Ibis

Silk SL Carbon Road Bike Frame

It's not presumptive to say that Ibis is best known for its tongue-in-cheek approach to cycling, and of course, its mountain bikes. What isn't widely known is that Ibis has been building road bikes for decades, and that they're awesome. The Silk SL is a full carbon frame that's designed to do a little bit of everything. It’s a nimble climber, an adroit handler, and a marvelous sprinter. For this frameset, Ibis used its special ability to create unique design characteristics that allow the Silk SL to stand on its own two feet while still being unmistakably Ibis.

Given the expertise of Ibis in the mountain bike kingdom, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the Silk SL is built tough. So tough, in fact, that the frame can withstand a 900 pound frontal impact at the front axle before the down tube expresses signs of failure. This is due in part to the refined, monocoque layup of high modulus carbon fiber and the Silk SL's oversized top and down tubes. Ibis' goal was to create a frame that handles with the responsiveness of large tube aluminum and the smoothness of titanium in one beefed up carbon frame. Ibis didn't add strength at the cost of weight, however. The Silk SL frame, sans fork, comes in at a respectable 998 grams.

As with everything Ibis, you can expect an obsessive attentiveness to detail. Both weight saving and rigid, The Silk SL head tube is designed to use an integrated headset (not included). For the accoutrement, Ibis attached a beautiful, investment cast bronze head badge, wishbone seatstays, and compression molded carbon dropouts with a replaceable derailleur hanger. The frame's subtle paint and branding is reflective of the Silk SL's neutral geometry and Ibis's passion for clean design aesthetics.

The Silk SL's oversized seat tube accepts any 31.6mm seatpost. Rigidity to the front triangle is enhanced by an Easton EC90 SL CNT Carbon Fiber Fork. The EC90 fork is constructed of continuous one-piece monocoque carbon fibers, and features Easton's exclusive Internal Thread Technology to eliminate slippage and steerer tube damage from expansion plugs.

The Ibis Silk SL Carbon Road Bike Frame is available in two colors, Siberian White and Matt Matte (Black), and comes in six sizes (47, 50, 53, 55, 58, 61).