Ibis

Mojo HD3 Special Blend Complete Mountain Bike - 2015

The Mojo HD3 Special Blend Complete Mountain Bike's slack geometry recommends it for sticking technical DH lines at racing speeds, but the triple drivetrain and wallet-friendly build mean that this agile enduro race machine brings the much beloved Mojo HD3 to the legions of aspiring racers who don't have the sponsor backing of the riders with logos tattooed across their kit. Yet.

The HD3 takes up the Mojo HD 650's trail, starting with the same 27.5-inch wheels that enjoy all the handling benefits of 26ers and a big, 29er-esque angle of attack. The HD3 also rocks the venerable DW-Link suspension platform, which completely isolates rear wheel movement from pedaling and braking forces, creating a plush and linear suspension motion that feels like an even bigger bike on descents yet pedals on flats and climbs like a trail machine. The 150mm of travel in the fork drops the head tube angle to 67 degrees of line-sticking swagger that'll leave the try-hards on steep 29ers gasping for breath when the garden gets rocky.

Despite its aggressive wheelbase, the Mojo's 16.9in chainstays and 13.4in-high bottom bracket net uncommon agility and responsiveness for a bike in this category. Power transfer and travel both sit where we like them — high — without compromising tracking or clearance, so you won't lose the advantages you gain climbing by being hamstrung or pedal-struck on gnarly descents and rocky corners.

The Mojo HD3's threaded bottom bracket mercifully dismisses any proprietary press-fit systems in favor of a rock-solid, dirt-simple, creak-free 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 whether you're climbing or dropping-in.

The bike is built with a full Shimano drivetrain that may fall short of the weight savings of XTR or the bling of Di2 but doesn't disappoint when the grade points drastically in either direction. The Stan's NoTubes wheels fall into the same category — they may not feature on high-gloss magazine covers, but they do feature on the decidedly gloss-free dirt on the trails we frequent. If you're looking for a bike whose build kit can be put up on the wall to admire, this isn't it; if you want to ride, though, then you'll be hard-pressed to find a more capable trail partner.