[procos]

Took my Ripley on it's maiden voyage yesterday and absolutely loved it. This is my first DW bike and can't imagine every buying a different suspension. However the Mojo HDR650 looks like a killer ride and I have wanted one since they released the 650 version. However would owning a Ripley and HDR be overkill? Do they overlap to much to really have that much invested in two full suspension bikes? Some people have told me I should get a 150mm travel bike but I live in Michigan and we really don't have any terrain nor do I ride any terrain where I need a 150mm travel bike. What do you guys think. Yay or Nay on adding a HDR650B?


Thanks,

Chuck

 

[rockman]

Who cares if it is overkill if you have the coin to kill? Otherwise, I would say yes to your question.

 

[icecreamjay]

I'm pretty sure you could set them up to be pretty different rides. XC, lighter parts on the Ripley and build the HDR up with beefier parts. But honestly if you don't have any need for a 150 mm travel bike, do you really need a HDR? I have one and use it as a burly trail bike for New England cross-stuntry type riding. I know its only 130 mm, but its an overbuilt 130, the frame is tough enough for 160mm of travel.

I haven't ridden the Yeti, but I have heard a lot of good things about it. Unless you are very sensitive to different suspension types I have to think that you'd enjoy any of the high end, designer suspensions, but that's just my semi-educated guess.

 

[procos]

Who cares if it is overkill if you have the coin to kill? Otherwise, I would say yes to your question.

I like that answer. Just love the look of the HDR and was going to buy it instead of the Ripley but my Ripley came available in November with the XT build for $3800 and I couldn't pass up the price.

 

[budgie]

Yes, too much overlap. The only reason to go HDR is if you're feeling under biked on the ripley, which it doesn't sound as if you are. Take the $ burning a hole in your pocket & invest it in some carbon wheels, fork upgrade, 1x drivetrain, and a pile of tires to experiment with. Hang the old parts on a Yelli Screamy. Thank me later.


EDIT: or better yet, just smell the roses & enjoy your ripley. You only just got the damn thing, right?

 

[d-bug]

It sounds like you want justification to buy the bike. So yes, you need it.

The downside is when it's time to ride you'll spend 10 mins deciding which bike to ride.

 

[Udyr]

N+1 bikes is always the answer

 

[AKD]

I'm pretty sure you could set them up to be pretty different rides. XC, lighter parts on the Ripley and build the HDR up with beefier parts.

This. The Ripley is an amazing, amazing climbing machine, and is super efficient just about everywhere else. The HDR is nearly as efficient on the uphill, but the riding position/headtube angle make it more stable than the Ripley on the downhill. For this reason, if you've really got the coin to do it, consider building an AM-style HDR (Fox 34 fork, dropper post, hans dampf tires, burly wheels, 1x11 X01 with a 30- or 32-tooth chainring) and try to get your Ripley to a 24-pound rig.

Out here in the SF bay area, the Ripley would be a great bike for our many long, steep fire roads and the pavement miles required to get there from the front door. It's almost a toss-up between a Ripley and a Hakkalugi disc, depending on your preference for balancing uphill/flat efficiency with downhill fun.

Having demoed both (and the SL-R), I went HDR 650b. The Ripley was great, but the HDR is just more fun and stable on the downhill.

 

[nevermiss]

I have both. See my thread. I've found that for what I ride, and my abilities, the Ripley suits me best. The HDR650 is a great bike, but I can't let something this nice sit in my garage. It's needs someone to ride it like they stole it. I'll be listing it for sale soon.

http://forums.mtbr.com/ibis/ripley-vs-mojo-hdr-900027.html

 

[procos]

I have both. See my thread. I've found that for what I ride, and my abilities, the Ripley suits me best. The HDR650 is a great bike, but I can't let something this nice sit in my garage. It's needs someone to ride it like they stole it. I'll be listing it for sale soon.

http://forums.mtbr.com/ibis/ripley-vs-mojo-hdr-900027.html

I read your comments. Thanks for that honest assessment. You sound like you ride very similar to me so by the sounds of it getting the HDR would be a waste for me. I love the way the Ripley climbs and like you I don't take any drops bigger than say 3-4' and the Ripley handles them great. Thanks again.

 

[procos]

Just revisiting this thread. I have a chance to get an HDR650B at a huge discount with the XT build. I also really want a Tranny 29er but since I have the Ventana El Padrino and Specialized Fat Boy just can't justify owning another HT 29er. I have been trying to sell my El Padrino but no luck. If the Padrino sold I'd jump on the Tranny 29er but just don't think it is going to sell, at least not at the price I want.

I have always wanted an HDR650B but my brother in law and another buddy I ride with tells me that living in Michigan I have no need for the HDR. I see their points but I just have always wanted that damn bike. LOL Any opinions or comments welcome.

 

[Udyr]

From what I understand they have different character but I've never ridden the HDR. I have a Ripley and I'll be getting the new 650b bike whenever Ibis releases it if that helps your decision

 

[TwoTone]

Just revisiting this thread. I have a chance to get an HDR650B at a huge discount with the XT build. I also really want a Tranny 29er but since I have the Ventana El Padrino and Specialized Fat Boy just can't justify owning another HT 29er. I have been trying to sell my El Padrino but no luck. If the Padrino sold I'd jump on the Tranny 29er but just don't think it is going to sell, at least not at the price I want.

I have always wanted an HDR650B but my brother in law and another buddy I ride with tells me that living in Michigan I have no need for the HDR. I see their points but I just have always wanted that damn bike. LOL Any opinions or comments welcome.

If you want something new that bad, wait for the new one, at least that way there won't be the overlap.

 

[procos]

The Ibis Mojo HDR is a really nice bike. At 130mm travel for the 650B, that's not a huge amount of travel. That's just fine for Michigan or anywhere. If you're gonna run it at 160mm travel with 26" it's still just as good.

Surprised yer not able to sell the Padrino. It's one of the 29er Ventanas right? Both my Ciclon and my husband's Ciclon sold pretty easily.

Yeah it is the Ventana 29er hardtail. I think my problem is I am trying to sell it as a complete bike not just frame. I don't want to take the time to part everything out. Just want to find someone who wants a completed bike. I sold my El Bastardo a lot easier than the Padrino is turning out to be.

 

[procos]

Kinda surprised you're having a problem selling it, it accepts all sorts of different gearing and a 120mm fork. Figured that would be good for today's riders, but man, buyers can be so fickle.

Totally agree. I have my price down to $1400. I bought it new for $3300 from Red Barn just a few years ago and it has less than 88 miles on it. Just have ridden my FS so much more. I am getting old with bad knees, back, shoulder, wrist and pretty much everything so FS really helps the bumps.

However I have decided to pass on the HDR after a few well informed answers from a some guys whose opinions I trust. If my Padrino sells though I am going to add the Tranny 29er for a XC/Gravel grinder machine.

 

[riderup]

I have both (Ripley and HDR) and they're not set up dramatically differently, but I don't find them to be too much of an overlap. the bikes have really different characters. both benefit from the amazing dw-link suspension, but the dw's are different on the two bikes and that's reflected in their character.
my hdr is set up with a new fox 36 160mm, rear shock split between ctd and DBAir CS, Nox fat carbon rims on kings, hans dampf 2.35's, 2x10, etc...pretty burly irrespective of what rear travel it's got. the bike is super playful and capable. the ripley runs a 130 pike, enve am's with wtb weirwolf 2.3's (much less aggressive tire but have nice volume, ctd or microlite, answer 20/20 bars. it only weight about 1.5 lbs less than the hdr, but I could swap wheels / tires and have a very capable endurance race bike. as it sits, the ripley will handle anything I'm *willing* to throw at it here in the santa cruz mountains. with the 130 pike it's got a really rewarding steering feel and just rails fast, flowy, singletrack...and is so snappy upon acceleration.
Do I need both? probably not. but I do enjoy riding both...and there's certainly enough different about them to warrant owning both...for me.

 

[procos]

I have both (Ripley and HDR) and they're not set up dramatically differently, but I don't find them to be too much of an overlap. the bikes have really different characters. both benefit from the amazing dw-link suspension, but the dw's are different on the two bikes and that's reflected in their character.
my hdr is set up with a new fox 36 160mm, rear shock split between ctd and DBAir CS, Nox fat carbon rims on kings, hans dampf 2.35's, 2x10, etc...pretty burly irrespective of what rear travel it's got. the bike is super playful and capable. the ripley runs a 130 pike, enve am's with wtb weirwolf 2.3's (much less aggressive tire but have nice volume, ctd or microlite, answer 20/20 bars. it only weight about 1.5 lbs less than the hdr, but I could swap wheels / tires and have a very capable endurance race bike. as it sits, the ripley will handle anything I'm *willing* to throw at it here in the santa cruz mountains. with the 130 pike it's got a really rewarding steering feel and just rails fast, flowy, singletrack...and is so snappy upon acceleration.
Do I need both? probably not. but I do enjoy riding both...and there's certainly enough different about them to warrant owning both...for me.

This quote has got me thinking about a question sounds like you could answer:

"the ripley will handle anything I'm *willing* to throw at it here in the santa cruz mountains. with the 130 pike it's got a really rewarding steering feel and just rails fast, flowy, singletrack...and is so snappy upon acceleration."

Do you get the same snappiness out of the HDR? The main reason I really want the HDR is that I am 5'6" tall and ride a Medium Ripley. I love the bike. It is so much fun. However I have a few trails that I think I would like even more on a smaller wheeled bike. In Michigan the trails are very flow oriented. Lots of ups and downs. The ups are not long but can be very technical and steep. They are short outburst of speed with switchbacks. I lived in Aspen 20 years ago and remember spending 45 minutes going uphill and then just screaming downhill.

Here in Michigan it is just all flowing singletrack. Just wondering in your opinion would the HDR lend itself to this kind of riding?

Thanks,

Chuck

 

[riderup]

Chuck,

I lived in Ann Arbor for a couple years and rode a lot when I was there...so I get what you're talking about re: your trails. btw, I really enjoyed that kind of riding. The snappy I'm referring to with the Ripley is more akin to the S-Works Epic I've had (I no longer own it, the Rip covers the stuff I was using it for...and more)...just that incredible pedaling platform when you're getting back on the gas...even with the rear shock's platform invoked. The HDR is a great climber, particularly in steady state climbing...and particularly with the pedaling platform invoked...but it really doesn't have quite the same snap coming out of corner and getting back on the gas. That said, I NEVER feel as if it needs to be improved at all in it's climbing capabilities. It's so good at technical climbing too...maintaining traction while not sucking a lot of power...similar to the ripley but probably a little better there in my opinion.
I've been a long-time advocate of 650b wheels...I got one of the first sets of Pacenti Neo Moto tires and stans 355's in 650b when they came out many years ago and have been playing with 650b and 650b/26 combo's ever since. And while I've loved the bigger wheels, all the Ibis's I've run them on before (SL, SL-R, and HD) they always felt bigger in a not-always-positive way and the geo of the bikes was never quite right. with the HDR the 650's disappear - in a really good way - I don't feel as if I'm missing any of the 26" chuckability and I still get the benefit of slightly larger wheels. And that's really, probably, the key that makes the HDR so fun, in my book. It's just got a playful spirit about it that I find really rewarding...and sufficiently different from the Rip to warrant riding it A LOT.