Went and saw the Ibis Bow Ti today, it was indeed mintier than the most minty thing you can think of… it looks absolutely brand new, not a mark to be seen, a genuinely astounding find (to me anyway). And, best of all, it's now sitting in my lounge-room in all its retro glory 8) Here's the complete spec for anyone interested:

Ibis Bow Ti (medium) with original Fox Alps 5R shock (looks totally brand new!)
Marzocchi Super Fly Z2 Bombers
Chris King headset (green)
Ringle 120mm 10degree stem (green)
Chris King 32H non-disc hubs front/rear (green)
Mavic X517 SUP ceramic rims
Nokian Godzilla rear tyre
Halo Choir Master front tyre
Cook Brothers Racing QR skewers (green)
Royce Ti BB
Cook Brothers Racing cranks with Egg chainrings (triple setup)
Rohloff SST98 chain
SRAM 9.0SL 10th Anniversary grip shifts and rear mech (American flag colouring, only 200 sets in the world!) 8-spd
XT front mech (2010 model)
Avid Arch Supreme brakes front/rear
WTB SST98 Ltd Edition saddle

I need to decide what I'm going to do with this… I think (as suggested by Merchant Banker) stripping all the retro bits off and boxing them up (I have most of the original boxes FFS!) for storage, then rebuilding the frame with modern bits (after slathering it in helicopter tape) will be the way to go. Thinking about getting a rear disc brake mount fitted along with hose guides, but not sure about this…

Anyhoo, proper pics to follow when I get time and decent light, but for now here's a dodgy one

that is one hell of an UGLY bike

looks MUCH better in the flesh… but yes, it does have a certain 'look' 🙂

'Stevie Wonder' in colour scheme shocker ***

psychle
stripping all the retro bits off and boxing them up

Table and chairs too.

it's amazing how far bike technology has moved on in such a short time

Bring on your slings and arrows… I can take them, I'm on Cloud Nine 🙂

Oh, aaprt from the colour scheme and those awful bars, i actually quite like it. I would prob stick on a lower rise and shorter stem, maybe an old syncros cattleprod and think it would be a quick bike

You could have bought a carpet instead. 🙂

How much to come round & sit & look at it for an hour… 🙂
Have you dared ride it ?

Well done on buying the ugliest piece of junk I've seen in a long time

it's amazing how far bike technology has moved on in such a short time

I don't know that anything has ever gone to the same level of engineering as this frame did, it was certainly revolutionary and innovative, still is really!

Racing Ralph +1

IMO it's as ugly as hell but a nice bike to keep hold of and it certainly will draw attention. I just hope young kids on there santa cruz's don't point and laugh at the old guy on his contraption.

Will be buying a 70mm Ibis stem and some EC70 low risers. For a fork, thinking a DT Swiss XC 80 (though I think I may be able to fit a 100mm fork, need to confirm with Ibis)… need to find out what modern rear shock would suit as well…

I don't like it but can appreciate why you bought it, I can't believe you're going to cover it in clear plastic tape though, thats a disgrace if you ask me.

Beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that 🙂

g@sh

I can't believe you're going to cover it in clear plastic tape though, that,s a disgrace if you ask me.

I'm feeling very protective of it right now… wondering if I should even ride it, there may not be another one in the WHOLE WORLD in as good condition?

It makes my old 575 look almost stylish! Made my day.
Hope you enjoy it.

just googled the SRAM 9.0SL set, someone in Germany is asking EUR499 for the shifters and dérailleur… **** me! 😯

You have been robbed, that is a piece of crap

indeed it is, of course, how could I have been so stupid and blind?! 🙄 😆

think that,s just amazing.especialy with the story that goes with it.
that,s got to be the only brand new one on the plant.
must be a great felling that only you have one.. 8)

I'm feeling very protective of it right now… wondering if I should even ride it, there may not be another one in the WHOLE WORLD in as good condition?

understandable but it would be like gluing clingfilm to the mona lisa 🙂

Ride it like you stole it. Not an investment but I like it, nice looking frame that..

Here's a modernised version… I think this may be something like what I'll aim for 🙂

It's a difficult one – I'd say keep it retro but then what do I know.

The coolest thing is that you are so delighted with it – respect!

personally i think its a stunning piece of kit. great geometric angles and lines.

I think it looks better retro, relatively speaking of course.

If I'd paid £2k I would have at least expected a whole garden gate.

It's clearly had a couple of the bars sawn off short.

the bits on it!!!!

the ringle stem, the cranks, etc will fetch a fortune on retrobike, what did you pay if you dont mind me asking??

that's ace, well done on finding it.Personally I'd keep it retro otherwise it would look "wrong" just like a Aston DB5 with spinners and under sill lighting. It's a classic so leave well alone and enjoy it for what it is.

Thinking about getting a rear disc brake mount fitted along with hose guides, but not sure about this…

Noooo! It's never going to ride like a modern bike, so why try and turn it into one? Stick a disc brake on a modern fork if you must, but don't spoil such a unique frame – a V brake will be fine back there.

There's a skip somewhere pining for it's bike back 🙂

I know its vulgar and rude to talk about the folding stuff.

But, I will. (as I am often rude and vulgar)

very roughly, what sort of money would one expect to pay for such a beast?

I'm going to buck the trend also, yes, ugly as sin, but if I could – i'd buy it.

the bits on it!!!!

I know, it's incredible isn't it? And everything is brand spanking new! The seller even had all the original boxes for most parts, with all the manuals and stickers etc!

the ringle stem, the cranks, etc will fetch a fortune on retrobike

It's rather tempting to sell some of the bits… I think I need to get a retrobike login and start trying to work out values. As mentioned above, I googled a few things last night and, as an example, the SRAM gripshifters and dérailleur seem to be fetching around EUR499!!

very roughly, what sort of money would one expect to pay for such a beast?

I paid around the same amount for all this as one would for a top of the line modern frame, such as an Ibis Mojo SL… worth every penny I think 8) Getting it insured for it's replacement value could be interesting though!

Noooo! It's never going to ride like a modern bike, so why try and turn it into one? Stick a disc brake on a modern fork if you must, but don't spoil such a unique frame – a V brake will be fine back there.

Fair point, it's something I'll really have to mull over, though it does seem to be the way most Bow Ti owners go (getting a rear disc mount fitted). Needs to be done by a skilled individual, Steve Potts in the States seems to be the artisan of choice…

Congrats on getting what you wanted.

Now stop all this talk about investment and covering it in plastic.

It's a bike. Go out and ride the **** thing 😀

if it's so good why don't they make them anymore?
surely a gap in the market for somebody to cash in on a willing doe eyed market?

advertise it in germany for sale and wait for the euros to roll in.

They will pay an absolute fortune for that complete or broken down especailly if you have the original boxes!!!