First Look: New Ibis Mojo 3

This newest Mojo has almost nothing in common with the steel hardtail that first wore that nameplate. But like the original Mojo, the Mojo 3 is a pretty lust-worthy trail bike.

This bike doesn’t break any new ground for Ibis. It continues with Ibis’ successful combination of the industrial design ascetic of Roxy Lo, the smarts of Ibis’ in-house engineers and the proven suspension design of the Dave Weagle dw-link. And just like every current Ibis, the Mojo 3 is all-carbon, all the time.

Where the Mojo 3 really gets interesting is the tire sizes allowed by the Boost hub spacing. Besides providing increased frame stiffness, Boost allows for shorter chainstays, increased tire clearance, and room for a single or dual ring drivetrain.

Bikes like the new Santa Cruz Hightower are designed around 29 inch and 27plus wheels and, originally, Ibis was planning to do the same to its Ripley 29er trail bike. But after a few rides with 27plus tires on the Ripley, that idea was tossed out and the plus sizes tires where moved over to the Mojo 3 that was still in development. There are a few reasons for this.

1. Even in the full 3.0 size, 27plus tires are still smaller in diameter than 29er tires.
2. Ibis found the 3.0 to be too bouncy when ridden hard and likes the 2.8 tires much better. Those 2.8 tires are even shorter than the 27.5×3.0 tires.
3. All tires have some sag, and at preferred riding pressures (12-18 psi) the 27plus tires are the same height as a 27.5×2.3 tire.

All this means that without any fork length or suspension chip adjustments, the Mojo’s bottom bracket height should be the same with a rider aboard, although static heights are different. Seems pretty interesting, to me.

Ibis has been on the wide rim kick for a while now, and its carbon 741 wheels pull triple-duty here, coming stock with either the new Schwalbe Nobby Nics 2.35, the new Maxxis Minion WT  27.5×2.5 WT or plus-sized 2.8 Schwalbe Nobby Nics. The carbon wheels are stock on some build kits; the other stock option are aluminum Easton Arc 30s. The 741 wheels are an upgrade option on any build kit for $1,400.

 

Also of note is the shock tune option for lighter riders. Named after five-foot-tall designer Roxy Lo, the Fox Float DPS can be order with a lighter rebound “Roxy Tune” for riders under 135 pounds at no extra charge. This shock tune, combined with a 27.4″ standover on the size small should make a lot of short-statured rippers very happy.

 

 

While this is just a 130 mm bike (with a 140 mm fork), it is slacker than a Mojo HD with a 150 mm fork, by a scant 0.2 degrees. It is also shorter in the rear end, with 425 mm chainstays to the HD’s 430 mm. Top tubes are the same, but the Mojo has a steeper seatube and more reach. The Mojo’s bottom bracket is also at a modern 335 mm, and is thankfully a standard threaded interface, not press fit. There are five sizes for riders from 5′ to 6’6″.

Our Take

Get One

The dealers below have the bike in stock. If you want one, get moving. Ibis will have a fleet of Mojos for test rides at Dirt Rag Dirt Fest in May. Ibis did a bang-up job with explaining the hows and whys of the new Mojo on its website. I recommend heading there for further reading.