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3/10/11: Ridden and Rated - Ibis Mojo HD
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Here at Head for the Hills, we’ve been stockists of Ibis frames for around eighteen months. Despite this, until last weekend, I’d only had a very quick blast on a Mojo HD along Summer Lightning. Now, that’s a fun trail, but it’s not really a fair test of the abilities of a frame equipped with 160mm of front and rear travel. So when 2 Pure (the UK distributor for Ibis) kindly lent us a large, 160mm travel (they also make a 140mm trasvel version), Ibis Mojo HD for a customer to test, I made my excuses and grabbed the bike on it’s return and headed to Leith Hill for a couple of hours. First impressions were one of bemusement. Trundling along the A25 through Westcott, to get to the trails, I couldn’t understand why the Pro Pedal function on the Fox RP23 shock wouldn’t work. I realised as I started to roll over the rougher ground of Rookery climb that the frame didn’t need Pro Pedal. The DW linked suspension platform isolates pedalling influence all by itself. By the time the realisation had dawned, I found myself at the top of Rookery and belting along Fenceline. So that’s two boxes ticked, efficient pedalling and super quick climbing. A quick blast along Fenceline and the Summer Lightning bypass led me to the cricket pitch and the first proper test of the bike’s ability, the rocky decent of Lust for Life. Possibly the only rock garden in Surrey, LfL is a favourite when it comes to bike tests. Not particularly technical but a loose and fun downhill run. The Mojo HD held its line perfectly, and interestingly, was totally silent for the entire run. In fact, it was silent for the whole ride. No chain slap, no creaking, simply efficient! Another climb, this time the rooty route up to Leith Hill tower, was despatched in middle ring, again (I’d like to say with ease) with minimal fuss. Then, more singletrack. Windy Willow is another bike test favourite. A nice flowing, slightly rooty piece of Surrey Hill’s classic terrain. Simple and straightforward for the HD. Certainly, a theme of efficiency was starting to feature in anything I rode, so it was time to really push the frame. I headed back up and over to a secret DH which is about as steep and techy as a Surrey Hill’s trails get. Not only did the HD demolish the section that I call Piece of Cake, I rode it faster and cleaner than I have done on my Trek Scratch. Given there was a fair bit of moisture in the soil too, I was impressed. Test over, I headed back to town via Summer Lightning, Fenceline and Rookery, and again, the Ibis Mojo HD shone through, carving berms, floating over roots and gapping small doubles with ease. I would go so far to say the Mojo HD is one of the best frames available on the market today, covering a broad spectrum of riding styles. With the build packages available from 2Pure, SRAM X9 and Shimano XT specs, at very competitive prices, or the ability to fully customise the frame build, there is a wealth of options available. Although we don’t have a demo bike at the shop permanently, 2Pure run a full range of sizes in their test fleet and are happy to supply us with a bit of forward notice. To book a test ride, or chat over your perfect build on an Ibis Mojo HD, drop us an email, give us a call or come and visit us in the shop. Rog Ibis
Mojo HD frame (w/ shock): £2175 |
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