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Submitted by
davy
a
from canada
Date Reviewed: July 7, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | alan park | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$635.00 | | Purchased At: | ibex.com | | Strengths: | good front suspension, disk breaks, lock-out rear suspension.
its a tough bike. i got the lime green and it is SWEET. the lime green looks awsome. | | Weaknesses: | sometimes the disks squeak. | | Similar Products Used: | ????????/ | | Bike Setup: | nothing | | Bottom Line: | this bike is amazing. i was going to get a gary fisher wahoo but then i saw the ibex. i was still going to get a hard tail ibex then i saw the dual suspension. the colour is great so is the price. im 15 and 135bl and 5 foot 5 . its great i got the 16.5 frames and my dads like 6 foot and he got the 20.5 and its perfect for him. this is my first real bike and i love the bike and i love ibex | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
adam V
a Weekend Warrior
from Longmont, CO USA
Date Reviewed: April 30, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Moab Utah | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$625.00 | | Purchased At: | www.ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | Awesome Lime green color, Great components for the money, Very well made bike. I am still amazed at the level of bike for what I paid. | | Weaknesses: | None found yet | | Similar Products Used: | 1989 - Cycle pro - Hard Tail Mountain Bike
1987 - Mongoose Alta Pro - Hard Tail Mountain Bike | | Bike Setup: | Stock except I had the rear shock upgraded to a Rock Shock Bar 2. I am using Evergreen tubes with Mr Tuffy tire liners. | | Bottom Line: | I have been mountain biking since I was teenager and decided to try a full suspension iBex ignition 2. One of my co-workers bought an ignition 1 and was so impressed with it I had to get one for myself. I paid the same amount for this ibex ignition 2 as I did my Cyclepro(Schwinn) 18 years ago and the difference is well. uh, dramatic! I easily assembled the bike in about a 1/2 hour and took it out. It felt really squirrly at first and I almost crashed after jumping off a curb since my toe clip jammed right into my tire. I almost endoed the bike. My foot rubbing the tire when i turn just didn't seem right so after close inspection I realized the forks were backwards. Doh! They did this in shipping to get the bike to fit in the box. I mean never having a bike with any sort of suspension I didn't notice the forks were backwards. Well, that was easily fixed and wow! what a difference. Other riders really comment on the cool Lime green paint color on my bike. It really looks cool in Lime green.
The bike is really solid and shifts super smooth compared to my old 18 speed MTB. I think this bike is about the same weight too as my old hard tail. I love the disk brakes but I can't say I really like the rapid fire shifters. My old bike had them and I didn't like them then either. I upgrades to grip shifters on my old bike and I am really used to them so a whole new set of sram grip shifters and derailers are next on my upgrade list. Other than that, the bike is excellent! Full suspension rocks! I am ready now to take on a whole new realm of terrain now. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Erik
a Weekend Warrior
from Long Island, NY
Date Reviewed: April 18, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | Glacier Ridge | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$599.00 | | Purchased At: | IBEXbikes.com | | Strengths: | Solid construction, brand name components, rear shock lock-out feature, nice geometry, very responsive, provided multi-tool (nice extra), reliable, excellent value for the price. | | Weaknesses: | This is a third follow-up review after about 10 months of use; still no problems with the bike, no mechanicals, hasn't let me down on the trails once. Yeah, brakes could be easier to adjust to prevent rubbing, but that's about it. | | Similar Products Used: | Various hardtails in the $300-500 range | | Bike Setup: | Still stock set up, except went to Shimano clipless pedals. | | Bottom Line: | I've now ridden over 1,300 intermediate and advanced trail miles on this thing in the past 10 months and it just won't let me down! Shifts like a charm consistently, loves the twisty single tracks of LI, and climbs well. I keep seeing all the $1,000, $2,000, and UP bikes around me on the trails and, I'm sorry, but my IBEX for the money is a heck of a value. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Xaqori
a Cross Country Rider
from mar, ga, us of a
Date Reviewed: January 5, 2007 | | Favoriate Trail: | big creek | | Duration Product Used: | 2 Years | | Price Paid: |
$400.00 | | Purchased At: | ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | fork, frame, pedals | | Weaknesses: | brakes stink! tires | | Similar Products Used: | fisher tass | | Bike Setup: | ibex ig. 2 | | Bottom Line: | very good for the price, good for novice & intermediate riders | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Erik
a Weekend Warrior
from Hauppauge, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: October 21, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Rocky Point, Long Island, NY | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$599.00 | | Purchased At: | Ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | Solid construction, brand name components, rear shock lock-out feature, nice geometry, very responsive, provided multi-tool (nice extra), excellent value for the price. | | Weaknesses: | This is a follow-up review; still no problems with the bike! | | Similar Products Used: | Various hardtails in the $300-500 range | | Bike Setup: | Still stock set up, except went to Shimano clipless pedals. | | Bottom Line: | Now have 525+ trail miles (intermediate & advanced)on the bike after 3 months. Pleased to say it hasn't let me down yet. It has taken some punishment on our black diamond and double black diamond trails and always comes out strong. I've found it to be very responsive and quick. Climbs well, too, but the front end is light. I use bar extensions (always have though some folks don't like to) and on the hills they help me distribute my weight just right.
I love this bike and still think it is an excellent value. When I am at the trailhead parking lot seeing all those $1,000+ to $2,000 bikes, I just smile. My Ibex keeps me right up there with the rest of them...for a lot less. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
KI
a Weekend Warrior
from Denver, CO
Date Reviewed: August 2, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | Online | | Strengths: | Cheap and durable | | Weaknesses: | Setup and weight | | Bike Setup: | Switched Alivio FD to an XT, switching Truvativ 5D crankset to an LX, switched rear shock to a Fox Float. | | Bottom Line: | Don't expect to have a great ride with this bike until after several attempts at setup. I've found the Alivio front derailleur to be pretty worthless, allowing only 2 chainrings to be used without problems, you pick the two. It also takes a while to figure out how to dial in the Tektro IO brakes.
After the first 7 or so moderate rides I've had a few other problems. The non-driveside crankarm fell off and I lost the hexbolt holding it on. Ibex sent me a replacement in about 2 days. The bottom bracket came out about 3/4 of the way on the driveside. I think this might be because it was spinning backwards on my roofrack for 400 miles, but I'm surprised by it. I'm tired of it and am replacing it with an LX crankset and BB. The Tektro brake mountings came loose after 2 hard rides, but nothing that a hex wrench on the trail didn't fix.
I am basically happy with the bike, especially for the price, but you have to practice due diligence in inspecting and tightening everything for the first few rides. My girlfriend laughs at me because I am always fiddling with it while her 3 or 4 year old Tassajara just goes. With the new crankset, and changes to the rear shock and front derailleur it will be great. | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Erik
a Weekend Warrior
from Hauppauge, NY, USA
Date Reviewed: July 6, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Rocky Point, Long Island, NY | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$599.00 | | Purchased At: | Ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | Solid construction, brand name components, rear shock lock-out feature, nice geometry, very responsive, provided multi-tool (nice extra), excellent value for the price. | | Weaknesses: | None so far. | | Similar Products Used: | Various hardtails in the $300-500 range | | Bike Setup: | Factory stock setup. May upgrade front derailleur and pedals depending on how they perform. | | Bottom Line: | This is my third mtb and my first full suspension. After a LOT of local and internet research the Ignition 2 seemed to fit the bill for my next step up into a more rugged, responsive and FS bike. Shipped fast and arrived in fine condition. Assembly was easy though I needed to reroute the front brake cable which was passed through the forks the wrong way by factory. As with any new ride, plan on spending some time and the first few rides tuning in the drivetrain, shifters, brakes and forks. Now that I have it tuned for my typical rides, I love it. I ride intermediate to advanced trails 3-4 times per week, with a 1,035 tail miles logged so far this year. In the short time I've had the Ibex I already feel more confident traversing trail sections that gave me problems on my other bike. Shifts smoothly, brakes well, handles nasty terrain with confidence, seat is more comfortable than I imagined, handles steep hills better than any other bike I've ridden. This bike seems very satisfactory for beginning, intermediate, and even advanced riders (though riders with lots of hard core experience may prefer one of the more advanced Ibex models with upgraded components). It's early yet, but so far I am very impressed with the bike and the Ibex company. Definitely a bike I should enjoy riding for a long time! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Radek
a Weekend Warrior
from Toronto, ON
Date Reviewed: June 19, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$700.00 | | Purchased At: | ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | Frame: lateral stiffness is amazing (most of full suspension bikes have perceptive flex, not this one) the geometry seems magical, rides like a hardtail on asphalt, very confident on trails. Good hubs, rolls like a roadie. The fork is way above anything generic, eats small stones easily (I went with the soft setting suggested in the manual and it gives motorcycle-like ride). Surprisingly good seat.
Perfect bike for anyone stepping up from a generic, confident, safe ride with good looks. Makes an impression it is built to last. | | Weaknesses: | The disks are uneven (not bent, more of a varying thickness) need fairly frequent adjustment. OTOH, even when it's possible to hear some rub in the workshop it's not perceptible on the trail. Still, these disks beat even the best rim brakes. | | Similar Products Used: | Costco Quantum FS, several generics. | | Bike Setup: | factory | | Bottom Line: | Amazing bike for the money. Looked at several options, for that money I could only get a hardail with this component set (Jamis Komodo) locally, decided to give Ibex a shot - no regrets! The shipping is surprisingly swift, the bike was at my door (in Canada) on day 5. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Wes
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas, TX, USA
Date Reviewed: May 21, 2006 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$640.00 | | Purchased At: | Ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | The price. I have ridden alot on the road and wanted to try mountain biking. This was the only full suspension bike with disc brakes that fit within my price range. The components seem ok - i am not sure the derailers are adjusted properly. The front shock seems really good (though this is my first shock). A full suspension bike is a lot of fun to ride. I have been popping curbs, etc. trying to learn the tricks and it feels great. The Ibex folks have answered all my emails and queries. Not suprisingly, I did get better answers when I called them than when contacting the with email. I had difficulty deciding whether I should get the 16.5 or 18.5 frame. Ibex and I settled on the 18.5 frame - it seems to fit well though I keep worrying that I will want a smaller frame later when I start really riding trails. | | Weaknesses: | Assembly is a little bit more than I expected. The assembly instructions are limited and the manual provided is outdated and non-ignition specific. The rear disc dragged horribly. I spent a lot of time trying to adjust this to the point of filing down the bracket. I discovered that if I flipped the bracket around the caliper would be in the proper position. (Ibex is sending me a new caliper). The brakes need a lot of adjustment and don't seem very strong. I had a hard time knowing what to do with the stem. I took the cap off and managed to catch the fork before it hit the ground. I didn't align the bottom plastic rings on the fork the first time and it interfered with the steering. Both hubs seemed like they were clamped down too tight on the bearings. I peeled off the rubber guards, unlocked the lock nut and loosened the cone. The wheels spin a lot longer now. Shifting seems to work ok but I think it needs some adjustment to get to the outer cog. (I haven't attacked this yet). The pedals don't seem that good. I would order some pedals online or pick some take-offs up at your bike shop. Finally, they cannot swap out components. For example, I should ideally have a slightly smaller than 110 mm stem the 18.5" frame comes with (should have a 100 mm stem). By not swapping out, they can keep there prices low so I can't fault their strategy. | | Similar Products Used: | I have not used any suspension bike. I own a Trek 7300FX hybrid for commuting and an older steel Diamondback road bike for long rides. I am 39 years old, 5'9", and 165#. | | Bike Setup: | Stock. | | Bottom Line: | Seems like a great bike. The brakes don't have the adjustments that better disc brakes have. The suspension is _not_ bouncing up and down with every pedal stroke and definately works coming off 1 foot drops (haven't tried anything more daring at this point).
I would suggest that you buy this bike if you are comfortable measuring yourself and selecting the appropriate size for you. You need to be interested in doing the assembly and adjustment (or willing to pay a bike mechanic to do this). If you have $200 extra order the ignition-3 with the improved brakes, shocks, and shifters. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ed Roby
a Cross Country Rider
from Marietta, GA USA
Date Reviewed: April 17, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Blanket's Creek | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$479.00 | | Purchased At: | Ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | Most everything. Strong frame, MZ comp fork, rear shock,...just to name a few things. | | Weaknesses: | The tires arn't any good. The only thing they are good at is cornering. Brakes arn't especially strong, but what more could you want for this price? | | Similar Products Used: | 2003 Jamis Dakar XC Comp | | Bike Setup: | Stock with a few changes: Bash Guard instead of large chainring, Forte Terra Trak 2.1 front tire, Specialized Enduro 2.2 Rear tire. | | Bottom Line: | I have worked in a bike shop in the past and am a Barnett's trained certified Tech. This bike is an excellent deal for the money. I bought the bike for the upcomming XC season, and am very pleased. I had wanted an all-mountain bike, but "settled" for this. Suprise to me that that is how it is built up. Oversized riser handlebars and beefy rims come on it (the pictures online don't give the bike justice). It rides better than the Jamis Dakar XC Comp I had and it costs $1300 less! Don't listen to the guy that says the frame "looks" weak, cause it isn't. I weigh about 170 lbs. and have landed badly on 4ft. drops onto pavement. It does great on freeride courses too. MZ comp fork soaks up everything I throw at it, even the 4 foot drops onto concrete, without bottoming out. Buy it if you want a good bike at a great price. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Clifford Maass
a Weekend Warrior
from Richmond
Date Reviewed: April 9, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Poor Farm Park | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$650.00 | | Purchased At: | online | | Strengths: | Maybe the oversized stem and bars and shock. | | Weaknesses: | Disc Brakes, Brake Levers, frame, | | Similar Products Used: | Cannondale, K2, Mongoose and GT before Walmart | | Bike Setup: | Stock. | | Bottom Line: | This bike is pure junk if you ride hard. The brakes never stays adjusted or stop very well. The frame looks very weak at the bottom shock mount. I mean come on cast aluminum and I wish I had noticed that before the purchase. The way they have run the cables is a joke. The rear brake cable will hit your leg unless you tie strap it to the frame. I am an ace bike mechanic and have worked in couple shops in my younger days. I help all the guys I ride with maintain their bikes. I thought I was getting a deal when I bought this bike. I guess after I spend the extra cash for Avid Disc brakes. Get a buddy to custom make me the bottom shock mount when it brakes. Then this would be a good bike.
I went with this bike because of the price as a have a small son and I watch my money. I guess I should have known better as you get what you pay for. After I buy the brakes and brake levers I will have closer to 900 in the bike. | Value Rating: Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Weekend Warrior
from Ruston, LA
Date Reviewed: February 27, 2006 | | Favoriate Trail: | Lincoln Parish Park | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | Ibex.com | | Strengths: | Exceptional price for the bike/components. Great customer service at Ibex.com. Very durable bike. | | Weaknesses: | Brakes (not terrible, but I'm not a big fan). I've been having some problems with them dragging. | | Bike Setup: | Stock. | | Bottom Line: | Great bike for a great price. Extremely durable- I ride a pretty rough trail 2-3 times a month for about six months, and I've never had a problem. If you're on a budget, this is the bike to get!! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dom
a Cross Country Rider
from Burbank, CA USA
Date Reviewed: November 5, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Any Root Fractured Pavement | | Duration Product Used: | 1 Year | | Price Paid: |
$675.00 | | Purchased At: | IBEX Website | | Strengths: | Short of some great deal on eBay you won't find a more solid bike with mostly above average components for such a great price. Frame is really rock-solid. Gets looks like your driving (riding) a Porsche. | | Weaknesses: | Nit-picking...Front derauiller not beefy enough if doing more than mild x-country. Read disc brake rubbed long after break-in period. | | Similar Products Used: | Misc department store and LBS models around the $500 range | | Bike Setup: | Stock except addition of Specialized ATB Compound Pro tires | | Bottom Line: | Simply a great bike all the way around...Great price, good components and a mean look. No matter where I go I see people "eyeing" this bike. In the rack at work there are frequently a group of people looking over the Ignition 2 admiring it's nice lines and unique look. And then you ride it....
I'd more accurately describe my riding as "Lite Urban Cross Country" as I stay on the pavement most of the time trying to hit as many irregularities as possible. Then I may cut across grass or a dirt path or down a short set of stairs to shortcut my destination.
With that in mind the bike has performed almost flawlessly (even though it really wasn't made for this). The frame is the key to this machine and it just does not give. The front suspension has enough travel to handle big root fractures in the pavement and the disc brakes are confidence-inspiring. The rear suspension also performs fine.
The thumb shifters are a bit balky going between some gears but are exactly where they need to be for quick shifts to handle changes in the terrain. In the lowest gear the chain rubs against the front derauiller which Shimano mentions in their documentation so you can't really use that gear. An upgrade at some point.
I switched out the Kenda Krushers for Specialized ATB Compound Pro's just because they were more conducive to the more pavement oriented riding I do...However the Krushers performed well on loose gravel and packed trails but not sandy ones (that would be a tall order anyway).
I flipped the bike accidentally after doing a bunny hop onto the curb (was inadvertenly covering the brakes when I landed and ended up squeezing them at the absolutely wrong time). It was a ugly crash but the only thing that came of the bike was some scratched brake levers. Nothing else. So my bottom line is:
Get your credit card out and order the bike. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
D. Neal
a Weekend Warrior
from Germany
Date Reviewed: August 9, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | www.ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | "Bang for your buck"; Frame construction; majority of components. | | Weaknesses: | Rear shock Linkage, front derallieur. | | Bottom Line: | 4 words: Bang For Your Buck.
I bought this bike for the wife, who wanted a full-suspension bike for the trails we ride. Basically something to smooth out the rocks and roots. For $500 bucks, this bike delivers.
I could complain about the Alivio shifters and front derailleur, or the "no-name" coil-over shock, but hey... it's only 5 bills. You get a decent XC Marzocchi fork, decent disc brakes, and decent shifter/derailleur combo. It's definitely not suitable for the hard-core rider, and isn't going to take any drops... but that's not what it was built for.
The only thing I can really criticize is the linkage where the bottom of the shock mounts. The two pieces of aluminum look cast, and possibly prone to breakage. Heavier riders might take note...
This bike does require "assembly" (putting on the front wheel, handlebar, and pedals); but more importantly, you have to know how to tune it, because the derailleurs and brakes haven't been adjusted.
Overall I'm very happy with the quality of the frame and components, and again... you can't beat the price. Ibex's customer service is top notch, and I easily see myself doing business with them again. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jeff
a Cross Country Rider
from Duarte, CA, USA
Date Reviewed: June 14, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Sam Merrill | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$499.00 | | Purchased At: | ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | Nice frame, name brand components and parts, great geometry, good setup for the price | | Weaknesses: | Cheap rear shock, brake rotors, a little heavy, ridiculous platform pedals | | Similar Products Used: | Diamondback Sorrento w/SRAM ESP drivetrain and LX/Mavic wheelset | | Bike Setup: | Upgraded to X.0 shifters, X.0 rear derailleur, Mavic Crossland wheelset, 9 speed cassette, Panaracer Fire XCs, and Shimano 545 pedals right out of the box. Had to replace front brake rotor, which bent 1st week. All together, spent about $1000 for a setup that would be found on a $2800 bike. | | Bottom Line: | I ride 3-5 times per week and this bike has held up nicely. I didn't have much money for a new bike, so I wanted to get something solid that would leave enough cash for the upgrades I wanted. The Tektro IO disc brakes are not that impressive, but work fine if they're adjusted properly. I had to put an Avid Juicy 7 rotor on the front because the stock rotor was bent and wouldn't stop rubbing. I don't remember hitting it. The front shock is nice, but the rear shock is pretty crappy. I also don't like that the spring hits the bottom of the seatpost if you have your seat adjusted too low.
The main reason I'm glad I bought this bike is that the 16.5" frame is so well balanced that it practically doubles my downhill speed while giving a better sense of safety. I love that my knee can clear the top bar when I lean away from a turn. It makes agressive riding and switchbacks much easier.
I would recommend this bike even if you've been riding for a while, because it's a lot cheaper to buy a complete bike with a good frame, fork, stem, and handlebar and upgrade than to buy a bike that already has the setup you want.
| | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Lonnie Jackson
a Weekend Warrior
from Lemoore, CA USA
Date Reviewed: May 16, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | BuckRidge | | Duration Product Used: | 6 months | | Price Paid: |
$499.00 | | Purchased At: | Ibex.com | | Strengths: | Price, looks, disc breaks perform great. Top notch customer service. | | Weaknesses: | Front derailleur, headset. | | Similar Products Used: | KHS FXT Sport | | Bike Setup: | Stock except for Cane Creek S2 headset. | | Bottom Line: | Front derailleur is garbage. I have spent too much time and money trying to adjust it. My LBS could not even get it to adjust. Don't waste your money to have it adjusted, just upgrade to an LX or XT. The plastic cap on my headset broke the first time I went off road. An upgrade to an all sealed headset is recommended. Get accustomed to adjusting your bike. The Tektro brakes are great, but a pain to adjust. Overall the bike is good. Very tough durable frame, and stem/handlebar. I've ridden it hard and it's performed great. So you save a lot of money on the purchase price, DO SOME UPGRADES. Lastly, Ibex customer service is incredible. Will answer any question you have. Jack went through fork disassembly over the phone. Customer service makes this bike a better deal. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Jason
a Weekend Warrior
from Adams center,NY,USA
Date Reviewed: April 29, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | barnes corners - rodman trail network | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$535.00 | | Purchased At: | www.ibex.com | | Strengths: | most bang for the buck in a full suspension disc brake bike | | Weaknesses: | I had to check every nut and bolt on the bike after initial assembly because many were loose. The rear 4 link suspension pivot bolts were almost falling out. | | Similar Products Used: | mongoose full suspension and a sams club special | | Bike Setup: | marzocchi mz comp forks, tektro disc brakes front and rear, shimano deore and alivio componets | | Bottom Line: | This bike has far superior componets for the price I paid. Worth every penny spent. The bikes weakness isn't even really a weakness because you should check everything before you ride the bike for the first time anyway. I can't get over the difference this bike has over my others. I can climb almost any hill with the lower gearing. Stoping with wet muddy brakes is not a problem either. I thought for full suspension and disc brakes that the bike was pretty light too at 33 pounds. I looked every where for a disc braked full suspension bike and couldn't find anthing new for less than $900 even used bikes were $650-700. This bike hits mark for value. I have no regrets. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Dennis
a Weekend Warrior
from Dallas, Tx
Date Reviewed: April 26, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$569.00 | | Purchased At: | IbexBikes.com | | Strengths: | Value!Value!Value!
Simply put there is not a better bike out there for twice the money. Quality is evident in the design. So much other riders are always asking exactly what kind of bike it is. A buddy of mine rode it and then freaked when I told him it only cost $600, turns out he liked it more then his $1000 Specialized FSRxC.
The pedal bob is barely noticable. It really digs in on uphill sections, in fact, when going uphill it feels like a much lighter bike then a scale would lead you to believe.
The frame is completely bombproof without feeling like your riding a tank. | | Weaknesses: | ......Ummm, the only thing that bugged me was spending the first few days getting everything dialed in correctly, everything seemed like it needed to be tweaked a bit. Both the front and the rear shocks were way to mushy, and the back brake wouldent lock up when needed. | | Similar Products Used: | Specialized HardRock sport.
Mongoose DXsomthing or another. (Beastly 50lb Wal-Mart DS) | | Bike Setup: | Bone Stock.
I really cant think of anything else the bike needs. Maybe a new front shock if I wanted to impress other riders... | | Bottom Line: | You could easily spend $1000 and not get as good a bike as this one. I would highly recomend this bike to anyone looking for a quality ride. You will not be disapointed. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Justin M
a Cross Country Rider
from Baton Rouge, LA
Date Reviewed: April 24, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | Comite, Baton Rouge | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$534.00 | | Purchased At: | website | | Strengths: | price, design, colors, components | | Weaknesses: | you have some minimal assembly to do. if you want a bike right out of the shop this is not for you. | | Similar Products Used: | cheap mongoose 21 speed | | Bike Setup: | everything stock. added pedro's saddle bag w/some gear. | | Bottom Line: | i was skeptical about buying a bike this way. a friend just spent close to a grand on bike, shoes, and pedals from local bike shop. i could not afford that. got a better bike (his is hardtail) for almost half the price. the components are the best for the price. you can't knock components like the brakes b/c you get what you paid for. just the frame alone is over 300, so don't listen to the people that say that it should come w/anything better. the beauty of riding is you get to upgrade when you get the funds. i ride hard every weekend on single track and nothing has broken yet. true rear wheel from collision w/ someone else once. had to bend front rotor by hand from slight offcenter after a few rides but this is routine. if you want to get the best for your money this is it. great customer support! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Brady Prenzlow
a Cross Country Rider
from Blaine, MN
Date Reviewed: April 15, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | BLAST Elk River | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$535.00 | | Purchased At: | IBEX.com | | Strengths: | Price!
Frame
Front Shock
Appearance
| | Weaknesses: | Pedals
Rear Shock
| | Bike Setup: | X-FUSION 02 RC rear air shock | | Bottom Line: | This was my first mountain bike purchase in nearly 10 years. I am 6’ 3”, 200 lbs, and 30 years old. I was looking for a fun bike to do some XC trail riding. I too was leery about buying a bike over the internet, but after the attitude I received from some local bike shops I decided to pull the trigger. The bike showed up in about four business days. It only took about 30 minutes to assemble. However, the front fork was on backwards and the front rim was slightly bent. I trued the front rim at a lbs and IBEX reimbursed me $15.
I went with the gray color and the bike looks mean. The black components on the gray frame are really sharp. As far as the components go, the pedals are horrible and the rear shock is garbage. I replaced the pedals with cages from a previous bike and I replaced the shock with an air shock that I got for a steal on Ebay ($63). The air shock makes a HUGE difference. The front shock is good and the frame is solid. I just weighed it yesterday, and my 20.5” frame with pedals and the air shock weighs 33 lbs. Not the best, but not bad for an entry-level fs.
I am happy with my purchase and have been enjoying my new ride. I would suggest an IBEX Ignition 2 to anyone in my riding category. I probably saved $200 over buying a bike at a lbs. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Joe Daddy
a
from St. George, Utah
Date Reviewed: March 30, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | All | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Purchased At: | ibex site | | Strengths: | GREAT price! All around nice bike. | | Weaknesses: | Rims a little weak. TIRES SUCK!! First thing i did when i got the bike was get some good tires. | | Bottom Line: | I was a bit leary of a bike that i didnt know much about and for only $500. But i had nothing to be worried about. I am 100% satisfied with this bike. I have been riding seriously for about 2 years on a hardtail. This bike converted me to full suspension. I absolutely love this bike. Its great for anything: downhill, XC, technical, and freeride. Ive tested it out in all areas and it performs very well.
The frame is super beefy. I love the marzocchi forks! Overall, the components are surprisingly decent for the amount of money that this bike costs.
I would highly recommend this bike to anyone who wants to get into full suspension without paying a fortune. I would have paid more for this bike--its well worth the money! | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Mike
a
from carbondale IL
Date Reviewed: March 28, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | cedar lake | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$500.00 | | Purchased At: | ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | very nice set up for price. very confortable bike. so far has been riding great. brakes started working great after about 10 or 12 hours of riding. deraillers have worked flawlessly so far. quick set up. everything was strait and true out of box. | | Weaknesses: | rear shock is nothing special. it's there though and it works fine so far. very light in the front. took some getting used to but now just utilize it for effortless wheelies. | | Similar Products Used: | gary fisher tarpon. specialized stump jumper. specialized rockhard. | | Bike Setup: | stock. | | Bottom Line: | I was pretty scared to buy a bike off the internet but I am very happy now. This bike is set up like nothing else for 500 bucks. Gained a lot of confidence during my first ride with this bike. its my first full suspension so it was pretty heavy at first but am now used to it. got me in a bit better shape. some things could be upgraded like the shocks but i'm not rich and for only spending 500 bucks i couldn't be happier. frame is solid and after some breaking in the brakes work great now. the geometry of this bike is also great. you sit very comfortably and still in a good position to ride. i've taken it out on aggressively 5 times now and it has performed well. even though the shocks aren't great they work well together. also suprisingly i haven't had a problem with either derailler(i usually bust them up fairly quick) overall very solid bike at a price that even i could afford. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Ricardo Crespin
a Weekend Warrior
from San Antonio, TX
Date Reviewed: March 20, 2005 | | Favoriate Trail: | O.P Schnapell Park San Antonio | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$560.00 | | Purchased At: | Ibex.com | | Strengths: | Quality,Value. I am glad I stumbled across this deal on the front page of MTBreview in "hot deals" or I would have bought a Gary Fisher Marlin at the local Bike shop. This is a serious upgrade from that bike. Every component worked like butter out of the box. Bomb proof frame. I am proud to have a unique bike on the trails when everyone is riding Treks, this bike stands out. I bought the Silver bike and it is beautiful with the black components tires, seat,etc the silver and black combination is strong. | | Weaknesses: | It is difficult to put anything in here because of the price, but to be subjective I will say the weight is the only downside to this bike. But, it is not worse than expected for this price. I also agree with Kelly Brande's review that front end is light compare to the rear I would like to see this weight distributed better. The weight was similar to my prev hardtail but that was a heavy bike too. | | Similar Products Used: | Trek 4900 hardtail w/disc brakes | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | I am not an Ibex employee or in anyway affiliated with them. I work at USAA.I crashed once, the bike stood up to it fine. I was concerned that that I would not like the geometry without testing it but I am pleased to say that the geometry of the bike is superb, a fast bike. Also make sure someone is home to accept the bike delivery, mine was left by the side of the house in the back yard by UPS, I was glad to have it when I got home rather than waiting for a 2nd delivery attempt but of course it could have been taken. I dont know how to comment on the performance of brakes, suspension and drive train because I dont know what a 1000$ bike feels like but I am happy with these pieces so far. The wheels are noticeably high quality light weight and black spokes go well with look of bike. I had no contact with Ibex because it hasent been needed, I have no complaints or problems to discuss with them. Buy this bike you will be glad you did. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Matt
a Cross Country Rider
from Durham, CT
Date Reviewed: March 17, 2005 | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$499.00 | | Purchased At: | ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | price, easy to set up, i had it built in about 15 minutes. | | Weaknesses: | the suspension was set very soft but nothing that a little bit of tuning cant fix. | | Similar Products Used: | raleigh m50, trek 3900, diamondback coil, various cheap mongoose fs bikes | | Bike Setup: | stock | | Bottom Line: | very good bike for the price although i havent had much time on the bike seeing as how there is too much snow to ride it in the trails. there doesnt seem to be too much bop while climbing. it is a decent weight for a FS bike built up with disc brakes. ill add another review once it gets warm and i can get some 15 mile ride out on it. I give it 5 flamin chilis because you will not find a bike built up this nice at this price anywhere... (not even a mongoose) after riding many different mountain bikes i would say that this is the best bike you can get for $500 no matter how you plan on using it. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Steve Cranford
a Weekend Warrior
from Charlotte, NC USA
Date Reviewed: December 1, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | Catawba Loop | | Duration Product Used: | 3 months | | Price Paid: |
$499.00 | | Purchased At: | ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | Value for the dollar. The bike is an excellent platform for the entry to mid-level rider. The customer service is great as well! | | Weaknesses: | stock shock, front derailer, and tires | | Similar Products Used: | 93 TREK 8900 hardtail | | Bike Setup: | FOX Vanilla RL shock, XTR front derailer, XT rear derailer, Specialized Team Control front tire, Tioga Psycho rear, Aireon saddle w/ TI rails, and a set of "old school" ONZA H.O. clipless pedals. (I STILL LOVE THOSE THINGS) | | Bottom Line: | Take the stock rear shock and the front derailer and throw them in the trash. Search E-BAY for a rebound adjustabe Rock Shox or FOX unit and an LX or XT front derailer. Other than that, this is a great bike. I was nervous about buying a bike sight unseen. I am very impressed with the quality craftsmanship. The welds look incredable. I consider myself a mid-level rider. I do 10-20 mile XC rides, do some downhill, and do a little urban assult/freeride. I dont do big bomb drops, but I ride aggressive. (I bought this bike because I broke the frame on my TREK) Well.......I wanted an F/S frame too. This bike takes all I throw at it and it just wants more. This is the best deal you will be ble to find for a full suspension bike w/ disk brakes. | | Value Rating:Overall Rating: |
Submitted by
Kevin Martin
a Weekend Warrior
from New Jersey Shore
Date Reviewed: August 29, 2004 | | Favoriate Trail: | all of them | | Duration Product Used: | Less than 1 month | | Price Paid: |
$529.00 | | Purchased At: | Ibexbikes.com | | Strengths: | Great bang for the buck! I put on some SRAM rocket shifters after the first ride. The Shimano stuff was ok but I like twisties. I also changed the crankset/rings out to some cool cook bros rs I had laying about. If their gonna use a square taper BB, I may as well put some cool oldschool cranks on.The fulle size drive cook rings are hated by the Alivio front mech. The rockets were needed for the greater adjustability of the front of the drive train. Also put a Psylo XC and a control tech 130mm stem on the front. Now the bike rocks. | | Weaknesses: | Front derailuer=Alivio=not so great. 5D cranks...also not so hot. | | Bike Setup: | Psylo XC. Cook Bros cranks and rings, Shimano Un 71 BB. Sram rocket shifters and Ritchey clipless pedals. | | Bottom Line: | The Price of this bike gets you a 4" single pivot frame that would probably go for the price of the entire bike from another name. It also brings you a disc brake setup that is better than any rim brake out there. The |
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$ 750.00
