Hightower CC and Mojo 3 / 4HD opinions please!
I would really appreciate some 1st hand feedback from any Ibis and SantaCruz owners. I am looking at the hightower CC or Mojo3 or HD4. I test rode a Yeti SB5+ and a Santa Cruz high tower back to back and was surprised at how much more compliant the back end of the hightower was on square edged hits and large roots. I am looking for a lot of supple rear end compliance because of a really jacked up lower back due to decades of riding (and crashing). On the other hand I don’t want a poor pedaling platform like in a FSR type of suspension. I haven’t been able to find/ride a mid travel Ibis yet and was looking for some feedback. The option to run 3.0’s is also a consideration.

I have a 29+ Lamere Dopamine which is like riding a lazy boy but not the best for the tight technical trails down here in Texas.

Thanks for the input!

I went through similar back in March. I tried the Nomad, Bronson and Mojo HD3.

We have some technical climbs around here so I was looking fit supple as well. For me, it felt like the Santa Cruz designs tried to extend when I’d raise out of the saddle to clear a rock step and so hooked up behind it. The Ibis (and the DW link bike I had before) felt much more supple. The Santa Cruz felt more efficient on a fire road climb, but that’s not why I bought a full suspension mountain bike.

I would expect the Transition Patrol to be more supple again so might be worth a look. However, given how hard it was to arrange a test ride here in the UK and it’s only a 2 year warranty against 7 for the Ibid (lifetime for Santa Cruz) it was easy to strike Transition from the list.

The wife and I have been very happy with the HD3s we chose although we nearly went for the Airdrop Edit, they’re great bikes, super supple. We just wanted fancy carbon bikes for “best” though.

I’ve never ridden a Mojo so I have nothing useful to say in comparison with the Hightower.

I do however love my Hightower. I read comments regarding pedal feedback, but I don’t feel it. I’ve never felt it getting caught up on anything, in fact it’s often described as one of the best bikes for traction over technical climbs. There are a few YouTube vids of guys claiming to have finally made it up techy climbs easily on the Hightower that they’d failed on other bikes. Not to say the Mojo wouldn’t be as good. I will say I’m never left wanting more from my bike, it’s super confidence inspiring. It is maybe over-forked: mine came with a 150 despite being a 29er which should have had a 140, but I reckon that means I can easily try 27+ sometime.

On the other hand, YouTuber mtbyumyum sold his Hightower for an HD4 – he does like a bit of air and a lot of fast DH though, with mostly fireroad climbs. He’s also now considering the Hightower LT.

I imagine both are awesome, Ibis or Mojo. I wanted a VPP bike for so long, and most recently the Hightower, so when the 17 CS build was on sale I snagged one. Couldn’t be happier.

Basically what zerolight says although I was still surprised when I cleared technical climbs on my hightower that I wasn’t able to clear on my 5010 (and still can’t).

Sounds like you might want the M3 over the HD4
Good resource here. http://forums.mtbr.com/ibis/

I have an XL Mojo 3 frame for sale in the classifieds. So good it won one of the Tweedlove enduros!

Well, I went from a 2016 Stumpy to a Hightower and it’s so much better at technical climbs!

I’ve made it up some steep, techy stuff that I had no chance on with the Stumpy.

It gets a bit silly downhill too! Way past my abilities sometimes and I really have to try and remember that 🙂

I demoed a CC 29er, but ended up buying a 27.5+ C. Mainly because of the price, but I’m getting some 29er wheels soon.

I have a Hightower CC – started off as a 29er but added some 27.5+ wheels and prefer those most of the time. It climbs brilliantly and handles everything else far better than a bike with ‘only’ 135mm should. The only time it felt slightly out of it’s depth was on some properly gnarly stuff in the Alps where my mates with 160mm seemed to be having an easier time.

Never ridden the Ibis and I’m sure you’d be happy with either option, but the HT is the one for me.

I’m a recent mojo 3 owner and left it in trail mode both f&r for first couple of rides yet when I went out for my third, I switched to open both ends and was blown away by how much better it pedalled and felt due to creating more traction I guess.
I’m no light/middleweight either, so so far very very happy chappy.

If you can hookup for a testride with Ibis, it’ll be worth while or just go try one around the carpark like I had, was instantly sold!

One more thing, take full use of wacking on 2.8” if you opt for the mojo 3, makes it a wonderful experience being on fattish tyres.

Edit, whilst I’ve owned a few vpp bikes, they left me feeling quite drained to ride and dull feeling whereas the Ibis dw link more sprightly and well I suppose “alive”.

In typical STW fashion I’m going to recommend something else. Pivot Switchblade? The DW link of the Ibis with the 29er wheels of the Hightower…

I have a HD3 and I really like it. I’ve not ridden the HD4 but friends have and they love it but they are in the steeper the better camp. I live in Calgary and so we have shuttle trails nearby. Even the local Ibis rep has said that unless you’re riding steep all the time the Mojo 3 is the better option.

Sweamrs this year switched from an Intense Tracer (so VPP) to a Pivot 429T (DW link)and is much preferring the feel of the Pivot with it being a bit more poppy and a bit less of a grind on the ups.

I also have a bad back and for me fit comes into it almost as much as suspension. I think both Ibis and Santa Cruz make good bikes. Ibis tend to be shorter / steeper than Santa Cruz and whilst the HD4 is probably closer it’s still not super long & low.

Or the Ripley. 29er wheels on a DW linkage.

Zakarias is selling his….

This may not be useful however I will say it anyway…

I’ve put time in on a few longer travel 29ers including Mega 290, Geometron, Cotic Rocket Max, Hightower LT and BMC Trailfox.

Out of those I would say the Hightower LT is probably the most comfortable climber the BMC is very capable but it is less compliant. I would be happy to leave a Hightower LT fully open and go for a big ride. If you do go for a Hightower I wouldn’t get the model with the Grip damper it really lets the frame down when it gets fast and rough, probably similar to the Rockshox MoCo dampers. X fusion HLR Roughcut, Pikes even Marzocchi 350 CRs all have better dampers.