The Ibis Ripley, now in it’s 4th generation, has long been one of our favorites for an aggressive XC bike that feels right at home on climbs and descents. Now, finally, it’s also available in an aluminum framed model aptly named the Ripley AF.
The idea follows in the Ripmo-to-Ripmo AF evolution, just with less travel. The new Ibis Ripley AF shares the same 120mm rear wheel travel as the carbon Ripley, also paired with a 130mm fork. So, other than an alloy frame, what’s new?
Colors, for one. The Ripley AF will come in Monolith Silver…
…and Pond Scum Green.
The only other substantial change is a 1-degree slacker head angle. The Ripley AF has a 75.5º head tube angle, compared to the carbon Ripley’s 76.5º head angle. Both bikes use a 44mm offset fork with 130mm travel, and both roll on 29er wheels only.
The seat angle stays at 76º, with a long, straight tube that fits up to 175mm travel dropper seatposts on Medium through XL frames. Small frame sizes fit up to 150mm droppers, depending on brand (some complete builds are spec’d with 125mm droppers). Standover height is reasonably low, too.
The heart of the bike is the DW-Link suspension, same as on the carbon version. This means an alloy yoke straddling the seat tube, with upper and lower alloy linkages controlling the movement whether you’re hammering up a hill or bombing a descent.
The upper link uses bearings, while the lower link gets IGUS bushings with a lifetime warranty. In fact, they give all of the bearings and bushings lifetime replacement coverage, and the frame has a 7-year warranty.
Other key specs include:
- ISCG05 mount (with included adapter)
- 2.6″ tire clearance
- 203mm max brake rotor clearance
- Threaded BB
- Molded rubber swing arm protectors
- Metric 190x45mm shock
- Front triangle fits a water bottle
- Boost 148 rear axle spacing
- 7.45lb frame weight, with shock
- Four frame sizes to fit riders 5’0″ – 6’6″
Complete bikes start at $2,999. Scroll down for a full price list with build specs and a geometry chart…
Ibis Ripley AF pricing, geometry & video
Click the images to enlarge. Two complete bike builds are available at launch, topping out at $3,299 for a SRAM NX/GX Eagle with a Fox 34 Performance Series fork. Frame only is $1,799. Two additional build kits are planned later in the year as component inventory levels improve.
The Ibis Ripley AF is on sale now, available through authorized Ibis dealers.
Looking for something a little more aggressive? Check out the Ripmo AF, which bumps up to 145mm rear wheel travel with a 160mm fork.
