After I first heard that Ibis was releasing a brand new Ripley, I’ll admit, I had blended emotions. The Ripley v4 was one in all my favourite bikes of all time – how would Ibis enhance on close to perfection?
The reply, after all, is by updating the geometry (with a further measurement!), making it extra versatile, and including inside body storage. On paper, this looks like the usual formulation for updating any mountain bike today. However in typical Ibis style, they’ve gone above and past with the small print in order that the brand new Ripley (and Ripmo) stand out amongst the group.
STOW Inner Storage
There’s so much that’s modified on the brand new bike, however the obvious must be the addition of inside body storage. Even immediately, this characteristic is a hotly debated subject. Some love the comfort of using the house that’s already within the downtube for storing your instruments, spare tubes, jackets, snacks, and so forth. Others argue that chopping an enormous gap within the body or extra appropriately, molding round it, ends in a compromise in construct power or body weight, solely to finish up with storage that’s onerous to entry, rattle-y, and probably mildew and mildew-prone.
Ibis didn’t take this resolution flippantly and spent over a yr creating the inner storage system which was considered as a very separate mission throughout the model. Within the course of, Ibis examined all the pieces they may get their fingers on, which included visiting native bike outlets to check out different programs. This included surveying riders about what they really rode with, and even had a Google kind to submit footage of riders’ software kits.
In response to the model, their Pork Chop baggage have been a profitable various to inside body storage, however they elicited a love-it or hate-it response. The baggage additionally meant that riders on larger frames would have extra space for storing than these on smaller frames. Hoping to provide everybody equal body storage, the Ibis STOW (Snacks, Instruments, or No matter) system was born.
Beginning on the door, Ibis felt that the STOW system needed to be simple to function – even with gloves. Because of this, the door opens with a single lever that’s simple to function and has a optimistic detent making it clear when it’s latched. Calling it water resistant, the door has a number of seals to maintain water out and reduce down on noise. Observe that it isn’t water-proof, however if you happen to utterly submerge your bike, water will are available from different locations anyway.
The body opening is pretty massive, which permits easy accessibility for larger objects or the included storage baggage. Ibis needed to accomplice with a model on the luggage with related values as an organization (together with truthful labor and environmental practices), in order that they teamed up with Cotopaxi to create the Ibis STOW Roll and STOW Pouch. These are designed by Ibis, however manufactured by Cotopaxi utilizing cloth remnants for the inside which means nearly each bag is exclusive.
Extra importantly, the luggage have a number of particulars that make for a greater storage system. In testing, Ibis discovered that you might both have baggage that match so much, or baggage that have been rattle-free. They opted for the rattle-free strategy, although there’s nonetheless a very good quantity of storage within the two baggage. The black exterior of the bag is a thicker rubberized materials to guard the bag and its contents, whereas the inside cloth is a brighter coloration that can assist you see the contents of the bag. Each baggage have pull loops on both finish that can assist you take away them from the downtube, and the luggage will be organized with the intention to entry the STOW Pouch zipper with out eradicating it from the body.
At present within the STOW Roll, I’ve the brand new WTC EnCase 40cc pump with tubeless plugger, their EnCase chain software, and an 8-bit Pack Plier. Contained in the Roll you’ll discover elastic straps to carry varied instruments in place, in addition to a zippered pouch, all within the title of holding issues quiet. A velcro closure then permits you to wrap issues tightly, once more to assist stop motion and noise.
Within the STOW Pouch, I’m carrying a WTB NanoAir TPU 29er tube, which leaves me with sufficient room so as to add my automobile keys when I’ve to drive to the trailhead. Having the ability to entry the contents of the Pouch with out eradicating it from the bag makes utilizing it in your keys a lot much less of a problem.
On a latest trip, I wanted to tighten a lock-on grip, so I timed myself on how lengthy it might take to get all the pieces out, mounted, and again using. Even with out taking off my gloves and dropping a software bit on the bottom, I had all the pieces put again in underneath two minutes. As promised, the system could be very simple to make use of – and utterly silent.
On prime of that STOW System you’ll discover a regular water bottle cage mount with sufficient room to suit a full measurement 26oz Purist bottle on all sizes besides the small, which is able to match a 22oz bottle.
Dimension Particular Every thing
A number of manufacturers have touted the advantages of size-specific design, however Ibis takes it to the subsequent degree. Not solely do the frames have size-specific tubing sizes, seat tube angles and chainstay lengths, however even the underside bracket heights are totally different, with larger sizes having larger BBs to forestall crank strikes by bigger riders who sometimes run longer cranks (and have longer wheelbases which decreases breakover angle). Completely different backside bracket heights additionally imply adjustments to the middle of gravity used for calculating suspension kinematics, so every measurement additionally has its personal size-specific kinematics as effectively.
On the subject of body sizing, Ibis has added a brand new measurement referred to as “Additional-Medium.” Sitting squarely between Medium and Giant, the brand new XM measurement ought to be a preferred measurement for riders who discover themselves in the course of the sizing bell curve.
By way of geometry, the Ripley v5 is an effective deal slacker up entrance than v4, with a 64.9º head tube angle (similar because the outgoing Ripmo v2). In actual fact, a whole lot of the geometry is similar to the Ripmo v2 with the medium now operating a 76.9º seat tube angle, and the attain has bumped up 10mm within the medium measurement to 460mm. Although the attain is longer, I discovered that the medium with a 35mm stem felt too brief. After bumping as much as a 50mm stem, I’m proud of the match.
MX Wheel Flip Chip
For the Ripley, all sizes will ship with 29″ wheels. Nonetheless, if you wish to run an MX or mixed-wheel setup in your Ripley, it has a flip chip to take action. This chip solely adjustments the rear wheel peak – it doesn’t have an effect on geometry or suspension.
Change Your Ripley right into a Ripmo & Vice Versa
Need much more versatility? Swap out the inventory elements for a 160mm fork, metric 230 x 60 shock, and the fitting shock clevis & shock eyelet {hardware}, and your Ripley is now a Ripmo. The identical is feasible with the Ripmo to show it right into a Ripley. Because the two bikes share the identical entrance and rear triangles and nearly all of the suspension {hardware}, it’s easy-ish to provide your Ripley some longer legs when touring to a vacation spot that requires it.
Nonetheless, observe that the Ripley now has barely longer journey to start with, now that includes 130mm of dw-link rear journey. That’s paired with a 140mm journey suspension fork which places the bike additional into the ‘Path’ class. The Ripley nonetheless ships with a Fox 34 fork chassis to maintain issues gentle, and a Fox Float DPS EVOL rear shock. Because of the brand new mini clevis with bearings on the higher hyperlink, the body is now coil shock suitable as effectively. Igus bushing are nonetheless used for the decrease hyperlink.
Extra Body Particulars
Tire clearance is capped at 2.5″ in each 29 and 27.5″ wheel sizes (inventory bikes include 29 x 2.4″ WT), which is achieved with Increase 148mm spacing and a regular 73mm threaded backside bracket (with an ISCG05 adapter accessible). The frames are constructed round a 55mm chainline and have a UDH rear hanger to make them Transmission-compatible.
An enormous change for the brand new frames is the transfer to a 34.9mm seat put up which ought to permit for extra sturdy droppers. There’s additionally a whole lot of room for these droppers, with inventory bikes delivery with 125, 160, 185, and 213mm posts for S, M, XM, and L+XL respectively.
Moreover, the body positive aspects burly molded rubber swing arm protectors, a downtube/BB guard, and an higher shuttle guard. There’s additionally a small little flap to maintain crud out of the decrease suspension hyperlink. A nod to the elevated potential of the brand new bike, there’s a 220mm most rotor measurement, with a 180mm rear put up mount brake commonplace.
Precise Weight
Body weights are claimed to be round 7.3lbs for the Ripley, with full builds coming in round 29lbs. Our medium pattern with an XT construct package and the Ibis i9 Carbon wheels got here in proper at 29.48lbs with sealant within the tires, a carbon bottle cage, and no pedals. That’s undoubtedly a bit heavier than the outgoing Ripley v4, however gentle sufficient for a extra succesful bike.
Colours, Builds & Pricing
Provided in both Inexperienced Flash or Blue Hour, the Ripley shall be provided in full builds beginning at $4,999 or as a body solely. Three Shimano builds shall be provided, together with two SRAM Eagle Transmission builds. The Ibis x i9 Carbon wheelset as examined provides one other $1,400.
First Impressions
I wasn’t certain about altering the Ripley at first, however after a day dialing it in, it’s clear that Ibis has completed their homework. I really feel that it’s essential although to level out that that is undoubtedly a special bike. Ripley v5 is a new-school path bike with a slacker head tube angle, steeper seat tube angle, and longer attain that’s extra playful and succesful out on the path. Now that Ibis gives the Exie for the XC crowd (and those who want a steeper head tube angle), it appears apparent that Ibis would bulk up the Ripley.
I at all times liked how the Ripley v4 dealt with old-school XC trails, however after using the v5 on those self same trails, I discovered myself having extra enjoyable with just a few changes. The slacker entrance finish and longer attain means placing extra weight over the entrance finish to rail corners, and slightly than choosing your method by means of roots and rocks, the v5 urges you to simply leap over them. But the v5 is such an environment friendly pedaler that the ‘agency’ setting on the Fox Float shock is pointless for something aside from pavement. Up to now, I’ve spent most of my time using the bike within the Open-2 setting which continues to be very environment friendly and managed on root-filled trails.
I feel at one level I used to be evaluating the v4 to a different bike and said that the Ripley v4 wouldn’t be my first option to take to areas with extra aggressive terrain because it simply felt a contact brief on journey and geo – the v5 completely adjustments that. Particularly when you think about that you could flip it right into a Ripmo with the fitting elements.
That’s earlier than we even get to the STOW system. Nonetheless a holdout on inside body storage? As soon as you employ the storage system on the brand new Ripley, there’s no going again. Ibis appears to have addressed all the problems related to inside storage: the door is tremendous simple to open and shut, the STOW baggage preserve all the pieces protected and rattle-free, and enough sealing retains the internals dry. Having the ability to preserve all of the necessities you want in your downtube so the bike is able to go at a second’s discover will change the way you prep for rides, and what you are feeling it is advisable to carry in your again or in your pockets.
I’ve only a few weeks on the Ripley v5, and whereas it’s an enormous departure from the earlier mannequin, it’s full of options that make it a simple candidate for Bike of the 12 months. Time will inform.
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