Asininedrivel
caviar connoisseur
This has actually just celebrated its second birthday which makes it as good a time as any (read: pathetically late) to do a PYR on it.
Frame – 2018 Ibis Mojo HD4, XL
Rear shock – Fox X2 (250psi version)
Front shock/fork – Fox 36 Grip 2; 170mm
Handlebars – Race Face SixCs cut to 770mm, 35mm rise
Stem – Race Face something, 40mm length
Headset – Chris King
Grips – Ergon GE1s maybe?
Saddle – WTB Volt
Seatpost – Fox Transfer 175mm
Front brake – Shimano Saint 203mm
Rear brake – Shimano Saint 203mm
Cranks – Shimano XTR 175mm, 30t chainring
Chainguide - nein
Chain – Shimano XTR
Pedals – Valyerian Steel Burgtec Mk4s
Front derailleur - gross
Rear derailleur – Shimano XTR
Front shifter – as above
Rear shifter – Shimano XTR
Cassette – Boat anchor spec Shimano XT 11-46
Front hub – Chris King
Rear hub – Chris King
Front rim – Race Face ARC 30
Rear rim - Race Face ARC 30
Spokes - yes
Nipples – definitely
Tyres – Schwalbe Magic Mary 2.35s (f/r)
Tubes – No but Cushcore
Total weight – heaps. 15kg+
Rewind two years ago. I had a Pivot Mach 6. It was awesome (albeit too small but we made it work). Then by chance I ran into a dude out riding who had an HD4 that was also an XL. He kindly offered me a go and within 200m (probably less) I was smitten. It had all the responsiveness and feel of my Pivot but in a bigger, plusher, more capable package. I promptly did some man maths and ordered a frame within a month…
Fast forward to the present and this hypercoloured mismatch has exceeded my expectations. I’ve raced it (badly) taken it on multiple bike trips, messed around with the settings in an orgy of nerdery and generally ridden it in ways that don’t come close to its limits in lots of different places. It’s a 153mm slack tank that could easily be your only bike, a fact that impresses me probably more than it should. I’ve even taken it to Lysterfield in full DD-casing circa 35% sag pig spec and it was fun.
Highlights: endlessly adjustable (it feels poppy and energetic at 25-27% sag and like a very big bike at 30%+), bottomless feeling travel, requires minimal body English / talent to get it to ride really well, friendly and composed at (my) limit, looooves a corner, silent on the trail, feels indestructible. Heavy but doesn’t ride like it (although a tyre swap from Maxxis to Schwalbe made a pretty big difference there). Swoopy frame LSD spaceship design is both unique and excellent.
Lowlights: it’s pretty big but not quite big enough for me. Does mean it’s agile, but if the stack was a little higher… and it was a little longer… and the reach was a little further…. Basically all the changes the replacement HD5 got. Also the paint quality is poooooor and chips if you breathe too heavily on it, particularly the lower grey bits. You might scoff at that kinda complaint but none of my previous bikes have had this issue. Ibis discontinued this colour scheme for the HD4 pretty quickly, this may have been why.
Also I’ve literally seen two of these in the wild which might make it a bit of a rare bear unjustifiably (another reason for a PYR). If Ibis release a version of this in 29er (like a bigger Ripmo but with Mojo styling) I’d sell some vital organs and order one on the spot.
Seriously, Ibises are fucking sick. You should get one.
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