Hi, I am Ibis Ripley curious. Drawn partly by good reviews but also by its use of DW-link suspension. My current (ageing) FS is a Turner 5 Spot. I love the way it feels and rides but after riding my SolarisMax it feels a bit like riding a hobbyhorse. I’m looking for an FS upgrade to something with more modern geometry. I don’t need a “big-rig”, the Ripley looks like just the ticket. Getting hold of an XL May well be a bit of a challenge 😞.

Any owners experience would be much appreciated!

I had a HL Five-spot many years ago. I wish I could tell you how it rides compared to a V4 Ripley, but I’ve had too many bikes in between! I also have a SolarisMax and I can tell you a Ripley complements it very nicely.

I’ve ridden my V4 for 750km. Bought December ’19, first 10 rides in the slop, mostly dry since then. I have a V1 RipMo as well. Bought the Ripley for an all round trail bike here in the FoD. RipMo is built more for big days out/european trips/etc. Honestly tho I don’t need both. If I had to keep one, it’d be the RipMo but only just.

What’s good on the Ripley

– Agile, ‘poppy’ trail bike with a really well sorted suspension layout (but see below)

– It climbs brilliantly. Best FS climber I’ve ridden and I’ve had a few.

– It’s great fun on natural trails and I expect it’d be a blast at a trail centre. Rides ‘bigger’ than 120mm on the downs. In some ways it reminds me more of my Solaris with rear suspension than a scaled down RipMo. They feel different bikes. The Ripley steers quicker but ploughs less.

– Lots of space for a decent rear tyre. I have a 2.4 Rekon in there on 35mm rims and still lots of space for a bit of mud.

– It’s a nicely put together frame, internal routing pipes etc. Lots of attention to detail, Great 7 year warranty, etc.

Not so good

– Rear shock – Fox DPS is horrible. I had one on my Mojo3 and I didn’t like that much either. Very stiff to breakaway (and I’m 78kg so it’s not like I’m putting 300psi+ in the shock), feels both over-damped AND unsupportive. Seems a ‘cheap’ shock to put on a 3K RRP frame. Replaced with a CC DB-IL and it transformed the rear of the bike.

– It’s not great in mud (and neither in the RipMo), lots of bearings in the line of the rear wheel. Be prepared to service those at least once a year. Or – as I do – ride my SolarisMax when it gets all wet and muddy.

– It’s expensive. When you look at a Occam M30 you can get that built for not much more than I paid for my frame.

Personally I think it’s worth it. I’m riding it all the time and my other bikes aren’t getting a look in. I really didn’t like it anywhere as much as I wanted too until I changed the rear shock.  If you want any more info, drop me a DM.

TLDR; if you like DW link bikes and you want a fantastic up/down/along trail bike, it’s really good.

Here’s mine with the shock fitted

Oh another plus is the short seat tube. I’m 5ft11 with short legs and have a 210mm dropper in there.

I reviewed one in this very magazine a couple of issues ago… Have you read that? Happy to give you an update too…

Thanks Alex, really good to hear your experience, seems to tally with my thinking. Interesting to hear your thoughts on the shock, not really factoring in an upgrade on what would be an expensive bike already..!

Chipps – I’ll dig out that review, thanks! But happy for an update too!

I just re-read Chipps’ review and nothing to disagree with there.  I see a lot of Ripley owners on the Ibis FB pages are fine with the standard shock, so you may be okay. I really found it held the bike back.

Would love to hear Chipps update too, the Ripley is on my short list.

Would love to hear Chipps update too, the Ripley is on my short list.

Me too – I’ve read the original review, but an update would be great.
I think they are sold out of frames currently though?

Like hens teeth rexated!

I got an Ripley frame at Xmas & built up beginning of year swapping all the parts over from my Smuggler. I swapped the fox shock out just not a fan of fox suspension had got a CCIL air from TF I there sale they had 30% off, might quite a burly build although have a lightweight wheelset too 140mm travel manitou Mezzer forks up front, it’s a great trail/woods bike a step up from the Smuggler, fast on single track & climbs we’ll have also run it as a mullet setup in woods 29X2.6 Hans Dampf with 27.5X2.6 Rock Razor on rear not taken XC tyres to woods yet as thunder Burt 2.1 on rear & nobby nic 2.1 up front very fast on gravel tracks towing a tag along

I rode a 1st gen Ripley for a day a couple of years ago. Not enough air in the Cane Creek shock so I closed it off making it, at best, a soft tail. It was still a brilliant bike. Light but solid. Lovely.

Thanks for the replies.

Any update from Chipps? Have you still been riding the one in the article from a few editions ago?