Product Review Ibis Ripley (& components)

hifiandmtb

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
Thanks to the awesomeness of RB & especially Fatmuz (if there's a better trader I'm yet to find them!) I am the owner of a 2014 Ibis Ripley in XL size, plus Raceface Next SL cranks & a Fox Transfer Factory dropper (100mm).

Everything has been squirreled away until I finished the damn cabinetry in the the house...completed yesterday so today was bike build day!

Typically, I do a heap of research before purchasing anything so knew the Ripley would both suit my riding environment, fit me (small for an XL) and be a good compliment to my existing v1 Tallboy carbon as I can use all the trail-oriented parts of that bike (Pike @130mm, Minion DHF/SS, LB 24mm internal rims, Hope hubs, Shimano XT 10spd, Thomson kit, etc) and return the Santa Cruz to 100mm SID XC spec. I also knew that the Ripley wasn't perfect (hopeless cable management, somewhat flexy rear end) but Fatmuz had addressed many of these issues with everything from the fork steerer protector to "cable dice management" to beefed up linkages. What a dude.

Also included are the mint Raceface cranks plus a pretty much new Fox dropper. Never owned a dropper before, my trails don't demand it but hey, let's see what it does for my riding!

After spending about 5 hours moving all the parts off the TBc onto the Ripley my first pleasant discovery was that this is the first bike that actually properly fits me. No more scooting the saddle back on the rails, I'm staying with the 80mm stem ('cause Scott Nichols says that's what works best). Reach is about 30mm more than the TBc and that seems great for my 6'2" more arms & legs physique.

 
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hifiandmtb

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
As can be seen in the above photo, I didn't cut the Pike steerer especially short as the TBc has a really short HT. Lucky, as the Ibis has a taller HT plus a -1 degree Works Components headset which has a taller than normal stack height.



Everything else went across smoothly, working out the cabling is still a bit of a work-in-progress (I like what this guy did) but it'll get sorted.



The suspension is another point of tuning - the frame was supplied with a Fox CTD from factory but along the way mine acquired a Monarch Debonair which requires a huge (for me @85kg) 250psi+ to get to 25% sag. But it does feel rather lovely, once the rebound was tweaked to slow it down. Quite bottomless and you never need to reach for the firmer/firmest lever - just leave it wide open, even on tarmac climbs.

As this bike fitted me better, I needed to drop some pressure out of the Pike to get to around 22% sag...initially, the 15% sag (of 130mm, the frame is designed for 120-140mm forks) caused too much push - without a lot of body english to get more weight on the front end, it was understeering too much. Now it rips the turns, but with more stability than the TBc had. Where that bike was verging on twitchy (which I like), the Ibis is more trustworthy and you can lean into it more:

 
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hifiandmtb

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
Does look good - also needs setting up, perhaps more than a run of the mill bike. I feel the operating envelope is quite specific, even though Ibis say you can set it up more efficient & XC or more laid back & trail bike (which is what I'm aiming for).

That Fox Transfer dropper is damn impressive - absolutely no twist play in the shaft & super-easy to get the cable tension right. These posts quite rightly have an excellent reputation. I've helped a mate bleed his Reverb & that's a cluster-fuck compared with the ease of this thing!

However, I'm still not sold on the absolute need for a dropper on my trails. Indeed, the best use I can come up with is that it reduces head height on some of the tight & low sections of technical singletrack, But I'm still working out where to use it.

The Ripley frame itself is quite a thing of beauty. Rather than the more industrial straight lines & squared tubes used by most, this is altogether softer & more organic. You can't sweat the details without having one in front of you - the way the pivots are completely hidden in the frame, the ridiculous asymmetry of the front & rear triangles, even down to how they have provided just the appropriate amount of room for a decent-sized bottle. It's definitely the nicest design of carbon frame I've come across. The XL seat tube is quite tall, but works for me...not sure if anyone on an XL would need it shorter, I'd think a 150mm dropper would still fit fine. Plus it comes standard with a stealth Maxle & all sorts of little touches that make you take notice.

I just wish they'd done the cable routing better (which is sorted in later releases).

Couple of vids from today.
 
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redbruce

redbruce

Eats Squid
Nice write up.

Its on my wish list if I could ever afford. At the same height, you've at least confirmed size for me.

Due to the position of the transfer port between pos and neg chambers on a Debonaire, RS recommend setting for 30% sag.
 
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hifiandmtb

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
Ok - that's why I struggled to get to 25%. I think it kept settling to between 25 & 30, the Ripley still felt crisp at that sag regardless.

I couldn't have afforded this had RB not presented me with an opportunity ;-) There is no way I could have got anything more expensive past the minister of finance, especially when we are owner-building a house!
 
slider_phil

slider_phil

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Glad you bought it before I did

Mind you it was probably going to be a bit on the larger side for me but I would have tried to set it up for my 5ft9 self. Looks awesome, enjoy it!
 
hifiandmtb

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
Update.

Spent the morning at Kentlyn, trails are in top nick after overnight rain & the temp is perfect.

Got a pinched nerve in my shoulder which slowed me down but the bike was awesome!

That DW link just refuses to get hung up on anything...this bike climbs better than anything I’ve ever ridden. Just keep turning the pedals & you honestly can’t feel the suspension working - other than endless traction & buttery smoothness, you can’t tell any action through the pedals.

Plus the dropper finally makes sense - at around 40mm drop, cornering is way smoother & it relaxes the handling perfectly. Ok - I am now a convert.

Ditty vid below:

https://instagram.com/p/Bd6UjIkhbl0/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Mr Crudley

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Nice camera work there.

You could put it down to being so awesome that any suspension system is just a co-star or cheerleader for riding :)

Big thumbs up for the Ripley

Sent from my F5121 using Tapatalk
 
hifiandmtb

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
I'm half way through tidying up the cable routing - taking my time as my shoulder will be stuffed for at least another month:







Need a longer rear brake hose & will install much heatshrink & cable rubber buffers for frame protection.
 
hifiandmtb

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
Alternate rear brake & gear cabling complete! So much tidier, no more bowing of cables under suspension compression:













Shrink wrap, stick on cable guide & ditty water bottle cable mounting kit.

All v1’s should be done like this!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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hifiandmtb

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
An update.

Now running the Pike at 140mm & a 60mm stem:



With the 1 degree slacker headset I feel this is the burliest limit for this bike. The steering is *just* starting to flop, a tiny bit, and any more travel up front likely won’t gel with the firm 120mm out back.

Like others here if love to try a 46mm offset fork but I’m not investing just to fullfill that experiment. I may however try a Debonair spring for better off the top plushness. And get the Monarch tuned by someone who know what they are doing.

She’s awesome & I love ‘er.
 
hifiandmtb

hifiandmtb

Sphincter beanie
Can’t ride it, may as well measure it.

Bought a cheap angle finder on eBay (don’t recommend this one...power on/off button FUBAR). It measures through.

Procedure:

(1) Level the bike (not critical as you can zero the angle finder but whatever):



(2) Zero the angle finder from the builder’s level & measure the fork:



90 - angle = 67.6 degree head angle

(3) Re-zero the angle finder & measure the seat post:



90 - angle = 69.2 degree actual seat post angle

(4) work out a way to draw a straight line from the middle of the BB to the centre of the seat post & measure:





90 - angle = 72.4 effective seat post angle

I suppose I could have zeroed the angle finder offset 90 degrees & could have avoided the calculations. Indeed, but I’m not sure if this angle finder works that way.

Anyway, that’s the answers what happens with a Ripley when you run a 1 degree offset headset & 140mm fork!

Even though it’s an XL I still think it’s a bit short in reach, and the effective STA could be less slack but I love the feel of it overall, for the trails I ride...
 
Oddjob

Oddjob

Merry fucking Xmas to you assholes
hifiandmtb said:
Can’t ride it, may as well measure it.

Bought a cheap angle finder on eBay (don’t recommend this one...power on/off button FUBAR). It measures through.

Procedure:

(1) Level the bike (not critical as you can zero the angle finder but whatever):



(2) Zero the angle finder from the builder’s level & measure the fork:



90 - angle = 67.6 degree head angle

(3) Re-zero the angle finder & measure the seat post:



90 - angle = 69.2 degree actual seat post angle

(4) work out a way to draw a straight line from the middle of the BB to the centre of the seat post & measure:





90 - angle = 72.4 effective seat post angle

I suppose I could have zeroed the angle finder offset 90 degrees & could have avoided the calculations. Indeed, but I’m not sure if this angle finder works that way.

Anyway, that’s the answers what happens with a Ripley when you run a 1 degree offset headset & 140mm fork!

Even though it’s an XL I still think it’s a bit short in reach, and the effective STA could be less slack but I love the feel of it overall, for the trails I ride...
Click to expand...
Cool. I finally got down to the garage and pulled out my cheapo inclinometer. I got this one. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com.au/ulk/itm/254042375440

Very very handy.


Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
 
Tubbsy

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
A degree slacker at the front (compared to Ripley LS), nearly three steeper at the seat tube and an extra 45mm of reach according to a deleted post on Facebook.

Not sure I believe the reach figure, but I’m tempted to change over expecting all my bits will fit.
 
S

shiny

Go-go-gadget-wrist-thingy
Reading on MTBR it’s going to be a baby Ripmo. Been saving for a Ripmo but this might throw a spanner in the works, rumored for official release on the 30th so 1st May here.
If it’s 130 travel would be perfect for most of my riding but would be too close to a Ripmo at 145. I like the leaked colours nice and neutral blue/grey and black/grey. Looking forward to more info!
 
Asininedrivel

Asininedrivel

caviar connoisseur
Looks sweet and digging the blue / grey (bley?) colourway but it's a bit sad they've binned the concentric (sic) pivots of the current model. They were cool.

Otherwise looks like it'll be a mini-Ripmo which should make it a winner. Would like to see 130mm too but reckon 120-125 is more likely.
 
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