Yay, the review we've been waiting for!

I’ve been on a Gen 1 I Ripley for over 5 years. It has been an incredibly versatile bike. I’ve raced it as a 23lb XC bike, and now it’s a 29lb pseudo Ripmo with -1.5deg headset cups and chunky Enduro tires. I really like what Ibis has done with this update. Based on where I’ve built my Ripley, I have my eye on the Ripmo as my next bike. Although I haven’t had any issues with my eccentric cups, I think the Ripmo style link is a win. Lighter, stiffer, and simpler. The XC build is unquestionably more fun on most trails in my area, which are steep, technical and flowing. This new geometry in an XC build would make an awesome do it all bike that’s capable, playful and very fast downhill except for super chunky trails, while retaining superb climbing abilities. The weak link I have found in an Ripley XC build is the durability of wheels and tires. If you fix this by installing more durable wheels and tires you lose a lot of climbing capability and playfulness-it’s no longer as fun. It becomes a short travel Enduro rig. Finding the optimal wheel-set/tire combo is the key to the optimal Ripley build. Those new Zipp Moto wheels with a medium casing, medium compound fast rolling set of tires might be the killer setup.

@lrvz7187

5 жыл бұрын

That's what I was thinking, this bike being so versatile, and capable on more than flow trails you end doing things that your wheels ain't gonna like

The Ripley Rips. Demoed this bike and was blown away. Amazing climber in open. Long reach (that felt great). Confidence inspiring on downhill. Just loved it. I demoed 16 bikes in 2 weeks (for $105 total - many free - see how on my channel), and the Ripley was my favorite. You've got to demo this thing.

@blambmtb6189

5 жыл бұрын

Was it a good all day peddler? For flat xc type trails

Nice! Concise and precise review.

Bikemag, your bible of bikes is some of the best informative content on KZread. Thanks. I watch all of these regardless of my interest in the bike. Cheers guys.

@dgsams

5 жыл бұрын

Same here and I totally agree!!

My dillema is between the Ripley and Ripmo. I currently ride a V1 Ripley. I'm siding with the Ripley, however, I like the stability of the Ripmo. As I get older ( 48 now), I could probably use the extra stability on descents. But I wish the Ripmo was a bit more stable. I plan to demo the V4 Ripley soon and will figure it out.

In Canada,Intense offers the direct to consumer price yet they sell via our verion of REI called MEC. I bought the Sniper Trail Pro and they built it up ,gave me the free kit including torque wrench and shock pump plus I get 2 years of service which included 2 shock/fork rebuilds! Pretty good deal. The bike is awesome but not having fun with the extremely finicky Eagle shifting.

Hey Bike Mag, thanks for the review!! For those of us in New England who ride a lot of tight twisty rocky rooty trails, how is the slow speed handling on this?

How would it compare to the trail 429. Would the weights be closer if the ibis had maxxis tires Thanks for the great videos

Great review yet again guys! Wondering if you could get your hands on a Jamis Hardline A1? I think you guys could do a proper review on their 3VO suspension system!

@skullsroad3642

5 жыл бұрын

Yeah no one is talking about that bike. Jamis needs get aggressive with it's marketing.

Could we see a review of the rocky mountain instinct in future bibles?

love the vids

what rim width would you choose for the build for this bike ? offers 28 or 35. I'm coming from a 22.5 and riding NoRcal rutted and 4 inch rocky trails

Ibis Ripley vs. Yeti sb100? Your audience is dying to know!!!!

Great bike! Any word from Ibis for when they would start using the new Xt/SLX on the R4?

@motorangutan-motorcyclesge9306

5 жыл бұрын

Order the frame/fork from a dealer and have them build up custom with all the parts you want!

But if its gonna be my only bike since I'm not made of money, should it be a 140mm or 130mm?

Didn’t hear a word, so distracted by the man bun 😂

@amjazzg

5 жыл бұрын

Mcnasty Z 👍😂😂😂

@Freakphoto

5 жыл бұрын

He didn’t mean to turn you on.

@MrViktordagur

5 жыл бұрын

Must be hard being this gay, you should close your eyes.

@Jedlmind

5 жыл бұрын

That guy has never made sense to me... Him in a man bun makes sense though...

Can you guys do the spot rollik???

I demoed this bike and was blown away. Currently on an Evil The Following V1

@GiovaniUrrutia

3 жыл бұрын

How’s the Evil compare?

@bacala0

3 жыл бұрын

@@GiovaniUrrutia I'd describe Evil's pedaling platform as less lively and more stable going downhill. On an Evil Offering V1 right now.

Would u guys get the Ripley or the pivot trail 429? Those are 2 of the dream bikes im lookin at.

@dpete5410

4 жыл бұрын

Ripley V4 hands down. Modern geometry rocks. Better climber, better on the downhills. Just as fun.

@richardcarey6604

4 жыл бұрын

@@dpete5410 So I saw your comment further down the thread that the Ripley is ideal for someone

@dpete5410

4 жыл бұрын

@@richardcarey6604 It depends on the terrain you are riding and how aggressively you ride. If you ride in flatter terrain without a lot of chunk/rocks/roots, or are not real aggressive, either bike would work well. Another good bike in this class is the Santa Cruz Tallboy, though I probably prefer the Ripley's pedal platform. For chunkier terrain or a more aggressive riding style, I don't think either bike is ideal for someone who is 210 lbs - as both have suspension at the lower end for a trail bike (not a big problem for a lighter rider, say someone

How does this bike compare to the smuggler? Geo wise they are incredibly similar except besides, of course, the linkage design. I'd be interested to hear your take. Thanks.

@Bikemagazine

5 жыл бұрын

The Smuggler lends itself to more aggressive riding. That's partly thanks to its stiffer chassis, its 140-millimeter (vs 130 on the Ripley) Fox 36 (vs 34 on the Ripley) front end, and the way the Smuggler tends to want to sit a little deeper in its travel and hug the ground, while the Ripley rides a little more on its toes. If you can handle smashing a 120-millimeter bike like you would a 150, the Smuggler is a better choice. But if you want something lighter that also RIDES lighter, but at the cost of some high-speed capability, then it's all Ripley.

@ChrisBryanTisSkinny

5 жыл бұрын

Bike Magazine Great explanation. I appreciate these videos a ton. I own a 2018 Scout and absolutely love it for it’s capability and playfulness. Thanks for the quick response.

I ll wait for the next year colors

@jg8273

3 жыл бұрын

Flex LCS you won’t see new colors until 2022

@tyarnold4088

4 ай бұрын

​@jg8273 you were right.

Guys you didn’t mention the tyres spec’d on the bike! Haven’t seen Hans Dampf Nobby Nic before 😱 no Maxxis Dhr/f

@Bikemagazine

5 жыл бұрын

Ibis actually offers a DHF / Aggressor tire option for those who want something a little burlier than the stock Schwalbe Nobby Nic.

@jimnewnam3812

5 жыл бұрын

@@Bikemagazine were they both 29 x 2.6" or 2.35"?

@dpete5410

4 жыл бұрын

I put Maxxis Forekasters F/R. EXO protects the sidewalls from sharp rocks but they are good in wet or dry, clear mud well, good loose over dry and really light weight.

Factory Tag placed on all Ripleys, *"This is the BEST Trail bike you can buy, this is NOT an Enduro bike"* - lol

Any thoughts about how the Ripley stacks up against the Intense Primer?

@dpete5410

4 жыл бұрын

They are very similar bikes. I have the Ripley V4, a guy I ride with has the Primer. I prefer the steeper seat tube angle on the Ripley, and the much lower stand-over height. The Primer has a bit more slack head-tube angle. The Ripley is a much better climber, the Primer may be a wee bit better on the descents. There are always trade-offs. The Ripley is close to the perfect trail bike for most people, IMHO, if you weigh less than 180lbs and are a moderate-to-aggressive rider and like to do loops (climbs=descents). My only wish is that it came with a DPX2 at 130mm. I changed out the air shaft to 140mm in the fork and at 175 lbs I use all of the travel (moderately aggressive rider).

@sejeanders

4 жыл бұрын

DPete thanks. is it the Primer V1 or V2 you are comparing it with?

@dpete5410

4 жыл бұрын

@@sejeanders Not sure what years the V1/V2 are. I was referring to the newest Primer (2020) with the slackened head-tube angle. The guy I ride with has a 2017 Primer which is still a very good bike, but has older style geometry. The older Primer had some issues with front-end drift on steep climbs, IMHO, and the new geometry has a more slack head-tube angle, but a similar seat tube angle which seems like it would have more of the same problem, maybe worse with the new combination. The new Primer is set up to be more plush and forgiving on downhill chunk vs the old Primer and even vs the Ripley, but at the expense of climbing capability.

how come no evil following mb??

2:03 R.I.P Moe

This video was weird for me to watch as my name is ripley. Everytime it says ripley replace it with your name and that is how it felt.

Still putting a 140 Pike and a super deluxe on it when I get it

@mikes.8305

4 жыл бұрын

Evan Levine I put a 36 140 on mine after a couple months. I like it a lot more. Still climbs every bit as well. Curious to try the super deluxe. This bike does suffer from a bit of deflection in the rear on square edge bumps. Super deluxe may help a bit. On most trails the Dps works admirably.

@frankmonaco413

4 жыл бұрын

@@mikes.8305 Which Fox 36 did you get? How Much? It's taken me a while to set up by Fox 34 on my Ripley.

@mikes.8305

4 жыл бұрын

Frank Monaco Been a while but it was a Factory Grip2 140mm 44mm offset. The standard Grip that comes on the performance 34 was not good enough for repeated big hits. The Grip2 or even the 36 performance makes it worth the weight. You can now upgrade your damper to a Grip2 on the 34 for around $350 USD. If lateral flex is not an issue that may be worth it.

Is holding a drink a prerequisite to the vids?😂

You might want a fast,efficient bike that can handle rougher trails better than a typical xc bike, but you will have to sacrifice weight to get the longer suspension with wider rims and dropper post as well and wider, more agressive , heavier tires.That will make your cross country bike not as fast on acceleration and less efficient climbing which are both a huge part of cross country racing and should stay a big part of xc racing. Many racers who are getting into xc racing are not looking for the most technical terrain to ride but still want sections of moderate technical terrain on their courses. That makes xc a form of racing that keeps it something for all ages. The 2022 National xc at winter park, Colorado this year will have age groups up thru 85 years old idivided by 5 year increments! ! Older riders don't want to ride one long huge challenging piece of terrain as much as get out and race on a single track that is tight or winding thru woods with some moderate technical sections and a bit of flow but more natural terrain with less bonzai downhills. They want more challenges climbing and keeping pace on single track and dirt roads along with some jeep trails. You won't see 60+ year old men and women lining up to ride enduros or downhill races as it takes too much toll on their bodies and too long to recover from crashes. But you are seeing an increasing number line up to buy xc bikes. Racing xc can give them ( and myself included a 65 year old former mountain guide in another life) a great adventure and exciting competitive experience that hey can participate all life long. Lets keep xc...xc, and not try to evolve it into enduro for the sake of those who don't want to compete while they pedal uphill , or work to stay at a high level of aerobic conditioning for their age group.

Miss bikemag

A low $4k Ibis, amazing? surprising? You guys must have been tokin' the upholstery from that fine Sonoran sofa, and blown out your memory. Ibis has offered builds on all it's full-suspension bikes at that price for a long while.

@Jedlmind

5 жыл бұрын

They are talking heads just filling time... Good catch.

transition smuggler or ibis ripley v4 ?

@SLAMTRON

5 жыл бұрын

Horst against DW? I've never ridden a Horst linkage bike that had the kind of crisp snap & lively feel of a DW bike. *Ride them both!*

@mtbkc8975

4 жыл бұрын

I rode both. Hated the Smuggler, twitchy, odd feeling bike. The Ripley v4 is freaking fantastic! *disclaimer: Just my opinion.

@donnpassMTB

4 жыл бұрын

I pull trigger on Ripley still waiting 6 weeks a bit kore and i sjoild get one soon.

Can you review the Pole Stamina 180? 🇫🇮🇫🇮🇫🇮🇫🇮🇫🇮

@samoutofdoors

5 жыл бұрын

That'd be so sick

Which is better? Ripley or pivot trail?

@joanjulibertfoyo7376

5 жыл бұрын

Yes would be a nice a comparison between this two xc-trail ones and I would add the Trance Advanced Pro

@dgsams

5 жыл бұрын

@@joanjulibertfoyo7376 They talked about it on the Pivot 429. Check that vid out!! HTHs....

Super bummed the Druid wasn’t in the test...

@Bikemagazine

5 жыл бұрын

We've got a Druid review in the works! Couldn't get a frame that fit our bible testers in time for this one, though.

Beautiful bike but each time i saw how those tires worked i cringed just thinking that a more capable set would really improve the handing of the bike.

The bike is solid and my Ebike conversion went great. kzread.infoUgkxHL1v1R3NE5x4KiYfyt8dnQmyNYz7qi5L Very smooth ride at 30mph with no problems (135 miles ridden so far). The picture is a bit deceiving - there is WAY less space in the center of the frame than it shows. The suspension connection takes up the entire thing. So I needed to attach my battery on the bottom of the frame and my controller on the top. Instructions for assembly were lacking but honestly it wasn't too hard to figure out even though I have very little bike knowledge. Watched some youtube videos on adjusting the disk brakes but that was it. Still, I am loving it and very happy with the purchase.

Damn this thing is 9k I can get a yz250 for that much

How do you get a helmet on the hair bun? Does it have a cutout so it sticks out the top. Zero respect.

Nice review. Please put the weight in the initial specs, come on now. Watching the whole video for a mention of it is a pain.

@dpete5410

4 жыл бұрын

Mine weighs in at 27 lbs even with a water bottle cage Crank Bros. Stamp 7 pedals and the heavier XTR 4-piston brakes.

#raggededge

Was that prison camp? If so love that trail!

Do the Giant Trance Advanced 29 Pro 2 Like so they see this

Not compatible with DPX2

@bmar560

5 жыл бұрын

really ??

This is so not a cross country bike....I am building a custom Rip with a 140 fork which gives the v4 a 65.9 HTA. It is what a modern trail bike should be. BTW...where are the women? I really liked the reviews by Kristin Butcher and Lacy Kemp...or even would like some new women reviewers.

@MrSmoothasf

5 жыл бұрын

The woman is sat in the middle can't you see the bun?

@doubleg1328

4 жыл бұрын

Ooh SNAP!

I wanted to watch this but that man bun made me bail out.

@Vitusvonatzinger

5 жыл бұрын

L K He knows what he’s talking about, I just can’t watch him talk about it. Too painful.

"You get an NX drive train for $4100, pretty amazing" -- Nobody except someone with revenue from Ibis

@David-rb3tk

4 жыл бұрын

First time I have heard NX drive train and amazing in same sentence!

(insert man bun joke)

@joejuan5022

5 жыл бұрын

a bald guy, a bun guy, and a mullet guy sitting on a coach in the desert...

@dalelakusta8143

5 жыл бұрын

​@@joejuan5022 needs a nickleback t-shirt somewhere in there

@tmonatr

5 жыл бұрын

Helping with our Ripley review, Woman of the Year, the beautiful Caitlyn Jenner.

@John_D2

5 жыл бұрын

lmfao

How can we say as many words as possible while drinking nasty IPA's without saying anything overtly negative. Bible of Bike Tests mantra.

Hard to watch this review, when every other word is 'like"

@rekamniar

3 жыл бұрын

Cmon, your just nitpicking

just can´t listen to a guy with a man bun.....

wtf is going on here? One guy looks like he was interrupted while he was shaving to begin filming, the guy next to him is a man bun in his forties, and the guy next to him has purposely grown a flipping neckbeard. Add in they're all wearing sunglasses and sitting way too close to each other on a sofa thats been dragged out of doors and even had a vase full of twigs purchased from Pier 1 to sit next to it? This shit is hurting my brain.

@wd99999

2 жыл бұрын

Amazing 🤣

While the man-bun is offensive, nobody is gonna buy a review from a guy who looks like he drinks more than rides. While the production value increases every year, what never changes is no video showing you shredding the bikes hard. Just talk talk talk.

Poorly communicated, the commentators talked in circles, interrupted each other and delivered their message in uneducated peddle speak.👎