Ibis Ripmo V3 90

The Ibis Ripmo V3 90 is a carbon full-suspension mountain bike with 150mm of rear travel and a 160mm Fox Float 36 Factory Series fork, built around a SRAM 90 Eagle Transmission drivetrain and SRAM Maven four-piston brakes. The head tube angle is 64.5 degrees across all five frame sizes, with size-specific seat tube angles, chainstay lengths and bottom bracket heights. Listed at $7,199.99 at Harper's Bike Shop in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Harper's Bike Shop

118 South Northshore Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37919
Monday through Friday, 10am to 6pm. Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Closed Sunday.

Want a build that is not on the floor? Any Ripmo build can be ordered, and we will tell you honestly how long it is likely to take rather than what you want to hear.

Harper's Bike Shop

118 South Northshore Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37919
Monday through Friday, 10am to 6pm. Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Closed Sunday.

Is the Eagle 90 the right Ripmo build to buy?

For most people who walk in here, yes, and the reason is where the money lands. The Eagle 90 puts a full SRAM Transmission drivetrain and Maven four-piston brakes on the bike, and both are parts you use on every ride. Everything structural is shared with every other Ripmo: the carbon front and rear triangle, 150mm of rear travel, the dw-link platform, the size-specific kinematics and the downtube storage. Ibis does not build a lesser frame for a lesser build. The full component list for this build is in the Specs tab on this page.

How does the Eagle 90 compare to the Ripmo Deore build?

The frame and the suspension platform are identical. What changes is the drivetrain: the Deore build is Shimano mechanical where the 90 is SRAM's cable-actuated Eagle 90 Transmission. Ibis publishes the per-build component list on its own build kit pages rather than in the shared platform spec, so for a component-by-component comparison ask us and we will pull the current build sheet instead of paraphrasing it.

What would I gain by moving up to the GX AXS or the XT Di2?

Electronic shifting, in one ecosystem or the other. GX AXS is SRAM wireless, XT Di2 is Shimano. Both need charging and both shift more consistently under load than a cable does. Neither changes the frame, the travel or the kinematics. So it is a drivetrain preference rather than a better bike, and the 90 is the build that gives you Transmission shifting without a battery in the drivetrain.

What is Traction Tune?

Ibis states that every Ibis bicycle ships with a Traction Tune rear shock, valved to Ibis specification rather than to the standard catalogue tune. Both compression and rebound carry less damping than an off-the-shelf FOX Float X. The reasoning Ibis gives is worth repeating, because it explains a choice that looks like an omission. A lighter tune makes it easier for the rear wheel to get out of the way, which lets the bike absorb an impact rather than resist it. If the suspension cannot move quickly enough to track the ground, the wheel gets hung up and you lose speed, steering and braking control at the same moment. So the softer valving is the point rather than a cost saving. Ibis publishes setup guides for each suspension package.

Is the Ripmo a climbing bike or a descending bike?

Both, which is the argument for the dw-link platform. Ibis describes the suspension as efficient climbing paired with strong downhill performance, and the size-specific kinematics exist so every frame size pedals well rather than just the size the engineers rode. At 150mm rear and 160mm front behind a 64.5 degree head angle, it has enough travel and a slack enough front end for steep ground without the weight of a dedicated enduro bike. Ibis positions the Ripmo as the trail bike and the HD6 as the race bike above it.

What size Ripmo do I need?

Ibis publishes five sizes with a rider height range for each. Small covers 5 ft 0 in to 5 ft 6 in, Medium 5 ft 5 in to 5 ft 9 in, Extra Medium 5 ft 8 in to 6 ft 0 in, Large 5 ft 11 in to 6 ft 3 in, and X-Large 6 ft 2 in to 6 ft 7 in. Reach runs from 436mm up to 540mm across that spread. Extra Medium exists for a specific reason: Ibis found eighty percent of its riders falling between 5 ft 5 in and 6 ft 0 in, and added a third size in the middle of that bell curve rather than making those riders choose between two compromises. If you land between two sizes, reading the chart harder will not settle it. Check the reach and stack on the bike you ride now and compare the numbers against these. Better still, come and ride both.

How much does the Ripmo V3 weigh?

Ibis publishes a frame weight of 7.6 lbs, or 3.5 kg, for an Extra Medium frame with a Float X shock. Complete builds start at 31.11 lbs, or 14.1 kg, in Extra Medium with all frame protection fitted and sealant in the tires. That figure is the starting point across the range rather than this build specifically.

Can I run mixed wheels, and will you set that up?

Yes. Ibis fits a flip chip that lets any size run either a 29 inch or a 27.5 inch rear wheel without compromising the geometry. Small and Medium ship mixed from the factory. Extra Medium and larger ship 29 inch. Chainstay length moves with the setting, running 432mm to 437mm mixed and 435mm to 440mm at 29 inches depending on size. Ibis is explicit that the chip position must match the wheel actually fitted, and that a mismatch will negatively affect the geometry. The positions are marked on the frame, and both the chip and its spacer want grease on their mating surfaces on reassembly.

Can I run a coil shock?

Yes, and Ibis designed the V3 for it. Drawing on the HD6, the Ripmo has a coil-friendly progressive shock rate and a shorter clevis, which Ibis says makes it compatible with pretty much any coil shock. Ibis credits the upper link driven suspension design for supporting any coil in the standard 230mm by 60mm size. Two limits come straight from Ibis. A longer stroke shock should not be used, because the tire can contact the saddle and seat tube, and fitting one voids the frame warranty.

What fork can I run, and does offset matter?

Ibis optimizes the Ripmo around a 160mm fork, quoting a 575mm axle to crown for that length, and states compatibility from 150mm to 170mm, so there is real latitude in either direction if your riding leans one way. Offset is the more interesting question. The frame is designed around a 44mm offset. Ibis notes that a 51mm offset shortens trail, which is the distance between the tire contact patch and the steering axis, and that the result can make the front end feel less stable. If you are replacing a fork, matching the 44mm offset keeps the handling the frame was drawn for. Going longer on travel slackens the head angle and raises the front, and going shorter does the reverse. Either is a legitimate choice and both change the bike. Come and talk it through before you buy a fork.

What actually fits in the downtube storage?

More than people expect, and Ibis publishes the limits. The longest pump that fits inside the supplied tool bag is 7.25 inches, or 18.4cm, which rules out most full-size frame pumps and accommodates most compact ones. Two bags come with the bike, made in partnership with Cotopaxi from remnant and deadstock fabric, so no two sets are quite the same. Bottle capacity is separate and unaffected. Ibis specifies a door that is water-resistant, rattle-free and robust, and a latch that works in cold mud with gloves on. A 26 ounce bottle fits inside the front triangle on every size except Small, which takes 22 ounces. Ibis sells replacement STOW components if a bag or a latch part ever needs replacing. In practice it means a tube, a link, a multitool and a compact pump live in the frame rather than against your back.

What warranty covers the Ripmo?

Ibis warranties the frame and the wheels for life, and separately commits to lifetime replacement of the suspension bushings. Ibis states the position as simply as it can be stated: if it is their fault, they fix it. The bushing coverage is the part worth reading twice, because bushings are a wearing part and most manufacturers treat them as one. FOX, SRAM, Shimano, and KS each cover their own components under their own separate terms, so the frame coverage and the component coverage are not the same clock. Register the bike when you buy it. What matters more in practice is who does the filing. Bring the bike here and we handle the manufacturer correspondence and tell you straight whether something is a warranty claim or a wear item, before the work starts rather than after.

What does it cost to service a bike at Harper's?

Our tiers are published rather than quoted after the fact. A Safety Check is $50 and covers a check over, brake and gear adjustment, chain lube and accessible cable lube. A Pro Tune-Up is $80 and adds bottom bracket and hub adjustment, headset, both wheels trued and derailleur hanger alignment. A Pro Tune/Clean is $100 and adds the wash. We also take immediate repairs for a minor fix or adjustment. Suspension servicing is separate and priced on the same page.

What does it cost to keep running?

More predictable than most people expect, because we post the numbers rather than quoting them afterward. Fork service is $70 and shock service is $40, with fork seals running $35 to $50 on top and not included in that price. FOX recommends both every 50 hours of use. How quickly you reach 50 hours is entirely a question of how much you ride, so the interval is worth tracking rather than guessing at. Past suspension, the consumables are the ordinary ones: brake pads, tires, a chain and cassette on whatever schedule your terrain and mileage dictate. There is no motor and no battery here, so nothing in the drivetrain is being asked to carry torque it was not designed around. The frame side is unusually cheap to own, because Ibis covers the frame and wheels for life and replaces the suspension bushings for life, which removes the one recurring cost most full-suspension owners budget for over the life of a frame.

Where can I buy one in Knoxville?

Harper's Bike Shop, 118 South Northshore Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37919. Phone is (865) 588-5744. Open Monday through Friday 10am to 6pm and Saturday 10am to 5pm, closed Sunday. We are Knoxville's oldest bike shop, 1961 to now, and our benches carry nearly a century of combined experience. Complete bikes are in-store pickup only and are not eligible for shipping, though it is worth asking. Financing is available. Call ahead if you want a specific size and colour ready when you arrive.

Can I ride one before I buy it?

Call and ask, because what is on the floor moves and the honest answer depends on the day, the size, and the build. If your size is here, you are welcome to throw a leg over it. If it is not, we can tell you what is coming, what can be ordered, and roughly how long it takes. Ibis also runs a factory demo program, so if a demo is close enough to be worth your Saturday we will point you at it. Buying a bike at this level without sitting on it is a bad idea and we are not going to talk anyone into it. Sizing on the Ripmo has five options rather than four, which makes riding two adjacent sizes genuinely worth the trip rather than a formality. The shop is at 118 South Northshore Drive in Knoxville, and the number is at the bottom of this page.

Still deciding? A five minute phone call settles more than an afternoon of reading. Harper's Bike Shop, 118 South Northshore Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37919.