The Mojo HD is the Next Big Thing for Ibis

Although still in its late prototype phase, the Ibis 160 mm Mojo HD has already been ridden to victory by Brian Lopes at the recent Enduro Trophy des Nations in Vars, France.

The mountain bike enduro event held July 25 and 26 consisted of 10 stages and featured more than 32,800 feet of descending. With six miles of vertical elevation loss, the long-travel Mojo HD was perfect for descending fast and keeping the pace on the flats, Lopes said.

The Ibis Mojo HD features 160mm of rear wheel travel using DW Link suspension. The leverage ratio of the Mojo HD, like that of the Mojo and Mojo Sl, is designed for air shocks, so don’t expect to see one of these with a coil shock. The HD model comes with an 8.5 by 2.5-inch Fox RP23 rear shock, but the linkage is also compatible with a DHX air and other Rock Shox chambers.

Although the frame is designed around a 160mm fork, you can also run 170mm and 180mm forks. Ibis expects to outfit the Mojo HD with a Fox 36 Talus RC2 or a Rock Shox Lyric, depending on customer preference.

Using standard 26-inch wheels, the frame and fork have enough clearance for 2.35 to 2.5-inch tires, depending on the brand and height of the cornering knobs. Ibis is aiming at a target weight of 6.2 to 6.5-pounds for the frame, including the rear shock.

The Ibis Mojo HD is compatible with the new tapered steerer standard of a 1-1/8-inch upper and 1.5-inch lower. Ibis has an adapter available if you prefer to run a straight 1-1/8-inch steerer on another fork.

Lopes was the only non-French rider to win a stage at the Enduro Trophy des Nations and he did it on the Mojo HD.

“The enduro race was a lot harder than I expected,” Lopes said. “The toll it took on everything – wheels, tires, brakes, suspension, the body, and of course the frame – were beyond what I imagined.

“The new HD Ibis never missed a beat,” he said about the rig. “The added travel, stiffness, clearance for larger tires and an 8-inch rotor allow you to take on the toughest terrain you can throw at it, but it’s still efficient and light enough to pedal up any hill.”

The Mojo HD will be available as a frameset or as a complete bike with specified spec. Price and delivery dates are yet to be decided, but you can more than likely expect to see the Mojo HD on the market by at least January, 2010.