Meet the New Ibis Ripley SL: California-Crafted, Solar-Powered, and Built to Rip
Ibis has always had a somewhat cult-like following. From its striking frame aesthetic to the innovative suspension layout designed by Dave Weagle, the brand has earned a reputation for doing things its own way and not always following industry trends. Today, Ibis announces the Ripley SL, a lightweight, hand-crafted XC bike made at the 100% solar-powered Ibis factory in Watsonville, California.
Tanner Stephens
But if it’s not an XC bike, and not a trail bike, what the heck is the new Ripley SL? Well, we think it’s just a mountain bike. It’s for those who want to ride their mountain bike up, down, around, and back up and around. It’s for fun and riding without putting yourself or the bike into a box.
Quick Hits
- 29” Wheels
- 130mm front travel (120mm compatible)
- 117 mm DW-link rear travel
- Carbon front and rear triangle
- Sungrown in California (Made in the USA)
- Frame weight 5 lbs w/ shock (medium)
- Ibis STOW frame storage includes two bags
- 2.4” tire clearance
- Five sizes, S-XL, fits riders between 5’ and 6’7
- 66° Head Tube Angle
- Colors: Raw Carbon, Gold Rush, and Tahoe Blue
- Available with Fox Factory Float SL with 3 pos switch (lockout and remote lockout compatible)
- Complete builds starting at 22.6 lbs / 10.29 kg for a large with generous tire sealant
Tanner Stephens
Ripley SL Details
The current trend of short-travel trail bikes is hard to ignore. Although the Ripley is historically well-positioned in this category, the Ripley SL takes a slightly different approach and is more of a long-travel XC bike than a short-travel trail bike. The 117mm of DW-link rear wheel travel and a 130mm fork make this something interesting in a world of 120/130mm XC/trail bikes.
- Ripley SL Frame and Shock - $4,499 USD
- Ripley SL Eagle 90 - $6,429 USD
- Ripley SL XT M8200 - $7,799 USD
- Ripley SL XTR M9200 - $11,449 USD
Tanner Stephens
It’s light. Complete bikes start at 22.6 lbs, and just 5 pounds for the frame, shock, and in-frame storage. The Ripley SL is an amalgamation of the current Ripley and the Exie, Ibis’s dedicated XC platform. The Ripley SL is the bridge between the Exie and the Ripley, with a bit more efficiency than the Ripley, and a bit more travel than the Exie. This is an XC bike for someone who doesn’t want to go full lycra and shave their legs. It’s for someone who wants to stay competitive on the climbs but comfortable and composed sniping lines downhill. Thankfully, Ibis also backs the Ripley SL with a lifetime warranty and lifetime replacements for the IGUS bushings found in the lower link.
Tanner Stephens
With room for two water bottles (only 1 in size small), in-frame storage, and size-specific geometry, and new travel numbers, the Ripley SL is the answer to rider complaints that the V5 Ripley was “too much of a trail bike”.
Ibis
Geometry
The Ripley SL sits on dual 29” wheels - take a deep breath, no 32” wheels just yet - and a tight 66-degree head tube angle. It has a threaded bottom bracket, neatly hidden external cable and brake hose routing, and a 31.6mm seat tube. It’s what the people want, and it’s what Ibis supplies with the Ripley SL.
Ibis
Thankfully, the Ripley SL also has size-specific chainstays that grow with the sizes, and the seat tube angle also tightens with size increases to give riders a better pedaling position. The Ripley SL is available in five sizes to fit riders from 5’ to 6’7”, and thanks to the shifting geo across sizes, each rider should get the same ride feel.
Build Kits & Pricing
The Ripley SL comes in three build kits, as well as a frame-and-shock option for $4,499 USD, which is a touch more than the Exie USA frame kit at $3,649 USD, but you get a bit more bike.
Ibis
The build kits start out at $6,249 for SRAM Eagle 90, SRAM DB8 brakes, and Fox Factory suspension. In fact, all the builds come equipped with a Fox Factory Float SL and 34SL with the Grip SL damper. Both the middle- and top-tier builds come with Shimano XT and XTR, respectively, with the top-spec XTR option also featuring a wheel upgrade from the alloy Ibis 933 rims (on the lower and mid-tier options) to S28 Carbon hoops.
Riders looking to put a 120mm fork on the Ripley SL, making it more of an XC-focused platform, but you can also bolt a coil shock to the frame. I don’t know why you would want to do that, but hey, it’s an option. Ibis does not recommend over-forking the Ripley SL and instead directs attention to the Ripley V5; after all, that's the trail bike now.