Ibis

Mojo 3 Carbon X01 Eagle Werx Complete Mountain Bike - 2017

As much as the glossy bike magazines may tell us that we need the slackest, biggest, most epic enduro sled to fully enjoy our time on the trail, reality is that most of us don't spend our days on the pointy end of the pro enduro circuit and would likely have more fun aboard something like the 2017 Ibis Mojo 3 Carbon X01 Eagle Werx Complete Mountain Bike.

Drawing a heap of inspiration from its enduro race-bred HD3 cousin, the Mojo 3 tempers the extremes that push the HD3 into the depths of apocalyptic terrain and arrives as a lighter, more playfully agile chassis. It's more than capable enough to handle nearly anything this side of gravity, and it boasts a bit more versatility on the climby side of the spectrum than a pure enduro machine. The Werx build comes fully kitted out with Ibis' whip-fast 742 carbon wheelset, SRAM's X01 Eagle one-by 12-speed drivetrain, Guide RSC hydraulic brakes, and a Fox Transfer dropper post for sure handling no matter where the trail takes you.

The Mojo 3's spirited kick starts with the shock tune and DW-Link suspension. Ibis tuned the shock so its initial stroke rides on the "plush" side, but our firsthand experience with the bike tells us that generous small bump compliance doesn't keep it from feeling firm off the top. It's responsive and changes direction quickly while navigating switchbacks at climbing speeds, and the anti-squat pedaling platform maintains past the sag point.

It wasn't specifically built as a park bike, but spending a few minutes on it makes it obvious that the Mojo 3 is built to get rowdy. Ibis describes the shock's tuned ramp-up characteristics as "robust." We describe it as the kind of big-hit confidence that can often be the key element in determining which side of the ragged edge you find yourself on. This Mojo comes outfitted with 2.35in tires, but can accommodate anything from sprightly 2.3-inchers all the way up to a plush, plus-sized 2.8. Regardless of the tires you choose to run, the shock tune and suspension keep the bottom bracket height at the sag point the same.

The shock's tune doesn't require a high damper handicap, a fact that Ibis credits to the shock rate and DW-Link's steady pedaling platform. Since it naturally reduces bob without needing a damper handicap from the shock, DW-Link's ramp-up stays smooth throughout its suspension arc. It also suffers less heat build-up than heavily dampened models, so its ramp feel isn't significantly affected during hard, fast descents where the shock is working overtime.

In Ibis' own words, the stubby chainstays and low claimed frame weight make the bike feel "taut," and we think that's a wonderfully succinct way to describe the responsive aggression the Mojo 3 exhibits on the kind of climbs that would send the lumbering gravity crowd in search of a chairlift. When run with a 140mm fork, the Mojo 3's 66.8-degree head tube is on par with slack enduro standards and situates it squarely at the foremost tip of the advancing sea of all-mountain machines that drop in as well as they climb out.

One unfortunate side effect of this kind of trending super-trail geometry is that most slack, low bikes running five inches of rear travel and 27.5+ tires are also ditching the double drivetrain. But not the Mojo 3. Ibis insists that there's still a place for an extra chainring while navigating this brave new world of ever-overlapping boundaries, and while this bike is kitted out one-by, the Mojo 3's removable front derailleur mount means you have options when it comes time to change out componentry.

The frame itself is what you'd expect from Ibis: a full carbon monocoque affair that incorporates the construction pedigree of the HD3 but at a drastic weight savings, shedding a claimed 0.4lb compared to the enduro brute. The final product is actually the seventh carbon lay-up schedule that Ibis tested —yet another indication that the Mojo 3 was carefully and meticulously developed rather than being rushed to market in order to capitalize on the 27.5+ hype.

The tapered head tube further increases stiffness up front, which makes for yet better tracking across terrain, and the inclusion of Boost rear spacing let Ibis slam the rear wheel up for the above-mentioned stubby stays—which are approaching XC standards—while still leaving room for tubby tires and a front derailleur. As an added touch, the stock wheelset's 34mm internal width will run a range of tire widths so you can swap between mid- and plus-sized tires without shelling out for a whole new set of wheels.