IBIS MOJO HD3+
IBIS MOJO HD3+
Bring the Mojo, baby! Bring it big!
Ibis is a company with a colorful history. It isn’t known for me-too bikes that have no soul. In fact, Ibis bikes are some of the most soulful creations the mountain bike world has ever known. Racers and elite riders prized their original hardtails back when few even knew what the term “mountain bike” meant. Today, Ibis’ bikes are carbon sculptures that have serious trail chops. They’re a blend of aesthetic beauty and high-performance materials—not just a lump of tubes that can send you down the trail.
The Mojo HD3+ is the latest version of Ibis’ Heavy Duty series, which has evolved from 26ers of the past into the bike we tested here. The big wheels and big tires are entirely new from top to bottom. We put the Mojo HD3+ to the test in true MBA style to see if a piece of art could hold its own on our trails.
Surprisingly flickable: While the Ibis may not win the Best Hucker Bike award, it’s certainly not afraid to send it on the trail. Our testers were impressed with the short chainstays and lively feel that encourage the bike to come off the ground.
WHO IS IT MADE FOR?
The HD3+ is the longest-travel bike in the Ibis lineup. It is far from a downhill sled and could easily be put into the enduro category. The trails around Santa Cruz, California, where Ibis is located, require a versatile machine that can handle the most aggressive trails in NorCal and still be light and nimble enough to pedal to the top of the mountain. This new plus-sized version of the HD3+ looks to take advantage of the efficient dw-link suspension design, and add traction and control with the bigger rubber patch on the trail.
The HD3+ is an impressively versatile bike that will satisfy trail riders by delivering awesome traction on steep and loose trails. It also doesn’t pay a huge weight penalty for that added traction, which makes it more versatile than most plus-sized bikes we’ve tested.
WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
Smart routing: The internal cable routing of the Ibis mates well with the dw-link suspension and provides rub-free performance that’s also very quiet on the trail thanks to nifty machined guides that firmly hold the cables and hoses in place. Our mechanically inclined testers were impressed.
New-school Ibis frames are built from carbon—no exceptions. The HD3+ uses a full-carbon frame with a new swingarm that allows for the 3-inch tire clearance. The only metal on this machine is the hardware that holds it together. The frame also features all the modern amenities you’d expect, including a Boost 148-millimeter rear axle, a PressFit bottom bracket and 27.5-plus wheels complete with a patented dw-link suspension system.
Ibis builds its bikes with several kit options. Our test bike came with a fairly standard mix of Shimano XT parts, coupled with a RockShox Pike+ fork, Fox X2 shock and some house-brand Ibis cockpit parts.
Classic Ibis design: All of Ibis’ full-suspension carbon bikes have a very unique look, dating back to the first ones that were ever popped out of a mold. The hole-in-the-top-tube look is very streamlined, but also makes for a super-stiff front end.
WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT?
The new Ibis wheels on this thing scream “prototype.” There are no decals, just hand-written Sharpie marks on the rims with archaic gram-scale readings. These carbon wheels are the first production plus-sized Ibis rims. The rims are laced to Industry Nine hubs using DT-Swiss bladed spokes. While these might not be the flashiest components on the bike, besides the baby blue-and- red paint job, huge tires and awesome frame architecture, they are probably the coolest bits to talk about. Ibis wheels perform impressively and have an understated cool factor.
The new goods: Ibis used the same front triangle with an all-new rear end to gain clearance for the plus-sized tires. Amazingly, they were able to keep the wheelbase in check without sacrificing travel compared to the standard HD3.
Speaking of flash, the finish quality on this bike is remarkable. The paint lines are dead-on; the machining on the rockers is precise and dialed; the cable routing is clean-looking and quiet on the trail; and everything down to the titanium and aluminum hardware screams “attention to detail matters at Ibis.”
HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
Suspension setup: The Mojo HD3+ isn’t the easiest beast to set up, thanks to the super-adjustable Fox X2 shock. This bike requires the same attention to detail as a gravity bike, because the shock sports both high- and low-speed damping for compression and rebound. While the stock tune from Ibis worked reasonably well, we found we could unlock more of the bike’s potential with some simple tuning. Fortunately, the Pike fork is pretty simple to set up and could easily match the Float X2 shock’s high performance.
New Pike: The new plus-sized Pike dons the front of the Ibis build, and delivers the same stiff chassis, plush travel and easy-to-adjust air spring and damper setup we’ve come to love. It’s almost like the engineers just hit the “enlarge” button, although we know it was more complicated than that.
Moving out: The Mojo looks very much like every carbon Mojo that’s come from Ibis in the past, with one major difference: it’s got the clearance for big tires. The engineers at Ibis had to redesign the rear triangle to accommodate these monsters. As a result, the tolerances are very close and precise. In fact, you can’t even slide a toothpick between the rear shock mount and the seat tube, which speaks highly of Ibis’ precision. During our testing we had no issue with contact there, or anywhere else on the bike. The tire clearance is tight, but we never experienced rubbing, thanks to the ultra-stiff carbon chassis. This is a well-built bike through and through.
Turn and burn: Plus-sized tires are really the ultimate that we’ve found when it comes to cornering traction on almost any terrain. As a bonus, they don’t pay a big weight penalty like a full-fat tire does. The Ibis is light and nimble and has traction for days thanks to that big tire footprint.
Climbing: Let’s not mince words here—you’re going to feel the extra weight of the 2.8-inch-wide tires on the climbs. Thankfully, the dw-link suspension design provides a firm pedaling platform that simply doesn’t need a “climbing switch” or lockout to perform well. Our test riders loved the extra traction that could claw up the steepest technical ascents, and they also praised the pedaling efficiency on long grinder climbs.
Handling: The huge tires, coupled with the slack geometry and capable suspension, deliver a bike that’s surprisingly adept at handling fast and quick turns. The HD3+ is a fairly nimble bike by plus-sized standards, but won’t surpass the standard HD3+ in fun and flickability. Rather than playing off every obstacle on the trail, the HD3+ has fun delivering traction in the sketchiest of terrain and allowing riders to push every corner harder than they thought they could.
Descending: Traction is the name of the game with the HD3. The Schwalbe Nobby Nic tires grip the ground like a hungry kid on a box of Girl Scout cookies. The bike also sports a supple feel that’s able to absorb small bumps along the trail. Given that the dw-link suspension design is on the firm side of the spectrum, this is a welcomed feature of the Ibis’ ride quality.
Amazingly, Ibis has kept the wheelbase in check and relatively short, which makes the bike feel nimble and quick through the tightest switchbacks. While it’s certainly no downhill race sled, we still found ourselves pointing this bike down the steepest of chutes with confidence, thanks to the combination of traction, handling performance and dialed suspension.
TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS?
Snug fit: The clearances are tight with the new design, both on the shock mount and on the tire. During our testing we had no issues with rubbing, although it could be troublesome in extremely muddy conditions.
The Fox X2 shock is an awesome piece of equipment, but it requires skilled hands to tune it properly for this bike. Our first few rides were on the harsh side, despite having plenty of sag and a setup that could dig through the full travel easily. We remedied this with a couple tweaks to the compression and rebound dampers and landed on a setting that felt not only plush but supportive and efficient. Bottom line: this shock has so much adjustability, it can tune you right out of a solid ride if you simply ride it as it comes out of the box. Plan to spend some time dialing it in.
BUYING ADVICE
Ibis makes this bike for the rider who wants a blend of speed, performance and artistic beauty. The HD3+ is a departure from Ibis’ previous offerings due to the big tires. It combines the awesome increase in traction of those big rubber carcasses with the efficiency of a dw-link suspension design that naturally provides a pedaling platform and has no need for a lockout. The build kit we received for testing was spot-on, but if you want something different, you can order the frame a la carte. If you’re looking for an enduro race bike, the lighter HD3 will provide every bit of suspension performance we’ve described in this test. The HD3+ takes it to another level with a big tire that’s flat out fun to ride.
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