[tranzformer]

I guess this eventually comes down to the whole HT vs. FS argument. But I still need some help. This will be my first real MTB, others have been the cheap under $300 bikes from the local sports store. I have been into road biking for some time and currently have the Ibex Aprisa which I love. I am very athletic and agressive, so I would like a bike that I will be able to keep and upgrade parts on for many years. I will be using this bike primarily for cross country, single tracks and climbing. I would also love to take some epic rides out west in the Rockies with it (30-40 mile trips with ascending/descending of 4-6000ft.). So I would like to get something that doesn't feel like I am pulling a bag of bricks with me, but yet still sturdy enough to take some abuse.

 

[mrpercussive]

i guess it really comes down to what kind of riding you want to do??? The Trophy is an XC bike which will serve you well for all the climbing and those long xc rides... but if you see yourself doing crazy decents with rock gardens and roots or 5 foot drops in the future, then you'd want the Atlas. The Atlas is something you'd classify in the "All Mountain" category in which it decends well and can take some really aggressive stuff but still able to climb.

I'd say get the Atlas so that you have room to move on to different kinds of riding as this is going to be your first experience in mtb. It's nice to have options if you're not sure of what you'll be facing in the future...

 

[taikuodo]

In theory, only the hardtail will be able to "keep and upgrade" for many years to come.
Just looking back on full suspension designs over the years, they have continually updated and as that happens, parts for their suspensions just get harder to find, thus unable to upgrade and hard to fix.

Hardtails only need to worry about a fork, and 1 1/8 is pretty much the standard now and will probably never change.

 

[Jake Pay]

I guess this eventually comes down to the whole HT vs. FS argument. But I still need some help. This will be my first real MTB, others have been the cheap under $300 bikes from the local sports store. I have been into road biking for some time and currently have the Ibex Aprisa which I love. I am very athletic and agressive, so I would like a bike that I will be able to keep and upgrade parts on for many years. I will be using this bike primarily for cross country, single tracks and climbing. I would also love to take some epic rides out west in the Rockies with it (30-40 mile trips with ascending/descending of 4-6000ft.). So I would like to get something that doesn't feel like I am pulling a bag of bricks with me, but yet still sturdy enough to take some abuse.

For this task I would say that a Trophy would foot the bill. The 07' Frameset build that I recently completed climbs like a goat. The response and agility is unlike any XC bike I've ridden. The head-tube angle makes for quick movement in the tight spots, while the rear triangle sucks up a good part of the vibration found in hardtails in general. The (click>) Trophy Pro is the bike that can do it and do it well. The specs on the complete bike are awesome (race ready) IMO, balanced and well thought out :thumbsup:

Jake :ihih:

PS. At 4-6000ft, you really don't want a heavy bike :cornut:

 

[Call_me_Clyde]

Go hardtail

Sounds like you're athletic and fit and do primarily XC riding. If this is the case, a hardtail is probably your best bet, especially if long term durability is an issue. Not that a full suspension rig isn't sturdy, but by their nature there are more moving parts. Moving parts need servicing and eventually wear out. OTOH, the Atlas is a single pivot linkage, which is the simples linkage available and has the least amount of moving parts. Based on the review in this post, the Atlas certainly has some attributes you're looking for:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=2615054#poststop

If your riding is going to be more aggressive than your post might indicate, you might want to consider the Atlas. If my read on your riding style is correct, get the Trophy.

Bob

 

[tranzformer]

Quick question about the Trophy (or any other bike for that matter) how hard would it be to take the decals off? Just use a hair dryer and heat them up and watch them slowly peel off? I just like the look of a sleek bike.

 

[burton07]

Quick question about the Trophy (or any other bike for that matter) how hard would it be to take the decals off? Just use a hair dryer and heat them up and watch them slowly peel off? I just like the look of a sleek bike.

Someone posted about this before I believe and the response was that the decals were under two layers of clear coat (if my memory serves me right) so you won't really be able to take them off without a new paintjob. If I am completely mistaken then I'll go cry in a corner somewhere but I believe that's what Jack said in the similar thread.

 

[mrpercussive]

the stickers are under a clearcoat... good luck trying to get them off...

 

[tranzformer]

the stickers are under a clearcoat... good luck trying to get them off...

Oh that makes sense now. Yep guess those stickers won't be coming off.

 

[ibexbikes]

Someone posted about this before I believe and the response was that the decals were under two layers of clear coat (if my memory serves me right) so you won't really be able to take them off without a new paintjob...

That is correct. All IBEX bikes use water-transfer decals under clearcoat. IMO, stickers are for cheap department store bikes.

Best regards,
Jack A.
IBEX Bicycles

 

[tranzformer]

That is correct. All IBEX bikes use water-transfer decals under clearcoat. IMO, stickers are for cheap department store bikes.

Best regards,
Jack A.
IBEX Bicycles

Jack, would you also agree that I would be bested suited with a Trophy Pro over the Atlas?

 

[ibexbikes]

Jack, would you also agree that I would be bested suited with a Trophy Pro over the Atlas?

Given what you've described about your riding, I'd say the Atlas is probably not the best bike for you. A hardtail like the Trophy is certainly the classic choice for XC. However, FS bikes designed for XC are more and more becoming the first choice for many, in which case I think you should consider an IBEX Asta.

Take it with a grain-of-salt, though. What some folks describe as mildly aggressive can be what others consider death defying. What some hardcore FR types would consider XC, someone else might think of as AM... and vice versa. There probably is no single clear answer. As you move through the full gambit of FS you'll find trade-offs that lean one direction or another. One rider may think giving up travel and saving weight in the name of point-to-point efficiency makes sense even if they have to suffer a little more in the rougher sections, while another cyclist considers sacrificing peak efficiency and ultra-light weight for longer travel and bigger hit capability more worthwhile. In other words, you can single-track an AM or even a FR/DH bike, but you're not going to be as fast an equivalent rider on a bike designed for that. Likewise you can huck a hardtail XC race bike, but you may be endangering both your body and your bike to do so... and, though it may be challenging, it's not going to be nearly as fun as doing it on a bike more attuned to that discipline.

Regards,
Jack

 

[Jake Pay]

Oh boy, a chance to show more pictures.....LOL

Oh that makes sense now. Yep guess those stickers won't be coming off.

The decals are very well applied and the workmanship is first class :thumbsup:

Jake

 

[mrpercussive]

dang jake... you gotta stop posting pics of your Trophy... now i gotta wipe the drool of my screen again... XD

 

[taikuodo]

Do you think Ibex will ever change their logo/font? It looks good, but it has a sort of "classic" feel to it unlike other bike manufacturers. Namely Specialized, Diamondback, Iron Horse which have a "new-age/technology" feel to them.

I'm 16 y/o and have two years of graphic design experience, and I can say from experience it mabye takes 30-45 minutes more of thinking to come out with a cool design.

=]

 

[Jake Pay]

Do you think Ibex will ever change their logo/font? It looks good, but it has a sort of "classic" feel to it unlike other bike manufacturers. Namely Specialized, Diamondback, Iron Horse which have a "new-age/technology" feel to them.

I'm 16 y/o and have two years of graphic design experience, and I can say from experience it mabye takes 30-45 minutes more of thinking to come out with a cool design.

=]

"classic" never goes out of style where as cool goes out every generation :thumbsup:

Jake :ihih:

 

[wmalan]

Maybe the Asta as a choice?

I guess this eventually comes down to the whole HT vs. FS argument. But I still need some help. This will be my first real MTB, others have been the cheap under $300 bikes from the local sports store. I have been into road biking for some time and currently have the Ibex Aprisa which I love. I am very athletic and agressive, so I would like a bike that I will be able to keep and upgrade parts on for many years. I will be using this bike primarily for cross country, single tracks and climbing. I would also love to take some epic rides out west in the Rockies with it (30-40 mile trips with ascending/descending of 4-6000ft.). So I would like to get something that doesn't feel like I am pulling a bag of bricks with me, but yet still sturdy enough to take some abuse.

The reason I bring the Asta up is that for me the full suspension of this bike is a actually helpfull on rocky climbs. My old hardtail would jump and kick off the sides of rocks when climbing. My FS Asta climbs ever so much more efficient and smooth up the same trails. Bobbing on long smooth climbs is fixed with the lockout. It's also a lighter bike than similar priced AM bikes (no bag of bricks!). The 71 deg head angle is a real asset for tight single track.

Maybe find a friend with a FS and a HT and try some steep rocky climbs... Btw long rides are more comfy (to me anyways) on a FS.

--
Bill

 

[tranzformer]

I still haven't made up my mind since the last time I posted, so I might need some help. I noticed that the new 29er is out. Is that something that I should consider? As I had mentioned before, this bike will be used primarily for cross-country riding (maybe some races eventually) and single tracks. Any good resources for more info on 29ers to see if it is a better fit for me?

 

[tranzformer]

To those who work for Ibex, was the Tropy Pro desinged to be a XC racer? How does the Rock Shock Reba compare to something like a FR F-80? Comparable? Finally with the Juicy7s, what is the size of the rotor?

 

[Jake Pay]

To those who work for Ibex, was the Tropy Pro desinged to be a XC racer? How does the Rock Shock Reba compare to something like a FR F-80? Comparable? Finally with the Juicy7s, what is the size of the rotor?

I don't work for IBEX..
All the Trophy series bikes are race ready geometry frames that are tuned for fast responsive handling..The triple butted 6066 aluminum is light in weight yet strong in strength..The 07' Trophy Pro frameset that Ive built up lives up to everything I expected..Fast, agile and strong enough to handle my 210 pounds without an issue or concern..

Being new to air forks, I'm not in the know to give you a comparison on Rock Shok vs Foxx..I run a Manitou R7 Super and the two you mentioned are in more demand..

I do believe the Avid Juicy 7's rotors are 160mm..

I do wish I could be of more help..Maybe Jack will chime in and answer all your questions in the morning or you can try e-mailing (click>) [email protected]

Jake

PS. On a side note, the 07' SRAM X9 offerings on the Trophy Pro are second only to SRAM XO's :thumbsup:

EDIT:

From the IBEX web-site:
Frame: Triple-Butted 6066 Aluminum - Trophy frames are built to be rigid without sacrificing comfort or great handling. Racebred geometry is ideal for fast cross-country and precision trail riding. Elegantly tapered chain-stays add just enough suppleness to cushion the rear wheel while keeping acceleration power on the ground where it belongs.