Carbon dork

Can't really believe I'm riding an Ibis now, but what the hell. They built the right bike.

Mojo HD 140, blue links, X9 build kit with a few tweaks - Race Face Atlas bars, Reverb post, CK headset, and ditched the ridiculous grips Ibis included with their build and got some Lizard Skins Peaty grips. Went with the 160 Lyric RC front paired with the 140 rear for slacker, lower angles than 160/160. Feels awesome - nice and slack, with the efficiency of the shorter travel shock.

Just took it out today for some mellow singletrack, so will report back when I get it on some more technical terrain after the snow melts up higher.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5091/...2124e4d2_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5094/...73870984_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5054/...377e5784_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5051/...2e465bc6_z.jpg

And a buddy of mine just got his as well, HD 160 with a TALAS 180.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5051/...b723fe9d_z.jpg

I dunno why, but all the blue bits makes me think of the theme song to Tron. Totally humm it when you ride next and report back : )

Looks fun. Did you go 2x10 on that thing?

Interested to see how you like it - it's on my short list right now...

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Originally Posted by PeachesN'Cream

I dunno why, but all the blue bits makes me think of the theme song to Tron.

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Exactly. I'm pretty sure my own obsession with black/blue combos comes from that movie as a kid.........either that or what my body always looked like from skateboarding.


Looking good J! Turn that front tire around and it'll work a little better though ;)

Very nice, man. Good call on the 140.

Any idea what it's weighing in at?

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Originally Posted by kidwoo

Exactly. I'm pretty sure my own obsession with black/blue combos comes from that movie as a kid.........either that or what my body always looked like from skateboarding.


Looking good J! Turn that front tire around and it'll work a little better though ;)

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Thanks all, yeah I heart Tron too. I even have some blue Canfield Campons that just came in for it to top off the blue bits :)

As for the tire direction, believe it or not Schwalbe recommends them that way. Looks weird, but I rode Fat Alberts that direction all last season and they ripped. Go figure. I need to get some tubeless-ready tires anyway, so will be switching it up shortly. Surprised no one has commented on the excessively long front brake hose...

Tuadog - it's a 3x10 drivetrain, and I swapped the big ring for a bash and went with the e.thirteen Heim guide. It has an annoyingly loud roller but seems to work well.

Oh and dfinn, it came in at 30 lb 4 oz with pedals (Mallet 2). Not bad for chainguide, freeride bars, 2.4 tires, and a Reverb post. Should drop a bit of weight when I go tubeless. Hopefully sub-30.

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Originally Posted by Particle

As for the tire direction, believe it or not Schwalbe recommends them that way. Looks weird, but I rode Fat Alberts that direction all last season and they ripped. Go figure.

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Well then someone at schwalbe needs to see a doctor about the large piece of steel lodged in their head.

Especially once it starts drying out around there, just try it. Every thing about the way those knobs are pointed wants to wash your tire out the way it is right now. Schwalbe, michelin and intense have all put rotation directions backwards on their tires before. It was hilarious watching people figure this out the hard way before putting them on correctly. Just give it a go. I stake my internets repuation on it ;)

Have to admit I've always wondered about switching directions, will give it a go and let you know how it werks.

That thing looks mean man! A Ho-Down killer for sure. Glad you finally got it all sorted out.

Was good to see you today up at the bird.

So we should stop recommending bikes in that other thread? lol

Looks good. What is the geo with the 160mm fork?

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Originally Posted by kidwoo

Well then someone at schwalbe needs to see a doctor about the large piece of steel lodged in their head.

Especially once it starts drying out around there, just try it. Every thing about the way those knobs are pointed wants to wash your tire out the way it is right now. Schwalbe, michelin and intense have all put rotation directions backwards on their tires before. It was hilarious watching people figure this out the hard way before putting them on correctly. Just give it a go. I stake my internets repuation on it ;)

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I'd like to second this. With the tire running in that direction, the outside lugs look like the ones on the WTB Dissent. On both tires, the inside edge of the side lugs are toed outwards. The Dissent used to be different. They used to toe the lugs inwards. I then ordered a pair and got the new ones instead. After a few rides I was pissed. The new design is squirrelly as hell and are anything but confidence inspiring when cornering. The old ones didn't do this. If you flip that FA around, you'll go from toed out lugs to toed in lugs. It should rail much better after that.

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Originally Posted by shirk

So we should stop recommending bikes in that other thread? lol

Looks good. What is the geo with the 160mm fork?

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Nah, definitely keep tossing out ideas over there. I don't think I've quite decided ;)

HA is 67 with the 140/160. Haven't measured the BB height tho.

Nice ride, needs to get dirty!

blue crampons and blue atlas fr's!?!?! dope steed indeed.

I have gold crampons and blue atlas fr's..not a good look.

Rad bike, Josh.

I'd really like to see a comparison between this bike and the new Specialized FSR Evo.

I ran a 2.4 Fat Albert rear and 2.4 Ardent front last season and loved it. I can't remember which way the knobs faced though on the Fat Albert. I assume I went with whatever Schwalbe recommended.

particle, sick bike! I love the matte black, the white paint on mine is the only thing I'm not totally stoked about.

Frank, there's a pretty good review of the Stumpy Evo here. it sounds like a cool bike. they quote 30.5lbs without pedals which sounds high, I'd think it would be less. personally I like the maxle rear on the Ibis (and the carbon). the Ibis is also a bit steeper in HA (on paper) with a 150mm fork, bb height is about the same. my hd140 w/ 150mm Revelation measures 67.7* HA and 13.2" bb. trail killer. I doubt you'd be disappointed with either one.

kidwoo, what say you to this?!?

Jared Graves' bike, Wicked Will on the back - clearly running the way Schwalbe's arrow points, but looks completely backwards as well.

http://www.go-ride.com/design_images...s/DSC_1487.jpg

I'm going to have to go with Woo on the tire direction. I think you'll like that front flipped around.

I ran Wicked Wills on my 303 last year. Set them up with both like in that pic and the front wouldn't hold on to anything in the corners. Switched the front around and really like them.

The bike looked weird with the tires going opposite but it worked out. Traction in the back when pedaling, grippy turner in front.

particle- for the record, that tire has not received the Wicked will tread cut on it yet that all yeti team riders do to them (all the intermediate knobs ausgang).

also, nobby nics run backwards (ie kidwoo's way) rule, and they sorta suck in the schwalbe direction.

I think we need to get wookid to do a specific tire nerding knowledge thread.

He's posted lots in different spots between here and ridedonkey.

Robnow was asking me for info about tires on the weekend and my response was to find woo's rants on here.

So are you guys recommending he changes direction on both the front and rear, or just the front. I run a Fat Albert on my rear that way, I like it more than the the other tires I have tried. I also cant ride for shit compared to kidwoo so...

Particle, sick ride man.

Michelin DH 16 tires are another example of a tread pattern that has a recommended direction that looks completely counter intuitive. I had a set of them and disregarded the arrow on the sidewall and ran them how they looked right to me. After a while I changed them around to the recommended direction and I thought the performance of the tire did improve, even though they looked pretty weird to me. However, I never really ended up liking those tires as much as I originally had thought I would. I think the lugs may have been a little too soft and tall...

sick ride J!!

as for the tires, I defer to kidwoo as well. I will say that I hate looking down at front tires where the side lugs are toed out like on the dissent. Michelin tires always look funny to me as well.

My Michelin's say to mount what looks like a normal direction in the front and reverse in the back. I put the rear on normal direction last season thinking it would be faster and corner better that way, but probably give up some traction. Riding seemed to confirm that, but I'm hardly a really discerning rider.

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Originally Posted by marshalolson

particle- for the record, that tire has not received the Wicked will tread cut on it yet that all yeti team riders do to them (all the intermediate knobs ausgang).

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Interesting, so they cut out all those intermediate knobs? Could be pretty sick...

Thanks for all the tire thoughts all. Might have to try the 'normal-looking' front and backwards rear.

Cutting those knobs makes sense to me, I hate intermediate knobs unless I'm only on hard packed dirt. I'm all about the gap to let the loose crap move into and then lots of side knobs to grab like the edge of a ski. Can't wait to report on the BBG's I just got. I think they could be almost perfect for dry Utah conditions.

Cutting the intermediate nobs off a Nevegal made me unhate that tire. I would probably do the same thing to these.

Particle, have you had much time in 160/160 mode, at least I think I remember reading somewhere that you've got the hardware for both setups. IF you have, what differences have you noted?

Super stoked on the bike after a year on it but getting a new rear shock and contemplating the idea of the shorter rear travel to turn it into 160/140 from 160/160. Slacker head angle sounds good but don't really want to lose any BB height(small difference I suppose maybe not a big deal). Also don't really want to take more weight off the front end for climbing, great climber as is and going to do the Talas->Float conversion. Its my one bike to do it all, with all my riding emphasis climbing up to ride down, I'd say 40% technical AM trails, 40% local downhills, and 20% mini DH bike park, again, no shuttle or lift but all climbed.

Stock RP23 has been pretty good but I only like to run it with lots of sag(~33%) to make for a more compliant/responsive ride but with that getting too much bottom out. Any more air and it becomes too harsh. Most likely replacing with PUSHed RT-AM.

Anyway, you seem to be one of the very few running 160/140 so curious to hear your opinion now that you have more time on the bike as to pros/cons 160/140 vs. 160/160.

Sweet ride. Hope your finding some good trails as we get into Summer. I have a Nobby Nic on my bike, and Schwalbe arrows instruct setting it up backwards on the rear. Someone I ride with has a Yeti that came that way too. You can see the lugs are a bit ramped in that direction for rolling resistance, and the side lugs are siped on that side.
Looks weird as hell, and I'm tempted to turn it around, but I'm not sure I'd even notice a difference.

I ran the nobby nic on the rear opposite of the arrows and I was washing out constantly, but it 'looked right', I switched it around to the rec tire rotation direction and it is much better.

eager to hear an update as well. Our LBS is selling alot of the 160's with 180 fork. Claiming it is a one bike quiver for tahoe.

I have two rides on the FSR EVO SJ pretty much stock and i am liking it. It pedals amazing well, very fast. climbs great. as for cornering and descending, it is certainly capable, but i still need to tweak the fox float fork, recommended pressure seems way to high to me as does the pressure on the RP23. The Geo feels great.

J - how's the bike holding? I am seriously considering this frame as the consolidation of my DHR, Dirtjumper and Chameloen....it's a sick combo of DW at a low weight and geo matchup. Someone buy my downhill bike.. PLEASE.

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Originally Posted by lph

I ran the nobby nic on the rear opposite of the arrows and I was washing out constantly, but it 'looked right', I switched it around to the rec tire rotation direction and it is much better.

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It's true.

It's a shitty tire in any direction ;)

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Originally Posted by kidwoo

It's true.

It's a shitty tire in any direction ;)

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I wish I had a witty comeback, unfortunately woo speaks the truth. :(

Well they're better than Ignitors. Of course, anything's better than Ignitors.

Wow this thread blew up again! Cool.

I have been thinking I'm about due to circle back and do a longer-term review. But I'll get the early questions out of the way first:

robnow, sorry man. The bike is just too damn good in 160/140. I haven't even bothered switching it to 160/160 yet. But I've been thinking about trying it, now that I have a good feel for the bike. I'll try to swap it out this week sometime and give it a rip.

Schwalbes. I ran FA's last year in 2.25, this year in 2.4. I loved em last year, love em this year. I run them recommended direction. Again, I ain't messing with a good (great) thing. Just not worth it to me, and I'm more of a set it and forget it kinda rider.

On to the bike. Overall, I couldn't be happier with this thing. I've crashed it, hard. It didn't break. I've left it on my car's rack driving through the rain. It didn't melt. Had some annoying issues with my fancy Chris King headset loosening up, seems to be more or less secure now. Oh and I busted my Maxle quick release lever in a crash. Ibis sent me a new one, for free. Just cuz. (Insane awesome customer service.)

X9 group is bomber. Light, does the job, awesome. And I am SO impressed with the Formula RX brakes that came with the build. I want some Ones for my next DH bike now. The eThirteen Heim guide has been flawless. The Reverb rules. The hose routing is annoying though. It either buzzes on the tire when down, or I have to use some configuration of zip ties, the first time around of which actually damaged the hose enough for it to fail. Oops. But it's replaced and well bled and happy.

Climbing: kills it. I am SO MUCH faster on this bike than on my old Intense SS. I am probably a little fitter this year, but really the ~6 lbs less weight and more efficient suspension really do the job amazingly well. Power to the wheels, instantaneous. If I were coming off an XC racer machine, I could see it being a bit heavy, but for me the HD feels like it has a motor going uphill half the time. The slack angles aren't an issue for me; I'm already used to it. But if it does get really steep, the front end can get pretty light. Nothing some weight shifts can't take care of though.

It was also super efficient on long slogs - took it for 4 days on the White Rim this spring. Nary a complaint, aside from my shitty chamois on day 3... I could barely walk.

Suspenders: The RP23 was set up too stiff at first. I let out some air, and it is way better. I am not getting the o-ring to push off the shock shaft even while jumping though, so I could probably stand to drop another 5-10 psi. Not the plushest shock, but it rips and performs when needed. The Lyrik RC Solo Air has been a treat. I think it is actually, somehow, a better shock than my old 170 DH Lyrik. Don't ask my how. It's light, plush, tracks anything, and feels just. Awesome.

Trail/tomfoolery: Crazy crazy how stiff the bike is. Crazy. Never felt anything like it. Even my old Foes FXR, which is the closest thing to it in that category, wasn't as stiff. Something about the carbon, the massive linkages, and the Maxle and 20 mm thru axles I think. Quick. Lively. Fun fun fun. Jumpy. Poppy.

Downhill: I put in my fastest Super D time ever on this bike at Sundance. Only a few seconds off the guys who normally put 20-30 seconds into me on a similar length course (ex-pro faaast guys from Go-Ride). And the course was ALL downhill. Just a smidge of pedaling at the very bottom. The only thing I haven't been able to really test out is high speed chunder, a la Porcupine Rim. That's on the list. And one instance where I'll probably but a coil shock in 160 mode on it.

Jumping: Took the bike up to Arcylon a couple weeks ago for its first real jump session. Absolutely slays. Plenty of pop for hard-to-clear doubles. Enough squish for flat landers. Only complaint is my first few laps through the jumps, my seat was just a tad too high. To achieve ideal pedaling position, the saddle is slammed for DH but just a touch too high for lippy, poppy dirt jumps. But I got used to it quickly, and now don't even notice it. That said, I love this bike, and want to treat it well, so I'm not sure how much I'm going to want to take it to the jump park and beat the snot out of it. So I may get a used Bottlerocket or something to just be a cheaply-built, jump/abuse bike. Although there's really no need to do that. I'm just a gear whore.

Bottom line: there is nothing I won't do on the HD that I would do on the old SS. And that was a 170 bike I think? OK almost nothing... tight dirt jumps were comfier on the SS with its super low top tube. That's all I can think of though.

100+ miles of dirt road. Check.
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6092414_n.jpg

Racing. Check.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5268/...c2ccb8ea_z.jpg

Technical climbing. Check.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3239/...298050fc_z.jpg

Downhill/jumping. Check.



Did I gush about this bike enough?

I think he likes it.