I rode a £300 base model hardtail down what was easily double black runs without killing myself. This was whilst waiting for my enduro on order. Most bikes are a lot more capable than you realise.
Ultimately, you could ride anything on this bike. Just with various levels of comfort.
Bikes don’t get overwhelmed, riders do.
As long as the suspension is set up right, a short travel bike with modern geometry, can do just about anything. It’s really up to how good a rider you are to manage the bike through the more technical stuff. When you get to bigger jumps, and drops over five or 6 feet, that’s when you might want a larger bike.
But for general Northeast riding, I think a mid travel bike like the Ripley is perfect. If you see yourself going to a Bike park a lot, then you may want the longer travel bike.
You will be fine. But it will hurt. Even doing it on a full enduro, you take a beating. I don't ride my downcountry in Moab, it's just too harsh. Sure I can do it, but it's less, fun and harder on your body.
Yeah, Poison Spider was saying Kokopelli.
I did the TWE in 2019, but I don’t recall 5’ drops. Are there go around I might have taken without knowing? The trail offers a ton of different lines compared to what I’m used to riding in Michigan, which is almost entirely single track.
Do you have suggestions for more accessible trails that are still fun? My buddy might benefit from less demanding trails.
Raptor route, Navajo Rocks, and Klondike Bluffs all have fantastic intermediate riding with a few black options to spice it up. I'd argue that blues are harder in desert riding than other styles.
Rode TWE on my Ripley last fall, only had a section on the jeep road before the last few miles that I wished I was on my bigger bike. Have to slow down a bit and be more line selective. I enjoy that style of riding a bit more these days.
My guess is the 5' drop is the 'diving board' at the end of the jeep road before it turns into the final miles of singletrack.
Ahab is on my list! Not sure if we’ll get to it this year, but I’m super excited.
I can’t wait to see how the Ripley does. It’s my first full suspension and so far I’m incredibly impressed.
The first time I rode it I saw a guy on a xc bike and he was hauling ass.
I also saw a group of guys in their 50s/60s who rode to the top with bikepacking bags. Unfucking real. Some of them were on hardtails.
You may already be on top of this, but bike logistics aside, make sure to check in with Moab locals on trail conditions, especially on top. Sometimes the top portion of the Whole Enchilada is snowy well into June or beyond, so don’t be disappointed if you have to skip a little bit since you’re going early!
This is somewhat true, but also BS. As someone that’s snapped several frames, front and rear triangle, I can tell you not every bike is meant for every style riding. I personally do like over-biking slightly because I’m paranoid of shit breaking, and I value my health more than a few grams/dollars. But yes most modern bikes are super capable!
Agree. When a full sus gets overwhelmed it gets a bit dangerous. Having proper travel for the speed you will be going on a full sus is important as the suspension does have an effect on how the bike reacts underneath you in super rocky terrain. I found that having a smaller travel bike sometimes hinders more than helps versus a hardtail in similar terrain. I also wonder about frame/ pivot strength with a smaller travel bike when going fast through bug rock gardens. It’s hard to describe, but I often find a hardtail easier to handle at speed than a smaller travel full sus in those conditions I described above. A 160 travel bike I believe is built to handle
those conditions more-so than a smaller travel frame.
Part of what I mean by the rider getting overwhelmed not the bike, is you need understand your bike’s capabilities better.
You can’t plow through a World Cup rock garden on a Xc bike at the same speed you can a DH bike. You need to go a little slower and have a bit more finesse and better line choice. But with proper suspension setup, good tires, and good rider, almost anything is rideable on a modern bike.
The Ripley has a 66.5 hta and 130mm of travel. Thats more than enough to pick your way down a technical trail. It’s not optimal. But it’s doable.
Also. The dude is coming from a 90s era hardtail… so any modern bike is going to feel incredibly capable compared that.
Totally agree. Even a 10 year old bike feels slow compared to new bike. I really got into mtb in the 90’s and man things have come a long way! Plus most riders definition of gnarly isn’t that gnarly ;)
The rear suspension on the Ripley gets overwhelmed quickly in rock gardens and rougher terrain. The HT angle will be tough to deal with on really steep descents. Otherwise, a great efficient xc/trail bike.
Rider from the northeast here - get the Ripley. I ride Mt. Creek often as well as thunder, blue and take regular trips up to NH and VT to ride bigger mountains. I do all of this on a 130/140 setup trail bike, and have ridden all of the trails at every park in the northeast including the double black tech trails. (Well almost every - I've yet to ride that massive jump line at thunder....)
With that being said, I'd happily do the same on the Ripley, and I guarantee it'll be more fun around your normal parks where things aren't as demanding as lift serviced parks.
Ripmo will do a lot of the same, but just won't be quite as fun on the blues and more mellow sections. It will however give more confidence on the bigger features. This can be important or not, that's entirely up to you.
Can't wait for Thunder to open. I'm in PA and usually go to Creek for day trips, Thunder on weekends and Highland or Killington for 4-5 day trips. I went to Blue once a few years ago and didn't like it cause all the loose shale. It was the end of the year and very poorly maintained. Do you think going earlier in the season would make for a better time?
I went through the same decision with the Santa Cruz Tallboy (130/120) and the Hightower (150/145). I came to the conclusion that there is no free lunch. Pick one that rolls better and is easier on the climbs or the one that’s a little heavier but feels more planted on rough terrain. I landed on the Hightower because I thought more travel would be more fun, but I miss the Tallboy I had before upgrading to the Hightower on most rides. Sure, on sketchy stuff I’m sure glad to have the hightower’s extra travel but most of the time I miss the pedal efficiency.
Keep in mind that you can blur the difference between those bikes with different tires, wheels, and suspension setup. For instance, you can add some travel to the ripley with a longer fork airshaft and cascade link. You can also lighten up the Ripmo with some easier rolling tires and maybe some lighter wheels (depending on what spec you get).
I went from 120mm ‘14 Camber Evo to Hightower and haven’t looked back. Sure some of the local stuff feels mellow on it in comparison but I also have improved confidence to hit a lot more stuff these days. I still have the Evo and rarely ride it unless with the kids or dog. The Hightower is just capable and fun.
For sure! I ended up trading a ‘22 Tallboy for a ‘22 Hightower so it wasn’t as much of an upgrade. The Tallboy was plenty capable and my preferred bike on blue and green trails but like you said, it’s hard to put a price on the extra confidence that the Hightower inspires.
I debated this exact choice, too, and also ended up with the Hightower. The crux of my decision landed on the fact that I have a 130mm hardtail and wanted more of a difference between bikes. I’m glad I got the Hightower but often think about the Tallboy. Maybe if I win the lottery I’ll buy one. Actually I’d probably get an Epic.
Yeah, I am/was in the position of having only one bike. I figured I’d rather have the capability and not need it than need the capability in a tricky section and not have it. I see adding a short travel or hard tail in my future, maybe a SC blur or a highball, for mellow days or if I want to bring a friend. I’m with you on waiting for those winning numbers tho. All the bikes I want are too much $$$
NE rider here with both a Ripmo and a Mojo3. While the mojo3 isn’t a Ripley the travel/geo are closer than the Ripmo. I love both bikes but have started to just ride the Ripmo pretty much everywhere. For me, the small amount of efficiency loss and weight penalty just doesn’t cancel out the feeling of the bigger ripmo. Something about the bigger bike feels nice to me. And the stability difference at lift serve parks and steeper trails is noticeable. Just my 2 cents.
Keep in mind that a bike with just 10mm more rear travel was winning EWS races last year
My 115/120 Revel Ranger can do black trails relatively easily. I’m held back by the XC race tires, not the suspension
I have a Ripley and YT Capra. I’m good with the Ripley well into the steeper black stuff. That said, it just bottoms out and the YT becomes more comfortable. If I was choosing one bike, I’d go with the Ripley. This is coming from Washington trails and I’m comfortable on 6’ drops for reference.
I have a Ripmo V2 and a new Trek Top Fuel which is pretty similar to the Ripley. For reference, I live along the Colorado Front Range and also ride frequently in Moab-ish type of environments in western Colorado and Utah.
I prefer riding the Top Fuel most of the time, especially on blue and mellower black trails. It just feels more engaging and energetic and also seems to take less out of me to pedal around. And it will also be the faster bike on those kinds of trails just due how much speed it carries. When it comes to more demanding features, drops and hucks to flat of about three to four feet (bigger if there are transitions involved) are typically all I ask of the Top Fuel. It can go bigger, I'm sure, but the Ripmo makes more sense beyond that and in really janky terrain.
That said, if I had to choose between the two for where I ride, I'd pick the Ripmo just because of the greater bandwidth. However, I'd pick the Top Fuel if the features didn't get any bigger than what was described above.
If you’re gonna get one bike for the foreseeable future, Ripmo. What’s the harm, gonna have to burn a few more calories? Isn’t that part of why you’re doing it? Good exercise?
If you have the money for a stable of bikes, buy the trail bike and an enduro later. I don’t have that kinda money so I bought a bike that can do it all, I just have to work a little harder on my normal Midwest trails with my Ripmo.
Well, the point of this post is to sort of understand what the limits of these bikes are.
I've ridden blues on a rigid frame hybrid which felt like it was pushing the limits. Some of the blacks around me have definitely pushed the limits of my hardtail.
I've never been on a full sus, so I have no idea whether I am capable of pushing the limits of a short travel vs long travel bike. Plus, I expect to continue to improve and push harder as well.
I would say for your area the Ripley would be best, it will be easier to flick around, climb a bit better and a bit easier to turn as high speeds but at the end of the day pick the bike that feels best to you, either one will be fun as hell.
I'm on a Ripley (exact one in the picture in fact) and I take it to lift service bike parks and live to tell the tale each time, so far at least. Having the suspension properly set up makes a good bit of difference, but in general it's a huge trend on these subs to recommend more than what people need.
Both are good bikes and will serve you well, but don't think the Ripley will be incapable.
The Ripley is more than capable in almost every scenario except the most chundery janky steeps. Bump the fork to 140 and it'll handle every blue and most blacks without worry.
My Ripley can ride the same things as my 170 bike.....
Considering it's my ridiculous aggressive Hardtail (right, I know), I almost always ride it. Haha. Its really backwards reading Hardtail, thinking enduro, but it's insanely capable on the steep chunk. It gives a lot of confidence hitting big unseen things. I could technically ride it on my Ripley if I know the lines. But if I'm going in blind on my 140 Ripley, I can get in some bad situations. It's fine if I know the trails though. I usually ride the Ripley with friends. And my HT solo
Northwestern PA here. I ride a Banshee Phantom 140/115mm at Jake's Rocks, Moraine, Ellicotville etc. For trail riding I have never wanted anything bigger but I also like feeling closer to the trail. If you wanted a more plush ride I don't think a Ripmo would be too much bike.. It just depends on your preferences. For reference the Ripley is very similar to my Phantom just a little less burly. I rode one around Breckenridge a couple years ago and enjoyed it.
I’ve taken it through the blue free ride lines at multiple parks. 4-5 ft drops and 8-10 ft tables without issue on stock settings. I’m not good enough to ride anything more extreme.
Are you looking at both in AF? If so, I'd probably say the weight difference is not much and I'd lean towards the Ripmo as a one bike solution. Both are going to be capable climbers. The DW link makes sure of that. If you're comparing weight of a Ripley Carbon and Ripmo AF, that's a huge weight difference.
Have a 25lb Ripley and 30lb Pivot Switchblade (similar to a Ripmo) The climbing difference is dramatic. The SB climbs well for what it is, but it's got nothing on the Ripley. Acceleration feels faster, I've been able to clear some uphill tech I've struggled on in the past.
first thing is get some carbon wheels and little bit lighter tires. As rotational weight is what you feel most. if you are on budget, you can check some well know chineses. I am myself running set from btlos. weight like 1550 and paid 750 euros.
Not sure it's possible to get the AF down that low. I have a carbon V4S built frame up. Start with a different wheelset and tires. I'm running Nobl TR35s / Berd spokes with Maxxis Forekaster / Recon.
It’s really more up to what style rider you are. If you like to get rowdy, plow though chunder, jump etc, the ripley will be under biked. If you are all about efficiency and precision, xc speed at the expense of more jarring ride that just cant be thrown at chunk the same, the ripley is good.
I have a Ripley AF, for the riding you’re describing I would go Ripmo AF. I think the Ripley AF is a great bike but I wouldn’t want it on any real long descending.
I feel like the Ripley AF is in a weird spot after riding it for a few years. It’s not going to really be any faster than a Ripmo on flats or uphills and it’s not going to really descend better than modern XC bikes. It’s just a heavy short travel trail bike. The rear shock fox dps does get overwhelmed easily on this light tune that ibis uses, I’ve added a bigger volume spacer to help. It does climb like an absolute goat and I’m sure the Ripmo does too.
Counter to what most people are saying here… unless they changed the progression on the ripley af… I don’t love my wife’s ripley v4 on anything that’s rough and fast. Just blows through suspension insanely easy.
My tallboy 4 feels worlds better in big hits and the like(going from a very linear bike to a very progressive curve). I had a ripmo as well, it was much more capable.
The weight between the two is basically nothing when you’re looking at the frame (like a half lb), the weight difference is just in spec.
With all that said, it’s a sick bike, just not designed primarily for what I enjoy.
I’ve owned both bikes, if I had access to both at the same price I’d go for the Ripley. The geo on the two is insanely similar. The Ripley also rides nicely with a 140 fork, which is a cheap & easy adjustment your lbs can make when they sell it to you.
The kicker for me is that I found there wasn’t any terrain the Ripley AF kept me away from & it was more fun & playful overall than the Ripmo.
The times I maxed out on suspension travel on the Ripley AF I felt it more in the fork when slamming into big features. Even hitting 3 foot drops, etc on Captain Ahab, etc. I never felt harsh bottom-outs (once properly setup).
Wait what? Please explain. I didn't know it was possible to convert a fork to longer travel. How does that work? Can the same be done with the rear shock??
I just switched from a 140/140 instinct to an Element 130/120 and am loving it including on lines like you describe with drops and hits of that size. So fun.
As someone who is from Western PA, you'll be fine with that kind of travel. Until there are trails that fully take advantage of our elevation and terrain there's no need for anything more than maybe 150mm unless you're a bigger person honestly. I rode the Tallboy at frick and hit everything just fine with no issues whatsoever...only bottomed out that drop off of that rock, but to be fair it was a rental and wasn't set up very well for my preference (I now ride around Seattle which has way more intense trails and I use a 150-160 travel bike for everything including some really gnarly stuff)
I live one block from frick :)
But I do want to hit north park trails like Dr J, and go up to Alameda in Butler county. Still think 130/120 is plenty of travel?
One of the reasons I AM hesitant about the Ripley - I am planning to move to either Denver or SLC areas when I finish grad school, and am wondering if I will be happier to have the extra travel out there.
Dr. J should be absolutely fine…honestly I’d even take it to seven springs (it’d be a bit rougher of course but it could handle them)
The biggest “test” I’d probably argue is that newer kinda chunky trail at frick! Somewhere nearish the dog park…I can’t totally say the name since it was new last time I was there (most of my riding was in grad school back in 2019 lol)
Concrete block? The one coming off of Iron Gate sorta?
That one's pretty chunky. Can't think of anything else in the area. I can get through that on my hard tail... Slowly lol.
Extremely difficult. You’ll run out of skill before the bike does. I regularly took mine in the bike park and while I definitely had to go slower, it handled very well.
Be careful what lines you take, you’ll be fine.
Don’t have a Ripley but was looking at one when I got my Norco Optic (140/125). Very similar bikes and from what I read at the time is the Ripley is a better climber and the Optic a better decender. Not that the Ripley was bad or anything, a matter of degrees. I like my Optic for Ontario which has a bunch of janky climbs and descents. Can’t go wrong with either the Ripmo or the Ripley.
The type of bike you buy depends on your riding style and location you ride. I am from update NY and ride XC and we have large roots and slate type rocks. I am currently in Sedona Az and my Stump Jumper Comp has 150/130 and I need more travel for this area. (Usually come her once a year). In NY my bike is good but as my riding experience has me starting to jump farther and taking deeper drops. The stump jumper is nearly maxed for my style/ability/riding locations. Buy a bike that fits your ability and riding style and you will be happy.
I ride a Tallboy 4, which is basically the Santa Cruz equivalent of a Ripley, and it handles everything I throw at it including some two-to-three foot drops. The Ripley is a great bike, and it will handle everything you throw at it while being livelier and more fun that the Ripmo on almost everything.
I'm old and fat and six-foot-six and weigh 285, by the way, and remember rigid 26ers well. A great modern 120/130 like the Ripley, well set up and prepped, will blow your mind.
I ride a norco fluid with the same travel and I wish I had the 160ish range for both. If I had more travel I wouldn’t have to rent when I went to bike parks.
I rode a 130/125 down Black Mountain 127 trail in Pisgah. It was fun as fuck but by the end I was having to stop multiple times because my arms felt like I was curling 50 lb dumbbells for 1000 reps. My bars were incredibly stiff too though.
I am increasing front travel to 140 and replacing bars with something more compliant and I'll be back in Pisgah next summer to test :D
I’m happy riding 140 rear/160 fork on everything. I’d rather have a little more cushion than a little less, even if it’s at a small loss of efficiency. Especially considering that I’m riding mountains.
For what you're riding, and wanting to ride, get the Ripmo.
The very slight difference in pedaling efficiency is negated by the sheer capability of the Ripmo. It climbs like a mountain goat, even better with a coil shock, and it descends like an enduro race bike.
IMHO, the Ripmo is one of the best bang for the buck do it all trail bikes on the market today, bar none.
I might be biased...
[My '22 Ibis Ripmo AF](https://imgur.com/gallery/WHKY1to)
Here's a side-by-side comparison of both bikes on 99spokes.com:
[2023 Ibis Ripmo AF vs. 2023 Ibis Ripley AF](https://99spokes.com/compare?bikes=ibis-ripmo-af-deore-2023%2Cibis-ripley-af-deore-2023)
You can upgrade to the Fox Grip damper, and I've seen people say even the Grip 2 damper, which would give you more adjustability for compression and rebound settings.
My '22 came with the DVO Onyx SC D1 air sprung fork, so I don't have any personal experience with the Marzocchi Bomber Z1 coil fork. But I will say people speak highly of it.
Marzocchi is essentially second line Fox, since Fox owns them now.
Best advice is to go demo one and see how you like it.
Sorry man, that curved top tube reminds me of the design of women’s bikes from 5 years ago. Shock placement is ugly too imo. Clevis style shock mounts also put a lot of stress on the shock. Idk why they went with that system. But like I said reviews are good and I’m sure you’ll love it
Why did Specialized go with a clevis shock design on the venerable Stumpjumper?
Or Commencal on the Meta?
Asthetics aside, the Ibis bikes ride extremely well, and pedal better than most. For a small boutique brand, they're also quite affordable in the AF flavor, and even reasonable in carbon.
You’d have to ask Specialized or Commencal. There is no benefit to a Clevis linkage and genuine drawbacks, most people will not have any issues with it. But it’s just not a great design
I suppose the simplicity of the clevis linkage design makes it easier to implement than some other more complex designs.
The side loading characteristics of the clevis linkage isn't ideal for sure. But it's pretty easy to work around just using beefier shocks.
I know Ibis and Specialized both have a list of shock manufacturers approved for use on their frames, I'm sure Commencal does as well.
All depends on what you ride the most, if its big hit drops and tons of chunky roots and rock gardens then Ripmo. But really the Ripley's biggest weakness holding it back and creating a larger gap between it and the Ripmo is the rear fox DPS shock. Upgrade the Ripley rear shock to a DVO topaz and it narrows the gap tremendously! I've heard good things about Manitou mara on the Ripley also. I'm in west Michigan about 215lb and ride anything from natural rooty trails to flow trails with jumps and rock futures, my V4 is sitting at 140 fox in the front (140air spring) with 120 (45mm) DVO Topaz gen 3 on the rear.
I rode a £300 base model hardtail down what was easily double black runs without killing myself. This was whilst waiting for my enduro on order. Most bikes are a lot more capable than you realise. Ultimately, you could ride anything on this bike. Just with various levels of comfort.
Bikes don’t get overwhelmed, riders do. As long as the suspension is set up right, a short travel bike with modern geometry, can do just about anything. It’s really up to how good a rider you are to manage the bike through the more technical stuff. When you get to bigger jumps, and drops over five or 6 feet, that’s when you might want a larger bike. But for general Northeast riding, I think a mid travel bike like the Ripley is perfect. If you see yourself going to a Bike park a lot, then you may want the longer travel bike.
Thank you thank you thank you. Someone that gets it. The Ripley through tech is just plain fun.
I’m headed to Moab to do the Whole Enchilada next month. I own a Ripley. Did the trail a few years ago on a Ripmo. Think the Ripley will be fine?
You will be fine. But it will hurt. Even doing it on a full enduro, you take a beating. I don't ride my downcountry in Moab, it's just too harsh. Sure I can do it, but it's less, fun and harder on your body.
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Yeah, Poison Spider was saying Kokopelli. I did the TWE in 2019, but I don’t recall 5’ drops. Are there go around I might have taken without knowing? The trail offers a ton of different lines compared to what I’m used to riding in Michigan, which is almost entirely single track. Do you have suggestions for more accessible trails that are still fun? My buddy might benefit from less demanding trails.
The jeep road below the canyon rim has a number of 5' drops along it. None mandatory.
Raptor route, Navajo Rocks, and Klondike Bluffs all have fantastic intermediate riding with a few black options to spice it up. I'd argue that blues are harder in desert riding than other styles. Rode TWE on my Ripley last fall, only had a section on the jeep road before the last few miles that I wished I was on my bigger bike. Have to slow down a bit and be more line selective. I enjoy that style of riding a bit more these days. My guess is the 5' drop is the 'diving board' at the end of the jeep road before it turns into the final miles of singletrack.
Granted, I’m not used to Moab style of riding, but I felt like the Ripmo was too much bike for me.
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Ahab is on my list! Not sure if we’ll get to it this year, but I’m super excited. I can’t wait to see how the Ripley does. It’s my first full suspension and so far I’m incredibly impressed.
Yes.
Yes. Did it in October on my 130mm bike. Only really wanted more on the final stretch with the repeated ledge drops, but overall it was perfect.
I did it on an 100/100 XC bike (Orbea Oiz, before they went to 120 mm travel). It was bone-rattling, but totally doable. Had fun, would ride again.
The first time I rode it I saw a guy on a xc bike and he was hauling ass. I also saw a group of guys in their 50s/60s who rode to the top with bikepacking bags. Unfucking real. Some of them were on hardtails.
You may already be on top of this, but bike logistics aside, make sure to check in with Moab locals on trail conditions, especially on top. Sometimes the top portion of the Whole Enchilada is snowy well into June or beyond, so don’t be disappointed if you have to skip a little bit since you’re going early!
Yes, and it's even better if you get the suspension just right.
This is somewhat true, but also BS. As someone that’s snapped several frames, front and rear triangle, I can tell you not every bike is meant for every style riding. I personally do like over-biking slightly because I’m paranoid of shit breaking, and I value my health more than a few grams/dollars. But yes most modern bikes are super capable!
Agree. When a full sus gets overwhelmed it gets a bit dangerous. Having proper travel for the speed you will be going on a full sus is important as the suspension does have an effect on how the bike reacts underneath you in super rocky terrain. I found that having a smaller travel bike sometimes hinders more than helps versus a hardtail in similar terrain. I also wonder about frame/ pivot strength with a smaller travel bike when going fast through bug rock gardens. It’s hard to describe, but I often find a hardtail easier to handle at speed than a smaller travel full sus in those conditions I described above. A 160 travel bike I believe is built to handle those conditions more-so than a smaller travel frame.
Part of what I mean by the rider getting overwhelmed not the bike, is you need understand your bike’s capabilities better. You can’t plow through a World Cup rock garden on a Xc bike at the same speed you can a DH bike. You need to go a little slower and have a bit more finesse and better line choice. But with proper suspension setup, good tires, and good rider, almost anything is rideable on a modern bike. The Ripley has a 66.5 hta and 130mm of travel. Thats more than enough to pick your way down a technical trail. It’s not optimal. But it’s doable. Also. The dude is coming from a 90s era hardtail… so any modern bike is going to feel incredibly capable compared that.
Totally agree. Even a 10 year old bike feels slow compared to new bike. I really got into mtb in the 90’s and man things have come a long way! Plus most riders definition of gnarly isn’t that gnarly ;)
This ⬆️
The rear suspension on the Ripley gets overwhelmed quickly in rock gardens and rougher terrain. The HT angle will be tough to deal with on really steep descents. Otherwise, a great efficient xc/trail bike.
Rider from the northeast here - get the Ripley. I ride Mt. Creek often as well as thunder, blue and take regular trips up to NH and VT to ride bigger mountains. I do all of this on a 130/140 setup trail bike, and have ridden all of the trails at every park in the northeast including the double black tech trails. (Well almost every - I've yet to ride that massive jump line at thunder....) With that being said, I'd happily do the same on the Ripley, and I guarantee it'll be more fun around your normal parks where things aren't as demanding as lift serviced parks. Ripmo will do a lot of the same, but just won't be quite as fun on the blues and more mellow sections. It will however give more confidence on the bigger features. This can be important or not, that's entirely up to you.
Can't wait for Thunder to open. I'm in PA and usually go to Creek for day trips, Thunder on weekends and Highland or Killington for 4-5 day trips. I went to Blue once a few years ago and didn't like it cause all the loose shale. It was the end of the year and very poorly maintained. Do you think going earlier in the season would make for a better time?
I went through the same decision with the Santa Cruz Tallboy (130/120) and the Hightower (150/145). I came to the conclusion that there is no free lunch. Pick one that rolls better and is easier on the climbs or the one that’s a little heavier but feels more planted on rough terrain. I landed on the Hightower because I thought more travel would be more fun, but I miss the Tallboy I had before upgrading to the Hightower on most rides. Sure, on sketchy stuff I’m sure glad to have the hightower’s extra travel but most of the time I miss the pedal efficiency. Keep in mind that you can blur the difference between those bikes with different tires, wheels, and suspension setup. For instance, you can add some travel to the ripley with a longer fork airshaft and cascade link. You can also lighten up the Ripmo with some easier rolling tires and maybe some lighter wheels (depending on what spec you get).
I went from 120mm ‘14 Camber Evo to Hightower and haven’t looked back. Sure some of the local stuff feels mellow on it in comparison but I also have improved confidence to hit a lot more stuff these days. I still have the Evo and rarely ride it unless with the kids or dog. The Hightower is just capable and fun.
For sure! I ended up trading a ‘22 Tallboy for a ‘22 Hightower so it wasn’t as much of an upgrade. The Tallboy was plenty capable and my preferred bike on blue and green trails but like you said, it’s hard to put a price on the extra confidence that the Hightower inspires.
I debated this exact choice, too, and also ended up with the Hightower. The crux of my decision landed on the fact that I have a 130mm hardtail and wanted more of a difference between bikes. I’m glad I got the Hightower but often think about the Tallboy. Maybe if I win the lottery I’ll buy one. Actually I’d probably get an Epic.
Yeah, I am/was in the position of having only one bike. I figured I’d rather have the capability and not need it than need the capability in a tricky section and not have it. I see adding a short travel or hard tail in my future, maybe a SC blur or a highball, for mellow days or if I want to bring a friend. I’m with you on waiting for those winning numbers tho. All the bikes I want are too much $$$
NE rider here with both a Ripmo and a Mojo3. While the mojo3 isn’t a Ripley the travel/geo are closer than the Ripmo. I love both bikes but have started to just ride the Ripmo pretty much everywhere. For me, the small amount of efficiency loss and weight penalty just doesn’t cancel out the feeling of the bigger ripmo. Something about the bigger bike feels nice to me. And the stability difference at lift serve parks and steeper trails is noticeable. Just my 2 cents.
I live in the NE as wall (NH) and have a ripmo. With all the jank up here I like the planted feel of the bike.
Keep in mind that a bike with just 10mm more rear travel was winning EWS races last year My 115/120 Revel Ranger can do black trails relatively easily. I’m held back by the XC race tires, not the suspension
My bike is 130/120 and it’s everything I need. And I’m assuming the terrain here in north Georgia is similar to PA
Not as easy as you would think. I ride a 140/120 and it’s my preferred suspension for 95% of my riding.
Dang dude 1-2 miles of downhill sounds lovely. Have fun on your new ride!
I have a Ripley and YT Capra. I’m good with the Ripley well into the steeper black stuff. That said, it just bottoms out and the YT becomes more comfortable. If I was choosing one bike, I’d go with the Ripley. This is coming from Washington trails and I’m comfortable on 6’ drops for reference.
I have a Ripmo V2 and a new Trek Top Fuel which is pretty similar to the Ripley. For reference, I live along the Colorado Front Range and also ride frequently in Moab-ish type of environments in western Colorado and Utah. I prefer riding the Top Fuel most of the time, especially on blue and mellower black trails. It just feels more engaging and energetic and also seems to take less out of me to pedal around. And it will also be the faster bike on those kinds of trails just due how much speed it carries. When it comes to more demanding features, drops and hucks to flat of about three to four feet (bigger if there are transitions involved) are typically all I ask of the Top Fuel. It can go bigger, I'm sure, but the Ripmo makes more sense beyond that and in really janky terrain. That said, if I had to choose between the two for where I ride, I'd pick the Ripmo just because of the greater bandwidth. However, I'd pick the Top Fuel if the features didn't get any bigger than what was described above.
If you’re gonna get one bike for the foreseeable future, Ripmo. What’s the harm, gonna have to burn a few more calories? Isn’t that part of why you’re doing it? Good exercise? If you have the money for a stable of bikes, buy the trail bike and an enduro later. I don’t have that kinda money so I bought a bike that can do it all, I just have to work a little harder on my normal Midwest trails with my Ripmo.
Set up correctly, it will be a harsher ride than a bigger travel bike, but totally able to handle it. You will work harder to hang on.
It's amazing how many people are worried about travel when they can't even push the limits of the bike
Well, the point of this post is to sort of understand what the limits of these bikes are. I've ridden blues on a rigid frame hybrid which felt like it was pushing the limits. Some of the blacks around me have definitely pushed the limits of my hardtail. I've never been on a full sus, so I have no idea whether I am capable of pushing the limits of a short travel vs long travel bike. Plus, I expect to continue to improve and push harder as well.
I would say for your area the Ripley would be best, it will be easier to flick around, climb a bit better and a bit easier to turn as high speeds but at the end of the day pick the bike that feels best to you, either one will be fun as hell.
I'm on a Ripley (exact one in the picture in fact) and I take it to lift service bike parks and live to tell the tale each time, so far at least. Having the suspension properly set up makes a good bit of difference, but in general it's a huge trend on these subs to recommend more than what people need. Both are good bikes and will serve you well, but don't think the Ripley will be incapable.
The Ripley is more than capable in almost every scenario except the most chundery janky steeps. Bump the fork to 140 and it'll handle every blue and most blacks without worry. My Ripley can ride the same things as my 170 bike.....
In what situations do you grab your 170 instead?
Considering it's my ridiculous aggressive Hardtail (right, I know), I almost always ride it. Haha. Its really backwards reading Hardtail, thinking enduro, but it's insanely capable on the steep chunk. It gives a lot of confidence hitting big unseen things. I could technically ride it on my Ripley if I know the lines. But if I'm going in blind on my 140 Ripley, I can get in some bad situations. It's fine if I know the trails though. I usually ride the Ripley with friends. And my HT solo
Northwestern PA here. I ride a Banshee Phantom 140/115mm at Jake's Rocks, Moraine, Ellicotville etc. For trail riding I have never wanted anything bigger but I also like feeling closer to the trail. If you wanted a more plush ride I don't think a Ripmo would be too much bike.. It just depends on your preferences. For reference the Ripley is very similar to my Phantom just a little less burly. I rode one around Breckenridge a couple years ago and enjoyed it.
I’ve taken it through the blue free ride lines at multiple parks. 4-5 ft drops and 8-10 ft tables without issue on stock settings. I’m not good enough to ride anything more extreme.
For what it's worth I've been reading on mtbr that IBIS KS releasing a new ripley & ripmo this year. Ripley v4 was realesed in 2020.
Are you looking at both in AF? If so, I'd probably say the weight difference is not much and I'd lean towards the Ripmo as a one bike solution. Both are going to be capable climbers. The DW link makes sure of that. If you're comparing weight of a Ripley Carbon and Ripmo AF, that's a huge weight difference. Have a 25lb Ripley and 30lb Pivot Switchblade (similar to a Ripmo) The climbing difference is dramatic. The SB climbs well for what it is, but it's got nothing on the Ripley. Acceleration feels faster, I've been able to clear some uphill tech I've struggled on in the past.
What do you do to get your Ripley down to 25lbs? I’m on the base Deore AF at the moment that weighs in at 33lbs and would love to put it on a diet.
first thing is get some carbon wheels and little bit lighter tires. As rotational weight is what you feel most. if you are on budget, you can check some well know chineses. I am myself running set from btlos. weight like 1550 and paid 750 euros.
Not sure it's possible to get the AF down that low. I have a carbon V4S built frame up. Start with a different wheelset and tires. I'm running Nobl TR35s / Berd spokes with Maxxis Forekaster / Recon.
It’s really more up to what style rider you are. If you like to get rowdy, plow though chunder, jump etc, the ripley will be under biked. If you are all about efficiency and precision, xc speed at the expense of more jarring ride that just cant be thrown at chunk the same, the ripley is good.
I have a Ripley AF, for the riding you’re describing I would go Ripmo AF. I think the Ripley AF is a great bike but I wouldn’t want it on any real long descending. I feel like the Ripley AF is in a weird spot after riding it for a few years. It’s not going to really be any faster than a Ripmo on flats or uphills and it’s not going to really descend better than modern XC bikes. It’s just a heavy short travel trail bike. The rear shock fox dps does get overwhelmed easily on this light tune that ibis uses, I’ve added a bigger volume spacer to help. It does climb like an absolute goat and I’m sure the Ripmo does too.
Counter to what most people are saying here… unless they changed the progression on the ripley af… I don’t love my wife’s ripley v4 on anything that’s rough and fast. Just blows through suspension insanely easy. My tallboy 4 feels worlds better in big hits and the like(going from a very linear bike to a very progressive curve). I had a ripmo as well, it was much more capable. The weight between the two is basically nothing when you’re looking at the frame (like a half lb), the weight difference is just in spec. With all that said, it’s a sick bike, just not designed primarily for what I enjoy.
I’ve owned both bikes, if I had access to both at the same price I’d go for the Ripley. The geo on the two is insanely similar. The Ripley also rides nicely with a 140 fork, which is a cheap & easy adjustment your lbs can make when they sell it to you. The kicker for me is that I found there wasn’t any terrain the Ripley AF kept me away from & it was more fun & playful overall than the Ripmo. The times I maxed out on suspension travel on the Ripley AF I felt it more in the fork when slamming into big features. Even hitting 3 foot drops, etc on Captain Ahab, etc. I never felt harsh bottom-outs (once properly setup).
Wait what? Please explain. I didn't know it was possible to convert a fork to longer travel. How does that work? Can the same be done with the rear shock??
You can increase fork travel but not the shock travel… [Fox instructions](https://www.ridefox.com/fox17/help.php?m=bike&id=615#)
Wow! Thanks for the great advice!
I just switched from a 140/140 instinct to an Element 130/120 and am loving it including on lines like you describe with drops and hits of that size. So fun.
As someone who is from Western PA, you'll be fine with that kind of travel. Until there are trails that fully take advantage of our elevation and terrain there's no need for anything more than maybe 150mm unless you're a bigger person honestly. I rode the Tallboy at frick and hit everything just fine with no issues whatsoever...only bottomed out that drop off of that rock, but to be fair it was a rental and wasn't set up very well for my preference (I now ride around Seattle which has way more intense trails and I use a 150-160 travel bike for everything including some really gnarly stuff)
I live one block from frick :) But I do want to hit north park trails like Dr J, and go up to Alameda in Butler county. Still think 130/120 is plenty of travel? One of the reasons I AM hesitant about the Ripley - I am planning to move to either Denver or SLC areas when I finish grad school, and am wondering if I will be happier to have the extra travel out there.
Dr. J should be absolutely fine…honestly I’d even take it to seven springs (it’d be a bit rougher of course but it could handle them) The biggest “test” I’d probably argue is that newer kinda chunky trail at frick! Somewhere nearish the dog park…I can’t totally say the name since it was new last time I was there (most of my riding was in grad school back in 2019 lol)
Concrete block? The one coming off of Iron Gate sorta? That one's pretty chunky. Can't think of anything else in the area. I can get through that on my hard tail... Slowly lol.
Yeah it’s a little steeper and then then can merge into that trail with the bigger rock drop into like shale
Extremely difficult. You’ll run out of skill before the bike does. I regularly took mine in the bike park and while I definitely had to go slower, it handled very well. Be careful what lines you take, you’ll be fine.
Don’t have a Ripley but was looking at one when I got my Norco Optic (140/125). Very similar bikes and from what I read at the time is the Ripley is a better climber and the Optic a better decender. Not that the Ripley was bad or anything, a matter of degrees. I like my Optic for Ontario which has a bunch of janky climbs and descents. Can’t go wrong with either the Ripmo or the Ripley.
The type of bike you buy depends on your riding style and location you ride. I am from update NY and ride XC and we have large roots and slate type rocks. I am currently in Sedona Az and my Stump Jumper Comp has 150/130 and I need more travel for this area. (Usually come her once a year). In NY my bike is good but as my riding experience has me starting to jump farther and taking deeper drops. The stump jumper is nearly maxed for my style/ability/riding locations. Buy a bike that fits your ability and riding style and you will be happy.
I ride a Tallboy 4, which is basically the Santa Cruz equivalent of a Ripley, and it handles everything I throw at it including some two-to-three foot drops. The Ripley is a great bike, and it will handle everything you throw at it while being livelier and more fun that the Ripmo on almost everything. I'm old and fat and six-foot-six and weigh 285, by the way, and remember rigid 26ers well. A great modern 120/130 like the Ripley, well set up and prepped, will blow your mind.
I ride a norco fluid with the same travel and I wish I had the 160ish range for both. If I had more travel I wouldn’t have to rent when I went to bike parks.
I rode a 130/125 down Black Mountain 127 trail in Pisgah. It was fun as fuck but by the end I was having to stop multiple times because my arms felt like I was curling 50 lb dumbbells for 1000 reps. My bars were incredibly stiff too though. I am increasing front travel to 140 and replacing bars with something more compliant and I'll be back in Pisgah next summer to test :D
I’m happy riding 140 rear/160 fork on everything. I’d rather have a little more cushion than a little less, even if it’s at a small loss of efficiency. Especially considering that I’m riding mountains.
For what you're riding, and wanting to ride, get the Ripmo. The very slight difference in pedaling efficiency is negated by the sheer capability of the Ripmo. It climbs like a mountain goat, even better with a coil shock, and it descends like an enduro race bike. IMHO, the Ripmo is one of the best bang for the buck do it all trail bikes on the market today, bar none. I might be biased... [My '22 Ibis Ripmo AF](https://imgur.com/gallery/WHKY1to) Here's a side-by-side comparison of both bikes on 99spokes.com: [2023 Ibis Ripmo AF vs. 2023 Ibis Ripley AF](https://99spokes.com/compare?bikes=ibis-ripmo-af-deore-2023%2Cibis-ripley-af-deore-2023)
If I get a Ripmo, and it has a coil fork, am I able to change the suspension so it feels shorter travel, or stiffer, or more efficient?
You can upgrade to the Fox Grip damper, and I've seen people say even the Grip 2 damper, which would give you more adjustability for compression and rebound settings. My '22 came with the DVO Onyx SC D1 air sprung fork, so I don't have any personal experience with the Marzocchi Bomber Z1 coil fork. But I will say people speak highly of it. Marzocchi is essentially second line Fox, since Fox owns them now. Best advice is to go demo one and see how you like it.
Ripmo. How much lighter is the ripley? Not much. How much worse of a climber is the ripmo? Probably not much
I always hear good things about Ibis. But damn these are the ugliest damn bikes on the market
Hey, don't talk about my future bike like that 😤
Sorry man, that curved top tube reminds me of the design of women’s bikes from 5 years ago. Shock placement is ugly too imo. Clevis style shock mounts also put a lot of stress on the shock. Idk why they went with that system. But like I said reviews are good and I’m sure you’ll love it
Why did Specialized go with a clevis shock design on the venerable Stumpjumper? Or Commencal on the Meta? Asthetics aside, the Ibis bikes ride extremely well, and pedal better than most. For a small boutique brand, they're also quite affordable in the AF flavor, and even reasonable in carbon.
You’d have to ask Specialized or Commencal. There is no benefit to a Clevis linkage and genuine drawbacks, most people will not have any issues with it. But it’s just not a great design
I suppose the simplicity of the clevis linkage design makes it easier to implement than some other more complex designs. The side loading characteristics of the clevis linkage isn't ideal for sure. But it's pretty easy to work around just using beefier shocks. I know Ibis and Specialized both have a list of shock manufacturers approved for use on their frames, I'm sure Commencal does as well.
All depends on what you ride the most, if its big hit drops and tons of chunky roots and rock gardens then Ripmo. But really the Ripley's biggest weakness holding it back and creating a larger gap between it and the Ripmo is the rear fox DPS shock. Upgrade the Ripley rear shock to a DVO topaz and it narrows the gap tremendously! I've heard good things about Manitou mara on the Ripley also. I'm in west Michigan about 215lb and ride anything from natural rooty trails to flow trails with jumps and rock futures, my V4 is sitting at 140 fox in the front (140air spring) with 120 (45mm) DVO Topaz gen 3 on the rear.