Update on my Ripmo V3, regarding climbing, Bike Yoke seatpost and suspension setup.
Bike stats: XM frame, GX build, Ibis allow wheels.
Rider stats: 161 lbs naked, 168 lbs ready to ride, 47 years old, 5’11”, 32” inseam, shorter torso.
The comparison bike is my 2019 Santa Cruz 5010 V3, XO CC build, 130mm front Fox 34, 130 mm rear Fox DPX2.
Climbing:
It climbs as well as the V2S I demoed. My SC 5010 does climb better, especially accelerating. The 27.5” wheels and 4-5 lbs lighter bike have an advantage, no way around that. Once you are moving, the Ripmo and its 29” wheels are about the same effort to keep moving as my SC 5010. Very little pedal boob on the Ripmo, very efficient. The front tire tracks better on my SC 5010 than the Ripmo. Most likely due to the 2’ degrees difference in HTA. Slacker HTA front wheels wonder more at slow speeds.
I do wish it was a couple pounds lighter. The GX transmission (which I love), is heavy. I wanted the XO (for 1/4 lbs saving), but Ibis is nuts to charge $1,300 more for that build with no other improvements but going from GX to XO. That upgrade is only $500 full retail if you buy the Sram transmission by itself.
The chainring has extra bash guards that my other bikes do not. Also Ibis has a frame protector on the upper down tube. Both add bulk and weight. I assume the upper frame guard is for protection with a tailgate type pad? I am interested if anyone has removed this and been able to clean up the adhesive on the frame.
All the above climbing notes are moot when you are going flat or downhill. This Ripmo is so confident. It really rips.
Bike Yoke Revive Seatpost:
My lever was stiff and hard to push from day one. It was manageable, but way more stiff than the other droppers in my house (a RS Reverb and Trek’s house brand w/ PNW Loam Lever). The stiffness got worse on ride four. I have an email out to Ibis questioning this. Since my LBS Ibis dealer wasn’t able to get me a bike until late Oct, I mail ordered my Ripmo from N+1. I am not sure how to go about warranty issues. Waiting on Ibis to respond. I have pulled the dropper out and confirmed the cable moves easy and smooth when not attached to the dropper post. I have also performed the revive action a few times. No real improvement.
Update: I called Shaun at N+1. I sent some pictures and videos. He said Ibis would not be the one to warranty, it would be BTI (Bike Yoke distributor). Awaiting instructions from Shaun.
Suspension:
The max travel I have used front/rear is about 2/3 of the travel. I went in to adjust the volume spacers and confirm the air pressure that N+1 set based on my weight.
Rear: Ibis states the Float X comes with a 0.4 spacer. Mine had 0.5 (0.4 + 0.1). See picture. I wanted to drop it to 0.3 but it turns out the 0.2 spacer I received from a local shop wasn’t for the current Float X. I will need to order one. In the meantime, I went down to a single 0.4 spacer (I thought 0.1 would be too little and my 0.2 was the wrong fit, so my options were 0.4, 0.1 or none). N+1 setup the rear with 179 lbs. I settled on 175 lbs, which is right in line with Ibis’s suspension setup table for my weight. I have the LSR at 6 and the LSC at 5. Both are the lower end of Ibis’s recommendation for the air pressure.
See below with 0.5 spacers stock:
Front: Ibis states that 2 volume spacers are stock and I found 2 inside. I removed one spacer, leaving one. N+1 set the pressure at 85 lbs. I settled on 73 lbs, which is a couple pounds more than Ibis’ setup table. N+1 really overfilled this, and it did feel a little firm riding. LSR is 9, LSC is 8 and HSC is 7. These are also on the middle to lower end of Ibis’s recommendation for the air pressure.
See below with 2 spacers stock:
I will updated this post, and post a reply after more rides with the current suspension. FWIW, I had to reduce the volume spacers on my SC 5010 similar to what I am trying on the Ripmo. My SC 5010 went from 3 spacers in the Fox 34 down to 1 spacer. For that bike’s DPX2, I went from 0.4 down to 0.2. With that setup, my 5010 is about as plush as it can be, while still being fun and poopy.
