Ibis

Mojo HD3 Carbon X01 Complete Mountain Bike - 2015

Striking what may be the absolutely perfect balance of light weight and colossal huckability, the Ibis Mojo HD3 Carbon continues a long history of industry-leading masterpieces from one of mountain biking’s most respected and innovative manufacturers. With a big-travel carbon fiber frame weighing a mere 5.9 pounds, a super efficient suspension platform, 41mm-wide carbon fiber rims, and SRAM's X01 1x11 drivetrain, there’s nothing to upgrade — just throw a leg over and drop in.

The HD3 picks up where it the Mojo HD 650B left off (although those are still crushing trails around the world as we type this). Recognizing the clear advantages that resulted from stuffing 27.5-inch wheels into their Mojo HD frame, engineers went back to the drawing board, knowing that serious potential lurked in the ingredients if they could dial it all in properly. Insanity-inducing testing of every possible construction, suspension, and geometry configuration all resulted in the piece you see here, a 6-inch travel carbon fiber beast that does to your expectations of such bikes what the internal combustion engine did to the horse.

The DW-link suspension platform completely isolates rear wheel movement from pedaling and braking forces, creating a plush and linear suspension motion that feels like an even bigger bike, yet pedals on flats and climbs like a cross-country machine. The 67-degree angle of the tapered head tube serves in this function as well, being a touch less slack than many bikes in this category. Why? The suspension's supremacy and the chassis' stability are so solid that Ibis knew it could give you a sharper front end for climbing and handling without sacrificing the HD3's descending ability, so that's exactly what it did.

Zooming in closer reveals as much attention to the details as was given to the HD3's overall mission, as well. Stout 16.9-inch chainstays, a low 13.4-inch bottom bracket, and the aforementioned geometry all team up to create an uncommonly agile bike for this category. With the wide variety of riding styles and preferences out there today, the frame can accommodate either external or internal cable routing, and of course, dropper post routing is a given. The threaded bottom bracket mercifully dismisses any proprietary press-fit systems in favor of a rock-solid, dirt-simple standard that will last for ages. Dual-row angular contact bearings on the drive side of the linkage require zero preload adjustment and dramatically reduce play compared to standard sealed bearings, further bolstering the bike's lateral solidity and your sense of control.

Tying that shock to a 160mm-travel RockShox Pike RCT3 fork is a carbon fiber structure. But now it's a half-pound lighter, while also retaining the strength that made the HDR a favorite among aggressive riders. Ibis accomplished this by continually refining its production techniques and carbon layup. At the rear of the Mojo HDR, Ibis uses a 12x142mm Maxle quick-release thru-axle. This complete bike is available with either a Fox Float CTD Adjust Factory w/ Kashima or Cane Creek's DB Inline rear shock.