Mr. Razo


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  • in reply to: Too much travel for these trails? Ripmo AF #304038

    I have owned a Ripmo for about 6 months and have lived in the DFW area in the past, so I think I can add a useful perspective.  My Ripmo is the carbon, but I think the AF is very similar in geometry, so my points should be pretty relevant.  I currently live in Boise Idaho, which has an abundance of smoother trails, but we travel a lot, and I’ve had a chance to ride my Ripmo in Whistler, Bellingham, and southern Arizona, so I have taken it on a wide variety of terrain in a short six months.

    I would start by saying that I love my Ripmo, and feel it is one of the best bikes out there for almost any trail.  It is not a featherweight, so I wouldn’t pick it for cross country racing, but it pedals very well and doesn’t seem cumbersome even on big days or long climbs.  I’m a pretty good climber, so I don’t worry too much about weight, but the steep seat tube angle makes going uphill very doable and the bike tracks very well even in steep or rough terrain. On the decent it is a very confidence inspiring bike taking on hard steep black trails in the PNW and Arizona without complaint.  It’s stable at speed, but is also reasonably nimble and playful on tighter terrain.

    I can understand your reluctance to plunk down your cash on a bike that you haven’t ridden.  I was able to demo both the Ripley and Ripmo on local trails here in Boise, but it sounds like that may not be possible for you.  Cycle Progression in Austin demos Ripmos, so that might be an option.  I am 5’9″  with longer legs, and chose a medium.  I could have ridden a large, but wanted a more nimble feel than a sled, but I think I would have adjusted to either.

    To finish, I rode both the Ripmo and Ripley.  For trails like Grapevine, rocky trails in NM and CO, Palo Duro Canyon, and the bigger features in Bentonville, I think the Ripmo is worth the extra weight.  I didn’t so much need the travel, but the bigger fork, shock, and brakes seemed to make the Ripmo more capable.  There are so many great bikes out now that you certainly have options, but I can attest that the Ripmo does well in virtually any terrain.

    I have one of the first XO1 Pony Rustlers and have been very happy with it.  The Split Pivot provides a cushy ride, but maintains an efficient platform for pedaling.  The geometry seems like a good compromise between efficient climbing and confident descending.  The plus tires are a tradeoff.  Good for bombing or crawling up loose terrain, but heavier and less precise than standard 29ers.  A friend has the Specialized.  Seems like a pretty similar bike, so two good choices.  I would certainly invest in a dropper if I were getting the Salsa and of course set it up tubeless.

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