I am a 5'10" -5'11", 30-31" inseam, 175 lbs and picked up a large Ripley V4 last fall. This is by far my favorite bike I have owned and is super fun to ride. It may be the perfect trail bike for a lot of riders. It is not a XC/race bike, but is an incredible climber that handles techy climbs well, and way out-performs its travel going back down. Once I got the suspension dialed in, it is close to the perfect daily driver for my style of riding (loops where uphill = downhill, small air, moderately aggressive, moderately steep climbs/descents, moderately rocky trails, flow trails). The bike is really poppy and fun, and wants to get in the air over even small bumps. If offered with 130mm rear travel, the Ripley V4 would be unbeatable for me. Only caution: Jason is a smaller, lighter rider than I am but he is more aggressive. I can see why this bike is perfect for him or a similarly aggressive rider that weighs 130-150 lbs. If you are a bit bigger/heavier, but ride a bit less aggressively, the Ripley could also be an incredible one-bike option. If you are heavier than 185-190 lbs, consider something with more travel - I use all of the 120/140 this bike has. Did I mention that I absolutely love the Ripley V4?!!! Build: I had my local shop (Salt Cycles in Sandy, UT) build to my preferences. Fox Factory 34 fork @ 140mm (have to change the air shaft), Fox Float Factory DPS w/EVOL shock, Shimano XTR 9120 4-Piston brakes (worth the added weight!), 780mm Envy M6 bar, Ibis S28 carbon rims(28.6mm internal) with I-9 Hydra hubs (0.52 degree engagement), Maxis Forekasters front and rear (love these! - light, good grip w/EXO sidewall protection for rocky terrain), XTR 510% cassette, Race Face SL G5 175mm carbon cranks w/32T chain-ring and Crank Brothers Stamp 7 pedals. The bike is 26.2 lbs, including water bottle cage. Shameless plug: I have to make a plug for Salt Cycles. Those guys are the best. Chris, Amy, Jason, Sam and frankly the whole team gets a shout-out. If you live in the area, I couldn't recommend these folks more. They were recommended by a couple of friends. If you live in the Salt Lake/Sandy/Draper/ Utah County area, don't hesitate to head to Salt Cycles. They will treat you right.
I demo'd the Ripley, Ripmo, Mojo 3, and Mojo HD4 in 2018. I'm in central WI, and most people would think the Ripley is the no-brainer here. However I went with the Ripmo. The demo was at a little ski area, and I climbed steep trails to the top on each bike. Sure the Ripley was a bit less porky than the Ripmo, but they both were AOK. In fact the Rimpo had an advantage on tech climbs and weird rooty switchbacks uphill - the added travel meant it could take those bumps at slow uphill speeds and not jack up the suspension quite as much. But the big advantage of the Ripmo is that I can take it literally anywhere and know it'll be good to go, including blind rides on fast chunky stuff. There's a margin of error built in that the Ripley won't have quite as much. Obviously it would be nice to have two bikes, one shorter travel and one long. But if I had to choose one, gimme the Ripmo. The only I didn't care for was the Mojo 3, but I think it's clear that the shorter travel 27.5 bikes are in their own separate category.
Really thorough and fair review. A lot of reviews sound like every bike is the best at everything all the time - thats impossible. I really like how you broke down specific use cases for each. Even better, you played with the tire choices to see if one bike became more useful across a broader spectrum of use. This might be one of the most USEFUL reviews i have seen. Thank you.
I ended up with the V1 Ripmo for my local Santa Cruz trails. I demoed several 120-130 current bikes on my local trails and opposite from you I felt much more beat up at the end of the day when riding the shorter travel bikes. My body couldn't take the extra beating it took on the steeper, faster and rougher trails. I found myself riding the same speed on all the test bikes and not backing it down a tad on the shorter travel bike ( why would anyone want to go slower ? ) so it took a toll on my body after my usual ride ~ 17 miles and 3K climbing. I AM on the older end of the MTB spectrum at 62 but all my ride buddies are much younger and fast riders. I come from a dirt bike racing background and I can't take the beating of a younger person quit as well. I was all about getting the Ripley and keeping my Enduro until I did all the test demo rides and then took the Ripmo for a spin. Went out and bought one the next day! Sold the enduro. One bike for all of my local Bay Area rides! :)
Thank you for weighing in... I'm sure many who read this will find value from your experience. I plan to bring this up in the live stream tomorrow evening as well. Thanks!
Definitely agree with you. On rough trails, I get along better with a little more travel, and feel beat up after long rides with short travel. I have a Following, and it can get kicked around a little too much. I demo'd a Ripmo and it was great, though it does give up some "playfulness." Jason's trails are much more flowy than what I usually ride. I can tell from the vid but also because he talking about speeds that are just impossible on mine. This video really helped me calibrate the YumYum videos in general.
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Thank you for these reviews. Just picked up a brand new Ripley v4 XT build plus a Pike 140 fork with the tire combo you suggested and it absolutely lives up to its billing. Coming off a Ripmo v1, it is way more fun on the smooth flowy trails, a much better climber, and can hold its own almost everywhere else. Much appreciated!!
I bought my wife the new carbon IBIS RIPMO v2 with the DVO suspension. The DVO ONYX fork comes 160mm which we reduced to 150mm because she doesn't jump much but we Live in very rocky high elevation terrain. The reduction will lessen the slack by a 1/2 degree to 65.4. This will help with uphill efficiency.. anything around 65 degrees is going to decent great plus we are not a racing couple so we don't need the extra slackness. She still gots 150mm to play with when needed and the bottom bracket height lost approx. 2-3mm... I hope this helps others that might only have the Ripmo option in their area and think the Ripley might not be enough for their trails... CHEERS 🥂
Your original review helped me decide on the Ripley. Best all around bike I've ever owned and ridden. Thanks for the great content! Also, still loving the lab austere butt bag..a great setup
@Joplin Murphy Indeed! It's nice to see what was previously a carbon-only brand adding aluminum options when more and more bike brands are coming out with carbon-only models. From the reviews it sounds like the Ripley AF would be the perfect bike for me (though I think I like the extra playfulness/agility of 27.5), but I got a new bike (2020 Marin Hawk Hill 3) in October of 2019 so it will be a while before I get another one.
I ended up ordering a Ripmo V1. The V2 Going longer, slacker and more travel I feel took away a little of the playfulness of the Ripmo V1. I think the Ripmo V2 separates the two bikes a little more (Ripley Vs Ripmo) and instead of buying a Ripley and spending the money on a new bigger fork, I went with the Ripmo V1. Now if the Ibis workers would be allowed to get back to work and assemble bikes, maybe I would get an actual ship date estimate. Here is to getting through the COVID 19 crisis safely. Thanks for the great videos !!! I watch them all.
Nice, yeah congrats! This whole COVID 19 thing is bonkers. Hope it can pass soon and without much of a wake behind it. My heart goes out to those effected by it personally... bad deal. God bless!!
This comparison is spot on. I demo’d each of these bikes twice before deciding on the Ripley. I LOVED the Ripmo, but when I took into consideration the trails I ride 90% of the time, the Ripmo was more bike than I needed. On the flip side, I can ride the chunky stuff nearly as fast on the Ripley as on the the Ripmo but I have to be a bit more conscious of line choice.
Yep, I'm surprised they don't come out with something with a 140 fork. Almost everyone states you need to put a 140 fork on the Ripley, no matter which generation! They are even saying it about the V4...LOL! Maybe we'll see it on the V5?
@@NDemanuele1 just get two different forks.. Im on an sb130 lunch ride with a 140 pike and 160 fox 36... Saved me a bunch of money not neesing two bikes.
I like to think of it this way. What fork do you need. If you need a 36 because you're a high speed danger zone rider, you need some longer travel for your safety. If you can get away with a 34 then smaller travel is ok. Then theres the pike which is a good in between. After you figure that out, then its up to you to decide what kind of suspension platform do you need or want. If you're a 36 brawler you might want something squishy like a megatower. If you're just getting some good jumps in and need the travel then a ripmo would be good. If 34 you probably still pedal more than anything and ripley would be perfect. If pike because sometimes high speed and jumping then something like an evil or Tallboy.
Great comparison. Taller heavier rider, 6'4 225lbs I would lean towards ripmo af or v2 not just because of Clydesdale, but the wide variety of trails . Granted most trails I frequent , my mid travel trail bike handles quite nicely 130mm front and back, but I tend to ride the long travel bike as a do it all . Avoids that pesky bottom out situation . Also ride a hardtail as a trail explorer, especially when a lot (over 4 miles)of urban pedalling is required to get to dirt.
Excellent review! This might be your best video yet. Really validates my choice to get a shorter travel 29er. Once things dry out a bit here, I am going with the Rekon/Dissector combo. Road Rekon/Rekon last year, and in the 60tpi casing, the sidewalls seem to be pretty much as stiff and tough as a 60tpi Minion. Thank you so much for releasing this video, just what I needed while being under "shelter in place".
Bill, glad you're loving your tall boy! Yeah, the Rekon was a bit of a surprise to me. I can't believe how much I love that tire I've ridden it a ton on the front of my Ripley last year and think a front-rear combo might be pretty rad!
You stated that you hate comparisons, yet I think you provided the most educated answer for those that don’t have the privilege to try both bikes for themselves or to be as fortunate to have them at home like yourself for a short period of time. My one question is, you led me to believe that you sold your HD5 to get the RipmoV2 (heard that in a previous video). Do you regret selling the HD5 or what are you foreseen as your bikes to try that could potentially be your next long travel bike, if you do decide to get another second bike of course? (I think you were 50/50 about owning two bikes). Great content on your channel! You keep the content very enjoyable to watch.
Right, I'm just saying it's difficult for me to make comparisons of bikes that are not in the exact same category. For example, I love doing comparisons of the new switchblade and the ripmo or of the pivot Trail 429 and this Ripley but comparing across categories is difficult because they have different purposes. That said, I really like the new ripmo and my original plan was to sell the HD5 to get the new ripmo but things are slow at work right now and not sure I can afford two bikes this season...
I agree. You basically compared an Apple to a Pear and vice-versa. However, my initial intention was to give you kudos since it is a tough task and the fact that both bikes are under the same brand. Basically it would be like comparing a 2020 Stump Jumper to 2020 Enduro. Great work and thank you for taking your time responding to my question. See you on the 29th.
Great review and comparison! As a Santa Cruz mountains local, I've demo'd and love both bikes... but decided on the Ripmo, hands down. At 6'5" and 240 lbs, I have found the control aspects to be heavily in favor of the Ripmo. Rider size and weight makes a difference ;-)
Great comparison, nailed it! Def helped me get over “which bike 😓” Ripley for me NC/Quebec trails not bombing it, just enjoying the ride and smashing it when I can 5’10” 180lbs went with Large Ripley AF SLX
Honest assessment much appreciated. 95% of the rides... I did that for my new bike, and much happier 95% of the time. BUT I did put on 4 piston brakes, tougher tires, a coil rear, and a fox 36 (I'm 200lbs). I bet the Ripley would be solid with a 36 and 4 piston brakes. If you trail ride a lot up and down, go for the rocket.
@@mtbyumyum Jason, I went with the XTR 4-piston - love them. Makes all the difference and worth the slight weight penalty to have fade-free brakes coming down Wasatch Crest and similar long descents.
I bought the Ripley V4. Found I was doing some downhilling. So I went to a 140mm 36 front Fox Shock, and went with a Fox V2 in the rear. It made a huge bike and made it the near perfect bike for me. Out of boredom, I grabbed a Ripmo AF for more downhilling. Its a solid 5 lbs heavier, but doesn't feel it. Both bikes are great.
Yeah, I didn't want to go into it in the actual video but I see so many people on super basic blue and black trails riding what would have been downhill bikes just eight years ago and honestly theyre not getting the most connection and feel out of the trails they're riding on those big bikes again this is just my opinion
MTB yumyum only thing to remember is that if that’s their only do-it-all bike you don’t know what other trails they ride with it that might require more bike. And I will say, when you’re staring down the barrel of 50 with a long history of sports injuries and still like to push it and get air on the trail, having the extra safety net of a bigger bike that you’re not always riding on edge and will help you out if you botch it a bit is pretty nice. Personally I’ll live with it taming lesser trails a bit for the save-my-ass security when I’ve bitten off more than I can chew or don’t hit it perfectly, cause crashing hard is something I’m REALLY trying to avoid these days.
One thing not brought up is that it's not JUST about sustained speed downhill where a longer slacker bike helps. I'm in the PNW and lots of our trails have features that are really steep rolls, possibly over some gnar. Dropping into these is usually lower speed but the longer wheelbase and slacker front makes it way less sketchy and help avoid going OTB. That doesn't contradict anything in this vid which I really agree with. I have an HD4 and an Evil Following MB and I ride both bikes on a lot of the same trails. The FMB slays flow trails and is still plenty capable on blacks though mine has a 140mm fork and DHF/DHRII tires. When it's time for double blacks though the HD4 is the choice. Definitely choose your steed based on what you ride!
Bingo! Here's a guy that gets a! The following MB can handle basically everything they're some trails that it might struggle on but for the most part it's in the same category as the Ripley and works just about everywhere!
Jason: Absolutely superb video and discussion/comparison! Well done and thank you! I couldn't help but notice the trees behind you starting to leaf out a bit. Here on the Front Range at 7500' elevation we have 2" snow and are nowhere near leaves appearing.....although we just saw our first robins and bluebirds. Stay safe and healthy, best to you and Family, ride strong!
Thank you! Yes, spring has sprung and any day now the warm weather will come. Trials will still need a little bit more time but the lower elevation trails are almost good to go with the exception of some rain storms that leave puddles and mud here and there. Thanks for the kind words, God bless🙌🙏
Outstanding, outstanding video! Perhaps the best that i've seen from you yet?! Clever how you always come from the perspective of a 'regular' rider, rather than a pro/near pro, or super tech expert! (though your knowledge & ability are not to be sniffed at)
Thanks for the comparison. Very useful. One major niggle in the comparison is the Ripmo AF, which puts it in a more accessible price range. It sounds like, if I could afford it, a Ripley would be a better choice for me here in New England (Boston area). I'm an old school mountain biker looking to get back into it, and onto a modern bike. ANY ADVANTAGE on the climbs is welcomed!
Nice, welcome back to mountain biking! Theres never been a better time to be riding mountain bikes... they're better than ever! The Ripley is a rocket ship up hill. Good luck!
I wasn't 100% sure if I'd rate my downhills worthy of the Ripmo (Front Range, Northern Colorado). But I was sure that I spend 80% of my time climbing, so I got a Ripley.
Awesome comparison! I think for most people the Ripley is the ticket for sure! I ended up going with the Ripmo however. Not because I felt I need the bigger travel more often but more for the beefier frame, fork and shock. I am a pretty good sized dude at 6'3" 245 lbs, 220 when I'm in semi good shape. The Ripmo is efficient enough and is still playful and poppy even on mellow trails and is there for me when I need it a bit more on trails like Mud Springs and Bear Canyon, but the biggest thing is that it's just stiffer and more stable at my weight. Plus I run a 203mm front rotor and 180mm rear with Magura MT7 4 piston brakes.
Excellent review, it really showed me which IBIS to purchase, with a bike review and comparison like this one you don not need to test ride a bike. This guy does it all for you.
I went with the Ripley. Picked up my GX build with carbon S35s built around the I9s in December. When I had to choose between the Ripmo V1 and Ripley V4 I came to the same conclusions you spoke of here. On the rare occasions I go visit a shuttle downhill park, I can always rent, but for every other day my Ripley is all I ever though I would want.
Bingo! Yeah, I feel the same way and after riding the two bikes back-to-back for the last two weeks, the Ripmo is lacking that connection and experience that the Ripley gives me on all the trails I ride most often. Just a little lighter and easier to move around on the trail and more rewarding with every pedal kick, pumped and manual-ed piece of trail. Glad you're enjoying it!
I'm a heavy dude. I'm 5'10" and weigh 215. I think that's another factor. Big riders often blow through a lot more travel even if they don't ride super fast or hard. Of course, YMMV.
Nice video Jason! Yes for 90% of riders where I live, the Ripley is the bike to get. Btw, let me know if you want to sell the fox fork on your ripley. I'll be glad to buy if off from you. Need that 130 mm travel.
Tim Tran i have a megaplower also and thinking of building a ripley v4 or buy an ebike... but on this video id buy the ripmo because its a good all around bike or ripley v4 with 140mm travel
Thanks for this review. My trails are significantly more chunky than what you ride so I settled in on the new Ripmo and love it. I frequently plow through bolder gardens and 3-4 foot drops on every ride. I use almost all my Ripmo travel every ride. This thing has really given me some confidence to send it harder and harder through the big stuff. However, I agree on tire comments, the double assegai is way too much tire
Excellent comparison review! I personally have the Ripmo v1 and love every bit of it. I had almost considered a Ripley, but went with the Ripmo since I favor techy high speed descents here in SoCal. I thought about upgrading to the Ripmo v2, but I found the performance to be nearly identical. Being a rider with similar build as you, I've never bottomed out since my suspension setup is spot on for my style. I only keep one do it all bike, and it's my Ripmo. Thanks to you, I found my dream bike! How about a comparison vid between the Ripley and Mojo 3? A short travel 29 vs a short travel 27.5 Keep up the great work!
Jason awesome vid ad always. I'm very interested in learning about going with a 140 fork. I've got a ripley on order and a frame up build so real easy to get a 140. I weigh about 225 6ft and ride similar trails to u with generally not more than 2 foot drops and jumps. The sales person recommend I stick with a 130 along with ibis. Any thoughts u may know from talking with others or salt cycles would be great. Thanks soo much jason!
I went from a Fox 34 130 to a MRP Ribbon Coil 140 on my Ripley v4 and didn’t notice any degradation of climbing ability or handling to be honest. I dropped my stem by 10mm and tweaked my saddle angle to keep my riding position the same, of course. Overall performance of the Ribbon Coil is leagues better than the 34, especially for small bump compliance.
Great video and review. Your channel is always informative. Doesn't really help me decide between the two because as an Oregonian we have everything you described. :) The one thing we always get to do is climb though and sometimes smooth, flowy downhill and more often jaggy, rocky enduro descents. That's why Im leaning Ripmo coming off my 130lr. Just keep up the good content!
Just curious, I am currently on a 2019 Giant Trance 29er. You have commented in a couple of your videos that it is a similar bile to your Ibis Ripley. Having been on this bike for a while I do not think I will ever go back to a long travel bike. A friend now has the Ripley and has been emailing me raving about it. There is no Ibis dealer near me so hard to demo. Would you see going to an Ibis Ripley as going to a better bike? Why, or why not. PS I am going to grab one of the fanny packs you use. Thanks for the tip!
This has to be the best demo video I have seen! Love the editing and you talking us through Jacob's ladder and the other CC trails. You have some serious skills! What are your thoughts on Yeti's SB115 compared to the Ripley?
Excellent video Jason.. super informative.👍 Now, you need to get your hands on the new Following. I would love to get a comparison between that and the Ripley.
The Ripley is like a Sports Car, and the Ripmo is like a High End SUV, like the Porsche Cayenne ( good analogy?)...LOL. I totally agree with this comparison. Although I don't have a V4 Ripley, I do have the V1 which has the same traits as the V4, but the V4 is more polished - hyper-responsive! When I demo'd it, the bike knew what I wanted to do. I thought of taking a jump and both wheels would lift off the ground with virtually no effort! It literally floats on the trails! Insane!! I absolutely love my V1 Ripley, however as Mr. Yumyum stated it does have limitations at high speeds and gnarly terrain which I have experienced. With that said, I've been kicking the idea around my head to get a bike that is a bit more stable at high speeds. I live in NorCal, so realistically the trails don't require this but it's nice to have that extra stability when needed. What convinced me was I went on a group ride recently and there was this very steep section with loose dirt and pine needles ( kind of long as well), I was a bit intimidated by it and choked - walked it down - I rarely do this, but would rather ride another day. Now, I don't know if I would've choked on a Ripmo too but know I would've had a bit more stability on it. It was partly on me, I over thought it, but crashing isn't fun too...lol. I demo'd the V1 Ripmo about a year ago and wasn't sold at the time, this could be because there is a radical difference in Geo/Suspension over my RIpley. Fast forward to a month ago, I demo'd it again and loved it. Anyway, pulled the trigger on a V1 Ripmo (NX build with very low miles - it's like new!) that I won on a bid on Ebay, getting it dialed in, can't wait to hit the trails!!
I have a similar stable with two Devincis, a Django and a Troy. Both are trail builds with similar spec with the Troy being about 1 pound heavier. The Django is a little quicker with both pedaling and turning but the extra travel with the Troy is a lot more comfortable on the chunky stuff I ride.
MTB yumyum I was about to buy the Rail to replace my Evil Insurgent, but the plan now is to get the Ripley as my all around all day pedaling and the Insurgent for the DH park days! 🤘🏼
Haha 😆 I use the pressure washer a week ago to get all the crap off the fence in preparation for my wife to get the painting started. #makethefencegreatagain
I’m definitely a rider who loves to push a bit more on the dh and I’ll pay on the climb. Ripmo v2 is already on order but I’m sure both bikes are incredible.
I would love to but the channel has become so demanding I don't have the time to actually get third person shots of me riding my bike. POV allows me to create some content while still maintaining my family, church and work responsibilities. If this was my full-time gig, you bet I would have a ton of third person off the bike film...
I can only have one bike so ............ I just bought a brand new Santa Cruz Nomad 👏👏👏🤣🤣. I have literally saved up for 2 years and tried all different bikes and for me it came down to what’s important, so flat out high speed descents is where I’m most happy , even though I sacrificed the climbing abilities To me it’s all good Great video J as always 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
I would also say that field bigger riders the ripmo would be a better choice. I'm 6'2 250 and owned the scott genius 130 fork and 120 shock. I rode it for 3 years and just switched to a Scott ransom 170/170. Even on the normal trails the ransom feels more secure and I don't feel like I'm pushing the suspension to its limit like I did for the genius. But the ransom does have the twin lock which makes a big difference on that bike compared to the genius
Interesting. Yeah, thanks for weighing in.... there have been several comments just like this... perhaps we talk more about this in the live stream. Thank you!
A skilled rider can ride less bike on a given trail. Jason is not the most skilled, but I’d say he’s still pretty skilled. I’m not as skilled as him or his riding buddies. Personally I like the extra margin of safety a little bigger bike provides. I really don’t want to get hurt. So if I can only have one bike, I’ll take the bigger one. I’d rather be over gunned sometimes than under gunned other times. No I don’t want to go completely overboard with like a new Specialized Enduro or Firebird or some 180mm bike but a Ripmo or Switchblade or other similar bike still makes a good trail bike. Yes they weigh a pound or two more but my answer to that is lose some weight. Some of the extra weight is really the Fox 34 versus Fox 36 and I’ll take the stiffness of the 36 any day.
haha, Cliff, excellent comment and glad you mention this. The slightly larger bike does get you a "get out of jail" card is some situations.... and when that moment happens and the larger bike gets you out of a jam it's incredible. I've had several situation where I was sure I was otb or just in a bad situation and some how the slightly bigger longer bike pulls a rabbit out of it's hat. That said, the shorter travel bike gives you a fresher cleaner more connected experience to the trails and the abitly to just sort of jib and jive your way through the trail that the larger bikes just doesn't respond in the same manner.... lets be honest.... I love all the bikes :)
Truly enjoyed your informative video. That said, I live in Phoenix and there are a variety of riding aspects. I am looking at the Ripmo and Ripley 29 with the the factory Fox upgrades or the Niner Rip 9 3 Star. I would appreciate your thoughts. Blue skies, Jg
Great video!!! I'm really curious how you like your 140 up front? I'm waiting to bump my 130-130 to 130-140 up front and love to hear how yours went? I'm on a 2017 5010 so totally different but looking for just a bit more up front. And in the market for a new 29er and the Ripley sounds great.
what trails were you riding? in the great video? I bought the Ripmo and for where I live ( Fruita) it is the perfect bike for the chunky trails around here. It climbs as well as my old Pivot Mach 429, 100mm travel. I wanted more travel for my old bones, I'm 69 . I demoed the new Pivot Trail 429 with 120mm of travel and wasn't enough cush for trails here in Fruita. Then I demoed the Ripmo on trails I am familiar at home and fell in love. Climbs great, and it is fast. I mean really fast. I don't feel the extra weight. I think it really comes down to what trails you usually ride. Lot of rocks and ledges= Ripmo. Smooth alpine trails= Ripley.
Russ, thanks for weighing in! Glad you found the right bike for you and your terrain. I need to get down to Fruita/Grand Junction at some point!! Thanks!
I dont see any reason why you cant!! If this ends up being my only bike for the year I'll swap the brakes for xtr 4 piston for sure and likely put a Pike 140mm up front!
What do you think of XC-ing the Ripmo V2 e.g. to have an inline shock, 150mm fork, with light tires? There is a lot of discussion and cases of the Ripley being modified to be more enduro friendly with aggressive tires, 140mm fork, and piggy back shock yet I don't see the opposite discussion or cases on the Ripmo. Welcome all thoughts and biases.
Great review, love your channel, thanks for doing this for all of us! I’m 6’3”, 245 and have the Ripley v4 w/ DPS shock and Ripmo v1 w/X2 shock. Forekaster/Ikon on the Ripley, super fast, just rips. I’ve run Rekons front/back and that was good also, will try the Dissector/Rekon combo, looks great. I get flex with the Fox 34, really looking forward to hearing how your Pike 140 works out, I’m headed that direction. Ripmo is great also, this is where I swap tires - DHR/Aggressor for the knarly downhill days, Rekons front/back when I want faster but still plush. I love both bikes, don’t want to give up either!
Nice, thanks for weighing in. It's good to hear someone try so many different tires. I don't think the average Rider realizes what a difference tires makes. I've got probably a dozen tires sitting in my living room next to my bikes. Swapping tires can completely transform the way of bike rides.... as you well know! Thx!
Hey Jason. I love all your videos. I currently ride a Santa Cruz Hightower and love it. But my next bike will be an E bike. I live in Michigan, and it is almost impossible for me to find these bikes to demo. I know you rarely ride an E bike, but if you evaluated more of them, I would be interested in what you have to say. Particularly interested in Pivot Shuttle (I did see your video on this one), Santa Cruz Heckler, and Specialized Levo and Levo SL. Thank you.
Brian, thank you! Lucky you're getting an Evite. They're super fun. Yeah, I'm actually going to be getting some time on the new Rocky Mountain e-bike and the new lighter weight specialized just waiting for trails to dry out
Great video. Might I suggest (although sacrilegious) a RS Pike 130 on the front of the Ripley? I run a Pike 130 on the front of my SB100”LR” and it is way stiffer than a fox 34. Love the content, cheers.
For the most part Ripley probably would do me well. What made me choose the ripmo... I do ride at Pisgah and bike parks. So when I go to those places I wanted a little more.
Just to add the ripley af to the conversation... I've been on the Ripley af for the last season and I have not been able to get along with the rear end. It really is incredibly capable but I bottom it so easily, even just pushing through corners. I've considered a shock upgrade because I do love how it rides undulating trail, specificly how it accelerates, but trying to dial rear shock while keeping a balanced feel front to rear has been impossible for me. I have to set it too stiff in the rear to prevent bottoming which means loosing too much small bump and with the largest volume spacer the ramp is pretty aggressive. Unfortunately that means I also have to run my 140 fork too stiff to keep things feeling balanced. While I still gain the benefits of geo changes from the fork travel increase, I loose the travel. Maybe the carbon version has a more progressive rear end, maybe I need a new shock and a more supportive tune but ultimately I think its just not enough bike. Sucks watching this too because we have similar riding styles but I definitely can make it work for me like yumyum can. I'm 175lbs with kit at 5'11" on a size large.
I'm lucky enough to own the Ibis Ripley V4, Mojo HD4, I nearly bought the Ripmo V2 but decided upon the new Pivot Switchblade, only time will tell if I made the right decision.
Hey Gavin, i've currently got an HD4 and want to sell for a Ripley. Can't exactly afford to have two bikes at the same time. Do you feel like you're giving up a ton between the two? I want something a bit more spritely and poppy and I think the ripley might be the choice. Thanks!
I come from a cross country background, had the Tallboy V3 and Blur 4 and absolutely loved the Blur 4. Just sold it for a Tallboy V5 and an Ibis DV9 to try some new bikes. I love the DV9 so much that I think I’d love the Ripley. I’m not a huge fan of the Tallboy, I just find it inefficient but want a “bigger bike” as another bike in the quiver. Have you ever ridden the Tallboy V4 or V5? If so, how does it compare to the Ripley? Debating losing a little money to replace the Tallboy with the Ripley to get a bit more “XC” styled 130/120 bike.
The Ripley is going to feel a lot quicker and snappier when compared to the TB4. Haven't ridden the TB5 yet... the Ripley is probably the bike I've recommend more on this channel than any other bike... call Chris at Salt Cycles and see if he can get you setup on a new Ripley... they might even be on sale right now so that's a plus! Salt cycles - 801-943-8502
Hey Jason, thanks for all the reviews you do! Love every one of them. Would you mind sharing your Ripmo shock setting you went with? PSI - Comp - and Reb. Thanks Brotha!
Honestly, I usually send myself a text message with the setup but I either didn't do it on this one or cant find it.... As I recall, I went off factory suggested setup with very small variation.... sorry!
Thank you always for your awesome reviews!! I enjoy them so much. And I am thinking about getting Ripley too! It would be a perfect bike for where I ride. Quick question: do you recommend 35mm rise handlebar or 10mm rise handlebar for medium size frame? May I ask which one do you have for your? It looks like 35mm.. Thanks!
I drove both within a week and ended up with the ripmo. I compared both rides on Strava because I wanted to know how the climbing times would be. What should I say. There was NO difference on a 25 Minute climb. And I felt more confident on the trail.
@Lars Müller now try both ober the course of a 1 to 2 hour climb.. Thats where it starts to become noticeable... When u begin to break down a bit on sustained climbs.
@@flow2tech I am sure you are right. Best would be owning both ;). I am doing a 400 KM tour in the summer (6 days) and the Ripley would for sure be the easier to pedal bike for 90 Percent of it.
@@best-sound most likely.. Or just get into Nino Schurter like shape where your so strong on the bike that you don't even notice the weight of the Ripmo.. 😂 🤘
I have an XTR Ripmo, XTR works well all the time. Brakes are amazing, never miss shifts, the third XTR bike I have had. Last bike was XO, won’t do that again, sorry SRAM.
Excellent review as well as tire and fork idea's I have a 140 travel fork on a Ripley and after dialing in the progressiveness pressures the 140/120 combo feels good. I have had a Ripmo with 2.5 DHF's (2.3 Ripley) and it was much slower on the climbs, would be interested in trying a Ripley ! with 2.3's and the tires you run on your Ripley, set up like this it might make a good trail bike.
Jason first things first, your videos rock!! Please keep it up! Second, your initial review, live chat, and past comparisons lead me to getting the Ripley which has been an awesome bike and a great contrast from my SS. I met you after the True Grit Race and you were super nice and even gave us some of the coconut water and I have to say it was awesome and super refreshing after a tough day on the bike. I am now buying the coconut water at my local market. What made you want to go from the Ardent Race to the to the new tires you are running on the Ripley? Did you need a bit more meat for grip?
John, hi! Yeah, for the race I had an Ardent Race 2.35 up front and Rekon 2.2 out back... this is just one of many different tire combo's I've run over the years. My go to tire setup is Rekon 2.4 up front and Ardent Race 2.35 out back for fast rolling and still good traction. For the most amount of traction without feeling like a complete dog, the Dissector 2.4 up front and Rekon 2.4 out back is a happy medium. These are the two tire combos I prefer on most trails. There are faster rolling tire combo's like what I had for True Grit and even much faster rolling... and there are higher traction tire combo's out there with more protection but for a bike like this and the trails I ride they can zap the fun out of the bike and just feel like boat anchors... haha I seriously have 8 tires I've been swapping out and testing over the last season... my old favorite and still a good combo is DHR II 2.3 front Forekaster 2.35 rear. Glad you liked the cocojoy and nice to meet you!! Say hello if you see me in Corner Canyon :)
Hi Jason. Keep up the great work. I watch every one of your videos. When will you be riding lappierre bikes? The spicy and zesty are pretty cool but no north American has reviewed them yet.
I think rider weight also needs to be considered. If you're closer to 200 lbs than 150 lbs, lighter frames and less travel can become much more evident. I weigh 190 and high G force burms or any drop over 4 feet makes lighter bikes whimper.
I’ve been riding a Ripley V2 for two years now ( not the long travel ) and love the bike! I know the V4 would be a great bike for me but now at 70 years old but in excellent shape and riding a lot I’m now wondering if the RIPMO V2 would give me a little extra ‘safety’ even on the smoother trails plus the chunkier stiff. Is too much bike for most of my riding a bad idea. Your thoughts are appreciated. Thanks for your videos.
First of all, YOU ARE AWESOME! I totally plan on riding well into my 70's with a focus on good health and lifestyle along the way. Way to go! Depending on your rate of speed and how steep your trails are, I guess the Ripmo could be a little safer but honestly, the geometry is was really helps you in tricky spots most of the time and the geometry of these bikes are pretty close. I think you'd be happy with the Ripley given you been on a V2 up to this point... the V4 is going to feel very slack in comparison... At higher speeds or big drops/jumps the Fox 36 would also give you some safety of drops and jumps are your thing... good luck!!
Fast older rider here who sold his Giant Stance--BTW, an awesome bike--for a used Ripmo AF that I couldn't pass up. Love both bikes but, to your point, the Ripmo is so stable and forgiving, it's nearly impossible to wipe out on it. I'm waiting out a shoulder RTC repair from a mishap long ago on my Stance, and believe Ripmo was the perfect choice for both the fun and health factor After all, our tendons ain't what they used to be
I would slap a 140 Fox 36 w/Fit2 on the Believe It Or Not and call it a day. The 36 is leagues better. Or that new Lyrik. For a trail bike, there is no penalty.
Really looking forward to your impression of the 140mm fork on the ripley. Noticing a lot of people are doing either that or hanging Pikes and 36s on um @ 140mm. Not to mention it looks just sick..Cheers
