The updated Ibis Ripley 29er trail bike is a truly fun and capable descender, yet climbs just as well. This ground-up refresh features updated geometry, a new linkage design, and a lighter frame. We got a chance to test the new bike in Santa Cruz earlier this month.
Sam rides his mountain bike on rad trails in Sydney, Australia; Christchurch, New Zealand; and Squamish, BC in the span of just one week.
Riding gravel roads promises less traffic and you get to geek on different bike gear. Plus, all of the usual benefits of cycling are sprinkled on top of a lovely gravel cupcake.
The Oakley DRT5 is a brand new mountain bike helmet and is packed with thoughtful features like a sweat guard and sunglasses clip.
Any group looking to develop mountain biking -- whether it's at the local or national level, for tourism, industry, or athletic development -- can learn from what DMBinS has accomplished so far.
The Drop is a new mountain bike apparel brand based out of North Carolina that was built by two brothers, Jon and Josh Bomba
First impressions of the Orbea Rallon enduro bike, which will see a long-term review.
A mountain biking pack that keeps water cold and looks great. We check out the first-ever hydration pack from Hydro Flask.
Colorado-based non-profit Sacred Cycle is working with survivors of sexual trauma, and part of their therapy methods include taking clients mountain biking.
Garmin adds a host of mountain bike specific features to their latest GPS units, and even offers a mountain bike bundle with optional accessories.
These are five of the best beginner mountain bike trails in the Phoenix area.
The Patagonia Nine Trails 8L Waist Pack includes a hydration bladder and room for two bottles for all-day MTB shreds.
The GT Force Expert is an all-mountain bike that is eager to pop off whatever you point it at. With 27.5" wheels and 150mm of rear travel, this all-carbon, aggressive trail bike retails for $4,000.
We check out a Singletracks reader's customized bike. This Scott Contessa is decked out in pink and ready to race.
Pietra Ligure: Come for the beach, and stay for the mountain bike trails! Plus, an epic report from a surprisingly snowy enduro race.
We check out Pearl iZUMi's 2019 mountain bike line up, including rain jackets, bib liners, shorts, and jerseys.
Riders know the obvious dangers of mountain biking, but the woods harbor insects that carry all kinds of diseases. One bite from the lone star tick can cause the victim to develop an allergy to meat.
Matt takes a brief test ride on the Santa Cruz Megatower on the singletrack mountain bike trails just outside Santa Cruz headquarters.
Sea Otter recap: The mountain bikes we tested, the new and wacky products we found, and what Sea Otter means for mountain bike culture.
Jill Kintner shares her outlook on how mountain bike races are won, gives cornering tips, and dishes on her favorite places to ride.
The Axis hip pack from Mission Workshop is a simple, sturdy pack designed to carry just the right amount of trail gear.
The first two races of the 2019 NAES series visit Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and Revelstoke, Canada, leaving all of the celebratory duties to the final event at Snow Summit, California.
This was the weirdest looking new product at Sea Otter. We had to take it for a ride to see what this front end linkage mountain bike is all about.
Brands like Rotor and e*thirteen are finding new and innovative ways to add more range to one-by mountain bike drivetrains.
A stand up mountain bike, full suspension gravel bike, vintage telescoping fork, race day tire sealant, and more from Sea Otter 2019. Or maybe it's 3019?
Remot Bikes are igniting their brand new fire with a carbon trail bike for under $4,000 that looks ready to party.
CushCore has new product with wider applications, and some science they say backs up their claims.
The Raleigh Tokul 3 hardtail mountain bike ticks most of the right boxes on the spec chart and looks great too.
The MRP Ramp Control PRO gives riders even more adjustability than the MRP Ramp Control. We also check out the new Raven mountain bike fork.
We round up 6 notable and interesting hardtail mountain bikes from Sea Otter 2019, ranging from steel to carbon and titanium. Every one of them sports at least 120mm of front travel.
A few new items around Sea Otter including shoes with impact-resistant soles, waterless bike wash, and lights by Knog.
Giant launches a brand new flat pedal mountain bike shoe, the Shuttle Flat. Here's what we know so far after wearing them for a couple days.
Go big or small on your mountain bike rides with these bags from Ortlieb and Evoc.
Walmart's Viathon M.1 mountain bike is a racy, XC bike being marketed as fun, comfortable, and practical which begs a few questions.
US distributor Cycle Monkey brings German Brands Nicolai and Tout Terrain to the states with Gates Carbon Drive and Pinion gear boxes.
In this episode of the Singletracks podcast we talk about what enduro is, and why it matters to the sport of mountain biking. From athletes and races to bikes and gear, enduro is a reflection of how many of us approach riding.
This multi-sport GPS watch has a ton of features, but it misses the mark in a couple key areas.
We test out Patagonia's 2019 mountain bike line which includes the Dirt Roamer short, Nine Trails jersey, and Endless Ride bib liner.
Hutchison's pro mountain bikers asked for a faster gravity tire, and worked alongside company engineers to create just that.
The Urge Archi-Enduro RR full face mountain bike helmet was designed by the most qualified enduro experts in the business.
Oak trees are native to six of the seven continents on earth, so chances are you have mountain biked among them. Learn more about this magnificent tree species.
Updated Norco Revolver XC bike comes with 100mm or 120mm of rear travel. Plus, there are new forks from Cane Creek and Marzocchi, moto-inspired MTB rims from Zipp, and tall tires for wet and loose conditions from WTB.
The Vee Flow Snap is an enduro mountain bike tire from the Thai company. It's a little on the heavy side, but seems to be a great aggressive trail tire.
The Mountainsmith Cycle Cube is a bike-specific duffel bag meant to manage lots of awkward and stinky bike gear.
Deborah Meghen and Niall Davie talk about the development of new mountain bike trails all over Ireland.
The Bluegrass Eagle Armour Lite D3O is a lightweight and simple vented spine protector.
A San Diego mountain biker finds a barbed wire trail trap and a rider in Colorado leaves the scene of another trap with several broken bones.
There's a lot of hype about the new WaveCel structure in new Bontrager helmets. Competitor responses came just as quickly, and it's hard to recognize who's right in the end.
5
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/LM-IBIS-Ripley-0363.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-261142"/><figcaption>Photo: Ibis</figcaption></figure>
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<p>The fourth generation Ibis Ripley trail bike drops today, and it's a big update. The bike has been completely re-designed from the ground up, including a new linkage design, a stiffer and more progressive ride, and updated geometry.</p>
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<p>If the linkage on the fourth-generation Ripley looks familiar, that's because it's similar to the lower link configuration Ibis <a href="https://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/ibis-launches-new-long-travel-29er-ibis-ripmo/">developed for the Ripmo</a>. Previously, the Ripley made use of a double eccentric design which complicated the seat tube and left little room in the front triangle for a water bottle. The upshot is this design shift allows Ibis to spec longer dropper posts, with at least a 125mm post on size small frames and up to 185mm posts on the medium through XL frames.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-gallery columns-2 is-cropped"><ul class="blocks-gallery-grid"><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img src="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/LM-IBIS-Ripley-0161-1170x780.jpg" alt="" data-id="261146" data-full-url="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/LM-IBIS-Ripley-0161.jpg" data-link="https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-reviews/review-the-updated-and-refined-ibis-ripley-29er-trail-bike-is-lighter-even-more-capable/attachment/lm-ibis-ripley-0161/" class="wp-image-261146"/></figure></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img src="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/LM-IBIS-Ripley-0123-1170x780.jpg" alt="" data-id="261140" data-full-url="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/LM-IBIS-Ripley-0123.jpg" data-link="https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-reviews/review-the-updated-and-refined-ibis-ripley-29er-trail-bike-is-lighter-even-more-capable/attachment/lm-ibis-ripley-0123/" class="wp-image-261140"/></figure></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img src="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/LM-IBIS-Ripley-0198-1170x780.jpg" alt="" data-id="261145" data-full-url="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/LM-IBIS-Ripley-0198.jpg" data-link="https://www.singletracks.com/mtb-reviews/review-the-updated-and-refined-ibis-ripley-29er-trail-bike-is-lighter-even-more-capable/attachment/lm-ibis-ripley-0198/" class="wp-image-261145"/></figure></li></ul><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption">Photos: Ibis</figcaption></figure>
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<p>Of course, there's more to the new linkage design than just moving parts around. Ibis claims the updated dw-link suspension setup and shock tune is more progressive than the previous Ripley, giving riders good small bump compliance alongside support for big hits. The updated Ripley frame is said to be stiffer, while dropping about 0.65lbs. compared to V3. The Ripley still offers 120mm of rear suspension travel paired with a 130mm fork up front.</p>
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<p>Mountain bike geometry continues to progress, and Ibis is using this refresh to make some tweaks. The head tube angle drops another degree to 66.5° while the seat tube angle straightens three whole degrees to 76°. Just a couple years ago a 76° seat tube angle would have seemed a ridiculous choice, and to be sure, it's pushing the edges of today's standards. However, don't be surprised to see other mountain bikes follow suit shortly since a steeper seat angle tends to clean up the climbing characteristics of increasingly slack bikes.</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.singletracks.com/bike-reviews/29er-bikes/Ibis-Ripley_7554">The Ripley</a> V4 gets longer too, with Ibis adding an average of 45mm to the reach across all sizes. Chainstays were shortened by about 12mm to 432mm while maintaining clearance for 29er tires up to 2.6" wide.</p>
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<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone size-large wp-image-261141"><img src="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/LM-IBIS-Ripley-0459-1170x780.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-261141"/><figcaption>Photo: Ibis</figcaption></figure>
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<p>Inside the frame, Ibis added cable tunnels to make brake hose and derailleur cable routing simple. The frame features a threaded bottom bracket interface and uses IGUS bushings which are low maintenance, lightweight, and stiffer than the traditional bushings used in the Ripley V3. In yet another shift, the updated Ripley is not designed to accommodate a 2X drivetrain.</p>
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<p>The Ripley will be offered in a number of <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&merchant_id=b5770911-39dc-46ac-ba0f-b49dbb30c5c7&website_id=ffd7576c-69cb-4eab-bd7f-509633611075&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.backcountry.com%2FStore%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.jsp%3Fq%3Dibis%2520ripley%26p%3Dcategory%253A1.bcs.Bike%26s%3Da">build kits ranging in price from $4,099 up to $9,399</a>. There is also a frame-only option priced at $2,999.</p>
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<h2>On the trail</h2>
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<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone size-large wp-image-261150"><img src="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Ibis-Ripley_-19-1170x780.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-261150"/><figcaption>Photo: Saris Mercanti</figcaption></figure>
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<p>Mountain bikers ask a lot of trail bikes. Essentially, a trail bike needs to be as good at climbing as it is at descending -- and those are two very different things. Based on my time with the new Ibis Ripley, I would say this is one of the most balanced trail bikes on the market today that truly goes up and down well. Let's start with descending since that's more fun.</p>
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<h3>Descending</h3>
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<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone wp-image-261148 size-large"><img src="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Ibis-Ripley_-50-1170x780.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-261148"/><figcaption>Photo: Saris Mercanti</figcaption></figure>
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<p>I'm a big fan of progressive suspension that offers supple, small-bump compliance yet can ramp to soak up big, and often unexpected, hits. The Ibis Ripley rides extremely smoothly, even on flat, pedally sections rippled with small roots and rocks. Getting up to speed, the bike continues to responsively track through irregular and chunky sections, thanks in large part to the Fox Factory suspension on the build I tested.</p>
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<p>The updated geometry on the Ripley is truly confidence-inspiring for riding on sight down steep, natural trails. The relaxed head tube angle pushes weight toward the back of the bike and steering feels great. The long dropper post -- a 185mm Bike Yoke Revive on my XL bike -- deserves a lot of credit in the confidence department. Kudos to Ibis for giving riders access to longer dropper posts through their seat tube design changes.</p>
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<div class="wp-block-image size-large wp-image-261151"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Ibis-Ripley_-13-780x1170.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-261151"/><figcaption>Photo: Saris Mercanti</figcaption></figure></div>
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<p>Some newer trail bikes tend to feel especially long, best suited to straight, high speed bombs down the mountain. While the Ripley is certainly stable at speed, I was struck by how nimble the bike feels in corners and tighter, more technical sections. This is thanks, no doubt, to the shorter chainstays.</p>
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<h3>Climbing</h3>
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<p>Historically speaking, 66.5° is a pretty slack head angle for a trail bike, but <a href="https://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-gear/how-trail-bike-geometry-has-changed-over-the-last-2-seasons/">it's not unusual today</a>. Slack head angles are great for descending, but the tradeoff is that the front end tends to wander a little on the climbs as the rider's weight is shifted toward the back of the bike. Manufacturers like Ibis compensate for this with a steeper seat tube angle, and based on the shorter climbs I made on the Ripley V4, it works. The front end is still a tad wandery, but it's less pronounced than many full suspension trail bikes that I've ridden.</p>
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<p>Perhaps more importantly to some riders, myself included, the Ibis Ripley is even lighter than before, and this is definitely noticeable when the bike is pointed uphill. There's something about a lightweight bike that feels freeing (and fast!), and I truly enjoyed sprinting up short, steep sections and even settling in for extended climbs. None of it felt overly taxing or burdensome.</p>
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<div class="wp-block-image size-large wp-image-261147"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://images.singletracks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Ibis-Ripley_-1170x780.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-261147"/><figcaption>Photo: Saris Mercanti</figcaption></figure></div>
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<p>Ibis uses a dw-link suspension setup which is tried and true when it comes to pedaling performance. The latest tune feels very efficient with little noticeable pedal bob, even with the shock in fully open mode throughout the ride.</p>
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<h2>Bottom line</h2>
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<p>Ibis has delivered a balanced and high-performance trail bike with the updated Ripley. This bike is capable and fun as hell on the descents, yet in a refreshing twist, is fun to climb on as well.</p>
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<p class="has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background">⭐️Find the Ibis Ripley, complete bikes starting at $4199, <a href="https://snp.link/4f487903">available at Competitive Cyclist</a></p>
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