Ibis Cycles Mojo HD 160 2012
Reviews / Enduro Bikes
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At a glance
It is fair to say that I experienced a fair amount of excitement at the prospect of getting my hands on the Mojo HD 160.
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The raw carbon frame has an organic quality to it that promises strength and poise, add to that the fact that it is achingly beautiful and you have a very desirable package indeed.
Ibis have a reputation for building top-end bikes that deliver, and their belief in their products is matched by their customer service, which is top drawer.
Tech heads
At the heart of the Mojo HD is the DW-link suspension system. This is a position sensitive anti-squat system. In the 160mm travel guise a 8.5’’x 2.5’’ shock is used but a change of the Limbo Chips, that is the upper shock mounts to you and me, and the use of a 7.875’’x 2’’ shock will convert the rear wheel travel to 140mm.
Carbon is used pretty much everywhere on the frame and Ibis have bought the Mojo HD bang up-to-date by cramming in all the latest frame innovations such as 12 x142 rear axle, integrated seat post clamp, post mount rear brake mount, direct mount front derailleur and a tapered head tube.
Kit wise you can spec pretty much what you like, but the frame does come with a Fox RP23.
The build on our test rig included Rock Shox 160mm solo air Lyriks, Shimano XT 3x10 drivetrain, Formula RX brakes and Stans Flow rims wrapped in WTB Mutano 2.4 tyres. An optional extra is the polycarbonate down tube guard, which works a treat and should be a no-brainer.
Ibis Mojo HD Medium
Seat tube 430mm
Effective top tube 587mm
Head tube 103mm
Chain stay 435mm
Front triangle 679mm
Wheel base 1114mm
BB height 350mm
Head angle 67°
Seat angle 71°
Reach Approx 390mm
Stack Approx 600mm
Weight w/o pedals 28lbs
On the trail
The combination of lightness and stiffness married to the performance characteristics of the DW link suspension meant that aggressive out-of-the-saddle powering made the Mojo HD positively leap forward and out of corners. Once cracking on, speed is easy to keep thanks to a surefooted feeling that enabled me to tackle tight corners or choppy terrain without getting off the gas. I very soon forgot that I was riding a 160mm travel bike; somehow it rode in an xc bike sort of way, but was never flighty or skittish.
Point the Ibis downhill and it is a case of point and shoot, the stiffness of the frame gives precise handling and the Mojo HD just feels confident and planted. I had expected the bike to get knocked off course due to the relatively low weight, but in reality the HD displayed a level of poise that encouraged me to push on and test the limits of its abilities.
Getting down the hill fast invariably means getting to the next ascent all to soon, but here again the Mojo HD performed well. Seated steady climbing is okay on the Ibis but it responds much better to a more attacking method, seated hard driving saw me hitting the heights in no time as the Ibis carries momentum well even uphill, however it was out-of-the-saddle attacking that had me accelerating upwards at a rate of knots.
For
Ibis pretty much achieved what they set out to do with the Mojo HD.
It is light for a 160mm travel bike and the stiffness means that power is transferred to forward momentum with very little wastage. The anti-squat design shines when pushing hard on the pedals and yet still handles small bumps and trail undulations well.
Handling is precise and traction is good, this equates to plenty of grip which in turn gives confidence; the HD is easy to ride fast.
Shallow I know, but the Mojo is a good looking bike and I often found myself gazing at it lovingly.
Against
Personally I prefer a slightly taughter rear end to a bike, and the HD would need a little suspension tuning to achieve that for me. I'd just need to spend a little more time playing with the settings, which is no major issue, but bear in mind getting the set up dialled to your personal preference is important.
Overall
The Ibis Mojo HD is a cracking bike, stunning looks, well thought out frame features and a suspension system that rewards hard and fast pedalling with pace aplenty.
Weight and frame stiffness are excellent and the handling accurate and encouraging.
I loved riding the HD and I loved seeing the look on my XC mates faces when they realised that they could not drop me even though I had rocked up with a 160mm rig.
Add to that the fact that a couple of days later I was barrelling downhill at an uplift day buzzing the back wheels of guys on downhill specific bikes says it all really… the Ibis Mojo HD not only does everything, but does it well and looks good doing it too!!
This review was in Issue 19 of IMB.
For more information visit Ibis CyclesRelated
By Nigel Garrood
Nigel Garrood was one of the instigators of the IMB project and has been with us since the very beginning. This loveable rogue has more stories than the Bible and is known to enjoy a beer or two. On the bike, he’s fast and loose and often puts younger riders to shame. Equally he’s been known to suffer from the odd crash and carries the scars to prove it. He was once referred to as being a robot sent from the future to save us all!
