls fast, good on flat smooth trails, good on rough steep trails, not overly heavy.
XM Ripley frame is just over 7 pounds. The out going v4s was 6.6 pounds in the equivalent size. So it’s a bit heavier, but WAY more capable. Still climbs great.
...such an Ibis apologist, are they paying you? Serious question. Clearly sharing frames ia a cost savings measure and people have the right to be skeptical but you have steadly tried to defend Ibis in every "negative" comment. Don't make your motives so obvious it may backfire and ruin your credibility.
Not an apologist - not paid. Just got really annoyed with people judging a bike they hadn’t ridden because some dude on some forum somewhere who’s never actually ridden it said “it’s too heavy” and everyone followed suit. If you read the comments from folks who have actually ridden it, you’ll see the sentiment is almost always positive.
EDIT: disregard this comment. The rear triangle's are identical, just the rear linkage and shock need changing to go between the Ripley and Ripmo. You can! But just consider that to achieve that swap, you'd need to have more than just another linkage. You'll need to swap over the linkage, brake calipers, fork, a different rear shock, and the rear derailleur at minimum. If you're running a mechanical drivetrain you'll need to re-route the shift cable on the rear linkage as well as the brake cable. And finally if you plan to run a different tire combo you'll need to swap tires around. Now of course you *could* just swap the rear triangle (and anything attached to it) and leave it at that, but then you have either too little or too much travel in the front, and possibly the wrong tire combo. Basically what I'm saying is, make sure you're okay with swapping all of this stuff around. It's not really as simple as swap a different shock and fork and send it.
I don’t think most folks are going to swap all the components. I think people are just wanting to go from 130 to 150 with a link and shock. That would be very doable without having to swap anything other than the shock and link. You could swap a fork pretty easily too if you wanted to change the front travel.
@@bikersedge Right! But if you swapped the rear linkage wouldn't that require having to flip the brake caliper and derailleur over since those are attached to the rear triangle? Same thing with the front fork and the front brake. Not saying it's impossible, just a lot of faff to go back and forth. Edit: (or are they using the same triangle but different linkage? Am I missing something here)
No. The rear triangles are the same - you're not swapping those. All you'd have to do is pull the shock and clevis and replace it with the other shock and clevis.
Love that BE now has an online store!
@@DirectorRobb it’s been a long time coming.
This content is excellent, echoing what others have said, this is easily some of the best comparison analysis on bikes that I have seen, really great stuff! I'm exploring a replacement for my current trail rig, 2018 Santa Cruz Hightower 140/130 with a fox 36 instead of a 34. I wonder if that fork could be spec'd for the Ripley and would that extra stiffness in the front end negatively affect the overall fun factor? Ripmo sounds awesome, but Northeast riding the big chunky stuff is more bike park days for my skillset than what I encounter on most ride days at my local trails.
I think you could for sure run a 36 on a Ripley. I don’t think it would compromise the fun factor at all.
Love your content, without a doubt some of the best, most well-rounded approach to reviewing bikes! You often offer comparables at the end of your videos and I missed that in this one. As a previous Ripmo V2 owner, and owner of many other bikes in the category, I had a pretty good sense of how the V2 stacked up. What would be your comparables to the new Ripmo?
Thanks! Go check out the full Ripmo V3 review to see your comparisons.
Could you buy the linkage and truly have a do it all bike? Swap between rear travel etc
The production is getting better and better. These are some of the best reviews out there!
One question which no outlet has touched yet: how does the Ripmo compare to the Hightower? It is also close to the Bronson, but i'm not a fan anymore of the defensive feel MX wheels give me.
Thanks!
I’d imagine the Hightower launch timing is why you haven’t seen much. My collarbone is on the mend and I’ve got a Hightower on the way. Stay tuned.
@@bikersedge yeah, makes sense. i thought of the Hightower 3 since that is what i know. But people probably have their eyes on 4.
wish you complete recovery! had the same a long while ago
Coming off an SB160, now on the Ripmo since July. I am now going to drop in a RS Vivid air shock. Should change its ability in the lower end of the stroke. The vivid was exceptional on the SB160. Compared to the SB160, the Ripmo climbs much quicker and leaves me less fatigued. Also beating strava climb times and I'm not really trying to. So that has been eye opening to me.
@@travelthenarrowtrail8660 the Ripmo is solid. Love it. Curious to see what effect the vivid has.
Patiently waiting for the new alloy version
@@nickpethan3083 would be cool.
Good stuff. The Ripley would be my weapon of choice between the two and I agree that having two different riding bikes in the trail category is a good thing.... any plans on adding components to your web store?
@@ThunderStruckMTB unlikely we will do components. At least not in the near future.
I’m buying the Ripmly
@@badfishgood RipLo
Great insight.. Thank you for creating the info 🙂👍
Glad it was helpful!
It almost sounds like I'm where I want to be with the AF. Ya, its the old frame, old geo, but over forked, with the cascade link, that bike is every bit as capable as some enduro bikes and still pedals pretty damn well for the category.
That said, I do really like that the new gen seems to leave room to tinker. With a custom tune you could potentially run the ripmo at 140mm, or anything in between, which was something I loved about the old gen too. Cascade links, offset bushings, short stroking... it was all on the table. Cool to see that ethos still used here.
Yeah the versatility is awesome!
@bikersedge I owned a V1 ripmo a few years ago. That bike felt very efficient and agile even on mellow trails. Has this new ripmo lost any of that in favor of more capability or does it feel similar to the V1 ?l
@@abouvet1 it’s certainly more capable and it’s a bit less sporty than before. I think the V1 sat somewhere between the current Ripley and Ripmo.
Agree. Had a V1 Ripmo and now a V5 Ripley. New Ripley climbs better and is more energetic descending. V1 probably has an advantage when things get really rough, but it’s a narrow difference. In my opinion, the version of the DW link on the new Ripley is best Ibis has used.
I think the sharing of frames is smart from trail and enduro bikes. Rocky Mountain did that w the Instinct/Altitude until this year. I know you love the new Altitude, but it seems mostly an ultra-capable race rig and less versatile than the previous gen. Ibis is going in the right direction w R&D. There were too many models and specs in the Industry to be sustainable.
I think sharing a frame can work if done right. Ibis has nailed it with this. I think they’ve done it better than Rocky with the previous gen Instinct and Altitude.
I went with the Ripley with a 150 lyric and 35mm riser bars. Only 2 rides so far, incredibly fun, but I feel like the front end seems to drift a bit in the corners. I’m wondering if I’m too high on the front end with that combo, if I should have gone with a 140 pike. Curious about your thoughts on this?
Sounds like you very well could be too tall. Can you drop and stem spacers or swap to a 20mm rise bar?
@@bikersedge Yeah i will have to try the spacers first. I'd love to hear if you ever try the ripley with a 150mm fork if you feel that same drift. Probably should have bought it with a 140 first but I do enjoy the extra travel!
@@bikersedge also how difficult is it to remove the rear volume spacer, or would I be better off taking it to a shop if I'm asking this question...?
Very easy. Just have to remove your stem move some of the spacers above it. Just get the order of operations right when you put it all back together.
Hard to agree with the "less compromised" argument when the two bikes have the same frame. That feels like the epitome of compromise.
The V4 definitely skewed more XC and the Exie stepped on its toes, but for me, that's the bike.
@@adamleininger1387 I get that but they’re definitely different enough that neither one feels compromised. They both for the application very well with enough distinction between them.
I agree 100%, one of the bikes has to be compromised. I think it's the ripley, if they would have done something better with the sizing maybe it would have worked out but I don't want a 1241mm wheelbase on my light trail bike. I could fit on the medium Ripley if it had just a little longer reach then it might work and I could probably get around the weight thing. I have 1255mm WB Enduro bike and a 1221 WB 140mm trail bike and that thing is so fun to scoot around corners. I'm sure the Ripley is a fun bike, the V4 was definitely fun, but where I live that thing would be too long for the tight trails.
Great vid. Any word on if/when AF models will be released?
@@soco4949 haven’t heard anything about that.
I have been sitting here and probably will be for the next t few months trying to figure out hd6, ripmo , or Ripley.... currently have a smuggler and would enjoy a bigger bike some days. But I don't really mind riding small bikes in the gnar. Makes me feel alive haha
Ripmo is a nice middle ground there.
Which one do you get for the rider who is not very good/experienced but wants to try to keep up with his friends on chunky trails?
@@johnalexbaker the Ripmo would probably be a good choice there.
Thanks! Also I think I might have bought a ford transit van from you some years ago?? 😂
@@johnalexbaker must have been another goofy looking dude. I’ve never had one of those.
Dude where is this riding ! Looks gorgeous
This is all over northern Utah. Mostly in the SLC and Park City areas.
I hope your recovery is going well
@@MrBig617 thanks! Already cleared to start easing back into riding.
Love your review style and appreciate the content. I'm outside the US and have somewhat limited access to brands. How do the Giant Reign and Trance fare against the Ripmo here? I'm a larger rider who enjoys climbing but current bike's suspension lets me down on the heavier local stuff especially bigger drops and rough climbs. Quite a lot of black diamond or double black stretches on the trails here, but jungle terrain means you need to be able to get through some tight rooty corners on occasion. Can probably get any of those three models, but Ibis models are a bit pricier. From what I've seen Ripmo seems to be a good balance between a capable climbing all-mountain but still happy to take on some enduro stuff when it needs to?
Hey thanks! I would have to say the Ripmo falls between the Trance X and Reign. It might be the perfect middle ground. It’s more than capable of very rough terrain. Remember suspension can usually be tuned to help on the bigger drops while maintaining decent off the top sensitivity.
Ripmo Rocks!
Love it!
If you want a happy middle between the two, just get a v1 Ripmo 😂
You're not wrong.
Take a Ripmo and put a DHF up front and a Forekaster in the rear and you have an amazing goldilocks trail bike.
Would be a great way to make it just a bit more sporty.
The v4 ripley was perfect. I feel betrayed. Ibis trying to slap shorter suspension travel on a ripmo and calling it a ripley, boo
You should demo a V5 before you pass judgement. You might be surprised.
This. So many people judging this thing on paper without having ridden it.
I'm going to hang up my hardly used MTB experience, for now. When I have more disposable $, I'll drop by Layton :)
@@EverythingisFire we’re ready when you are.
Really hard to choose between the two. Ripmo just edges out in the end for me
Same!
just make one in pond scum green and you'll help me decide
@@mogulmayhem I’m pretty good with a rattle can.
If I could have only one bike, I would pick a bike with 160mm fork and a 77* STA and 65* HTA which is essentially the new Ripmo. This type of bike has the most versatility. With light fast-rolling tires, it's a long travel Downcountry bike. With burly aggressive tires, it's a short travel Enduro bike. The new Ripley doesn't doesn't have that range of versatility. However, I would be curious what the Ripley would be like with 150mm Fox 36 or Lyrik fork (or even a 160mm fork).
I’d argue the Ripley is every bit as versatile as the Ripmo just at a different end of the trail category.
Can you dissect the term "long travel downcountry bike" for me?
@@casestudymtb hahaha. I’m with you on that one. Wouldn’t that be called a trail bike?
I certainly know what I would call it, but I am curious about the thought behind that choice.
@@casestudymtb - Buy a light-weight long-travel Trail bike
-Buy a long travel Trail bike that isn't overly long and slack. About a 77* STA and 65* HTA is about right.
-Install light-weight fast rolling Downcountry tires like Rekons or Wicked Wills.
I have 150/160mm travel Stumpy Evo Expert with Rekon tires that has ~77*/65* geo and weighs 31.5 pounds. Rolls fast, good on flat smooth trails, good on rough steep trails, not overly heavy.
Seems like you can't go wrong with either ride.
@@matth8924 true. Just different strokes for different folks.
Can’t help but think the Ripley lost its appeal for many. I’d like to know the frame weight.
It lost its appeal to a bunch of folks who’ve only read about it on forums. It’s still very much a Ripley.
@@bikersedge I’d like to demo one
@@tinshield I’d highly encourage it.
XM Ripley frame is just over 7 pounds. The out going v4s was 6.6 pounds in the equivalent size. So it’s a bit heavier, but WAY more capable. Still climbs great.
Wouldn't have to add a porkchop bag either 🥩. Don't forget to add that to the V4 frame weight.
Which one would you choose? If you only have one ☝️??
@@Cartsp70 personally I’d go Ripmo because it’s suits my style better.
Yo BE, can I you give me a Ripley
We'd be happy to, in exchange for an equivalent amount of dollars!
how can it not suffer on the climbs.... its 6 lbs heavier lol
Weight certainly isn’t everything that goes into how well a bike climbs. In fact it’s one of the smaller factors.
ibis has lost its character.... this new bike frame looks similar to YT bike
Yeah pretty similar. I think this new style looks pretty nice.
The other video had a dude looking like you.
Huh?
...such an Ibis apologist, are they paying you? Serious question. Clearly sharing frames ia a cost savings measure and people have the right to be skeptical but you have steadly tried to defend Ibis in every "negative" comment. Don't make your motives so obvious it may backfire and ruin your credibility.
Not an apologist - not paid. Just got really annoyed with people judging a bike they hadn’t ridden because some dude on some forum somewhere who’s never actually ridden it said “it’s too heavy” and everyone followed suit. If you read the comments from folks who have actually ridden it, you’ll see the sentiment is almost always positive.
Could you buy the linkage and truly have a do it all bike? Swap between rear travel etc
@@manningthomson7918 yup. You’d need the link and a shock.
EDIT: disregard this comment. The rear triangle's are identical, just the rear linkage and shock need changing to go between the Ripley and Ripmo.
You can! But just consider that to achieve that swap, you'd need to have more than just another linkage. You'll need to swap over the linkage, brake calipers, fork, a different rear shock, and the rear derailleur at minimum. If you're running a mechanical drivetrain you'll need to re-route the shift cable on the rear linkage as well as the brake cable. And finally if you plan to run a different tire combo you'll need to swap tires around.
Now of course you *could* just swap the rear triangle (and anything attached to it) and leave it at that, but then you have either too little or too much travel in the front, and possibly the wrong tire combo. Basically what I'm saying is, make sure you're okay with swapping all of this stuff around. It's not really as simple as swap a different shock and fork and send it.
I don’t think most folks are going to swap all the components. I think people are just wanting to go from 130 to 150 with a link and shock. That would be very doable without having to swap anything other than the shock and link. You could swap a fork pretty easily too if you wanted to change the front travel.
@@bikersedge Right! But if you swapped the rear linkage wouldn't that require having to flip the brake caliper and derailleur over since those are attached to the rear triangle? Same thing with the front fork and the front brake.
Not saying it's impossible, just a lot of faff to go back and forth.
Edit: (or are they using the same triangle but different linkage? Am I missing something here)
No. The rear triangles are the same - you're not swapping those. All you'd have to do is pull the shock and clevis and replace it with the other shock and clevis.