When you think of the carbon Ibis Ripmo, what words come to mind? Refined, sculpted, sleek, lightweight? The aluminium Ibis Ripmo AF is nothing like that! It’s in the wrong group test here, but nobody told the Ripmo AF because it totally rips.
For an overview of the test fleet head to thtrue oup test: What’s the best 2020 Enduro Bike under € 3,500 – 9 mountain bikes in review
The Ibis Ripmo AF in Detail
Brutish, industrial and burly would be good adjectives for the Ripmo AF. At first glance, the 15.7 kg Ripmo AF will look familiar to Ibis owners. The distinctive Ripmo silhouette is there, but looking closer, the chunky welds, fat tubes and thickset look stand in contrast to the carbon version. The big question. Why did we include a 145 mm trail bike in this enduro bike test? The Ripmo AF doesn’t quite fit in the trail bike category, it’s too heavy and too burly, so we wanted to see how it compared against hard-hitting enduro machines. The build kit looks interesting, with a DVO Diamond 160 mm fork and (optional) DVO Jade coil shock controlling the 145 mm rear travel. A SRAM NX drivetrain is a good choice at this price point. SRAM Guide T brakes with 200/180 mm rotors do the stopping, or at least try to. The bike rolls on Ibis’ own S35 Aluminium wheelset with a 35 mm internal width and burly Maxxis Assegai 29” 2.5” EXO+ tires front and back. A 150 mm KS Rage-i Dropper finishes the € 3,498 build.
We did experience a little creaking from the Ibis bushings in the dry conditions.
The Ibis wheels with a 35 mm internal rim width really open up the Maxxis Assegai 2.5 tires, resulting in a large contact patch for huge grip.
Anyone expecting Ibis’ usual refined build quality may be a little disappointed. That’s not to say the bike is low quality, just a little rugged.
Ibis Ripmo AF Coil
€ 3,498
Specifications
Fork DVO Diamond D1 160 mm
Rear Shock DVO Jade X Coil 145 mm
Seatpost KS Rage-i Dropper 150 mm
Brakes SRAM Guide T 200/180 mm
Drivetrain SRAM NX Eagle 1x12
Stem Ibis 50 mm
Handlebar Ibis 780 mm
Wheelset Ibis S35 Aluminium 29"
Tires MAXXIS ASSEGAI 29” 2.5"/2.5"
Technical Data
Size S M L XL
Weight 15.7 kg
Specific Features
The 419 mm seat tube means that even short-legged riders can enjoy a 170 mm post (150 mm fitted)
The Ibis Ripmo AF is capable of far more speed than the weedy SRAM Guide T brakes can handle. We would change them immediately
The DVO Jade coil shock works perfectly with the Ibis Rimpo AF’s DW-link suspension, resulting in a stable pedal platform and refined performance
The geometry of the Ibis Ripmo AF
On paper, the Ibis Rimpo is a little more trail than enduro, offering up 160/145 m travel front and rear, a 64.9° head angle and 76° seat tube angle. The bike is quite roomy, with a short 419 mm seat tube length allowing shorter-legged riders to size up if they want. The size Large has short 435 mm chainstays, a generous 475 mm reach and together with the tall 629 mm stack and large 30 mm bottom bracket drop, the rider is integrated well into the bike.
| Size | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 355 mm | 380 mm | 419 mm | 470 mm | Top tube | 573 mm | 603 mm | 632 mm | 655 mm |
| Head tube | 90 mm | 100 mm | 110 mm | 120 mm |
| Head angle | 64.9° | 64.9° | 64.9° | 64.9° |
| Seat angle | 77.0° | 76.0° | 76.0° | 76.0° |
| Chainstays | 435 mm | 435 mm | 435 mm | 435 mm |
| BB Drop | 30 mm | 30 mm | 30 mm | 30 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,185 mm | 1,216 mm | 1,237 mm | 1,262 mm |
| Reach | 431 mm | 458 mm | 475 mm | 495 mm |
| Stack | 613 mm | 620 mm | 629 mm | 642 mm |
The Ibis Ripmo is not an ugly bike but it’s not pretty either. It reminds us a bit of Mike Tyson. A little more portly than in his prime, but you know he still punches hard enough to knock your head clean off.
Pants FOX Defend Kevlar | Shoes FiveTen Impact VXi
When less is more – The Ibis Ripmo AF on the trail
When it comes to climbing, we will avoid the overused “Climbs like an XC bike, descends like a…” analogies here. In reality, the Ripmo AF makes its way to the top of the climbs as well as any bike weighing 15.7 kg and running Maxxis Assegai 2.5” tires can be expected to – steadily. The seating position is roomy and comfortable, with a head-up position that encourages sitting and spinning, rather than sweating up the climbs. The DW-link suspension adds a super stable pedalling platform, so we never felt the need to reach for the three-position climb switch on the shock. Speaking of suspension, the DVO Diamond is a great suspension fork. However, with high and low-speed compression adjustment and DVO’s proprietary Off The Top adjuster to set the initial stroke sensitivity, it takes a little more time to get dialled in. We opted for a sensitive initial stroke, with the high-speed compression tuned for a firm ramp-up. The DVO Jade shock is an excellent pairing for the DW-link kinematics, making full use of the 145 mm travel only when needed, without wallowing through the mid-stroke.
On the descents, the Ibis Ripmo is a masterclass in the school of less is more. Incorporated into such a stiff and burly frame, the suspension feels extremely precise, delivering just enough travel to keep you flying. For such a big bike, the Rimpo AF seems to magically shed a couple of kilograms mid-turn, where its balanced poise allows you to dive effortlessly from left to right. With short chainstays and a long front centre, it shouldn’t work so well, but Ibis have worked some voodoo with the stack and BB height, allowing the bike to rail ruts with ease. The frame is compatible with up to a 203 mm rotor on the rear and we think Ibis missed a trick fitting a smaller 180 mm rotor, especially considering the terribly underpowered SRAM Guide T brakes which have no place on a bike like this. Late braking into turns left us panicking and wishing for CODEs. Luckily, the Ibis Ripmo is a master of corners and even if the brakes let you down, you will still make it through the turn. Keep gravity on your side and the Ripmo AF can drop most bikes in this test on tight, natural trails. It’s only when the terrain gets REALLY rough that the 145 mm travel starts to struggle a little, running out of travel.
How does the Ibis Ripmo compare to the competition?
With less travel than most, you might think the Ibis would be outgunned, but its easy-going handling and excellent balance mean the Ibis can go toe-to-toe with the best of them. More fun than the YT Capra on most terrain and far more capable than the Merida ONE-SIXTY, it’s a bike for lazy afternoon shred sessions and weekends at the bike park. The closest competitor the Ibis Ripmo is the Nukeproof Mega, which channels the same effortless handling. However, in the end, the Mega steals the show with the addition of a more versatile personality and more punch on really rough terrain.
Tuning tips: replace the SRAM Guide T brakes with CODEs and fit a 200 mm rotor on the rear. It’s a big bike that deserves big brakes | most riders will be able to run a longer 170+ mm dropper post | with the money saved over the carbon version, book a two-week stay in Whistler
Conclusion
With rough-and-ready looks to suit its rough-and-ready personality, the Ibis Ripmo AF is not going to win any beauty contests. Instead, it appeals to a different Ibis customer. One who is looking for a simple bike to hammer hard. Its poor brakes make stopping an act of faith, but you will be howling with joy before you crash. If you don’t care about weight and want a hard-hitting trail bike that can hang with enduro machines, the Ripmo AF is A F@%king good bike.
Tops
- DW-link suspension works really well, reacting sensitively but with a great pedalling platform
- burly build feels like it would laugh off a direct hit from a tree
- handling is intuitive, dancing through the turns
Flops
- SRAM Guide T brakes are a crime on this bike
- quite a hefty bike
- lacks Ibis’ usual high-quality finishing
For more info head to: ibiscycles.com
The test field
For an overview of the test fleet head to thtrue oup test: What’s the best 2020 Enduro Bike under € 3,500 – 9 mountain bikes in review
All bikes in test: Canyon Torque AL 6.0 (Click for review)| GIANT Reign SX 29 (Click for review) | Ibis Ripmo AF Coil | MERIDA ONE-SIXTY 700 (Click for review) | Nukeproof Mega 290 Expert (Click for review) | Privateer 161 (Click for review) | Propain Tyee CF (Click for review) | Trek Slash 8 29 (Click for review) | YT Capra Comp 29 (Click for review)
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Words: Photos: Trev Worsey, Finlay Anderson
