Seeing as it was kind of a sunny day, I went out into the park to take a few snaps of the recently acquired Ibis, hopefully these show off it's attributes to some effect, enjoy 🙂

a few more can be found HERE (flickr) if you're interested 8)

Still pondering what to do with her (for some reason it's become a 'she' in my mind, perhaps because I'm a tad besotted? 😳 )

All comments and thoughts appreciated, even from the heathens among you who cannot see the beauty 😉

Blinking flip psychle, that is so very, very nice.

She's mint. You can't ride her (or split her for components). Keep her to look at – perfect.

Are they basically a URT design with the pivot being a bendy bit of ti?

That rear mech is ace!!

Rear mech is neat, but that and the shifters clash horribly with the rest of the bike. Put them back in the boxes, flog for loads of money and put on some M950 XTR instead – would look pretty classy then IMHO. Would also benefit from a gold KNC chain (too modern, but who'd know) and some gold or green ano bolts I reckon, but that's just me!

What are the spokes on that? I'm sure I've never seen gold spokes (apart from alu ones, but those are steel aren't they?)

Did you ride it to the park to take pictures, or are you trying to preserve the mold-release tufts on the tyres?

Very nice…..summer only I should think.

Now beauty can be an end in itself but I have to ask…..why would you make a full suss out of titanium? I love my Ti hardtail for the feel of the ride but I cant see the point in full suss where the rear shock is working away.

I'd be really tempted to build that up with some top end modern stuff. The big question is how does it ride? It seems interesting, best case scenario its like a hardtail with travel worst it's like a Klein Mantra! I thought it looked very good when it came out and I still do.

Did you ride it to the park to take pictures, or are you trying to preserve the mold-release tufts on the tyres?

Walked down there 😳 tyres aren't retro (I don't think?), front is a Choir master and rear is a Nokian Gazzaloddi.

Rear mech is neat, but that and the shifters clash horribly with the rest of the bike. Put them back in the boxes, flog for loads of money

Yep, agree with you there, and that's the plan for them I think 🙂

Spokes are DT Swiss I think… not sure of type? Took this shot of the logo to try and ID them:

Now beauty can be an end in itself but I have to ask…..why would you make a full suss out of titanium? I love my Ti hardtail for the feel of the ride but I cant see the point in full suss where the rear shock is working away.

Titanium is what makes this suspension design possible, it couldn't be done with any other metal. The 'bar' you can see running from the BB up to the top tube acts as a spring and the whole frame flexs to give 5" of travel… it's very cool (and unusual!) 🙂

Ah OK…..maybe was a solution in search of a problem!

Great build….don't let it out of your sight.

Titanium is what makes this suspension design possible […] it's very cool (and unusual!)

Agreed, it's a wonderful thing. I always used to fantasise about designing a none-URT pivotless Ti suspension bike (when most other kids were dreaming about Lamborghini Diablos, or having it off with bare ladies).

Ah OK…..maybe was a solution in search of a problem!

John Castellano Designs, the man behind the 'Sweet Spot' suspension design

Oh, and whilst you're lining the tyre labels up with the valves, lose those valve caps.

What are the spokes on that? I'm sure I've never seen gold spokes (apart from alu ones, but those are steel aren't they?)

They're DT Titanium MMC spokes, eye wateringly expensive back in the day!

Agree on the mech/shifters, some M950s would look spot on. I've still got a rear mech kicking about!

I thought they might be Titanium spokes… how durable are they?

They're DT Titanium MMC spokes

😯 – those wheels are worth a fortune then!

Shame it's a clamp on front – I've got an unused NOS E-type M950 (anybody interested – carbon plate, lighter than current XTR?)

Those mechs were lovely, it's weird Shimano did that, and they did the carbon v-brake booster, then gave up on carbon altogether for years!

The spokes weren't known for being durable! They are light though (much more so than I thought!)

It needs new forks too, the Bombers look crap! Some 1999 SID SLs or something.

just wondering, would the bombers be worth much (brand new in their box with manual)?

Was thinking a modern fork might be nice, but not sure if any still come with v-brake mounts?

Seems a shame to put a modern fork on it, though I have to agree that those bombers don't entirely do the rest of the build justice. Still a gorgeous build, but I was thinking some old SIDs would be cool too.

would the bombers be worth much (brand new in their box with manual)?

Well you never know what collector might have a fetish for such things, but I'd certainly not be interested in them on their own in the same way I'd be interested in the Bow-Ti and the wheels (and can understand why people would want the gears). The big difference being the amount sold and the fact they weren't ever that much of a classic.

Personally I disagree with Nick and think they go with the bike anyway (doidn't think early SIDs were that aestheticly pleasing, and certainly not brilliant functionally).

cool, that's kind of what I thought, maybe I'll just pop them up on the Bay and see what happens… would hate to see them go for nothing though, guess I could put a reserve on there 😆

doidn't think early SIDs were that aestheticly pleasing, and certainly not brilliant functionally

Which is why they'd be a perfect match 🙂

😆

😯 those wheels are worth a fortune then!

The spokes weren't known for being durable!

So the wheels will be coming off, only to be used for sunny and bone dry cruising/posing 😆

psychle thats mint. im not at all bothered by retro stuff but that is beautiful.

how much time and effort did it take to source the parts or did you buy it as a whole?

Some old school pre-2001 Crossmax would be nice on there. Before they went all bladed-spokes and what not!

Edit: it was an eBay special! It came up last week. Does look good I must admit.

This might be a stupid question (most of mine are) but…
…WHAT DOES IT RIDE LIKE? 🙂

how much time and effort did it take to source the parts or did you buy it as a whole?

I cheated… bought her as a complete build. full credit goes to a chap I only know as Jed who sadly passed away last year. He apparently owned/ran a couple of bike stores in Wales (out Rhayader way I think?), his widow found the whole lot in the attic and asked one of his former bike shop colleagues to put it all together and sell… and that's where I got lucky 🙂

This might be a stupid question (most of mine are) but…
…WHAT DOES IT RIDE LIKE? 🙂

I don't know 😳 haven't ridden her yet and I won't till I sort out a replacement for the rear shock (don't want to put any wear on that at all) and a new set of wheels and drivetrain… by all accounts it's an interesting frame to ride, some like it, some don't… there are a few reviews on mtbr.com

does the down tube touch on – what are effectively – the seat stays?

that mech is gopping! can see it going for decent money if you were to sell it on.

and now i want gold spokes, too.

if you are looking to sell any of the parts then have a look at shifting them in Germany. they go mad for retro bits.

here would be a good place to advertise:
http://bikemarkt.mtb-news.de/bikemarkt/

if you want any help with the language then let me know.

well done with your purchase!

Funny you mention the Germans and the mech in the same post, I found a set on the bay with a guy asking EUR499 for them! blimey 😯

May well take you up on the language help, thanks 🙂

does the down tube touch on – what are effectively – the seat stays?

There's a 1-2mm gap between the downtube 'spring' and the seatstays, they don't touch.

A spoiler.

Don't ride it too much or else this will happen……

40000 miles over 11 years though.

That oval down tube is irreplaceable BTW. I'm still waiting to hear from John Castellano about this. Apparantly the tube can be replaced with a bar with holes cut out in a lattice form.

Compared to my Mojo SL, its not an efficient climber and the frame can't take a long travel fork. Its very flexy, but has that unique titanium ride quality.

Blinking flip psychle, that is so very, very nice clean.

Don't ride it too much or else this will happen……

is that the same one on mtbr.com? yep, just checked and you're the same poster 🙂 40000 miles, not a bad fatigue life eh?

thats awesome. so jealous!

is that the same one on mtbr.com? yep, just checked and you're the same poster 40000 miles, not a bad fatigue life eh?

Yep, that's me. Not sure if John C can fix it or I find a really good frame builder/ TIG wizard over here.

Your Bow-ti looks like its never been ridden. Mine's covered in scratches and the decals look tatty.

Are those spokes titanium? DT Swiss used to make them. I was after some for my Bow ti but the importer said they were obsolete.

Very nice Ibis.
Would interested in those Avid brakes should you decide to split…

Your Bow-ti looks like its never been ridden.

It hasn't been. it's spent the past 11 years in an attic!

Are those spokes titanium? DT Swiss used to make them.

Apparently yes, they are the DT Titanium MMC spokes 🙂