I've been riding mine for about 2 months now and it's the best bike I've ridden. The high anti-squat makes it a great climber. I did downsize to a medium, I'm 179cm, and I love how this bike charges and corners. I can see this being a long term relationship.
New to this channel, and really appreciate the measured and sensible commentary--so thanks! I very recently (2 weeks' ago) picked up a short travel 29er with a complete Deore build, and a Cane Creek air shock, and am amazed at how capable and fun it is. I was well prepared to upgrade from the get-go--with an XT shifter and new brakes in the cupboard--but I really haven't felt the need. Deore may be a bit heavier, but it's immensely capable, and on this kind of bike, providing that it's sorted in other ways, the weight ought not really effect the overall riding experience.
Nice review as always! Would be cool to see a video about how you got into racing and tips for first time racers on what to expect and how to manage the race events, etc.
I would definitely like to do a video like that. I have a bit of a weird relationship with racing at the moment. I thought I would be back at it full steam this season, but my hearts just not in it. I’ve been busy with Sram/Downhill Southeast producing a race replay series which still has me with a camera at events just in a much different capacity. I’ve been trying to do a live stream all year to share a lot of updates on the channel including what’s going on with racing. Part of the reason I got an updated GoPro 10 was for the direct live streaming capability, but I haven’t been able to get it to work and GoPro is not sure what’s going on. 😔
The Ripmo AF is such a cool bike. It does so much so well. I bought just the frame and built it up with a 170mm Fox36 (same a2c as 160 DVO) an X2 shock; i9 wheels and a GX drivetrain. I also put in a -1° headset. The X2 is a 8.5x2.5” shock with a 2mm offset bushing which brings the rear travel up to 165mm.
@@dcmtbadventures4910 cool i asked because I want to upgrade to 170. When you mention 170 36 , do you mean a fox 36? If so do you think a ça 170 DVO will be the same as fox 36
@@mtbyb4569 Yes, Fox Float 36. No, a DVO at 170 won't be the same. it will be taller. At equal travel, both forks lying on the workbench, the DVO is a 'taller' fork. Unsagged A2C 572, vs 567 for Fox. A 160 mm DVO fork with a static rider sag of 25% will have an A2C of 532mm. (ride height) A 170mm Fox 36 at 25% sag has an A2C of 534mm. 2 mm different. A DVO at 170 at 25% sag will have an A2C of 540mm. Ibis says this is a no-go. I personally cant really see why 6mm makes a huge difference, but that's what they say. FWIW- I didn't "upgrade" my fork to 170 because 10mm travel does anything. I did it because Ibis designed the bike to have a certain ride height with a DVO fork. A 160 Fox would have dropped the stack, the BB, and steepened the HTA.
It’s an incredible bike especially for the money. Fits like a glove and does everything well. +1 for N+1 I never met Sean before and when I bought my bike he went above and beyond for me like I had been a customer for years. Will definitely keep going back.
My Ripmo AF rattled bad. It was the internal routed cables. I pulled tension where they come out and put double zip ties on cables. No more internal rattle.
I've had mine for about 18 months now, does everything fairly well. It's heavy AF, but that comes with the territory with any alloy bigger travel bike. My suggestions beyond what the video has already covered. If you're over 200lbs or are a pretty aggressive rider I would strongly suggest the cascade link, it does a lot to fix the Ripmo's too lineaer rear suspension. I would also suggest a brake upgrade if you ride a lot of park or steeps on it, ice tech rotors at a minimum, but SLX or XT brakes really help with the consistency with repeated heavy braking. You might also want to consider 165mm cranks (it usually comes with 170s) due to the low BB
Great review! After a lot of research looking for my first full-suspension "quiver killer" the search pointed to the Ripmo AF NGX size XL. I bought it in March and have been riding around the PNW since then. It's been great so far and has happily tackled everything I've asked of it. I swapped the stock 175mm cranks for 170 to mitigate the low BB, added a front bash guard, and did a basic wrap with heli tape. It's been a fantastic value for the money so far.
How tall are you? I’m right in between L and XL and am really tempted to size down. Looking at two it’s basically the same size as a canyon spectral al5 which they recommend up to 6’3
Bought my Ibis Ripmo AF Deore in June as my first full suspension bike after a +30 year hiatus from biking altogether. Couldn't be happier with it. 2nd park day ever yesterday, and it is a confidence inspiring all arounder. Catching air on some really techy blues at Spider Mountain in TX yesterday was an absolute blast!!!
I bought a used ripmo AF last fall. Since then, I've gotten a lot of fun out of it and even took it on my first ever enduro race. I don't think I've found my sweet spot with DVO fork yet, but the coil shock has been a magic carpet. Of the "budget" aluminum frames, the Ripmo AF is on the expensive end (the Ripmo AF used was as much as a Commencal Meta new), but so far I think it's worth it.
Hey Charlie, I've really had a ton of fun on it. It hasn't gone back to N+1 yet and I ended up riding it all weekend over my Sentinel. What other bikes are you looking at?
@@charliehicks2554 I was between the Ripmo V1 and the Hightower V2 when I ended up going with the Hightower. With the update on the Ripmo since then, I personally lean towards it a bit more right now. I'll have a Ripmo V2 in soon to review, and I will take it to Snowshoe to put a bunch of time on it on very familiar territory to really find out what I think about it versus the Hightower.
Glad you got the AF on here. It's one of the best deals out there. It's a bummer though that reviewers always do the base model. I have a GX model with Lyrik Ultimate, Topaz, EXO front tire, EXO+ rear tire, carbon bar and PNW 200 dropper that comes in at 32 lbs even. The frame itself is light for alloy and is only about 1/2 - 1 lb more than most other brands' carbon frames, but without the carbon worries. I'd love to see someone review one built up more like mine and compare it to some of the competition costing several thousands dollars more. Other perks of the AF not mentioned and that many other brand's don't match: room for up to 2.6 rear tire, true coil shock compatibility, ability to run an angleset, fits super long droppers up to 210mm on a large, threaded bb and more. Your Sentinel matches these traits and is also an awesome bike, but many other brands' bikes can't match these two.
There is zero doubt in my mind your build is one that'd be hard to touch. I had the review all wrapped up on Thursday, and I still left the Sentinel at home and opted to ride this AF all weekend. It's just plain fun to ride.
@@AJ-mk5hm Pretty ridiculous they do that. They also put them in the "budget" shootouts, which is fine for an NX kit. I'd rather see some custom builds with top shelf stuff and a respectable weight, then review it amongst the other brand's carbon bikes. For example, an AF frame with Topaz is only about 1/2 lb heavier than an Evil Offering V3 frame, which is $3,750. Alloy shouldn't mean "budget" necessarily. I bet the more bike prices keep soaring, the really good alloy models like those from Ibis, Banshee, Raaw, Privateer, etc. will see an increase in sales.
@4drcanyonracer agreed. I’d love to see some people take the ripmo AF frame and be able to build it with say a $5k budget in mind and then compare it to a Hightower S model that retails for $5300 or something similar. I bet it would be surprising just how good it is. The reviews treat it as an entry level bike because of its price point.
I cant think of a better "do it all" bike for the money. The DVO suspension is absolutely awesome on something in this price point. Shaun is awesome and I'm stoked to have N+1 Bikes as a local shop.
My 14 year old just got this bike but with the GX build and coil rear shock. It is crazy what a great value this bike is. I have been direct to consumer only since 2015. This bike changed that for me. Now I want one. This bike is pretty sweet man.
I’m local to Louisville, KY and bought my ibis from Josh at N+1 bikes. Really great experience and only found out that N+1 was such a player in the Ibis field only after purchasing. They are humble and treat everyone with the same respect and service.
Love my Ibis Ripmo AF! The frame is great. I bought mine used and have upgraded the fork, shock, and brakes. After some maintenance the bike is running very well! I will be racing a downhill enduro series on it, I am very excited!
How does the ripmo AF compare to the transition sentinel? Looking to compliment a 120mm bike for when I do shuttle trails so climbing does not really matter to me. I saw you had a carbon ripmo vs sentinel but given the AF is a few pounds heavier and potentially a coil I assume there is a difference.
Ive had mine for a month and a half or so. Haven’t had a chance to ride it due to work and it’s heating up here in az. I got the last ripmo af deore in large from Shaun at n1 right before the price hike. Ordered a diety stem and renthal bars and it’s ready to go. Can’t wait to ride it in Sedona hopefully soon!
Absolutely loved my Ripmo. It's the perfect price/to performance ratio. You were spot on with the upgraded part... Sometimes you question, is it worth totally going all out on a alloy frame? But with the Ripmo, it totally is. Just swapped it over to a Lyrik/Super Deluxe Coil, and it's really taking the bike to the next level.
Another pointer, ignore the Ibis and DVO settings for compression/rebound, both run way too much of both, the sag number is spot on though. The DVO D1 damper actually works well and you don't need a lot of added compression or rebound to get it working nice. I'm 250lbs and only run 1HSC 2 LSC and 3 rebound on the fork, when I ran the Ibis settings it felt very stiff
Got my Ripmo AF last year, ordered the Deore and my local shop was told they weren’t coming anytime soon so I got a deal on the NGX build. I had very few complaints and made some minor changes…the 175 cranks had to go, so I went with a 170mm GX crankset, switched out the NX shifter for the GX, switched out the bars for the 35mm rise OneUp carbon bars (because I’m old and they definitely help with arm pump) and a OneUp dropper lever. The only “real” complaint I had was the DVO fender with the Assegai tires, every ride spent listening to rocks stuck in the tires pinging off the fender because of the clearance, ended up removing it and going with a cheap Mucky Nutz fender, problem solved! Overall, it’s a rad bike in general, not only for those “on a budget”…handles the rough stuff at the bike park and my local, more XC oriented singletrack trails.
Nice review! Uhm with sizing do you think the sizing recommendation ibis have at their website is pretty accurate? Like for someone 5’8-5’9 is going size Large a better choice? Thanks
Nice bike and GORGEOUS video! Love the shallow DOF as the wheel goes on at 2:47, and the other components after that! Love those rocks you ride too! Close by?
Hey Seth, glad you enjoy them! The rock slab stuff is at Raccoon Mountain here in Chattanooga, TN. and the flow POV stuff is at Baker Creek in Knoxville.
Great review that put me over the edge to buy one. I found a shop to upgrade me to the Fox 38 rather than the Z1 coil fork. I like the Assegai as a front but feels overkill for the rear too heavy and slow rolling for climbing. You mentioned went to Aggressor 2.3 in the rear. Not sure why they don't make a 2.4 Aggressor? Did you find the 2.3 too narrow for the wide 35mm AF rear wheel?
Had a Ripmo AF too. Sweet burly beast. Would've made a perfect park bike but then the parks here closed so I changed to a ripley v4. I miss the beastly AF though. It inspired confidence.
I recently tried one and I understand the Ibis hype now. But unfortunately they are very expensive in Europe and much worse value than YT, Canyon, Propain, etc.
This bike is Awesome, I upgrade the rear wheel on mine, new tires too since mine are worn down a bit. Can't beat this bike in terms of performance vs value.
I dig your videos. When you’re on a bike I wish you would you mention your height your weight and your size you Went with please. The spike is on my short list I am 6 foot one with the longer torso and thinking about an XL wondering what your thoughts would be.
Just got one on sale for 2900 and I can't wait to get it. 3-5 weeks isn't bad considering the wait times for other bikes. But this video definitely helped me decide to pull the trigger. I don't get to ride as often as I'd like so I usually take all day trips and needed a balanced bike I could climb all day on. It's a bit heavier than my last short travel Trance but from what I've read and heard, this bike climbs very well for a mid travel aluminum bike.
I called Shaun at N+1 and found what I was looking for - XL, SLX & Red Savina. Shaun was great, so thanks for the recommendation. I switched out the shifter for XT, but everything else is stock. The bike feels like a tank - big, burly and heavy, but is so stable at high speeds. Not sure if it's the slack head angle or the long wheelbase or the DW link - maybe all of it. I feel like I can tackle anything on it. I can see some upgrades coming at some point down the road - some lighter/stiff carbon wheels with more hub engagement. I'll likely end up with some carbon bars and shorter cranks too. I'll keep the tires until they wear out and then maybe experiment a bit with them. Someone mentioned the cascade link for bigger riders, but I don't know much about it yet (6'3" & 200 lbs). Finally, I have a feeling the suspension is going to take a while to dial in. I've been making adjustments and doing some tinkering, but it'll probably take 10-15 runs to dial it in.
Glad he took great care of you! Just some food for thought for whatever it's worth. I ran the cascade link on my Hightower, but don't feel nearly the same need for it on this particular bike. The small bump compliance is already incredible, and the progression is much better than what my HTv2 had. I just took the Ripmo V2 to Snowshoe Bike Park and put it through some serious paces. It tackled all of the tech and big features with flying colors. I continue to be incredibly impressed with this bike.
I picked up the Ripmo AF this spring after contacting Ibis and DVO. I really wanted to get on the DVO suspension. Pick your preferred drivetrain and send it.
I got a rocky mountain element given that the Ripmo AF is overkill for most of the rides I do, then I realized, hell no! Love this bike! Even did some upgrades on it, it’ll be my sketchy bike, its so good!
I'm not sure about the Revel, but I have ridden my RAF back to back with a Canfield Lithium, which also uses CBF rear suspension. The CBF suspension is like DW link but pedals even better and is less prone to hanging up on square edged hits going downhill. I would expect Revel to ride a lot like Canfield, just lighter as it's carbon vs alloy
Hi ZukeMTB, they are actually quite similar in a lot of ways. Similar efficiency, very poppy and more of a bottomless feel. I've just started riding and reviewing the Carbon Ripmo V2 and it feels like a big plush Ranger. I'd really love to compare the V2 to the incoming Revel Rail, but it doesn't sound like any demo's of the Rail will be available to make that happen, sadly.
@@SemiSendy thanks for the response! I've been on a Racal since August, 2020 and I kind it, but always liked Ibis bikes. The Ripley has come in "second" twice, once to the Revel Racal and once to the Pivot Mach 6 (my previous bike)... We just relocated from Colorado to Florida and I'm in search of some new trails to fall in love with. Any suggestions around Tampa or up north near Homosassa? We're heading to Alafia this weekend... Looks like fun! Thank you for taking the time to answer my emails!
@@mrvwbug4423 thanks for the response! I agree with your comment about being similar to the DW Link bikes, my last ride was a Pivot Mach 6. My rascal is definitely smoother one square-edged rocks. But nothing is better than that Mach 6 on porcupine rim!😊👍
Thanks for the review. It really helped. I still can't made up my mind if I want AF or carbon. Carbon have Fox factory which I really like, and AF have Performance which is kind of level or two below Factory. That's bothering me....
Glad I could help. The performance line is pretty great, honestly. The grip 2 damper on the factory forks, while crazy adjustable, can also be a bit overwhelming. That said, I've been really impressed with the quality of the Ibis set-up guide for the Carbon V2. The settings for both the X2 and 38 with traction tune are pretty impressive at my weight of 180lb. I typically don't feel that way with most of the different set-up guides out there. You still need to make sure you really pay attention to setting/measuring SAG properly, since the recommended psi's are rarely accurate, but that's not difficult. One thing I will say is this.... I'm currently riding and reviewing the Carbon, and the two are quite different in ride quality. The carbon has a more damped yet lively feel to it. I’ve ridden lots of different bikes and lots of different materials, but riding the exact same bike in carbon versus aluminum back to back was pretty eye-opening. There is a much bigger difference than I expected.The AF is freaking awesome, and the Carbon just takes it to a next level of incredible.
I’m not sure, but I haven’t heard any talk about it myself. To be honest, I hope they only make minor tweaks if they do a new version of the Ripmo. Or at least keep the geo the same. It just feels dialed.
@@Warzac83 Good news.....I just chatted with Shaun the owner. That was my mistake, I had not realized the code had expired. However, Shaun just told me he would honor this for you! He's actually going to make the code live again for this week through this Friday. Thanks for the love on the channel, and enjoy the new Ripmo! It's been over a year now since I first rode this generation Ripmo and it's become my go to all-arounder. I still love it just as much if not more than when I put this review out.
64.9 HTA 76 STA, 1235mm wheelbase in size L, 475 reach in size L, 420 seat tube height in size L. Size L frame can take up to a 200mm dropper (at least a OneUp or PNW Loam)
Hi Mud Kayak, sorry to leave those details out. Thanks for all of your support, and I'm really grateful for the feedback! To be honest with you, I felt like I wanted to focus this review a bit differently since there are so many reviews already on this bike from the last couple of years. People sometimes tell me the numbers are a bit distracting and that they'd rather look at them on the website so I thought I'd try to switch it up a little. I do want to ultimately compare the Ripmo to the Hightower and Sentinel in the future, and I'll likely want to cover all of the numbers side by side for that video.
@@SemiSendy Too many good bikes to choose from and I tend to be a numbers freak so even though others may have already covered them I find it so useful to have it in a complete video or maybe in the description for a 1 stop shopping experience ! Thanks for producing such good content, very much appreciated.
8 minutes of a review and we don't know what the price of the bike is, how far the bike will travel or how fast the bike will go. Basic questions. I don't get it.
Hi Victor, this is a human powered bicycle. How far the bike will travel and how fast it will go is entirely dependent on the the fitness and skillset of the person riding the bike. As for price, that depends on which build option you select. The base build has fluctuated between $2,700 and $4,200 over the course of the last 8 months since it was released, and it's always best to check pricing current to when you happen to be viewing a video on TH-cam. The price today is not necessarily the price available when someone watches the video 6months, 1 year or a couple of years from now, etc. If you're struggling to locate the current price, try typing in the name "Ibis Ripmo AF" into a google search, or feel free to reach out to the vendor I mentioned in the video and linked in the description. Best of luck.
@@SemiSendy I stand corrected. I was taken to this page as I was researching Electric mountain bikes and assumed this bike I was looking at was electric.
Does Transition's Horst link pedal that well? I've not had a chance to demo a Transition, but have ridden the RM Altitude back to back with my Ripmo and found it pedals almost as well as the Ibis DW link, and descends noticeably better (the RM really smooths out trail chatter as I'd expect with a good Horst link), but that may be personal preference as I happen to like bikes with a progressive rear suspension like the Altitude (and my cascade linked Ripmo AF)
@@mrvwbug4423 so i too have owned the v2 ripmo and ill say this. The truth is the ripmo is an amazing climber. If you rank the ripmo as a 9/10 in the climb than the sentinal is a 7.8 out of 10. But it decend about 30 percent better! Its night and day.
Hey Steve, the Sentinel V2 is actually my current personal trail/enduro bike. Honestly, I don't think the two are very comparable at all. Other than similar travel numbers, they are totally different bikes suited to very different riding styles and terrain. I'd put the Sentinel up against something like the SB150. Both bikes to me are much more race thoroughbreds than trail bikes, and really come alive when pinning more gnarly terrain. To be completely honest, I haven't found the Sentinel to be the best bike for most of the riding here in the Eastern US. To me, it's simply just too long and slack for some of the tighter moves and corners around our region when compared to something a bit more conservative in those numbers. I enjoy it on some of our tracks at places like Windrock, but definitely not all of it. Otherwise the bike feels a bit dead for my taste. That said, it may not be quite as efficient as the DW link driven bikes, but it's still a surprisingly good climber so long as tight maneuvering isn't in the mix. I currently have the Ripmo V2 in house for review, and it's more of a playful & poppy trail bike. I haven't yet had a chance to take it out on some proper tech though, so time will tell what I think of it all-around. At the end of the day, they're both incredible bikes and it's really a matter of personal riding style, terrain and general preference. At the moment I tend to think the Ripmo is a bit more sensible for more riders in general, but I'll have to spend more time riding and forming my final thoughts on that.
There's also chain slap going on right at the weld on the chainstay immediately behind the front chain ring in a limited area. I placed a bit of mastic tape on it after filming this and it really quited things down quite a bit. To be fair, I haven't found it to be much noisier than other aluminum bikes I've owned and ridden. I'm usually the first to get annoyed with noisey bikes too. The ride quality certainly helped keep my mind off of it.
By the time you upgraded the suspension on the YT you're in for more than the Ripmo AF and still have worse drivetrain and brakes. The DVO Onyx SC is a MUCH better fork than the 36 the Onyx is on a par with the Fox 38 and RS Zeb (I've ridden all 3 back to back to compare). Deore 12 speed >>> NX eagle. Brakes are probably a wash. The Ripmo is also over a degree slacker up front.
Hey Patentlaw05, to be completely honest I've been long guilty of judging the book by it's cover when it comes to the Ripmo. Granted, we all have different taste but I also didn't always find the Ripmo to be one of the best looking bikes. That said, I can't say I've never felt it fair to dismiss such a long standing quality company like Ibis, and their DW (read up on Dave Weagle) link suspension is one of the most award winning in history. Before you label it anything remotely "Walmart", I'd highly suggest giving one a spin if you ever get the chance. It's one of the best balanced and best riding bikes I've ridden.....and I've ridden a lot of bikes. Looks aren't everything, and honestly this bike rides so nice it's become a beauty in my eyes. Riding is believing, but don't just take my word for it.
Just trash the brakes. There are world cup quality brakes for the same price. People need to quit looking at Shimano or SRAM completely when looking at brakes.
the core? you mean the best. test ride a polygon. test ride a real bike not the best of the best. thats not the core thats one of the most expensive bikes a trail riders can get pfff core. I love how u act like ibis is direct to consumer, not the case... you are so sponsored in this vid disgusting ..... i hope u read comments
There is more than spec sheet olympics. DTC brands do well in the spec sheet olympics. On the trail is another story. Nothing hides the fact that Commencals and Polygons pedal like ass, and Canyons are notorious for feeling dead downhill unless you ride them at 11/10ths. I'll give props where it's due and say that Commencal makes up for its piss poor pedaling by being really nice downhill, but it's more of a shuttle/park bike than something you would want to pedal uphill all the time.
I've been riding mine for about 2 months now and it's the best bike I've ridden. The high anti-squat makes it a great climber. I did downsize to a medium, I'm 179cm, and I love how this bike charges and corners. I can see this being a long term relationship.
Great to hear!
New to this channel, and really appreciate the measured and sensible commentary--so thanks! I very recently (2 weeks' ago) picked up a short travel 29er with a complete Deore build, and a Cane Creek air shock, and am amazed at how capable and fun it is. I was well prepared to upgrade from the get-go--with an XT shifter and new brakes in the cupboard--but I really haven't felt the need. Deore may be a bit heavier, but it's immensely capable, and on this kind of bike, providing that it's sorted in other ways, the weight ought not really effect the overall riding experience.
Nice review as always! Would be cool to see a video about how you got into racing and tips for first time racers on what to expect and how to manage the race events, etc.
I would definitely like to do a video like that. I have a bit of a weird relationship with racing at the moment. I thought I would be back at it full steam this season, but my hearts just not in it. I’ve been busy with Sram/Downhill Southeast producing a race replay series which still has me with a camera at events just in a much different capacity.
I’ve been trying to do a live stream all year to share a lot of updates on the channel including what’s going on with racing. Part of the reason I got an updated GoPro 10 was for the direct live streaming capability, but I haven’t been able to get it to work and GoPro is not sure what’s going on. 😔
@@SemiSendy gotcha.. I understand though. Always enjoy seeing notifications of new uploads so whenever it happens, look forward to it
The Ripmo AF is such a cool bike. It does so much so well.
I bought just the frame and built it up with a 170mm Fox36 (same a2c as 160 DVO) an X2 shock; i9 wheels and a GX drivetrain. I also put in a -1° headset.
The X2 is a 8.5x2.5” shock with a 2mm offset bushing which brings the rear travel up to 165mm.
Nice, that's a beastly build!
hi there i have been told that 160mm front was the max for the ripmo af
@@mtbyb4569 the axle-to-crown of a 170 36 is 2mm longer than the axle-to-crown of a 160 DVO. I see no issue doing what I did.
@@dcmtbadventures4910 cool i asked because I want to upgrade to 170. When you mention 170 36 , do you mean a fox 36? If so do you think a ça 170 DVO will be the same as fox 36
@@mtbyb4569 Yes, Fox Float 36. No, a DVO at 170 won't be the same. it will be taller. At equal travel, both forks lying on the workbench, the DVO is a 'taller' fork. Unsagged A2C 572, vs 567 for Fox. A 160 mm DVO fork with a static rider sag of 25% will have an A2C of 532mm. (ride height) A 170mm Fox 36 at 25% sag has an A2C of 534mm. 2 mm different. A DVO at 170 at 25% sag will have an A2C of 540mm. Ibis says this is a no-go. I personally cant really see why 6mm makes a huge difference, but that's what they say. FWIW- I didn't "upgrade" my fork to 170 because 10mm travel does anything. I did it because Ibis designed the bike to have a certain ride height with a DVO fork. A 160 Fox would have dropped the stack, the BB, and steepened the HTA.
It’s an incredible bike especially for the money. Fits like a glove and does everything well. +1 for N+1 I never met Sean before and when I bought my bike he went above and beyond for me like I had been a customer for years. Will definitely keep going back.
He seems to just genuinely love what he does, and it shows everytime I talk to him. Stoked to have his support.
My Ripmo AF rattled bad. It was the internal routed cables. I pulled tension where they come out and put double zip ties on cables. No more internal rattle.
I've had mine for about 18 months now, does everything fairly well. It's heavy AF, but that comes with the territory with any alloy bigger travel bike. My suggestions beyond what the video has already covered. If you're over 200lbs or are a pretty aggressive rider I would strongly suggest the cascade link, it does a lot to fix the Ripmo's too lineaer rear suspension. I would also suggest a brake upgrade if you ride a lot of park or steeps on it, ice tech rotors at a minimum, but SLX or XT brakes really help with the consistency with repeated heavy braking. You might also want to consider 165mm cranks (it usually comes with 170s) due to the low BB
It's the heavy assagai tires.
Great review! After a lot of research looking for my first full-suspension "quiver killer" the search pointed to the Ripmo AF NGX size XL. I bought it in March and have been riding around the PNW since then. It's been great so far and has happily tackled everything I've asked of it. I swapped the stock 175mm cranks for 170 to mitigate the low BB, added a front bash guard, and did a basic wrap with heli tape. It's been a fantastic value for the money so far.
Swapping for a 170mm crank is a great call with a lot of these bikes these days! Stoked it's served you so well. Cheers!
How tall are you? I’m right in between L and XL and am really tempted to size down. Looking at two it’s basically the same size as a canyon spectral al5 which they recommend up to 6’3
Bought my Ibis Ripmo AF Deore in June as my first full suspension bike after a +30 year hiatus from biking altogether. Couldn't be happier with it. 2nd park day ever yesterday, and it is a confidence inspiring all arounder. Catching air on some really techy blues at Spider Mountain in TX yesterday was an absolute blast!!!
Heck yeah! Welcome back to riding.
I’ve been thinking about getting this bike, can’t wait to watch!
I’ve really enjoyed my time on it! It’s gotten the gears turning 😉
I bought a used ripmo AF last fall. Since then, I've gotten a lot of fun out of it and even took it on my first ever enduro race. I don't think I've found my sweet spot with DVO fork yet, but the coil shock has been a magic carpet.
Of the "budget" aluminum frames, the Ripmo AF is on the expensive end (the Ripmo AF used was as much as a Commencal Meta new), but so far I think it's worth it.
Thanks for the review Rich. Ripmo af is certainly a bike I'm interested in.
Hey Charlie, I've really had a ton of fun on it. It hasn't gone back to N+1 yet and I ended up riding it all weekend over my Sentinel.
What other bikes are you looking at?
@@SemiSendy
The Hightower D. But I have a Ripley , & honestly, I’m a fanboy for Ibis.
@@charliehicks2554 I was between the Ripmo V1 and the Hightower V2 when I ended up going with the Hightower. With the update on the Ripmo since then, I personally lean towards it a bit more right now.
I'll have a Ripmo V2 in soon to review, and I will take it to Snowshoe to put a bunch of time on it on very familiar territory to really find out what I think about it versus the Hightower.
@@SemiSendy Great! I’ll look forward to it.
Glad you got the AF on here. It's one of the best deals out there. It's a bummer though that reviewers always do the base model. I have a GX model with Lyrik Ultimate, Topaz, EXO front tire, EXO+ rear tire, carbon bar and PNW 200 dropper that comes in at 32 lbs even. The frame itself is light for alloy and is only about 1/2 - 1 lb more than most other brands' carbon frames, but without the carbon worries. I'd love to see someone review one built up more like mine and compare it to some of the competition costing several thousands dollars more.
Other perks of the AF not mentioned and that many other brand's don't match: room for up to 2.6 rear tire, true coil shock compatibility, ability to run an angleset, fits super long droppers up to 210mm on a large, threaded bb and more. Your Sentinel matches these traits and is also an awesome bike, but many other brands' bikes can't match these two.
There is zero doubt in my mind your build is one that'd be hard to touch. I had the review all wrapped up on Thursday, and I still left the Sentinel at home and opted to ride this AF all weekend. It's just plain fun to ride.
It’s also a bit annoying that other reviewers (not this one) compare the $3300 model (or whatever it is now) to bikes that are 50% more in price.
@@AJ-mk5hmI definitely get that. It does punch well above it's price point though.
@@AJ-mk5hm Pretty ridiculous they do that. They also put them in the "budget" shootouts, which is fine for an NX kit. I'd rather see some custom builds with top shelf stuff and a respectable weight, then review it amongst the other brand's carbon bikes. For example, an AF frame with Topaz is only about 1/2 lb heavier than an Evil Offering V3 frame, which is $3,750. Alloy shouldn't mean "budget" necessarily. I bet the more bike prices keep soaring, the really good alloy models like those from Ibis, Banshee, Raaw, Privateer, etc. will see an increase in sales.
@4drcanyonracer agreed. I’d love to see some people take the ripmo AF frame and be able to build it with say a $5k budget in mind and then compare it to a Hightower S model that retails for $5300 or something similar. I bet it would be surprising just how good it is. The reviews treat it as an entry level bike because of its price point.
I purchased my Ripley via N+1. I’m still a very happy customer at just over a year later.
Great to hear!
I cant think of a better "do it all" bike for the money. The DVO suspension is absolutely awesome on something in this price point. Shaun is awesome and I'm stoked to have N+1 Bikes as a local shop.
First time I ever talked to Shaun he was already like family. 🤘
Yeah the Onyx SC is on a par with the Fox 38 and RS Zeb, and I have ridden them all back to back
My 14 year old just got this bike but with the GX build and coil rear shock. It is crazy what a great value this bike is. I have been direct to consumer only since 2015. This bike changed that for me. Now I want one. This bike is pretty sweet man.
I’m local to Louisville, KY and bought my ibis from Josh at N+1 bikes. Really great experience and only found out that N+1 was such a player in the Ibis field only after purchasing. They are humble and treat everyone with the same respect and service.
He really is a great guy.
N+1 bikes is a family. Great shop, great bikes, and great people. Advocates for trail building locally and takes care of their own
I notice you rode party in the woods in this video but what were those other trails that had the rocks?
Built to shred XC to enduro mine has been bombproof. Fun trail bike that has beat every PR on every trail I’ve rode.
Love my Ibis Ripmo AF! The frame is great. I bought mine used and have upgraded the fork, shock, and brakes. After some maintenance the bike is running very well! I will be racing a downhill enduro series on it, I am very excited!
Nice, it'll make for a great bike at the races! Good luck with the series. 🤘
Been riding my Ripmo AF for ~2 years. When it comes to value, I really think you cannot beat the Ripmo for the overall quiver killer.
3800 is good for you ?
@@hugochayrou3234 considering the component selection, yes, I think $3800 is incredibly fair.
I love my Ripmo AF its been almost 2 years riding this bike, got the deore built its works like a champ. I would not change it for nothing!
How does the ripmo AF compare to the transition sentinel? Looking to compliment a 120mm bike for when I do shuttle trails so climbing does not really matter to me. I saw you had a carbon ripmo vs sentinel but given the AF is a few pounds heavier and potentially a coil I assume there is a difference.
Ive had mine for a month and a half or so. Haven’t had a chance to ride it due to work and it’s heating up here in az. I got the last ripmo af deore in large from Shaun at n1 right before the price hike. Ordered a diety stem and renthal bars and it’s ready to go. Can’t wait to ride it in Sedona hopefully soon!
You got it right on time! I believe you’re going to love it more and more
nice production
I just bought this bike today lol, and it's a amazing bike
Great review rich!
Thanks, Adam 🤘😊
Absolutely loved my Ripmo. It's the perfect price/to performance ratio. You were spot on with the upgraded part... Sometimes you question, is it worth totally going all out on a alloy frame? But with the Ripmo, it totally is. Just swapped it over to a Lyrik/Super Deluxe Coil, and it's really taking the bike to the next level.
The cascade link is also huge on this bike... Really helps it on the bigger stuff.
Another pointer, ignore the Ibis and DVO settings for compression/rebound, both run way too much of both, the sag number is spot on though. The DVO D1 damper actually works well and you don't need a lot of added compression or rebound to get it working nice. I'm 250lbs and only run 1HSC 2 LSC and 3 rebound on the fork, when I ran the Ibis settings it felt very stiff
Got my Ripmo AF last year, ordered the Deore and my local shop was told they weren’t coming anytime soon so I got a deal on the NGX build. I had very few complaints and made some minor changes…the 175 cranks had to go, so I went with a 170mm GX crankset, switched out the NX shifter for the GX, switched out the bars for the 35mm rise OneUp carbon bars (because I’m old and they definitely help with arm pump) and a OneUp dropper lever. The only “real” complaint I had was the DVO fender with the Assegai tires, every ride spent listening to rocks stuck in the tires pinging off the fender because of the clearance, ended up removing it and going with a cheap Mucky Nutz fender, problem solved! Overall, it’s a rad bike in general, not only for those “on a budget”…handles the rough stuff at the bike park and my local, more XC oriented singletrack trails.
Did the same bars with an i9 A35 stem, and the OneUp dropper lever on my Ripmo AF. Also old at 53, but young at heart!
How is noise and chatter? Weight as ridden?
Nice review! Uhm with sizing do you think the sizing recommendation ibis have at their website is pretty accurate? Like for someone 5’8-5’9 is going size Large a better choice? Thanks
Personal preference, but I'm 6' on a large. That would be equivalent to a medium for someone 5'8"
Nice bike and GORGEOUS video! Love the shallow DOF as the wheel goes on at 2:47, and the other components after that!
Love those rocks you ride too! Close by?
Thank you! Yeah, those are some fun local sandstone slabs here in Chattanooga.
Love your videos! Where are you riding here? Looks rad!
Hey Seth, glad you enjoy them! The rock slab stuff is at Raccoon Mountain here in Chattanooga, TN. and the flow POV stuff is at Baker Creek in Knoxville.
You're doing a killer job on the videos! What video editing software do you use? They look really good!
Hi Dialed MTB, thank you very much! I use Davinci Studio for editing.
Awesome, thanks for the reply!
What riding trousers are those dude.
Great review that put me over the edge to buy one. I found a shop to upgrade me to the Fox 38 rather than the Z1 coil fork. I like the Assegai as a front but feels overkill for the rear too heavy and slow rolling for climbing. You mentioned went to Aggressor 2.3 in the rear. Not sure why they don't make a 2.4 Aggressor? Did you find the 2.3 too narrow for the wide 35mm AF rear wheel?
Had a Ripmo AF too. Sweet burly beast. Would've made a perfect park bike but then the parks here closed so I changed to a ripley v4. I miss the beastly AF though. It inspired confidence.
I recently tried one and I understand the Ibis hype now. But unfortunately they are very expensive in Europe and much worse value than YT, Canyon, Propain, etc.
@@meteormedia7021 I purchased the majority of my hardtail from Europe. Some of your parts are a steal! A Ragley. It's been great!
Been hearing lots of great feedback from my friends with propane’s!
Awesome video! Really helpful. What are your thoughts when deciding between Ripmo AF and Ripley AF?
How are the SPX310 carbon rims holding up?
This bike is Awesome, I upgrade the rear wheel on mine, new tires too since mine are worn down a bit. Can't beat this bike in terms of performance vs value.
I dig your videos. When you’re on a bike I wish you would you mention your height your weight and your size you Went with please. The spike is on my short list I am 6 foot one with the longer torso and thinking about an XL wondering what your thoughts would be.
I am same height, long torso and was sized at local bike shop, xl for the ibis or topmost al.
@@markhambreen8786 Thanks!
Hey man, I just moved to Chattanooga and bought this bike! Hope to link up to ride sometime.
Just got one on sale for 2900 and I can't wait to get it. 3-5 weeks isn't bad considering the wait times for other bikes. But this video definitely helped me decide to pull the trigger. I don't get to ride as often as I'd like so I usually take all day trips and needed a balanced bike I could climb all day on. It's a bit heavier than my last short travel Trance but from what I've read and heard, this bike climbs very well for a mid travel aluminum bike.
How do you like it compared to the Trance?
I called Shaun at N+1 and found what I was looking for - XL, SLX & Red Savina. Shaun was great, so thanks for the recommendation. I switched out the shifter for XT, but everything else is stock. The bike feels like a tank - big, burly and heavy, but is so stable at high speeds. Not sure if it's the slack head angle or the long wheelbase or the DW link - maybe all of it. I feel like I can tackle anything on it. I can see some upgrades coming at some point down the road - some lighter/stiff carbon wheels with more hub engagement. I'll likely end up with some carbon bars and shorter cranks too. I'll keep the tires until they wear out and then maybe experiment a bit with them. Someone mentioned the cascade link for bigger riders, but I don't know much about it yet (6'3" & 200 lbs). Finally, I have a feeling the suspension is going to take a while to dial in. I've been making adjustments and doing some tinkering, but it'll probably take 10-15 runs to dial it in.
Glad he took great care of you!
Just some food for thought for whatever it's worth. I ran the cascade link on my Hightower, but don't feel nearly the same need for it on this particular bike. The small bump compliance is already incredible, and the progression is much better than what my HTv2 had. I just took the Ripmo V2 to Snowshoe Bike Park and put it through some serious paces. It tackled all of the tech and big features with flying colors. I continue to be incredibly impressed with this bike.
Where are you riding in this review? Looks super fun
The rocky stuff is at Raccoon Mountain and the flowy lines are at Baker Creek, both in Tennessee.
I picked up the Ripmo AF this spring after contacting Ibis and DVO. I really wanted to get on the DVO suspension. Pick your preferred drivetrain and send it.
Heck yeah! 🤘
I got my Ripmo AF July of 2020 and other than breaking two Topaz Air shocks it's been a workhorse.
Bummer about the Topaz. Did you finally get it all sorted out?
@@SemiSendy Yeaah, both times they fixed it. I have an extra shock now, a RockShox Super Deluxe coil. I change them out often.
Love my ripmo af!
I got a rocky mountain element given that the Ripmo AF is overkill for most of the rides I do, then I realized, hell no! Love this bike! Even did some upgrades on it, it’ll be my sketchy bike, its so good!
Love mine!
How does it compare to the Revel? Where are you riding? Thank you for the great video!
I'm not sure about the Revel, but I have ridden my RAF back to back with a Canfield Lithium, which also uses CBF rear suspension. The CBF suspension is like DW link but pedals even better and is less prone to hanging up on square edged hits going downhill. I would expect Revel to ride a lot like Canfield, just lighter as it's carbon vs alloy
Hi ZukeMTB, they are actually quite similar in a lot of ways. Similar efficiency, very poppy and more of a bottomless feel. I've just started riding and reviewing the Carbon Ripmo V2 and it feels like a big plush Ranger. I'd really love to compare the V2 to the incoming Revel Rail, but it doesn't sound like any demo's of the Rail will be available to make that happen, sadly.
@@SemiSendy thanks for the response! I've been on a Racal since August, 2020 and I kind it, but always liked Ibis bikes. The Ripley has come in "second" twice, once to the Revel Racal and once to the Pivot Mach 6 (my previous bike)...
We just relocated from Colorado to Florida and I'm in search of some new trails to fall in love with.
Any suggestions around Tampa or up north near Homosassa? We're heading to Alafia this weekend... Looks like fun!
Thank you for taking the time to answer my emails!
@@mrvwbug4423 thanks for the response! I agree with your comment about being similar to the DW Link bikes, my last ride was a Pivot Mach 6. My rascal is definitely smoother one square-edged rocks. But nothing is better than that Mach 6 on porcupine rim!😊👍
Thanks for the review. It really helped. I still can't made up my mind if I want AF or carbon. Carbon have Fox factory which I really like, and AF have Performance which is kind of level or two below Factory. That's bothering me....
Glad I could help.
The performance line is pretty great, honestly. The grip 2 damper on the factory forks, while crazy adjustable, can also be a bit overwhelming. That said, I've been really impressed with the quality of the Ibis set-up guide for the Carbon V2. The settings for both the X2 and 38 with traction tune are pretty impressive at my weight of 180lb. I typically don't feel that way with most of the different set-up guides out there. You still need to make sure you really pay attention to setting/measuring SAG properly, since the recommended psi's are rarely accurate, but that's not difficult.
One thing I will say is this....
I'm currently riding and reviewing the Carbon, and the two are quite different in ride quality. The carbon has a more damped yet lively feel to it. I’ve ridden lots of different bikes and lots of different materials, but riding the exact same bike in carbon versus aluminum back to back was pretty eye-opening. There is a much bigger difference than I expected.The AF is freaking awesome, and the Carbon just takes it to a next level of incredible.
@@SemiSendy Thanks for detailed info. Can't wait for Ripley carbon review. I always like to see some videos and stuff hehe
It sucks that the price has gone up but it's still an amazing value. Can't wait to see the new AL Santa Cruz $4,000+ for SX and basic Rockshox.
Has there been any talk about a new ripmo af or ripley af? I dont wana dive in and then few months later they announce a new one lol
I’m not sure, but I haven’t heard any talk about it myself. To be honest, I hope they only make minor tweaks if they do a new version of the Ripmo. Or at least keep the geo the same. It just feels dialed.
I was between the ripmo af and the stumpy Evo alloy. I ended up going stumpy but they're both really fun
Any promo codes for N+1 bikes?
20% off with code “SEMI20” 🤘
Thanks! I Love the channel! However and unfortunately, N+1 bikes does not seem to be willing to honor that on a new bike. 😢
@@Warzac83 Good news.....I just chatted with Shaun the owner. That was my mistake, I had not realized the code had expired. However, Shaun just told me he would honor this for you! He's actually going to make the code live again for this week through this Friday.
Thanks for the love on the channel, and enjoy the new Ripmo! It's been over a year now since I first rode this generation Ripmo and it's become my go to all-arounder. I still love it just as much if not more than when I put this review out.
If you have any issues at all getting the order placed, Shaun said to give them a call and he'll get it all taken care of for you.
35 pounds feel heavy?
Not really. I never thought much about the weight when I was riding it, which is a good thing.
Good content but thought this was kinda light on details, like geo numbers, etc..
64.9 HTA 76 STA, 1235mm wheelbase in size L, 475 reach in size L, 420 seat tube height in size L. Size L frame can take up to a 200mm dropper (at least a OneUp or PNW Loam)
@@mrvwbug4423 Awesome, thx !
Hi Mud Kayak, sorry to leave those details out. Thanks for all of your support, and I'm really grateful for the feedback!
To be honest with you, I felt like I wanted to focus this review a bit differently since there are so many reviews already on this bike from the last couple of years. People sometimes tell me the numbers are a bit distracting and that they'd rather look at them on the website so I thought I'd try to switch it up a little.
I do want to ultimately compare the Ripmo to the Hightower and Sentinel in the future, and I'll likely want to cover all of the numbers side by side for that video.
@@SemiSendy Too many good bikes to choose from and I tend to be a numbers freak so even though others may have already covered them I find it so useful to have it in a complete video or maybe in the description for a 1 stop shopping experience ! Thanks for producing such good content, very much appreciated.
@@mudkayak6305 you know what, that’s a really good suggestion. Putting the numbers in the description field might be the perfect balance.
8 minutes of a review and we don't know what the price of the bike is, how far the bike will travel or how fast the bike will go. Basic questions. I don't get it.
Hi Victor, this is a human powered bicycle. How far the bike will travel and how fast it will go is entirely dependent on the the fitness and skillset of the person riding the bike.
As for price, that depends on which build option you select. The base build has fluctuated between $2,700 and $4,200 over the course of the last 8 months since it was released, and it's always best to check pricing current to when you happen to be viewing a video on TH-cam. The price today is not necessarily the price available when someone watches the video 6months, 1 year or a couple of years from now, etc.
If you're struggling to locate the current price, try typing in the name "Ibis Ripmo AF" into a google search, or feel free to reach out to the vendor I mentioned in the video and linked in the description.
Best of luck.
@@SemiSendy I stand corrected. I was taken to this page as I was researching Electric mountain bikes and assumed this bike I was looking at was electric.
Hi, this is Shirley from Aostirmotor E-bike. Are you interested in making reviews for our ebikes?
Swap the flexy stem and handlebar. Move to faster and lighter rolling tires. The maxxis assagai is a pig of a tire!
Great bike but yhe alloy sentinal beats it hands down
Does Transition's Horst link pedal that well? I've not had a chance to demo a Transition, but have ridden the RM Altitude back to back with my Ripmo and found it pedals almost as well as the Ibis DW link, and descends noticeably better (the RM really smooths out trail chatter as I'd expect with a good Horst link), but that may be personal preference as I happen to like bikes with a progressive rear suspension like the Altitude (and my cascade linked Ripmo AF)
@@mrvwbug4423 so i too have owned the v2 ripmo and ill say this. The truth is the ripmo is an amazing climber. If you rank the ripmo as a 9/10 in the climb than the sentinal is a 7.8 out of 10. But it decend about 30 percent better! Its night and day.
Hey Steve, the Sentinel V2 is actually my current personal trail/enduro bike. Honestly, I don't think the two are very comparable at all. Other than similar travel numbers, they are totally different bikes suited to very different riding styles and terrain.
I'd put the Sentinel up against something like the SB150. Both bikes to me are much more race thoroughbreds than trail bikes, and really come alive when pinning more gnarly terrain. To be completely honest, I haven't found the Sentinel to be the best bike for most of the riding here in the Eastern US. To me, it's simply just too long and slack for some of the tighter moves and corners around our region when compared to something a bit more conservative in those numbers.
I enjoy it on some of our tracks at places like Windrock, but definitely not all of it. Otherwise the bike feels a bit dead for my taste. That said, it may not be quite as efficient as the DW link driven bikes, but it's still a surprisingly good climber so long as tight maneuvering isn't in the mix.
I currently have the Ripmo V2 in house for review, and it's more of a playful & poppy trail bike. I haven't yet had a chance to take it out on some proper tech though, so time will tell what I think of it all-around.
At the end of the day, they're both incredible bikes and it's really a matter of personal riding style, terrain and general preference. At the moment I tend to think the Ripmo is a bit more sensible for more riders in general, but I'll have to spend more time riding and forming my final thoughts on that.
You should give the status 160 a try.
Price is currently at 3000.
Why does that thing sound like a bucket of bolts on the trail in this video
Because all Ripmos do. it's the cables rattling around inside the frame. Poor design choice by Ibis to not have tube in tube routing.
There's also chain slap going on right at the weld on the chainstay immediately behind the front chain ring in a limited area. I placed a bit of mastic tape on it after filming this and it really quited things down quite a bit.
To be fair, I haven't found it to be much noisier than other aluminum bikes I've owned and ridden. I'm usually the first to get annoyed with noisey bikes too. The ride quality certainly helped keep my mind off of it.
This is budget? It costs more than my car
Super❤❤❤❤
No Ripmos on his website.
I'll take yours off your hands cuz I can see you totally don't like it. Should I send you my address, or....
Haha, it’s not mine. I’m reviewing one of Shaun’s carbon V2’s right now though 😉
@@SemiSendy I guess a V2 will suffice. Thanks. Lol.
You can get a YT cORE 2 for 3000 right now with fox 36's and sram components and looks better.. Why would you buy this, it looks like a walmart bike
By the time you upgraded the suspension on the YT you're in for more than the Ripmo AF and still have worse drivetrain and brakes. The DVO Onyx SC is a MUCH better fork than the 36 the Onyx is on a par with the Fox 38 and RS Zeb (I've ridden all 3 back to back to compare). Deore 12 speed >>> NX eagle. Brakes are probably a wash. The Ripmo is also over a degree slacker up front.
@@mrvwbug4423 The YT comes stock with fox 36 or 38 and sram gx
Hey Patentlaw05, to be completely honest I've been long guilty of judging the book by it's cover when it comes to the Ripmo. Granted, we all have different taste but I also didn't always find the Ripmo to be one of the best looking bikes. That said, I can't say I've never felt it fair to dismiss such a long standing quality company like Ibis, and their DW (read up on Dave Weagle) link suspension is one of the most award winning in history.
Before you label it anything remotely "Walmart", I'd highly suggest giving one a spin if you ever get the chance. It's one of the best balanced and best riding bikes I've ridden.....and I've ridden a lot of bikes.
Looks aren't everything, and honestly this bike rides so nice it's become a beauty in my eyes. Riding is believing, but don't just take my word for it.
Ripmo is pretty great, but I'd argue the Canyon Spectral is the better value and a pretty similar bike
Just trash the brakes. There are world cup quality brakes for the same price. People need to quit looking at Shimano or SRAM completely when looking at brakes.
the core? you mean the best. test ride a polygon. test ride a real bike not the best of the best. thats not the core thats one of the most expensive bikes a trail riders can get pfff core. I love how u act like ibis is direct to consumer, not the case... you are so sponsored in this vid disgusting ..... i hope u read comments
There is more than spec sheet olympics. DTC brands do well in the spec sheet olympics. On the trail is another story. Nothing hides the fact that Commencals and Polygons pedal like ass, and Canyons are notorious for feeling dead downhill unless you ride them at 11/10ths. I'll give props where it's due and say that Commencal makes up for its piss poor pedaling by being really nice downhill, but it's more of a shuttle/park bike than something you would want to pedal uphill all the time.
Let's go Brandon
🤡