Ibis Mojo3 vs Ripley LS or other cause to post regarding tire width

[Ron]

So in my evolution of thought and learning that I have to wait another 4-5 weeks before I am permitted to ride a bike outside on flat terrain I started plowing through tons of articles about tire width geometry and bike reviews. (BTW- i will wait and demo a true fat bike this winter /fall to see if I really want one)

I found this article very interesting as it includes comments from bike manufacturers as well as tire folks.

http://reviews.mtbr.com/a-new-tire-size-is-coming-and-it-doesnt-suck

So if anyone cares to chime in on opinions:

Statement:
to identify 2-3 bikes to demo for Steamboat riding. Lots of sustained climbs on mostly on flowy heavily switchbacked trails. Some sections of rocky rooted stuff (but not a ton) Fairly steep descents during mid-summer with loose, moon dust and/ or small pea gravel.

Bikes I like: Ibis mojo3 and Ripley LS as well as the trek Fuel 9.9- so i guess i'm leaning towards a 9'r
Ripley LS with XO Eagle build, Ibis Carbon 942 I9's wheel, and Some how I am drawn to the piss yellow frame.
https://www.ibiscycles.com/bikes/ripley_ls/

Mojo3
XO werx build, Ibis carbon wheelset
https://www.ibiscycles.com/bikes/mojo_3/

Trek Fuel EX 9.9 ( i really dont want a dt swiss 36t hub though; although i could get them relaced )
https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...x-9-9-29/p/2146600-2017/?colorCode=black_grey


Why? Overall Geo and purpose in build. I'm not sure if the 27.5+ running 2.6-2.8's or 9'r running 2.4-2.6' is the ticket.

Other Mtn Bike I own: 9'r Cdale HT.

 

[Ron]

gratuitous video

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I sure like the looks of the Mojo3. If you are looking for other options, maybe en Evil https://www.evil-bikes.com/products/following

or a YT https://us.yt-industries.com/detail/index/sArticle/1265/sCategory/511

 

[Ron]

@epic funny you mentioned both of those.... Excellent picks. I only didnt list because I wasn't really sure where I could buy them. The YT seems to be getting rave, "bike of the century" reviews. Again, not sure where to buy and even laying eyes on a YT seems improbable but I would love to. If you do know, please let me know. I just sold my Trance this weekend. I was torn but I wont be able to ride that until maybe oct and thats the end of the season here. I sold it to my PT who really needs a bike and I figured I would like to get a new one anyway.

Any thoughts on the Ripley LS? That bike with 2.6's could be really sweet.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I don't have an opinion on the Ripley. I've never ridden one or a relative of it. It's probably really, really good though.

 

[Ron]

been looking at the evil. very impressive! also transition Scout carbon

 

[Josh Matta]

been looking at the evil. very impressive! also transition Scout carbon

so I have rode the Scout.....its a really good bike, but compared to some of the short travel 29er that are very similar in all number besides the wheelsize.... I would take the short travel Progressive geo 29er every time over the scout. As an regretful owner of a 27.5 Trance SX(which again is a good bike, just not a 29er..) I see very little advantage of the smaller wheel over the bigger wheel. For the Majority of my riding a short travel with good Geo 29er would be better. If I got say a Canfield Bro Riot(140mm travel 29er with short stays, long front center) I doubt I would ever want more bike for something I was willing to pedal to.

Sadly I have never rode the Evil, or Ibis Ripely. I do have to see 2k for a carbon frame is quite impressive from Evil....but I can buy a used Process 111 for the cost of an evil frame......

long story short I see no reason to get 27.5 bike, especially now that the Geo can be so good on a 29er with 4-6 inches of rear travel, even for a shorter guy like myself, and your much taller than me.

 

[Josh Matta]

https://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-US/hightower considering you keep flip flopping on wheel size and it seems you would not be happy in your frame was made out of crabon fibre, do you have anything against this guy?

https://www.santacruzbicycles.com/en-US/hightower

29 or 27+ wheel. Good geo, carbon, I say why not..

 

[Ron]

Lol. Wait, you think I don't like carbon?? No, I only want carbon. . No flip flopping. I just need to ride them. I am still heavily leaning towards a 29'r for sure and Just talk to my lbs boys today and the shop consensus is trek fuel ex9.9 29'r. They absolutely love what bike. Coincidently a guy came in to the shop with his 9.9 who is.a serious rider (rides Leadville) and 6 hour ride yesterday. Loves the trek. Suspension works beautifully. Pretty sure he was trek sponsored as the bike was pure stock down to the 2.3's. They sit nicely int he Dt Swiss 1200 carbons ( I wish they didn't use the Dt 350 internal s). But otherwise, that's a sweet bike. I also saw the mojo3 which is also pretty sweet but I really think the 9'r is the way to go. They had one Ripley LS but it sold. More coming in. That bike will take a 2.6 which on wide internal width rims would be plenty big. Even the 2.35 sat up large : compared to the 2.35's on 25mm internals.

They also started selling Transitions so I will look into those but

 

[Ron]

So here';s the geo's of the Ripley LS and Trek Fuel 99 29
WITH 130MM FORK (537MM AXLE TO CROWN)


Ripley https://www.ibiscycles.com/bikes/ripley_ls/ 120 rear/ 130 fork
Large
Seattube 470 (18.5")
Toptube 619 (24.4")
Headtube 102
Chainstay 17.5
Seat Angle 73°
Head Angle 67.5°
Wheelbase 1187
Stack 632
Reach 448
Trail 97


trek ALL HIGH POSITION https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...x-9-9-29/p/2146600-2017/?colorCode=black_grey

130 rear/ 130 fork

Frame size 19.5
Seat Tube 74.7
Head angle 67.7
Effective top tube 24.9"
Bottom bracket height 13.25"
Chainstay length 17"
Wheelbase 1188
stack 60.3
reach 46.5
Trail 99

On paper, the trek is a better bike. Need to see how it stacks up on the dirt

 

[Tony S]

Due for a new bike. I spent a couple hours on a Pivot Mach 429 Trail yesterday. Became clear quickly that the size Medium - all they had - was too big. Tried to factor that out in my head. Still was not in love as I'd hoped to be. Just didn't think the suspension was compliant by 2017 standards. Wendy's 27.5 Yeti SB5blew it away, imho. Then rode for ten minutes on an Intense Primer and absolutely loved it. Among other things, the Pike on that felt much better than the Fox 34 Factory on the Pivot even with zero tweaking.

 

[Tom K.]

Trek helps support my endurance racing addiction in a modest, but much appreciated, way. With that out of the way, my thoughts:

You can't go wrong with the FEX 9.9 or Ripley. The DW Link on the Ripley is a great suspension system. The Reaktiv shock on the Trek does the same thing with a much less complex suspension design. I've never had more than a short-lived peep from my 2015 9.8 or 2016 9.9 in three full seasons. Friends with Ripleys and (even more so) Pivots are often chasing creaks/groans. In years previous, I raced a DW Link Turner Czar for two seasons, and NEVER quit chasing problems and sounds from the main lower pivot. There is a lot of torque being fed through those mini-links on the DW and VPP bikes.

The Ripley also runs a bit small, and has -- to me -- an unacceptably low BB at 13 inches flat. The new FEX is sitting at my bare minumum of 13.25, but I definitely DO like a bike I can pedal through chunk.

The FEX is a BRICK in terms of lateral stiffness. The Ripley is adequate, and the new version should be a bit more so.

Don't worry about 36t DT ratchet hubs. The new FEX 9.9s come with 54t star ratchets.

Have fun, and let us know how the test rides go!

 

[Ron]

@Tom K. - thanks for such great info! great details. the FEX has some real advantages, at least 1-2 pounds and a shorter CS by almost .5". I think the Ripley Ibis wheel set is better, 35mm internals with I9 hubs 6 pawls @3* engagement vs the DT Swiss 24mm internal with the 36t 10* engagement. @Tom K. the Trek page and Dt Swiss specs show the XMC1200 as such. Do you have info otherwise? The DT's are almost a pound lighter though. I think the trek will take a 2.4, the Rilpy LS will take a 2.6. with the Ibis wheels, those 2.6's will be huge.

i won't be able to properly demo for some time but this does help me mentally survive but all seriousness, around here if I am going to order a bike it could end up taking quite a while to actually get the bike. Only one shop in town really runs a decent demo fleet the others actually just expect you to order in your bike or buy form what they stock which is very limited.

I would love to hear from anyone who has even seen a YT Jeffsey carbon. BTW- they are taking online orders for delivery "as early as" October

Another bike for the demo list which i can demo is the Yeti Sb5+ not sure if "I want" a 150 front.


BTW- pretty cool FEX 9.9 review from TGR

<iframe src='https://www.tetongravity.com/video/embed/BmMWUxNTE6oJHrlC1nPSmBV4gxjcaedR' allowfullscreen frameborder=0></iframe>

 

[Ron]

FWIW- EVIL Direct sales have the Following on sale for 6,099. thats with xo eagle and Guide brakes, monarch shock and Pike fork but has paired that with a $400 aluminum wheel set WTF??? I am guessing they are ready to roll out the 2018's very shortly. I am guessing the big change will be that the 2018 9'r trail bikes will go to a wider rear allowing 2.6's and hopefully, we'll see better choices for wheel sets with updated internal widths. (I won't hold out any hope for improved hub offerings; even the Enve's offered by Santa Cruz and Yeti are using the DT 350's)

https://www.evil-bikes.com/products/following?variant=16634670854

 

[Tom K.]

@Tom K. - thanks for such great info! great details....vs the DT Swiss 24mm internal with the 36t 10* engagement. @Tom K. the Trek page and Dt Swiss specs show the XMC1200 as such. Do you have info otherwise? I think the trek will take a 2.4, the Rilpy LS will take a 2.6. with the Ibis wheels, those 2.6's will be huge.

Another bike for the demo list which i can demo is the Yeti Sb5+ not sure if "I want" a 150 front.

You're welcome. I love bike geekery.

If you're a ways out from purchase, you might consider waiting for the 2018 FEX. I strongly suspect it will be outfitted with Bontrager's new 29 mm internal Line XXX carbon wheels (made in WI, I believe) which have the 54t DT Swiss star ratchets:

Line XXX: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/c/bontrager-line-xxx-boost-tlr-29/p/14875/?colorCode=black_red

I race on the XMC1200s that came stock on my 2016 FEX 9.9. They are crazy fast. Narrower than the current trend (26 mm inner?) but I'm not honestly sure I could pass the blindfold test between those and my 29 mm carbon "training" wheels. FWIW, mine came with 54t star ratchets (Bontrager actually had exclusive use of these for a year, which is why they didn't initially show anything but 36t on DT's website).

The SB5+ is a chunk-slaying monster truck, more comparable to Trek's new Slash enduro race machine. Both amazing bikes, but not very good candidates for all around trail riders looking for that One Bike. The FEX and Ripley are great One Bike candidates, but I went over the bars one too many times due to pedal strikes the year I raced a Specialized Epic with it's ridiculously low BB and "trap door" suspension. 13.25 is my personal limit for BBs!

 

[Ron]

@Tom K. i tired to give you 3 "likes"

many thanks, yes, I would wait for the 2018 no doubt. And, yes, I think Scott (@dawgcatching ) was telling about those new wheels. you are right, there's not enough difference in the two to sway me away from buying the FEX. its my #1 choice at this point.

this bike will be the alter -ego to the Cdale FSi ht

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I would love to hear from anyone who has even seen a YT Jeffsey carbon. BTW- they are taking online orders for delivery "as early as" October

Mike and I both rode the Jeffsy carbon 29er on Friday https://forum.pugski.com/threads/yt-demo-day.4983/

Looks like there is a demo "close" to you on June 23-25 at Aspen/Snowmass. These guys are gonna be driving their asses off, from NM to VT, back to CO in just two weeks. Maybe next year they can run an East Coast and a Western demo fleet.

 

[Mike Thomas]

I've ridden the YT Jeffsy carbon, so has Epic. They are pretty great. I really liked how efficient they felt, he thought small bump compliance was mediocre... potaTOE/ poTAHto. In the past I was not a fan of horst link bikes, but I really liked the Jeffsy. It really didn't bob when standing and climbing, no need for a climb mode, IMO.

 

[Tom K.]

@Tom K. This bike will be the alter -ego to the Cdale FSi ht

Perfect two-bike quiver!

MIne goes Superfly HT, FEX, Remedy 29er.

There may be a Procaliber HT in my future, as the Superfly is over 10 years old (3x9 triple, no less!).

 

[Ron]

I have officially changed the title to Ripley LS Vs Trek 9.9..