PINKBIKE FIELD TEST
Ibis Mojo 4
Words by Mike Levy, photography by Tom Richards
The Mojo name has been in Ibis' catalog since it was a high-end hardtail way back in 1994, but we're more familiar with it as an efficient mid-travel trail bike meant to do a bit of everything. You're looking at the fourth generation Mojo that, no surprises, is the longest and slackest yet, but Ibis says that the intentions remain the same: To be that fun-loving “The all-mountain play bike.”
Ibis' recipe for fun cake includes 27.5" wheels - that's right, this is a new trail bike that's not a 29er - and 130mm of travel via a dw-link suspension layout. There's a 140mm fork up front, and my SLX test bike came with optional carbon wheels and handlebar that bumps the price from $5,399 to $6,267 USD. All that adds up to 28lb 9oz, including the Maxxis DHF and Dissector control tires we installed.
Mojo Details • Travel: 130mm rear / 140mm front
• Wheel size: 27.5"
• Head angle: 65.4-degrees
• Seat tube angle: 76.6-degrees
• Reach: 485mm (lrg)
• Chainstay length: 425mm
• Sizes: Sm, med, lrg (tested), x-lrg
• Weight: 28.6 lb / 13 kg (as pictured)
• Price: $6,267 USD (Inc. wheel, handlebar upgrade)
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www.ibiscycles.com Is it just me or have full-suspension Mojos always looked the same? The frame is all-new, with a different carbon layup that's said to save a bit of weight compared to the previous version, but there's still no mistaking this bike as being from any other brand - its swoopy lines say 'Ibis' from miles away. More important than losing weight, the new frame also sports pass-through, tube-in-tube internal cable routing. You'll also find a threaded bottom bracket, an ISCG adapter for guides or smashers, and a whole bunch of frame protection. There's even a tiny fender to help protect the suspension's lower link. What you won't find is room for plus-sized tires - Ibis says there wasn't enough demand - although you can still get 27.5" x 2.6" meat in there if you want.
On-bike storage is a hot topic these days, with many brands competing to see who can put the most threaded holes on their frames or be the first to fit Anthony Messere inside their downtubes. Instead of that, Ibis sells their Pork Chop frame bags that pop into place inside the front triangle. It's like a fanny pack but for your bike; it works really well but I suspect that many Mojo'ers will choose fashion over function.
There are no surprises when it comes to the new Mojo's 130mm rear-end: It uses the latest version of dw link suspension, a layout known for its relatively high amount of anti-squat. The result of that is usually a fast feeling bike. Compared to other designs, it employs a Fox shock with a light-ish compression and rebound tune - Ibis calls it the 'Traction Tune' - with the suspension layout creating efficiency rather than damping. The recommended settings for this feel, er, relatively undamped on the trail, but I settled on a more traditional, slower setup. The new lower-link runs on bushings that come with a lifetime guarantee, whereas you’ll find sealed bearings up top.
If we're talking geometry, Ibis has generally been known as being fairly conservative compared to some other brands, making them a good option for a rider who doesn’t want to go the really long and slack route. That said, the new Mojo ain’t exactly behind the times, with a 76.6-degree seat angle and a head angle at 65.4-degrees, nearly 2-degrees more relaxed than the previous Mojo. The 27.5” wheels allow for short 425mm chainstays on all sizes, and they also get 37mm-offset forks. As for reach, my large-sized test bike sits at 485mm.
Note: Note: After testing was completed we learned that our bike came with a 2020 Fox 34 FIT 4 fork due to bike boom related product shortages. The correct spec, and the way the bike is shipping now, is with a 2021 Factory 34 with a GRIP 2 damper..ClimbingIf there were a shortlist of trail bikes that climb well, I'm sure Ibis would have a couple of theirs on it. But the latest Mojo is the longest and slackest ever, which had me wondering if it could match my expectations. One thing I wasn't questioning, however, was how it felt on the gas.
I'm not sure if it's the same width Maxxis tires on smaller diameter wheels, but the Mojo looks more rock crawler than hill climb weapon to me, especially when leaning up next to the slim new Stumpy. But it took a few hundred feet of steep gravel road to remind me that small wheels don't mean slow speeds, especially as I had just come off the heavier and, er, "more relaxed" Actofive P-Train. If you're the type of rider who doesn't take a relaxed approach to climbs, you'll love how the Mojo encourages you to work harder for it on the way up. And if that doesn't make any sense to you, you might be more of a P-Train kinda rider. What about the new Stumpjumper with its reconfigured suspension? The clock shows it just barely a nip behind (8-seconds over 12-ish-minutes) on the way up, but neither will disappoint a rider who cares about these things.
I ride
a lot of 29ers because that's what that's mostly what new bikes are, but also because I (usually) enjoy technically challenging climbs and I've always had better luck on big wheels. Then again, I got lucky an awful lot aboard the Mojo; it's certainly more bike than the previous version, but it's still impressive in the tight and twisty bits, and especially against the purple Salsa or P-Train.
If you're a trail rider that puts just as much effort into a climb as you do on a descent, or maybe even a bit more, you'll be happy aboard the Mojo.
Descending The good news: Thanks to its updated geometry, the newest Mojo is the most capable one yet. The bad news: Everyone else has shuffled their trail bikes along as well, especially the four others I've been riding back-to-back non-stop. To be fair, the Salsa and P-Train, with their 160mm forks and focus on descending, were always going to drop the Mojo on any remotely challenging downhill; that's too much of an apples to oranges comparison to be kosher.
But the Stumpjumper and Trance X are definitely in that same do-everything-equally-well category as the Mojo. Up against those two, it's the Stumpy that consistently felt the most capable on Squamish's rocky trails, although I suspect a Trance X with passive suspension would have made it close. The Mojo comes across as the most 'trail bike' of them all in that it'll do anything you point it at, but it's closer to the edge and gets knocked around a bit more when things are fast and rough.
If you're the kind of rider whose ass needs saving on a regular basis, I'm not convinced this is the bike for you.
But if you're more concerned about having a good time than finding the limits of yourself or your bike, or your local trail inspires more flow than fear, the 130mm-travel Mojo will make sense. And especially so if you're the rider who uses every lip, root, and root to get into the air.
That flowing, rolling singletrack that rewards a bit of effort is where the new Mojo comes into its own, and even more so if you can spot a good backside. While the more forgiving bikes can easily lose speed if you're not working the trail, it's like the Ibis was doing that sort of work for me. That makes it an entertaining bike, and even more so if that's how you ride anyway.
The Mojo also has a knack for making the awkward feel a bit less awkward, with it seeming to stop and stutter less on those old-school, slow-speed trails where the answer is to embrace the jank. I never got that feeling on the Blackthorn, that's for sure.
Trail bikes are getting wildly capable these days, with some of them approaching what was used on the EWS circuit only a few years ago. That increased descending ability has come at a cost, though, with many ‘bigger feeling’ bikes that are, in some cases, less well-rounded and therefore less suited to many riders in many places.
The Mojo isn't that kind of trail bike, though, with Ibis using updated geometry to make it the most capable version ever but without taking away from its classic trail bike vibes.
303 Comments
I will say Ibis is the worst though. Had a bike on order (Full Deposit) since the second week of March, before covid really hit, and they said it was a two week lead time. Six empty promises later they finally said we will make sure you get it by the first week of December. Got a call last week and they said...It will be March of 2021. A good product ruined by terrible support. Wouldn't trust a thing these guys tell you.
I'm sorry for your pain, vj.
Ordered mine (RAF) in late Feb via lbs and had it in mid Apr. A friend ordered via Backcountry in late March/early April and had his 2 weeks later.
Yeah there's really no visibility into how dealers jockey for position for inventory and this year in general has been a clusterfk on the supply chain side for lots of brands. Hopefully you didn't sell your old whip. That's too bad you got the runaround though.
There are other fish in the sea though. If mine had been hung up longer than it was (which isn't THAT long in retrospect) I would have gone Sentinel or Smash or Prime.
Yeah the shop kept getting it from the company on new lead times. This has gone up to the top at Ibis and they promised a early December delivery. It is unfortunate how the company kept coming back with promises and breaking them.
Not sure why the original comment go downvoted. I am telling my experience of the shop calling at the time of purchase and Ibis said "we have it in stock and it can be shipped within the next two weeks." I took them for their word then and every time they kept coming back with a few more weeks. This is a cautionary comment for those who may be buying an Ibis as this will likely happen to you too.
Simply put... the customer service at Ibis is a joke.
I put in an order for a mojo 4 frame the day it was announced, kept getting told it would be one more week, one more week... Gave up in July and bought an sb140 instead...
This story sounds all to familiar. Ibis it terrible.
The shop called and confirmed with was in stock at the time and the bike was available to be shipped within two weeks. Placed the order at that point and paid the full amount. Today I still don't have a bike. I a lot of BS how they got themselves to this point and a number of empty promises from the Ibis staff.
Glad to hear you got your order filled but to me...Ibis is terrible.
P.s. I don't know is shimano brakes are actually bad, it was just for example.
Honestly, a little difference in braking or shifting is not a game change and if a skilled rider is bothered by such a thing I’d be surprised.
I think they’re just picking nits.
They even came on hard once when I just went through a compression without touching them. That led to a crash and the final straw. After generations of shimano brakes I swapped to hope about 4 years ago and given the ongoing issues have no intention of going back. Still dedicated to shimano drive though!
If anything that sort of thing should bother a skilled rider more because they're more in tune with the bike.
I like to push my riding to my limits most days and if my brakes aren't performing as well as they should that could end badly. I'm also fed up with inconsistent bite point on my SLX brakes...
I’ve switched to Codes. No more XT brakes for me.
For the first time ever it’s probably easier to get Trickstuff than Shimano right now
Unfortunately corporate changed the script at some point from "sorry, we'll send you new brakes" to "we haven't heard of this, contact your dealer".
The wandering bite point is a real thing for so many consumers. It sucks.
I've heard/read nothing but great things about Trickstuff's Direttissimas, except for their price and availability. But I'm still far out their price bracket.
TL/DR: if money wasn't an impediment, I'd happily go Trickstuff. Then Formula (can't stand the lever shape of the Maguras), and then TRP or even Hayes.
Shimano is too perfection driven to allow that bad of a system out. Hell, just look how long it took them to get HG+ dialed in and ready for sale.
And you saying a replacement caliper helped it completely reverses the others in this thread who claim it's lever driven issues, as well as the fact that pinkbike has been bitching since before 2017...
And it can't be set up, because people claim it happens right after a "perfect bleed", and while the pro mechanics are obviously great at doing bleeds, they can't really do anything extra to a brake internals besides that.
Not sure why you're getting hate for this, but the two syringe method applied to Shimano mtb brakes gets fantastic results. I just built a bike with 7120s, rear brake had the wonderful wandering bite point. A thorough dual syringe bleed and it's rock solid. Shimano road brakes are different, and the funnel method works better, even if it's a hassle.
@southoftheborder: options! Thanks. Rode Magura on a local shop owner/tech's bike and they felt rich, knob shapes almost palpable in lever--don't know if it was carbon--with mild bite point good for dry/loose. Mountains here are mostly one-finger anyway. Will go Italian on complementary bike to complete historical tour of axis of evil majors, funds permitting.
However, the data in this spreadsheet (put together by Udi at Ridemonkey) suggests they don't have the same amount not mechanical advantage as other models/brands.
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sjPSmOYbhjDBFxcvXVw1ufKfowEBu1AKh8sB6T8e24Y/edit#gid=0
That said, I’m certainly not saying Hope are the best out there but they are consistent and reliable. After a number of rides (which aren’t always easy to find time for) were ruined by shimano issues I’ll take reliability every day.
The lever feel consistency is unmatched from any other brakes I’ve had so they’ve definitely got that going for them.
The best solution I found was replacing them with all with Codes/Guides.
Another possible cause are micro cracks developing in the calliper's ceramic pots because of repetitive thermal stress. Sometimes you find a leaky calliper with no obvious failure, and I've come to think of how the ceramic pots react to repeated heating/cooling cycles, such as the ones they'd experiment when suddenly getting splashed with water after a long descent with heavy braking. Or maybe Shimano simply sucks at reaming inner bores and both their MC and calliper pistons are unable to seal properly...
All in all, I know the ovalization of the master cylinder is measurable after the wandering bite point happens. The scored walls point to a non concentric piston sliding.
Pinkbike poll: would you rather upgrade your kids' rides to lightly used SLX or above brakes, or have Mike Levy babysit them?
Suppose he didn't experience w-b-p for this review, and is only parroting as a public safety warning something he heard from someone more knowledgeable, but is correct anyway. There's plenty of testimony right here, and it doesn't sound like it's coming from agents or fanatics of SRAM, Hope, etc.
Look on the bright side: other brakes may develop problems too
I find them vague. If that makes sense.
I think Ive grown to like the bite of Shimano's and use my fingers to modulate rather than the brake it self.
only thing I missed is hydro rim, though I did have a frame in 1997 that was kinda made for them: there is full length housing/hose routing for the rear brake on my Giant ATX-890 Tomac Signature frame.
side-pull is better than canti, any disc is way better than either. and hydro disc is better than cable disc, but they are way closer than the gap from rim brake to disc brake.
brakes.ddzyne.nl
Also used a a2z IS-mount disc adapter that clamped onto the left side rear dropout in order to run a BB7 on that frame. Worked well, except if you ever had to brake hard in reverse, then the adapter would spin and you'd get some lag as the first forward braking spun it back into place. I guess I don't miss the 90s, hahaha.
However, anyone who says it's the power holding cable discs back doesn't know what they're talking about, because BB7s and other cable-discs are definitely one-finger brakes with lever force levels comparable to hydro systems. Yes, some hydro brakes are insanely powerful (small lever force generating massive caliper force), but compared to the average hydro brake, modern cable discs are still in the ballpark.
Wintertime fat-bikers know what's up, running cable discs to avoid potentially sluggish oil in hydraulic systems (though this only really applies to mineral oil brakes, since DOT4 and especially DOT5.1 are designed for cars which regularly have to deal with below freezing temps). And long-distance trekkers or bike-packers might choose cables for ease of repair.
I'm feeling like a fringe nutter.
Yes, there are plenty of enduro bikes claiming to be trail bikes just for sales sake.
@takeiteasyridehard - No ignorance here; I say exactly the same thing in many reviews
My 29er Stumpjumper is also playful - but mostly because of the "short" reach and steeper ha- the 650b must also be hella fun.
I see what you did there. hehehe
its an eyeopening knowing it. Id get a Stumpy Evo Comp then just get carbon wheels laced to fast i9 hubs and maybe get those Magura calipers and Shimano levers and its a winner.
I built my hardtail with XT shifter and cassette, SLX derailleur and chain. A sram GX crankset from an old bike and Code R brakes and I think that I've nailed it on price/performance components.
I dont ride as much or I dont keep a bike as long as the cassette wears out.I change the chain 2 or 3 times and thats about it.Then 2 seasons is up and Id swap as I get bored and need to try something else. Plus the re sale value is super low if you keep a bike more than 2 seasons.But thanks for the tip and I get your point.
Ill be good on SLX and get a sweet crankarm like the Cane Creek one or the brand that Kovarik is sponsoder I forgot it now and then some Magura calipers with XT levers or even SLX and im ok or yeah go the Code way
And then Im one of those idiots that finds himself right in the middle of Mediums and Longs both reach wise and WB wise.
Im 1.75 I dont have long legs and they re not short either.Im good reach wise in anywhere in between 460 and 475 and then WB wise Im 1200 - 1235 maybe.... Yet besides Ibis or Commencal ( Meta TR of course ) I dont even know what to get.
I was so thrilled when the new Stumpy Evo super adjustable came out but then I d love the reach of the S4 - 467 to 475 but the wheelbase is way too long with the shortest being 1240, I love the WB of the S3 but Reach wise id hate a 442 - 448 mm and its such a cool agressive trail bike....For the regular Stumpy I could go either way , S4 or S3. I cant afford 2 bikes cause if I could Id go with an S3 Stumpy and an S4 Evo but im not there yet. Can only have one trail bike and my dirtjumper which has already a 445 reach ( Transition PBJ ).
I know I know Im super annoying for bringing this up again and again but it is a serious issue. Im in between the sizes seriously now.
So far my Bronson V3 in large is the best geo ever in the world for my body.....but I need a 29er now .
Thank you.
For this new Mojo, it appears a similar rule applies. Sounds like the suspension is getting in the way of what could be a more capable bike up and down. Say even a DPX2 and a 36 150 mm fork if you're into that thing, of even just a GRIP 2 34 140mm. I'm surprised they don't offer fork / shock changes, most of their other range they do.
Different bike, but that's why you can spec a Deore RIPMO with Fox X2 and 36 Grip 2 Factory level suspenders. Spend it where you want, not where you don't.
PS: I subscribe to a somewhat Ibis diehard fan.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbxmIvBiu6s
(835ml!)
Clever.
I'm surprised, that Fidlock still hasn't launched their own version of it (without YT logo) yet.
Cons: It's an Ibis so it is ugly.
Let's design Pressfit bottom brackets, this is so cool
Years later: Pros of this bike : There is a threaded bottom bracket !!
I don't have a lot of steep chunky trails in my area, but there are quite a few fun jump trails and a lot of old-school twisty singletrack. I think the Mojo 4 makes a lot of sense.
Great work Pinkebike! like these fieldtest artikels alot.
"Note: Note: After testing was completed we learned that our bike came with a 2020 Fox 34 FIT 4 fork due to bike boom related product shortages. The correct spec, and the way the bike is shipping now, is with a 2021 Factory 34 with a GRIP 2 damper.."
Edit* I just saw that they wrote in the article that Covid caused them to have the wrong fork.
Tell me more about THAT
*goes and grabs a beer and returns to mac*
I just switched back to full 29 and within fifteen minutes I felt comfortable, climber better, felt more confident.
The only thing I like about the smaller rear wheel is it feels like I can initiate tech moves easier and the back end feels quicker.
The down side is less rollover and some wierdness in carving.
If I had to replace my HD3, this bike would be a strong contender vs the Ripmo.
Yeah, half the wheel is above the axle... and that's why you swapped to a 29er with a longer a2c to accommodate the larger wheel. So, you raised the axle, and you also increased the a2c length. No way you only slacked the bike by half a degree.... probably more like 1.2 degrees
Had several sets (warranty) of XT's on my previous 2 bikes with the problem. The most meticulous repeated bleedings in the world make zero difference.
Finally threw in the towel and picked up a pair of dirt cheap MT-5's, performed one lazy 5 minute bleed. Bite point hasn't moved in a year.
Reach has no direct influence on your seating position. Reach is about, how long the bike feels when you stand.
Yet again implying that only charging up climbs is considered "a good time", and combining climbing, shredding, drifting, and dropping on a slightly more forgiving bike is "a not good time".
And wouldn't slightly more travel keep you even further from a bike's limit on more trail-bike-ish trails, this giving "a better time" by this weird definition...
Someone will have a lot of fun on this bike for many years. Slowly.
XTs sound awesome and powerful but my riding partner definitely mentioned that they take a while to get used to as they lock up real quick and easy.
And no brand (not even the beloved shimano) gets away with never having issues.
Not shitting on them by any means but at the shop I work at this year SRAM and Shimano are neck and neck for the number of warranty claims sent in. (Granted for whatevet reason with shimano the more money you spend on thier product the more likely your part will shit the bed)
I'm not saying people aren't _feeling_ things, but as you like to tell us with the timed testing and such, feelings aren't always correct.
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