New Look Ibis: Birds Are Real

Somewhere in a marketing department far far away, it is a time of drinks trollies and beanbags. Rival agencies vie to win the latest contract. The bearded young Peregrine sips a cocktail as Allegra stands poised at the whiteboard. Octavius and Bunty shower a glass wall with Post-Its. Brad scratches his balls in the ball pool. Across the street in a converted warehouse, Blake plays (craft) beer pong while Walker plucks at a banjo. Hopper records their thought bombs on the chalk wall.

At least, that’s how we imagine this press release, from Ibis, came into being:

On Tuesday, September 27th, Ibis will have a radically different look. We are introducing a new logo, word mark, color palette, and typeface that shines a spotlight on the values of our brand.

When founder Scot Nicol was naming his newly hatched bicycle company in 1981, he decided to evoke the thrill of flight by choosing a bird. He liked that birds are light and can fly, which are both positive traits to associate with a bicycle. Strong, elegant, and fast, our new identity instantly evokes the connection between the bird and the brand.

By embracing the bird, we are strengthening the connection between the brand and its core values for a new generation of enthusiasts. Our iconic oval was created in 1993. That was a different time in the bike world and the world in general. We didn’t yet have a website (that came in 1997) and the tubes on our bikes were round, skinny, and made of Moron (more on the end) steel.

Our new visual identity pays homage to that hand-crafted past, while looking forward. The new Ibis bird projects strength as it takes flight, while the arced beak is reminiscent of the care we take with the surfaces in our designs.

We also implemented an uppercase IBIS to remind people visually that our company is no longer the soft “i” of interesting, but a proud and strong “I” that embodies the spirit of us as humans. These visuals are better adapted to the complex surfacing of our frames. They look stable and modern, like our bikes.

Since our humble beginnings, this blend of craft, elegance, and irreverence has been a mainstay of the Ibis ethos. Our new brand identity reflects this past, while welcoming a whole new era of riders to the flock.

Ibis press release, 27 September

Can you imagine being in the meeting where they came up with all that? And is it just us that thinks ‘…so…no metal headbadge, decals instead…?’. Don’t worry though, it’s not all new paint and fluffy words.

The Ibis Ripmo and Ripley now feature a UDH rear derailleur. To help differentiate them from current models, we’re using the names Ripley V4S and Ripmo V2S. The S stands for swingarm.

Both models receive a new UDH swingarm for maximum future compatibility, and move to a 55mm chainline. They also receive enhanced frame stay protection and upgraded clevis bushings. 

The 55mm chainline, which is 3mm wider than the previous standard, allows for a wider and stiffer chainstay. The clevis pivot bushings have more consistent sealing to keep out the grime in even the wettest conditions. Because of these changes the new parts are not backwards compatible.

You can visually identify the new swingarms by the new hanger, as well as the derailleur cable exit port, which has been moved to the top of the stay. The new routing boosts heel clearance and offers improved shifting feel, as it provides a smoother passage to the derailleur.

Our new chainstay protector features thick raised sections to help dampen chain slap noise. It also extends downwards, wrapping under the chainstay. This protects from heel rub and eliminates the metal chainsuck plate.

We’re also replacing our bolt on polycarbonate downtube protector with a new thick rubber guard. It covers a larger area and the increased thickness and softer material better absorbs impacts.

After all the branding waffle, count us disappointed that the new swingarm just adds an S to the names. Surely there is some sort of Galapagos Island finch with wider beak that it could have been named after? Anyway, there you go. Info on the latest from Ibis. We’ll probably not be offered a test ride after this level of cheek…but we’re open to writing marketing material, and Amanda has her crayons at the ready for any rebrands…

Hannah Dobson

Managing Editor

I came to Singletrack having decided there must be more to life than meetings. I like all bikes, but especially unusual ones. More than bikes, I like what bikes do. I think that they link people and places; that cycling creates a connection between us and our environment; bikes create communities; deliver freedom; bring joy; and improve fitness. They're environmentally friendly and create friendly environments. I try to write about all these things in the hope that others might discover the joy of bikes too.

More posts from Hannah