Ibis Mojo Review: The All Round Trail Bike | 2021 Field Test

The Ibis Mojo has been a staple in the Ibis catalogue since way back in 1994 when it debuted as a hardtail. The latest version features an all new frame and geometry, but how does that perform out on the trail?
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.
Watch more from the 2021 Field Test: pinkbike.link/2021pbfieldtest
The 2021 Field Test is supported by:
Dainese - bit.ly/3fRVmAE
Sierra Nevada - bit.ly/3l5jmC1
Smith Optics - smithoptics.com/
Special thanks to Container Brewing - drinkcontainer.beer/
00:00 - Intro
00:27 - Bike Overview
05:10 - Set Up
05:39 - Climbing
07:26 - Descending
09:00 - Timed Laps
10:04 - Components
13:30 - Pros
14:06 - Cons
14:37 - Verdict
Pinkbike Merch - pinkbike.link/merch
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[@ashleyalaine1]

*Just an awesome **Latest.Bike** ....well constructed, sturdy, great looking…got me back out on the trails!! Could not be happier!!*

[@muratkaraca2694]

This is truly an all around trail bike and very capable of doing a lot more...love it.

[@IronX77]

Legit review. Comparison. Details. Hats off, this is why I keep coming back.

[@AVRides]

I had a Ibis Ripley V4 and now a Ripmo V2 and they’ve been awesome. Haven’t tried the mojo but I absolutely love ibis as a brand

[@BrianVaughn]

I still think these 27.5 bikes are perfect for the trails east of the rockies. If you have no interest in racing, you'll love these bikes.

[@thelittleewokboss9929]

Not all of them but in like the flat smooth places they should be good

[@skispyder2121]

East of the Rockies? Oh boy, we have some trails here in Pennsylvania where it’s so chunky, everyone rides 29! I always felt like I got caught up when testing 27.5.. but like anything in the mtb world, to each their own! 🤟

[@skispyder2121]

@Yevgeniy Friedland ah the mullet! I’d love to try it. Sounds like a good idea!

[@BrianVaughn]

@Yevgeniy Friedland I think once we get more bikes built around this...it will be the future.

[@justsayin3600]

My buddy rides one and loves it. He's riding on 2.9 tires to compensate for 130/140 travel. I rode it and it's annoying going through the rear travel.

[@ezpzbb]

It is incredibly irritating that Mike failed to mention that ALL of the new Mojos come with Fox Factory suspension. Cheapest to spendiest. That is massive, yet gone unmentioned...

[@OneTradeMan]

The Mojo 4 comes with the Grip 2 Damper now. Mine came with it.

[@pinkbike]

That’s correct. As we mentioned in the description ours came with a FIT 4 fork due to product shortages at the time.

[@mannyfnsc29]

@@pinkbike That's a big mistep on your part. You really need to do a little homework and know the spec of a bike beforehand. Huge difference between the 2 dampers.. and getting on Ibis for supposedly not speccing it with the Grip 2 "like the others" is the perfect way to steer people away from a really good trail bike. Sorry, but that was disappointing.

[@cooperquinn8897]

@@mannyfnsc29 they couldn’t get it with the grip 2 damper cause it was out of stock If they would have got it if they could not their fault

[@abtcup]

They're now being spec'd with Pikes.

[@dylanlarose6964]

Amazing video once again

[@bensun432]

This years bikes are incredible. I would love to try all of them... it's so hard to choose one

[@Zac_Martines]

This bike looks like a blast to ride!

[@mykevenable8180]

Great review !

[@maxwalker9990]

Levy sounded like a legit baby when he screamed in the intro lmaooooo

[@cooperquinn8897]

Omfg he did lmao 😂😂😂😂😂

[@northshoreboy1313]

Great review.

[@Austin-es8jw]

It looks so good

[@batterybuilding]

I have a mojo 3 and it’s hard to imagine how they made it better; but I believe it. I also have the new SLX and have no qualms about recommending that to anyone.

[@MsHigheagle]

It's highly likeable.

[@Jay_radd]

Wishing for a mojo af. Great video!

[@space_cakes]

Got to love ibis , all bike no hike !

[@w4k036]

Damn that chain slammed in the slow mo

[@anywhereness8017]

Hey Pinkbike, you guys have such great production quality but man guys, the color correction when Levy is talking is way off the mark. Keep up the great reviews though, I love all the details and looking forward to the other bikes in the series!

[@mikes.8305]

That color looks way better in the real world lighting.

[@marcelziokowski4383]

No color will save this bike from looking rather awful

[@mikes.8305]

@@marcelziokowski4383 hater always gonna hate! Although I’m partial to my new stumpy evo even more;)

[@cooperquinn8897]

@@mikes.8305 it’s like people always say the the Norfolk shore silver looks bad It’s way better in person

[@jamesbrettjarvis5050]

iv always adored the slx cranks ,the rest of slx groupset looks great but i ride sram mechs n shifters not tried slx, iv got 2014 xt 2 piston on 180mm rotors iv had no problems with bite point it must b a more current shimano problem iv loved my xt brakes ,but my choice for my nxt set is hayes domion r formula cura r shimano xt levers magura mt 4 p0t calipers i know its mixing but it works n it apparently works really sick, i love the feel n look of shimano levers

[@hpkiunzy]

Looks like a fun bike.

[@mannyfnsc29]

Wait. No..the Mojo comes equipped with the Grip 2 damper, NOT the Fit4 !! Huge difference. Also, imo the bike would handle the techy stuff and downhill better with 2.6 tires, which is basically how it's marketed. Btw, if you're upgrading to the carbon wheels, you don't have to stick with the stock hubs..you have the option of going with I9 hubs..one of the fastest engaging hubs out there. Waiting for mine to arrive soon. Can't wait!

[@bickejoh]

Great review. Should be getting mine in a week or so. What size frame is that btw?

[@tinshield]

I definitely notice the changing bite points with both sets of my XT brakes. It is annoying.

[@jermainehaywood2974]

Is it possible to do a review on the 2020 Banshee (prime) bikes on how they compare to other bike brands?

[@307mtb]

These field test videos are so much better than the bible bike test videos. You go over all the specs, times, and how it rides, were bible is just 3 morons standing around holding a craft beer trying to sound cool with catchy phrases

[@testtesttesttesttest884]

Haha so true.

[@kobemaui9983]

Very true

[@dylantatoris8342]

Agreed

[@erich8258]

They're already so much better in the first few seconds -- no pretentious, corny intro

[@michaelkay4464]

Meh. Imo it’s entertaining and I appreciate high quality bike content. I mean we’re distinguishing, between 7k bikes here, unless we’re going to be talking strictly about frame engineering/leverage ratios/suspension design (which I like but many don’t) what do you want them to do? These are nearly as much pseudoscience and high level overviews as bike mag was. Perhaps I’m just sad bike mag is gone :). They are/were both great imo

[@Bungle]

I was thinking about getting a new mountain bike because the new-style geometry looks fun, but damn, they're expensive and heavy. My 2014 Trance is still a ton of fun to ride, and I don't think I'd get $4,000+ enjoyment out of a slightly slacker head angle and slightly steeper seat angle.

[@keton9685]

Imagine if the trust fork was on the grim donut

[@leolabarge2759]

It would look like it had a freakin 30 degree head angle

[@Peanutdenver]

Oooooo that's dirty...more please.

[@homeboyactual]

haha fork go snap

[@gur262]

Imagine a ripoff baby version of a bmw k1300r fork was on it

[@cliffsangelsphotography]

The Superior Bike 💪

[@burddog0792]

Wish they'd make an AF with 210x52.5mm (~137mm travel?) DVO Topaz and 150mm DVO Sapphire/Diamond.

[@josiahgolding7826]

Love it

[@non_clemente]

It would be interesting to see a bike like the Scott Genius or Transition Scout compare with both the trail bikes and enduro/freeride bikes to see if an all mountain bike could be a goldilocks bike.

[@cooperquinn8897]

Or a norco sight

[@stevenagy7152]

$6200 compared to other bikes in this comparison seems like a real value, but, meanwhile in the real world that is absurd.

[@Hendricksb123]

I’m surprised Mike didn’t mention all versions of this bike come with fox factory suspension. You can get Deore 12 speed for $4499, and top of the line suspension is installed. Still a lot of money, but ibis is on to something.

[@nicksknives7777]

Absurd till u ride a 6k bike for a while, then u see its not so absurd.

[@stevenagy7152]

Fair enough, but in less than 12 months that same “value” will have diminished by as much 50%.

[@chrislenahan4477]

You lost me at 27.5" wheels. Too slow.

[@jnstroik]

The geo numbers are nearly identical to the 2021 polygon siskiu T. Very similar travel as well (135mm on the polygon).

[@TeddyParker]

I'm pickin up what your puttin down, brotha. Now if only Polygon would restock again :(

[@goforbroke2]

Oddly enough I’m looking at Siskiu T8 and Mojo here. Huge price difference, but very similar on paper. I’m sure the Ibis is a better pedaler

[@TeddyParker]

@@goforbroke2 Absolutely, that money has to go SOMEWHERE. But for the people who are actually spending time to compare, I think their decision easily comes down to price>minor performance. Or at least I'm that poor lol

[@goforbroke2]

@@TeddyParker Yeah basically it comes down to price for a lot of people. I have the bread for either bike, but is the Ibis that much better??? Also I’ve read a boat load of horror stories with direct to consumer bike sales from a bunch of manufactures. Not warranting frames or taking 6-8 months to get a replacement frame.

[@TeddyParker]

@@goforbroke2 yeah I'm currently having some issues with a Vitus and considering trying a Polygon. But I'll snag a Giant Trance 3 if I have to just to get some consistency.

[@grantzupanc7372]

Are you going to throw the 5010 into the mix?

[@ZOB4]

I had the same issue with SLX brakes. Switched them out to Magura, much better.

[@hardmtnbiker]

Personally I doubt I would notice the difference between a Fit4 and Grip2 34Fox. It’s really nice that they offer a SLX build and I own the new XT brakes but didn’t know about the issues with the SLX brake issues. Will the new Mojo fit 27.5x2.8” tires?

[@mannyfnsc29]

Hey, so I actually asked this question to Scott Nichols about fitting 2.8 Maxxis tires. He said they should fit because the clearance is basically the same as the Mojo 3. Maxxis tend to run small anyway, so it wouldn't be a problem. Not totally sure about other brands..

[@ryangregohara]

Small rider trying to decide between this and the Optic....currently getting after it (riding razors edge or mt Cartier on a 2018 optic 27.5 with minimal issues). ???

[@Kulharin9]

Were you comparing timing climbs with the Trance X 29er carbon or Trance X 27.5 AF?

[@tumbavhati501]

Too many bike brands to love. Well okay! !

[@cartermcmasters2874]

So I have a ripmo af with stock aluminum wheels, is the rear hub the same as on the mojo?

[@nohemoglibin8677]

I'm wondering how it compares to the Canyon Neuron?

[@bstill30]

I want that water bottle!!

[@maxrez74]

Not exactly my Mojo but it's quite cool

[@christopherbeane7603]

Nice pun

[@dmweyland]

what if a guy was to put a fox grip 36 on this frame and a +1 degree headset??? i think it would be a very badass bike but i would like to know if someone has done that route?

[@nickzahner3352]

Can you do a fieldtest of the santa cruz hightower?

[@NeilosNeilosGharley]

Last year they used the cheapest Hightower in the budget field test

[@jebronlames9061]

That color looks wayyy better than last mojo And it’s also double the price😅

[@romanrubaj3707]

I like there is no adjustable geometry gimmick

[@maddengoat9878]

Yes

[@Andrea-qg5yk]

Yes

[@obi-wankenobi9871]

No

[@maddengoat9878]

@@obi-wankenobi9871 no

[@cb6866]

Hey there...Ive an issue unrelated to this video. I tried to buy that shirt, and it wouldn't ship to my location. Waaaaaa dude?

[@poshpickle9024]

C B where do you live?

[@nicksknives7777]

Cool bike but i like pivot's frame design better

[@Rawkus919]

Same colours as my 18 Merida one twenty.

[@jfinn9827]

So is 27.5 inch wheels better than 29 for trail riding

[@Monty.1963]

Ibis has always been the best Bicycle ever.

[@finroddd]

Guys, please, I want to see the Spindrift review. Still no English review of it in KZbin.

[@pinkbike]

Coming soon!

[@ilbuongustaiopiero5586]

God bless ❤

[@leofinalizacao]

Fast rebound is for fast riders Mr. Levy

[@EpicMTB]

That bike looks amazing, can you do a video on affordable bikes?

[@tomasm3608]

they had a whole field test for affordable bikes bud

[@leolabarge2759]

Hard tail

[@doylenielsen8783]

i want one so bad

[@Lo-sy9fz]

What's this "switch" he refers to on thr climbs?

[@Cburns26]

lockout

[@camwells9726]

The category of trail bikes is getting confusing , Canyon have released the new spectral , 64 degree head angle , fox 36 @160 mm travel on the front , calling it a trail bike

[@austinpangcog8240]

With the bag. Is that integrated or can it be remove?

[@Jay_radd]

It can be removed

[@austinpangcog8240]

@@Jay_radd ok! 👌🏻. I’m in need of a new trail bike so this looks promising

[@Jay_radd]

@@austinpangcog8240 once I've ridden my current bike to the ground imma get me one! I would want to demo one beforehand if possible though

[@austinpangcog8240]

@@Jay_radd same! I’ve had my bike for 6yrs literally breaking apart. Can’t wait to save for this kind of bike

[@georgehliston]

What about this vs the 5010. People seem to compare them

[@frankiemazzei8882]

Nothing can beat the 5010 it’s just such a damn good bike in terms of looks and performance

[@garywinslow5607]

@@frankiemazzei8882 Bird Aether 7. Not good looks, but much cheaper, customisable spec and see the Pinkbike review by David Arthur. Not knocking the 5010, but for over a grand and a half less, the Aether is the intelligent choice for the budget savvy.

[@j.l.5966]

V3 5010 (the one with the high link, not the newest version) with a 140mm Fox 34 and DPX2. That is the ultimate trail bike, and looks oh so damn sexy too!

[@mannyfnsc29]

The 5010 is supposedly more able to plow through stuff, where the Mojo is a lot more fun..and that's what it's all about for me. Biker's Edge does a good KZbin video comparing the two.

[@frankiemazzei8882]

@@mannyfnsc29 the 5010 is a play bike very similar to the ibis but the 5010 looks so much nicer

[@Primoz.r]

Since when is the DW link 'switch infinity'-like?

[@onedrous4508]

Are you aware you left the *"4"* off the title?

[@s7ok3d54]

I'd love ibis to do a dirt jump bike and call it the ibis "bin chicken"

[@RealJawnes]

I need a good high engagement dj rear wheel or hub in 26” for under $300. Anyone have a good suggestion?

[@casual-mtb-veiwer_782]

Ask walmart or halfords, you may need to time travel

[@alextokmakoff6521]

I have a halo chaos rear wheel that I haven’t used much which I’m selling for $175 it has an 11t cog

[@larrycole8511]

Halo chaos wheels with the superdrive hub is a good option. Fast engagement and sounds good too

[@th_js]

I'd also say Halo Chaos

[@CHuber-ct9np]

what would happen when I have no rebound damping? DEATH!!!

[@wangshuishui2121]

Very soon.. mountain bike is going to look like a chopper bike in the near future...😂😂

[@stoneenforcer]

Still wont climb like a yeti. Mike levi whens the atherton review coming already??

[@gfowkes]

DW bikes climb better than Yeti.

[@stoneenforcer]

@@gfowkes :))))

[@Memeteam903]

I called every ibis dealer in NC and no one had this bike in XL and said if I order it I would get it June 2021 👎

[@KoryKing]

Did I hear .... donut ???

[@ShadLife]

I don't understand why just about every bike now is starting to gravitate towards enduro bikes. It must be because of where these companies are located. They only see one type of terrain, big mountains and gnarly downhill. Because where I live in Minnesota, and even places like Bentonville, many of these bikes are going too far in one direction. There are a lot of trails in the Upper Midwest and mountain biking is a huge sport here. XC bikes and Trail bikes really need to stick with the more all around idea and not get into this, everyone is bombing down the side of mountains mentality. There are 3 bike types already made for that. Enduro (which is designed to also climb), Park ( for like Whistler and stuff), and DH (for extreme downhill and not good for climbing). So since there are already 3 categories of bikes that handle the mountain and downhill stuff, why are bicycle companies evolving their XC and Trail bikes to be more like a bike meant to go down technical downhill? I don't get it, there are categories for a reason, soon we will have enduro bikes and DH bikes and that's it if we keep going this direction.

[@onedrous4508]

America is getting fat and lazy and only wants the thrill of downhill without the effort and health benefits of *churning & burning* uphill?

[@javic79]

Does anyone still riding this bike ?

[@jsobol12]

I recently bought a '22 Mojo 4 in December (in fact this exact same SLX build with S35 carbon wheels and handlebar) in the off white colorway from Jenson.usa. It is definitely a fun bike to say the least. Definitely not a monster bike that will plow over all rocks and roots like a beefy 29'er, but I don't believe that's what Ibis intended it for. It's just a really fun poppy bike with tons of character.

[@guipol112]

A pure playbike ! Excellent for jib, trial mode . Great for flowy pumpy trails

[@lutumrisus7616]

Swap out the Fox34 for a Fox36 and watch that time shrink! 10:00

[@lutumrisus7616]

14:16 Fox 36!!!

[@marcossaraiva6991]

Hi, Mike manda uma bike de presente para eu moro no Brasil...

[@razorree]

i'm confused, you use milimeters for distance/size but pounds for weight.... why not inches or feet, and for weight you could use stones to be more fancy .... :)

[@maximfournier-giguere5780]

That's how things go in Canada. Makes no sense but it is what it is.

[@razorree]

poor people.... :(

[@Danger_Dingus]

Imagine if pinkbike wasn't so greedy. Trailforks would still be free

[@arneilson4450]

Do you work for free?

[@Danger_Dingus]

I know your point. Since writing that I understand that the app is expanding in use, popularity, and content and that it isn’t a cost that they can continue to swallow. (According to TF. I find this a little hard to believe though.) However, I still believe that it was a very botched release of this new update. If they needed more revenue for the app they could have done several things to make it easier for the public to accept. 1 tell everyone why they have to charge for it now. 2 they could have just put the new features behind the pay wall instead of limiting everyone’s current use. 3 they could have used an alternative like banner or pop up ads on the app and had part of Pro be to get rid of them. The growing pains would probably be inevitable with trail forks but it feels slimy that some of the best content and user data is now withheld. It feels like my favorite trail data is being held hostage now and they’re kneecapping everyone that doesn’t comply. I’m holding out hope for now that they alter how they’re doing things there.

[@alextokmakoff6521]

It’s a great bike - but damn if it isn’t ugly

[@thecount1001]

what's with that voice inflection??

[@kneawah]

was just thinking tHE SAME Thing.

[@cb6866]

Uhhh..attempt 2 worked....sorry

[@kevinkvs9746]

Did he say 10.700 🤣🤣🤣

[@mattiasandersson3444]

I regreat that I bought ZIPP 858 NSW wheels for 4500 dollar to my Cervelo S5 DA di2. I should have bought one of these instead =(

[@th_js]

Why would you buy stuff for a road bike

[@mattiasandersson3444]

@@th_js what do you think ? Cause i have 5 bikes and cycle different styles, all from road , XC to bike-parks, DH sometimes...was it hard to guess ? So you would buy a roadbike for 11 k to have hanging on your wall or why does you think i have one ?

[@th_js]

@@mattiasandersson3444 I just mean that wasting all that money will make you a few percents more efficient over a long distance, but it won't make a dramatic difference or make it much more fun. For that amount you can buy the most absolute top-end suspension for your mountain bike, which makes such a huuuge difference. Or, like you said, buy a whole freaking new full-suspension bike... I get that you're interested in road riding too, but if I were you, I would reconsider which is more important, being dramatically faster and more fun on challenging and fun trails, or save a few watts on the road, which you probably won't even notice much at all..?

[@mattiasandersson3444]

@@th_js You are not so old ha ? you think top end suspension give me more than aero wheels ? haha In that case the manufactuers has had good luck to brainwash your brain cause thats the message they want to have forvard to make you go and buy their top end things. For average rider like you and me top end stuff dont give much. If you are topp 20 in the world it gives you more and you notice much bigger differents. They have good luck with you who think that expensive suspension do more than aerowheels. It seems like you never tried a aerostyle roadbike. Its oki that you dont cant afford to buy the worst things but i can afford it. I have 3 super light bikes, Fs xc-bike 9 kg cost 13 k. the new S-works but with modified parts.Cervelo S5 with zipp wheels totally 15 k. for ex... 8kg..i began buying stocks when i was 13 years old and since then it has go almost straight up.Money is no problem. I have biked in 25 years and are not gonna stop until i cant seat on the bike...

[@slapperdinky]

You say you inspected the wheels for scary gouges and didn't find one, like that was a selling point of the carbon wheels rather than absolute pot fucking luck XD

[@christophesiegel]

First !

[@provlogger1878]

66 like

[@sexygirl4862]

" Wanna be friend?"

[@fencep]

Screw how it performs. It is just too expensive.

[@finroddd]

Especially if you consider the parts

[@justsayin3600]

For 130/140 travel only it's way to expensive.

[@mannyfnsc29]

@@justsayin3600 What does travel have anything to do with cost?

[@burddog0792]

@@mannyfnsc29 Lighter duty suspension components aren't as expensive.

[@brakingbumps]

That frame bag is awful...and I'd take a piggyback shock every day over a water bottle.

[@provlogger1878]

443 veiw

[@h20s8804]

"If you're the type of rider that takes the straightest, fastest line through things..." Uhhhh... Uh huh..

[@patriotsleepercell4060]

Finally I can afford this insane priced bicycles! Thanks to Bitcoin.

[@LuLeBe]

What? $4500 for a deore? I mean there's more to a bike than components but seriously, my canyon Spectral for $2600 has an slx, what's up with that...

[@Jay_radd]

It comes stock with Fox factory sus and its a carbon frame. I wish they had a mojo af priced like the ripmo af

[@LuLeBe]

@@Jay_radd but performance elite would do it and then get an XT or so...I don't know, don't like that really low spec on that one component.

[@Jay_radd]

@@LuLeBe I guess it comes down to your preference of nice sus vs. nice drive train. Since shifting performance is very similar across all shimano 12sp groupsets, I lean more towards suspension. The most id do is throw an xt trigger on the deore set and enjoy the top-of-the-line suspension. Just me though! Perhaps if I have owned a bike with an xt or xtr set then I would know what I was missing out on, but ive heard there's no significant difference.

[@robociock]

U buy a 5k dollars bike and first thing u do is upgrading it? Lmao u have some serious money to spend

[@Flyingcanadiansquirrel]

Without adjustment these are worst piece of aluminium

[@josephaguirre6187]

Bikes rad. The review how ever has that typical shit KZbin feel. The anchor man tone makes this review feel like something from GameStop or target...

[@stockprog50]

Still way overpriced without carbon wheels and bars

[@gregoryvierra6114]

You can pickup a carbon bar for $80-100 USD. Cheaper than a set of pedals.

[@mannyfnsc29]

You do get factory suspension.. even on the $4500 deore build, which is pretty cool.

[@stockprog50]

@@gregoryvierra6114 Ha! maybe used and cracked.

[@stockprog50]

@@mannyfnsc29 Not sure where you're seeing that but no. You get DVO on the deore build.

[@mannyfnsc29]

@@stockprog50 ?? No, you get Fox Factory suspension on all builds. Check Ibis' website. (Maybe you're from outside the US and it's different? )

[@AppleJack76]

WTF is "American"? Last time I looked, Canada was in North F'ing America. Why can't you say USD, if your referring to a currency?