Ibis recently announced a new Ripmo 29er with updated geometry and a retuned DW Link suspension system. The new Ibis Ripmo V2 takes the original Ripmo platform, stretches it out, improves the suspension and turns it into a legit enduro rig, ready to take on Enduro World Series race courses, bike parks and big mountain terrain. We got the new Ripmo V2 within a few days of the announcement and sent shop wrench Jordan Rarick out to Church Rocks to get a feel for how it compares to the original Ripmo. Keep reading for our Ibis Ripmo V2 ride report.
The original Ibis Ripmo has been one of our most popular mountain bikes. The combination of 29er rollover, new-school geometry and DW Link suspension made it a fantastically versatile and capable bike – especially for mountain bikers who don’t mind pedaling to get to the good stuff. That made the Ripmo perfect for Hurricane, where most of our trails are both pedally as well as technical, with plenty of big lines for those who want them. Our Ripmo 29er rental bikes are almost always out on the trail and we’ve sent a lot of visitors home with them, as well.
The new Ibis Ripmo V2 is basically a carbon version of the Ripmo AF that was introduced last year. Of course, the carbon frame is considerably lighter than the AF’s aluminum frame. There are also subtle geometry differences and the Ripmo V2 comes with Fox suspension, not DVO like the Ripmo AF. That said, if you’ve ridden a Ripmo AF, you pretty much know how the carbon Ripmo V2 will ride.
For those of you who’ve ridden the original Ripmo, the first thing you’ll notice about the Ripmo V2 is it feels like a bigger bike. The wheelbase is a full inch longer, the reach is about half an inch longer and at 64.9°, the head angle is a full degree slacker. Because it’s longer and slacker, the handling isn’t quite as quick; but it’s more stable at speed and smooths out steep chunk even better than the OG Ripmo did.
The second thing you’ll notice about the Ibis Ripmo V2 is the suspension feel. All you have to do is throw a leg over it and pedal it around the parking lot and you’ll feel the difference. That’s Ibis’ new Traction Tune custom shock valving. Officially introduced with the Ripmo AF, it makes the bike feel like it’s glued to the ground and makes cornering and climbing traction ridiculously good. Surprisingly, when you’re on the trail, the Traction Tune suspension still has plenty of pop when you want it. The DW Link system was also tweaked to make the bike more progressive for coil shock compatibility. The overall result is a bike that has fantastic pedaling traction yet feels buttery smooth on nearly any surface or hit. The Ripmo V2 is one of the smoothest-feeling bikes we’ve ever ridden.
Church Rocks doesn’t get as much attention as Gooseberry Mesa, Guacamole and the other mesa trails to the east of Hurricane. However, Church Rocks’ mix of fast, flowy trail and red sandstone cliffs makes for a nice change of pace and the sandy singletrack holds up really well when everything else is wet and muddy. As you can see, it’s not bad for photos, either.
Jordan spends most of his time on a 27.5 bike and commented on how effortless it was to keep the new Ripmo moving on rolling terrain. He noted that the updated DW Link “has an amazing lack of pedal feedback.” Between the big wheels and DW Link, it doesn’t hang up on anything. It just seems to float along – even on trail with embedded cobble-like rocks that usually require pedaling.
Church Rocks has a lot of slickrock to play on with a nice mix of chunky steps, smooth rollers and some drops and jumps, for those who want them. Jordan will make any bike look good and he sent it pretty hard on the Ripmo V2. He said even though the new Ripmo is, “longer, slacker and more stable, it still has the light, poppy, playful feel” he loves about Ibis bikes. He sure looks like he’s enjoying himself in the photo, above
Like the original Ripmo, the V2 is a comfortable pedaler so big rides and big climbs are no problem. Cross-country purists and people who spend most of their time on really tight, twisty trails might find the Ripmo V2 a bit long and slack. But if you spend a lot of time with the throttle pinned on fast, open trails, you enjoy airtime and pointing it through the rocks, then you need to check out the new Ibis Ripmo V2. Really aggressive, DH/park-oriented riders who felt the original Ripmo wasn’t quite enough in the gnar will be very pleased with the Ripmo V2.
We hope you enjoyed our Ibis Ripmo V2 ride report. If you liked it, please consider sharing it with your friends on social media. For more photos, specs, geometry and pricing, visit our Ibis Ripmo V2 mountain bike page. To see all of our rental current mountain bikes, visit our Rent a Bike page.