[VMaxx]

As a new V2 owner, some interesting perspectives in this thread. I come from a 2016 RFX (still have), and I find the V2 is a beast. I went “budget” putting my money where it counted. X2 shock, Onyx, carbon wheels, but Deore group. Everything I love about the RFX, but with a little more length and stability. Descends well, jumps well, turns well. Climbing isn’t as snappy as the RFX, but has tons of traction. Only gripe is it has s**t for frame protection on the stays and down tube, Ibis needs to up their game here. Should also have something where the cables go into the ports. I shouldn’t have to get creative with the mastic tape on a high-end bike.

 

[OzIbis]

As a new V2 owner, some interesting perspectives in this thread. I come from a 2016 RFX (still have), and I find the V2 is a beast. I went "budget" putting my money where it counted. X2 shock, Onyx, carbon wheels, but Deore group. Everything I love about the RFX, but with a little more length and stability. Descends well, jumps well, turns well. Climbing isn't as snappy as the RFX, but has tons of traction. Only gripe is it has s**t for frame protection on the stays and down tube, Ibis needs to up their game here. Should also have something where the cables go into the ports. I shouldn't have to get creative with the mastic tape on a high-end bike.

I totally agree with you on the chain stay protector and actually voiced this to Ibis in an email. A nice ribbed one like Pivot and others use would be a nice and relatively inexpensive upgrade for Ibis to do.
As far as the cable entry points they are below par as well. I got some pneumatic air hoses in the right size and fitted them over the cables at the entry point. It made the cables a little quieter but didn't totally silence them.

 

[TanMan]

Hello! Long first post sorry but I'm too psyched!!

Bike arrived on a Monday and I scrambled getting it ready in time for my Sedona trip 2 days later. Before taking it to my buddy who can build up the bike way faster than I ever could, I Invisiframed the sh*t out of the frame.

As others have pointed out, Ibis has plenty of room to up their bodywork protection game. Coming from the OG RAF, I am especially aware of all the typical problem areas and doubled down in those problem spots.

Next evening, bike being build up by buddy . Yes rear wheel and later front carbon wheels are carryovers from my RAF hence the worn tires. The beat up SLX midnight blue cranks also transferred over as I love that color and hue and also the new cranks were 175 instead of 170 and were brushed black in color this year. I also got a Deore shifter instead of SLX but it came with I Spec which we immediately swapped out with an XT. Can't complain.

Once built up, the mandatory weighing ceremony reveals 31.4 lbs with pedals. I'm sure I can loose another 1/2 lb by replacing the front Assegai. In comparison, the RAF with same specs came in at 33.6Lbs.

Aside from getting my new 'Mo ready, I have to work on my wife's and son's bikes too. By this time I was pretty kaput....

But we made it to Sedona alright. The bike's inaugural trail was on Teacup- big mistake. First mile in was a hike a bike ordeal. We later made it to Adobe Jack which was much better for riding (and perhaps our skills level).

And let me end by saying that if the RAF was a magic carpet ride, the V2 to me was all that plus agility and so much more spritely. A bit more precise in its steering and make my climbing life just that much more tolerable. Something about carbon that is more than the 2.2 LB difference. What a bike! Can't wait to test it out more on my regular trails.

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[OzIbis]

Hello! Long first post sorry but I'm too psyched!!

Bike arrived on a Monday and I scrambled getting it ready in time for my Sedona trip 2 days later. Before taking it to my buddy who can build up the bike way faster than I ever could, I Invisiframed the sh*t out of the frame.

As others have pointed out, Ibis has plenty of room to up their bodywork protection game. Coming from the OG RAF, I am especially aware of all the typical problem areas and doubled down in those problem spots.

Next evening, bike being build up by buddy . Yes rear wheel and later front carbon wheels are carryovers from my RAF hence the worn tires. The beat up SLX midnight blue cranks also transferred over as I love that color and hue and also the new cranks were 175 instead of 170 and were brushed black in color this year. I also got a Deore shifter instead of SLX but it came with I Spec which we immediately swapped out with an XT. Can't complain.

Once built up, the mandatory weighing ceremony reveals 31.4 lbs with pedals. I'm sure I can loose another 1/2 lb by replacing the front Assegai. In comparison, the RAF with same specs came in at 33.6Lbs.

Aside from getting my new 'Mo ready, I have to work on my wife's and son's bikes too. By this time I was pretty kaput....

But we made it to Sedona alright. The bike's inaugural trail was on Teacup- big mistake. First mile in was a hike a bike ordeal. We later made it to Adobe Jack which was much better for riding (and perhaps our skills level).

And let me end by saying that if the RAF was a magic carpet ride, the V2 to me was all that plus agility and so much more spritely. A bit more precise in its steering and make my climbing life just that much more tolerable. Something about carbon that is more than the 2.2 LB difference. What a bike! Can't wait to test it out more on my regular trails.

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Awesome. Stoked for you and glad you finally got it. They are beautiful in the flesh ay.
You see what I meant about the V2 now when I described the difference. It's just a sharper tool. It's more accurate quicker responding and just has a better feel than the RAF. The RAF was a great bike but the V2 just does everything better. It also transfers less trail chatter through the frame and to the rider. As you know others have said there is no discernible difference between alloy and carbon in the same bike but it's not just placebo effect the carbon bikes genuinely do perform better.

 

[OzIbis]

Hello! Long first post sorry but I'm too psyched!!

Bike arrived on a Monday and I scrambled getting it ready in time for my Sedona trip 2 days later. Before taking it to my buddy who can build up the bike way faster than I ever could, I Invisiframed the sh*t out of the frame.

As others have pointed out, Ibis has plenty of room to up their bodywork protection game. Coming from the OG RAF, I am especially aware of all the typical problem areas and doubled down in those problem spots.

Next evening, bike being build up by buddy . Yes rear wheel and later front carbon wheels are carryovers from my RAF hence the worn tires. The beat up SLX midnight blue cranks also transferred over as I love that color and hue and also the new cranks were 175 instead of 170 and were brushed black in color this year. I also got a Deore shifter instead of SLX but it came with I Spec which we immediately swapped out with an XT. Can't complain.

Once built up, the mandatory weighing ceremony reveals 31.4 lbs with pedals. I'm sure I can loose another 1/2 lb by replacing the front Assegai. In comparison, the RAF with same specs came in at 33.6Lbs.

Aside from getting my new 'Mo ready, I have to work on my wife's and son's bikes too. By this time I was pretty kaput....

But we made it to Sedona alright. The bike's inaugural trail was on Teacup- big mistake. First mile in was a hike a bike ordeal. We later made it to Adobe Jack which was much better for riding (and perhaps our skills level).

And let me end by saying that if the RAF was a magic carpet ride, the V2 to me was all that plus agility and so much more spritely. A bit more precise in its steering and make my climbing life just that much more tolerable. Something about carbon that is more than the 2.2 LB difference. What a bike! Can't wait to test it out more on my regular trails.

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Should have said it in my last post and I've said it before you absolutely MUST lube the rear end before you ride it much. Especially where the clevis bolts to the top of the triangle. It is ridiculously tight in there and WILL make the bike feel even better. I know you would be super keen to just get out and ride it but do yourself and your bike a favour and do it soon. Trust me.

 

[TanMan]

Should have said it in my last post and I've said it before you absolutely MUST lube the rear end before you ride it much. Especially where the clevis bolts to the top of the triangle. It is ridiculously tight in there and WILL make the bike feel even better. I know you would be super keen to just get out and ride it but do yourself and your bike a favour and do it soon. Trust me.

It's funny you mentioned the clevis bolts. That is the ONLY area I had time to lube with all that I had to do to get ready for my trip. And in so doing, I messed up the paintwork on the inside face of the clevis as the teardrop shaped metal that acts as the bolt hole to the countersunk bolt slipped out and chipped the paint (and as you know the RAF doesn't have this and is integral to the alloy seat stay instead) I was soooo pissed!! Thankfully small area and probably nothing that can't be fixed with touch up paint.

To your previous post- can't put to words but the ride experience is more comfortable and response is telepathic. And as much as I hate to admit, during some of the hike a bike sections, the bike is very easy to carry and push up some cliff faces.

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[OzIbis]

It's funny you mentioned the clevis bolts. That is the ONLY area I had time to lube with all that I had to do to get ready for my trip. And in so doing, I messed up the paintwork on the inside face of the clevis as the teardrop shaped metal that acts as the bolt hole to the countersunk bolt slipped out and chipped the paint (and as you know the RAF doesn't have this and is integral to the alloy seat stay instead) I was soooo pissed!! Thankfully small area and probably nothing that can't be fixed with touch up paint.

To your previous post- can't put to words but the ride experience is more comfortable and response is telepathic. And as much as I hate to admit, during some of the hike a bike sections, the bike is very easy to carry and push up some cliff faces.

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Don't worry the tear drop fitting has brought others undone too. Don't ask me how pissed off I was. I couldn't believe how easily it happens and how sharp the inside is. Once the loctite is removed it won't happen again. Hindsight huh.

 

[dustmonkey]

I need some help/inspiration. Constructive insights and suggestions appreciated.

I now have many hundreds of miles on my V2. DVO + Fox Factory 36 suspension. Carbon everywhere I could shave weight. XT for brakes and rear drivetrain.

I like to climb. I like to ride as quickly as I am able. Going downhill makes me physically a little uncomfortable. I can ride downhill just fine but my body aches and suffers a lot more from going downhill than uphill. Seeking something more comfortable was how I wound up with the Ripmo.

The problem is that I dont love riding my Ripmo. I want to love this bike. I really really want to love it. But it is heavy (31+) and just feels sluggish and slow no matter what I do. Pedaling it makes me feel dead inside. It rides like it weighs 50lbs, not 30. I just cant get past how every pedal stroke feels like moving through mud and every attempt to jump feels like I am holding a bag of cement.

I want the Ripmo to be fun. What am I missing?

I have to believe I am doing something wrong.

Suspension tuning? I got mine right when Ibis switched over to DVO. Ibis were super behind and the fork wound up coming directly from Fox. Maybe it just never got setup right? I have gone through the setup procedures for weight etc. It helped a little. I run the rear shock in the mostly closed position most of the time in an attempt to put some spring/life into this thing. I'm 6' / 176lbs ready to ride. Any recommended baseline suspension settings?

Tires? It came with a set of assegai 2.5s. Grippy but miserable to pedal. Now running a dissector in back and assegai in front and eagerly awaiting the day that I wear out that front tire. For comparison, I run 2.2 and 2.3 Ikon on other bike and really enjoy them. Dissector in the rear helped a little.

Am I just being stupid by wanting a lively fun riding experience out of a Ripmo?

Any ideas or suggestions to make this thing come alive?

Thanks. I really dont mean to troll or upset the people that love their Ripmos! I want to feel the way you do too!

 

[cesar74]

May be the ripmo is not for you, you probably need a different type of bike that make you feel alive and works for the trails and type of riding you do. I believe no all the bikes are for everyone. You might need to test bilks like Yeti SB130. I had the same feelings when I was riding Santa Cruz High tower, does not matter what I did on this bike I felt “dead”.

 

[ckkone]

What you imagine mountain biking is like and what’s it’s actually like are two different things, sounds like you need an ebike.

 

[dustmonkey]

The bike I ride most is a relatively lightweight hardtail. Often close to 100miles/wk. I know what fun on the trail feels like. My idea of mountain biking does not feel like pedaling a tractor through a muddy field all the time.

LOL. An ebike is a great training tool, when ridden by your friends! Not my thing. I like the work of riding a bicycle. The work is what gives me satisfaction.

I guess I'll swap wheels/tires to rule out rolling resistance as a cause, take another swing at sorting out the suspension tune and go from there. If that doesn't do the trick, I suppose I need to consider dumping it and trying something else.

 

[BmanInTheD]

Sounds like that maybe is not the bike for you. That said, I've put Dissectors F/R on mine with carbon wheels and also put an angleset headset in to STEEPEN, not slacken the HTA. I can change out the headset and put on bigger, slower tires when I go to the mountains and do more lift stuff. These changes make it much more enjoyable for where I ride most of the time.

 

[BmanInTheD]

The bike I ride most is a relatively lightweight hardtail. Often close to 100miles/wk. I know what fun on the trail feels like. My idea of mountain biking does not feel like pedaling a tractor through a muddy field all the time.

LOL. An ebike is a great training tool, when ridden by your friends! Not my thing. I like the work of riding a bicycle. The work is what gives me satisfaction.

I guess I'll swap wheels/tires to rule out rolling resistance as a cause, take another swing at sorting out the suspension tune and go from there. If that doesn't do the trick, I suppose I need to consider dumping it and trying something else.

Um, you can work quite hard riding an e-bike.

RISE and Shine, baby! - Brian W's 14.1 mi mountain bike ride

Whoever thought it was a good idea to spec XTR 2-pots on an e-bike should be fired yesterday.

www.strava.com

 

[dustmonkey]

Entirely possible it isn't the right bike. I'm working on confirming/denying that theory right now. At the time I bought it, there was a 6month wait and zero chance to ride anything I was interested in. The v2 was almost universally praised as being outstanding, so I rolled the dice. It was a gamble. - Sadly, available stock for demos hasn't improved tremendously the last time I checked.

Already running carbon s28s. I'll throw on some lightweight tires this weekend and see how it goes.

Sounds like that maybe is not the bike for you. That said, I've put Dissectors F/R on mine with carbon wheels and also put an angleset headset in to STEEPEN, not slacken the HTA. I can change out the headset and put on bigger, slower tires when I go to the mountains and do more lift stuff. These changes make it much more enjoyable for where I ride most of the time.

 

[Rideon]

I need some help/inspiration. Constructive insights and suggestions appreciated.

I now have many hundreds of miles on my V2. DVO + Fox Factory 36 suspension. Carbon everywhere I could shave weight. XT for brakes and rear drivetrain.

I like to climb. I like to ride as quickly as I am able. Going downhill makes me physically a little uncomfortable. I can ride downhill just fine but my body aches and suffers a lot more from going downhill than uphill. Seeking something more comfortable was how I wound up with the Ripmo.

The problem is that I dont love riding my Ripmo. I want to love this bike. I really really want to love it. But it is heavy (31+) and just feels sluggish and slow no matter what I do. Pedaling it makes me feel dead inside. It rides like it weighs 50lbs, not 30. I just cant get past how every pedal stroke feels like moving through mud and every attempt to jump feels like I am holding a bag of cement.

I want the Ripmo to be fun. What am I missing?

I have to believe I am doing something wrong.

Suspension tuning? I got mine right when Ibis switched over to DVO. Ibis were super behind and the fork wound up coming directly from Fox. Maybe it just never got setup right? I have gone through the setup procedures for weight etc. It helped a little. I run the rear shock in the mostly closed position most of the time in an attempt to put some spring/life into this thing. I'm 6' / 176lbs ready to ride. Any recommended baseline suspension settings?

Tires? It came with a set of assegai 2.5s. Grippy but miserable to pedal. Now running a dissector in back and assegai in front and eagerly awaiting the day that I wear out that front tire. For comparison, I run 2.2 and 2.3 Ikon on other bike and really enjoy them. Dissector in the rear helped a little.

Am I just being stupid by wanting a lively fun riding experience out of a Ripmo?

Any ideas or suggestions to make this thing come alive?

Thanks. I really dont mean to troll or upset the people that love their Ripmos! I want to feel the way you do too!

Sounds like you're on the wrong bike for you. No doubt it's a great bike for its intended purpose, but maybe you need something that is better for the ups and serviceable for the downs? There's a lot of great bikes in that category: Ibis Ripley, Pivot T429, and countless others. Time to go shopping!

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[dustmonkey]

DANGER!

Time to go shopping!

 

[TanMan]

I need some help/inspiration. Constructive insights and suggestions appreciated.

I now have many hundreds of miles on my V2. DVO + Fox Factory 36 suspension. Carbon everywhere I could shave weight. XT for brakes and rear drivetrain.

I like to climb. I like to ride as quickly as I am able. Going downhill makes me physically a little uncomfortable. I can ride downhill just fine but my body aches and suffers a lot more from going downhill than uphill. Seeking something more comfortable was how I wound up with the Ripmo.

The problem is that I dont love riding my Ripmo. I want to love this bike. I really really want to love it. But it is heavy (31+) and just feels sluggish and slow no matter what I do. Pedaling it makes me feel dead inside. It rides like it weighs 50lbs, not 30. I just cant get past how every pedal stroke feels like moving through mud and every attempt to jump feels like I am holding a bag of cement.

I want the Ripmo to be fun. What am I missing?

I have to believe I am doing something wrong.

Suspension tuning? I got mine right when Ibis switched over to DVO. Ibis were super behind and the fork wound up coming directly from Fox. Maybe it just never got setup right? I have gone through the setup procedures for weight etc. It helped a little. I run the rear shock in the mostly closed position most of the time in an attempt to put some spring/life into this thing. I'm 6' / 176lbs ready to ride. Any recommended baseline suspension settings?

Tires? It came with a set of assegai 2.5s. Grippy but miserable to pedal. Now running a dissector in back and assegai in front and eagerly awaiting the day that I wear out that front tire. For comparison, I run 2.2 and 2.3 Ikon on other bike and really enjoy them. Dissector in the rear helped a little.

Am I just being stupid by wanting a lively fun riding experience out of a Ripmo?

Any ideas or suggestions to make this thing come alive?

Thanks. I really dont mean to troll or upset the people that love their Ripmos! I want to feel the way you do too!

Wow. This right off the bat from my initial impressions of this bike which have been opposite of what you are experiencing. I think someone also mentioned that it also hugely depends on what bikes you come from and are used to.

For me, coming from the RAF as I mentioned, the difference is mainly positive, lighter, more precise and easier to switch directions and lift the front end. The only none apples to apples component is that the CR that came on my V2 is a 30 instead of the regular 32 due to supply chain issues but I gave it a go for the hell of it and as much as I hate to admit, I am loving it for the punchy climbs here in Sedona.

Your components level seems pretty sorted ( one level above my SLX), one other thing I would try is ditch that front Anchor, I mean Assegai for something lighter and faster rolling before you outlay another huge expense to change bikes.

One other factor I didn't see mentioned or I might have missed it- what is the majority of the terrain you ride? You mentioned you come from hard tails which I think it's unfair to compare to the V2 in terms of energy efficiency. But if flowy, XC type trails are what you mostly ride, sounds like a V4 Ripley might be in your near future!

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[dustmonkey]

This is by far the most robust all-mountain'y bike I've ridden with any regularity. I just can't get past the feeling of having all this drag on me all the time. Even pointed downhill it requires a little more encouragement to carry speed than I'm used to. My previous comment about feeling like the brakes are dragging all the time I think is a pretty good description. They aren't. I wind up double-checking almost every time I ride this thing.

The bike I usually reach for first is a 20ish lb hardtail. I also rode an older Epic a LOT for a very long time and when it was getting to be time to move on from it I decided to switch it out for something a little more modern trail-oriented thinking the two bikes together would cover pretty much anything I would need. What I have found is that I avoid riding the Ripmo because of the sluggish heavy feeling. It definitely settles into a slower pace that is physically comfortable to maintain, but pushing it to move faster than that requires a LOT more energy than I expect.

components are pretty sorted, yes. This is a nicely built bike. It just may be the wrong nicely built bike.

Your comment about terrain: My preference is for flowy singletrack, fire roads, some more technical stuff in-between, I prefer going up more than down. I prefer drier hotter conditions when I can get them, and when it gets more wet I start banging the trainer instead. Most surfaces I ride are either the loose shale/dirt/dust or in/above the redwoods. My ideal ride is a mix of the above in a single ride, preferably a lot of climbing, and as hot and sunny as I can get it. I tend to avoid the super gnar stuff. I don't have anything to prove and recovery time from injuries is something I'd rather avoid as much as possible.

I'll swap tires this weekend and see if that cures the rolling resistance problem.

Thanks for the feedback.

Wow. This right off the bat from my initial impressions of this bike which have been opposite of what you are experiencing. I think someone also mentioned that it also hugely depends on what bikes you come from and are used to.

For me, coming from the RAF as I mentioned, the difference is mainly positive, lighter, more precise and easier to switch directions and lift the front end. The only none apples to apples component is that the CR that came on my V2 is a 30 instead of the regular 32 due to supply chain issues but I gave it a go for the hell of it and as much as I hate to admit, I am loving it for the punchy climbs here in Sedona.

Your components level seems pretty sorted ( one level above my SLX), one other thing I would try is ditch that front Anchor, I mean Assegai for something lighter and faster rolling before you outlay another huge expense to change bikes.

One other factor I didn't see mentioned or I might have missed it- what is the majority of the terrain you ride? You mentioned you come from hard tails which I think it's unfair to compare to the V2 in terms of energy efficiency. But if flowy, XC type trails are what you mostly ride, sounds like a V4 Ripley might be in your near future!

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[sfr4dr]

You can for sure speed it up a little by swapping out the Assegais but it won't be life changing and if you go too light on the tires like Ikons or even Rekon EXOs, you will have severely limited the bike's capabilities at that point and you'll still be dragging around a bike that is way more than what you need for your preferred type of riding, it sounds. I think you're better off selling it in that case. Based on what you're saying and previous bikes, if you want more capability than your Epic but want to retain a super light and fast setup then a Ripley with 30mm wheels, a Fox 34 or Pike, etc might be the way to go if you want to stay on an Ibis. There's also lots of other fast bikes in that category like the Spur and others with 120mm travel and a Sid. If you have a size Large V2 and are in CA, let me know. Maybe I'd take it off your hands.

 

[OzIbis]

This is by far the most robust all-mountain'y bike I've ridden with any regularity. I just can't get past the feeling of having all this drag on me all the time. Even pointed downhill it requires a little more encouragement to carry speed than I'm used to. My previous comment about feeling like the brakes are dragging all the time I think is a pretty good description. They aren't. I wind up double-checking almost every time I ride this thing.

The bike I usually reach for first is a 20ish lb hardtail. I also rode an older Epic a LOT for a very long time and when it was getting to be time to move on from it I decided to switch it out for something a little more modern trail-oriented thinking the two bikes together would cover pretty much anything I would need. What I have found is that I avoid riding the Ripmo because of the sluggish heavy feeling. It definitely settles into a slower pace that is physically comfortable to maintain, but pushing it to move faster than that requires a LOT more energy than I expect.

components are pretty sorted, yes. This is a nicely built bike. It just may be the wrong nicely built bike.

Your comment about terrain: My preference is for flowy singletrack, fire roads, some more technical stuff in-between, I prefer going up more than down. I prefer drier hotter conditions when I can get them, and when it gets more wet I start banging the trainer instead. Most surfaces I ride are either the loose shale/dirt/dust or in/above the redwoods. My ideal ride is a mix of the above in a single ride, preferably a lot of climbing, and as hot and sunny as I can get it. I tend to avoid the super gnar stuff. I don't have anything to prove and recovery time from injuries is something I'd rather avoid as much as possible.

I'll swap tires this weekend and see if that cures the rolling resistance problem.

Thanks for the feedback.

If a 20lb hard tail is coping well with the riding you were and are doing then you are way over biked on the Ripmo. If you aren't doing some knarly stuff then you are doing the bike a disservice. The Ripmo climbs incredibly well not just for a long travel 29er it climbs well full stop. If you are trying to compare it's climbing to a 20lb probably steep geo hard tail then it's not an apples for apples comparison. Lastly the Assegai is an anchor of a tyre. It was the first thing I took off my RAF when I bought it and will never put one on my V2. They are just plain slow and draggy. The grip is good but other tyres grip almost as well if not the same and are faster.
I find the Ripmo goes forward quite eagerly and every pedal stroke gives you a response. If you don't believe that go and ride a Yeti SB150 and see how much effort they take to keep them rolling on anything that's not pointing steeply downhill. That will give you a whole new perspective on the Ripmo.