Ibis unveils enduro-ready Mojo HD3
The third coming of Ibis' Mojo HD is longer, lower, and slacker than ever
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The unpainted carbon curtain has been ripped off of the worst-kept secret of the 2014 Enduro World Series (EWS): a new long-travel trail bike from Ibis.
The latest Ibis, which was easily spotted under Anne-Caroline Chausson as she rode to a second-place overall finish in the EWS, is the third coming of Ibis’ all-mountain rig, the Mojo HD (HD3, for short). It follows all the rules of the modern enduro race bike — a carbon fiber frame, designed to be longer, lower, and slacker.
The Mojo HD3 sports 27.5” wheels, 150mm of rear travel, and is available with either a 150 or 160mm-travel fork. With a 150mm fork, the HD3 sports a 67-degree head angle and 102mm of trail. The 160mm fork makes for an even slacker 66.6-degree head angle and 105mm of trail. The top tube on the Mojo HD3 has been lengthened, allowing riders to run shorter stems.
One feature that might go unnoticed by most, but is celebrated by us, is the HD3’s 68mm threaded bottom bracket. That’s right, threaded. A lovely user-friendly feature we haven’t seen on a flagship bike in years. Could this be Chuck Ibis stoking a comeback for the threaded BB?
Ibis claims that the refined dw-link suspension, a shared feature across the Ibis full-suspension line-up, is the most advanced dw-link on the market, creating both a more efficient pedaling platform and a long and linear feel when descending. The HD3 is said to sit higher in its travel, allowing Ibis to lower the bottom bracket farther, to a height of 13.4 inches.
Ibis was able to fit a bottle cage inside of the main triangle, a must for any self-respecting EWS bike these days, as racers often try to avoid wearing packs. A second cage mount is on the underside of the down tube.
Nine builds are available for the HD3 frame. Shimano XT, SRAM XO1, and Shimano 1x XTR models are each offered with a choice of two suspension setups. The burlier “Werx” version of each build comes with a 160mm Fox Float 36 RC fork, Ibis’ 41mm-wide 741 carbon wheels, and a Cane Creek DBinline shock. The standard spec of the XT, XO1, and XTR 1x drivetrains has a 150mm RockShox Pike RCT3 fork, Stan’s ZTR Flow wheels, and a Fox Float CTD shock.
Double-chainring models are available with either Shimano XTR or SRAM XX1. Both come with the 160mm Float 36 and the DBinline. The final build is Ibis’ high-value “Special Blend,” which uses a 150mm X-Fusion Sweep RL fork, Stan’s ZTR Rapid wheels, and a 2x Shimano SLX drivetrain.
Frame and shock (Fox) weigh 5.9lbs in size large, and will retail for $2,900. Complete bike pricing starts with the Special Blend build at $3,950. Our favorite build for the money, SRAM XO1, will retail for $6,200, and the upgraded Werx version of the XO1 build will retail for $7,600.
The HD3 should start arriving at dealers mid-December. We look forward to throwing a leg over one soon to start testing on our home trails.