My excitement can hardly be contained as I sit here writing this. It’s going to be my FIRST proper full suspension bike. I got my order placed on a brand new 2021 Ibis Ripley that was for sale at a bike shop. Somehow I was able to snag one despite the crazy demand (Summer 2021). Full disclosure: I haven’t got my hands on it yet, so everything below is just based on my decisions to get the bike. Any input I have about ride quality is pure speculation at this point if I mention it below. “New Bike Day” is coming soon!
Here’s something else I also need to disclose: I haven’t been riding as much in the past year. Not because of COVID, as that was the best time to go outside and enjoy the outdoors I would think, but because I think I’m anticipating the harshness of riding a hardtail – my entry level Giant Talon. Although I do still practice trials skills in the driveway from time to time. Either way, staying off the trail is bad so, for sure, it’s just time to try something different if a hardtail is holding me back. It’s been a long time, and the time has come!
Ibis did something very right here with the Ripley, and this bike cannot be kept on the shelves apparently. This bike was released late January of 2021 and as of this writing, August 2021, demand for this bike continues to go through the roof. I called a few bike shops and some say 12 MONTHS of wait time – holy smokes! Coupled with global supply chain issues, some bike inventory and certain bike parts and components are limited or unavailable right now. But giving credit where credit is due, Ibis’ Ripley has been very well received by the majority of those who have demo’d and tested it, therefore, creating even more demand. And I’m talking about BOTH their offerings in carbon or alloy!
**UPDATE: I sold the alloy AF and bought a carbon V4. For years I wanted carbon, so I saved up, I didn’t buy any bikes. I dug deep and felt that as amazing as the AF is, deep down carbon is what I wanted and I couldn’t let that go. Some may call me crazy, but I had test ridden one back in 2019 when the Ripley carbon V4 was released and it was just everything that
Anyways, I chose the the Shimano Deore build. Why? I’ll get to that in a second.
Contents
Reviewing Why I Decided to Get a Ripley AF – 5 Reasons
So up to this point, August 2021, I still ride the same entry level Giant Talon hardtail I’ve had since forever (2013). Being past my mid 30’s now, the same trails I ride just seem to get more harsh on my arse as I’ve aged.. [that’s what she said?]. Trust me when I say I can’t wait to enjoy a bike with rear suspension. As much as I’ve enjoyed my hardtail (and I’m keeping it, not letting it go!) those days will be numbered!
5 Reasons why I pulled the trigger on a 2021 Ibis Ripley AF:
- Price and value.
- I specifically wanted Ibis’ version of DW-Link, so described as an amazing pedaling platform that’s efficient for climbing as well as “playful, poppy, lively” for flowy singletrack and/or downhill sections.
- Modern geometry – modeled after the incredible carbon Ripley V4 that I test rode, with a difference(s?): AF has 1 degree slacker headtube angle to 65.5 degrees. A welcome difference they say.
- Well rounded components for the lower price range: Shimano Deore drivetrain + Fox Performance suspension + various Ibis parts and wheels + WTB saddle.
- Hangs with some higher-end carbon bikes in alloy form. I depended on many reviewers for their judgement on this one since I’ve never owned a carbon bike myself. Many of them absolutely loved the alloy Ripley… enough that they made it a part of their bike stable – example: Jeff Kendell Weed (Ibis sponsored though), Josh @ Daily MTB Rider.
Ibis’ aluminum frame with the lower end Shimano Deore build at $3.2k is right at the invisible, deep-in-my-soul, comfortable spending limit I’ve always had in mind. Anything close to $4k or more, I couldn’t justify to myself. It bummed me out the new SLX build of the Ripley AF is $4.1k – but I’m totally happy with Deore at $3.2k. I’ll just upgrade as things potentially break 🙂
After many years of looking at buying a new bike, as much as I wanted a carbon frame, I STILL couldn’t wrap my head around a new carbon build with pricing at $5k plus, or even $4k plus for the “lower end” carbon bike builds. Going $4k and over just didn’t sit well with me. I couldn’t bring myself to do it…and trust me, I’ve thought long and hard about it. Maybe after riding this one for a while, I may change my mind… we’ll see! It’s taken me 7 years to get to this point though so I confident I’m going to be content.
I don’t blame anyone for getting what they want if they have the means, or for any other reason. Freedom of choice is a beautiful thing!
Did I Consider Used Carbon Bikes? or, Why New?
Did I consider a used 2nd hand carbon bike for a discount? Heck yes. Not too long after I found that mountain biking was something I loved, I thought for sure my next bike would’ve been carbon; and at the price I was considering at $3k’ish a pre-owned/used bike seem to be the only option. Many times I considered buying a used Giant Anthem or Trance, or a used Pivot Trail 429, or a used Santa Cruz 5010 or Tallboy, or a Specialized Stumpjumper, etc….. all carbon, all shorter’ish travel. But something always made me hesitant when I found one I kind of liked.
“Kind of..” is the keyword. The problem: I just never loved any of them. The Pivot 429 trail was close though, but I wasn’t blown away. Even though I have a low budget, I’m picky I guess…
But then I test rode a Ripley V4 carbon towards the end of 2019 – and I was absolutely blown away. It definitely hit the spot for me.
That was “IT” I remember telling myself. But deep down, I STILL couldn’t justify the carbon Ripley’s pricing brand new. A frugal bastard, I am.
So then my search proceeded to included used Ripley carbon V4’s … but I knew I would have to wait a while before owners sold them 2nd hand. And even when I found some they were never really discounted enough. And I get it.. they’re great bikes. They’re definitely in demand. My $3k’ish offers were a little embarrassing but that’s my comfort zone and what I had to work with. Ibis’ resale well also – which could be a good reason to buy, but was not a factor in why I chose to finally get an Ibis.
Did I Get Influenced Into Buying an Ibis AF Bike?
When one of the guys that I follow, Jason @ MTB Yum Yum, made the carbon V4 his personal bike in 2019 – I knew it had to be good.
He test rides some incredible bikes of various different boutique brands and still prefers the Ripley. He reviewed the Ripley V4 Carbon again in a long-term review in July 2020. Essentially he said:
..Nothing has dethroned this bike in my every day trail rides.
He still owns one today in 2021 – over two years later. That’s coming from a guy who, in the past, changes up his bikes every 6 months or so.
But that was for the carbon version, and then he got his hands on a Ripley AF. So in January 2021 or so, he surprisingly tested a Ripley AF and made a youtube review public the same day other big MTB influencers released theirs (although I don’t believe he’s sponsored by Ibis). Quite interesting because he normally tests the high-end expensive bikes, not the alloy low-end stuff. Although he did do the test with components that are high-end.
Anyways, he mentions that the Ripley AF is obviously heavier but it doesn’t take away from the dynamics of the carbon Ripley. If I remember correctly, he thinks the AF climbs and accelerates just slightly more sluggishly than it’s carbon version which is completely understandable due to weight… but not by much, and he believes it’s more capable downhill in alloy form due to the increased weight and slacker head tube angle geometry. Check out his AF review video: Click Here – MTB Yum Yum Ripley AF Review.
Although he doesn’t have an AF in his bike stable, the AF wouldve been his next bike if he wasn’t such a “weight snob,” I mean that in the best way haha! I really depend on his judgement with certain bikes and in some ways live vicariously through him and what he gets to ride, so for him to say all the good things he did about the AF pretty much helped solidify my decision considerably.
He’s also about the same height and weight as I am so I take his opinion very highly. Like I mentioned, he is very ‘bike weight’ focused and most of the time rides bikes with top-tier high-end components – I’m talking Shimano XTR or SRAM XX1 builds with carbon wheels and the whole nine-yards for lightweight setups. Personally, I don’t do that because, well… $$$.
Anyways, if the past is any indication with Ibis, the carbon V5 Ripley in the near future may have the same geometry as the AF.. at which point I think he’ll definitely get one with how much he liked the AF. At least, that’s the impression I got.
5 Reasons Why I Chose the Deore Build – Ripley AF
UPDATE:// I sold the AF (which I was able to sell at full MSRP of what I paid for it – crazy demand on this bike!). I now have a carbon Ripley V4 that was true to my heart since I test rode it years ago. I also got the V4 on the low end Deore build, but the bike shop I went with gave me some incredible complimentary upgrades that I couldn’t pass up on. My AF was the Deore build as specc’ed with no upgrades, so I couldn’t say no to the carbon V4.
Pretty simple:
- Cost and value. The Shimano Deore build was most budget friendly for the components that can endure trail stresses… whatever they may be. And I love the way Ibis specced this bike for what it is.
- Performance. Deore 12-speed, as far as I know, performs the same as the higher end Shimano groupsets: SLX, XT. It just weighs more is the only difference.
- Interchangeable parts. Individual Shimano drivetrain components, or brakes, can be swapped out with the higher end stuff and used interchangeably with the lower end stuff. So if something breaks or wears out, like a rear derailleur, I can slap an SLX or XT derailleur on there no problem to use with my Deore cassette and shifters.
- I don’t ride competitively to need lighter components
- I couldn’t justify spending $4k + on a bike for myself. Going with Mid to High level Shimano components priced me out. (UPDATE: I ended up biting the bullet and went carbon. Yes, more $$$. lol)
When the AF was released, only two build options existed: Shimano Deore @ $2999 and SRAM NX/GX $3299. They’ve since increased prices 6% as of August 2021, and added a third build option, Shimano SLX @ $4,099! Gosh darn it. I love the SLX build, but it clearly priced me out of the running.
So, the SRAM NX/GX build was within my budget, but I’ve always liked Shimano components anyways, so I stuck with the Deore build.
Ripley AF Deore – Upgrades?
Yes. The AF Deore build is specced with M6100 2-piston brakes. I asked the bike shop to go with these 4-piston brakes: Shimano SLX – M7120.
Why? I thought the bike was specced with 4-piston Deore M6120’s originally, or maybe I heard it as a rumor. I would’ve been fine with 4-piston Deore M6120’s. But I verified with the bikeshop that the M6100 2 piston Deore’s were specced, so it bummed me out. So instead of regretting it, I got the SLX 4-piston M7120’s with the build.
It was an additional $150 upgrade. Reasonable, so I did it.
I’m also going to add a chain guide and bashguard. I decided on these for their great value: One Up Chain Guide and Bash Guard V2
And then some super cheap $7 fender mud guards: Fender Mud Guards MTB.
I got these aluminum pedals at 0.76 lbs for a great deal on Amazon: Lightweight Aluminum Pedals
I will also be using some of this 3M Paint Protection tape to protect the frame: 3M Clear Paint Protection Vinyl Film. Both the 2 inch and 4 inch versions.
All these little upgrades will put the bike at close to what the NX/GX build would cost since I had the bike shop upgrade the brakes to SLX 4 piston. As I mentioned, price was a big factor, and SRAM components made the bike about 10% more expensive. I just prefer Shimano. As far as I know, everything else about the build is standard Deore components. I have heard of some Ripley AF owners getting surprise upgrades such as SLX cranks and/or SLX 12-speed cassettes, or Ibis 933 wheels. But this was earlier in 2021. It still seems like some bike components are hard to come come by with all the supply chain issues going on in the world.
But even if I don’t get surprise upgrades, I’m still totally happy with it with standard Deore parts and can’t wait to ride it! I will update on what kind of upgrades I get, if any.
How Did I Snag a Ripley AF With So Much Demand Out There?
Pure luck! Talk about right place at the right time. I ordered early August 2021 from a bike shop that just got one in-hand a few minutes before I contacted them. This particular bike shop doesn’t take preorders or deposits, first come first served, so when I just happened to contact them, they just so happened to get one in-stock on-hand that day. Size Medium too.
People are on waiting lists of up to 12 months to get one at other shops that do take reservations and deposits – it’s insane. I’ve called around. Many local bike shops told me their waitlist was 50 people deep. What a riot!
Anyways, I bought mine at the current full price at $3199, plus the $150 brake upgrade equals $3349. This bike released in January 2021 for an original price of $2999, so I’m bummed they increased their prices… and with no upgrades. But that’s what I get for hesitating.
Ibis states on their website that due to supply chain issues and demand, they increased prices by about 6%. I definitely saw demand for bikes increase everywhere during COVID19 so… yeap, inflation.
Either way, I got one. It’s crazy that there’s so much demand on this bike, but 2020 proved that ALL bikes were in high demand so maybe there’s the few who kept the hobby going and are upgrading which would drive up demand on all bike makes as well?
What I Don’t Like About the Ripley AF: 5 reasons
First reason is an easy one: weight. I’m expecting about 33lbs – 34lbs for the Deore build size medium. Including pedals.
Before I go into other reasons, let’s do a quick weight comparison, frame only with rear shock:
- Carbon Ripley V4 frame only with rear shock approx weight: 5.9 lbs.
- Aluminum Ripley AF frame only with rear shock approx weight: 7.45 lbs.
A 1.55lb difference? Seriously, not bad at all for alloy – and from what reviewers have said the alloy frame does not take away from the great ride characteristics of the carbon Ripley v4.
But I like to think about it like this: if I did a direct swap of all components on the aluminum Ripley AF frame to the carbon Ripley’s frame, then the carbon’s total bike weight is going to be about 31.5lbs. Heck, even if the carbon frame was 2lbs lighter that would still make the bike come in at 31 lbs. And so on..
If this was a Shimano XTR drivetrain build on this AF frame, with other carbon components like handlebars and wheels and such on the alloy frame, than yea, I think the AF could definitely be about 28lbs or less – but that would drive up the cost of the bike considerably. We’re talking an arm and a leg in terms of cost, for me anyway. Good thing that’s not what this bike is about to me.
So on the bright side, the weight difference isn’t considerable with alloy! Ibis did an astounding job on this AF frame.
With that being said, the second reason that’s not as desirable is because the weight will definitely be felt on the climbs and when accelerating out of corners and such, but not by much compared to the carbon Ripley as many reviewers mention. The price reflects that weight penalty for a Deore build though – I’m totally ok being a bit slower. If anything, the other side of the coin is that I’ll get stronger for riding this, ha!
Third, what’s questionable is the KS Rage-I dropper post. It doesn’t have the reputation of a Bike Yoke, or a Fox Transfer dropper seat post, but hopefully I can trust Ibis’ judgement on this one. Besides, the reviews on Amazon are pretty good for it apparently: Check out what users are saying about the KS Rage-I dropper seat post here.
Fourth, potential front wheel wandering on climbs due to slacker head tube angle and slightly longer wheelbase. This is speculation.
Fifth and final reason, this bike IS on the higher end of my $3k price point – about $3.6k. With the M7120 SLX brake upgrade, and other upgrades and added components mentioned, they’ll definitely be felt on the wallet. But I feel happy about my decision regardless… and that’s all that matters.
Conclusion
After 8 years on an entry level Giant Talon hardtail, and almost five years of looking for that (unrealistic) perfect, one-quiver, bike – I finally did it. I got something new!
My decision has been made and the bike shop has my money. It WILL be a Ibis Ripley Aluminum Frame – Deore build!
UPDATE:// It’s now an Ibis Ripley Carbon V4 – Deore build with upgrades!
Expected arrival date? Mid to end of September 2021. The bike shop has it in hand, but service and other bike demand and builds has their bike mechanics backed up for a few weeks.
New Bike Day is coming. I can’t wait to tell ya’ll more about it…
Stay tuned, talk soon!
BikeRiderUp