This article is part of the Mtbr’s Enduro Compare-O. See all the stories in this special section here–http://reviews.mtbr.com/category/enduro-compare-o-2014
Some might call it a “hack” bike due to fact that the Ibis Mojo HDR was originally designed for 26-inch wheels, but based on rider feedback, the slightly modified geometry and slightly larger 27.5-inch wheels didn’t hurt its performance. In fact, the Mojo HDR 27.5 takes all the positive attributes of the original and adds better cornering grip, rollability and versatility thanks to its ability to run both 26-inch and 27.5-inch wheels with a couple minor linkage tweaks and two different length shocks (You can check out our First Look at the HDR for a more in-depth explanation of the bike’s changeable nature).
At first glance, the test riders’ opinions of the HDR’s looks varied.
“The HDR looks stout and heavy duty as the name suggests. Tires looked substantial and it had a ready for anything vibe. I like seeing ISCG tabs and a threaded bottom bracket. Cable routing looked good, though some might complain the dropper post cable wasn’t internal,” said one test rider. “Tire clearance seemed quite good. Even though I’ve never loved the Mojo’s form factor (industrial design) I really liked the tasteful graphics—in the case of our bike, mostly raw carbon with neon accent.”
Another rider found there to be a significant issue with the Mojo HDR.
“Timeless and iconic design. Love the looks—razor sharp, precise, clean. Neon yellow on the nude carbon pops. I like the external cable routing, easy to access and service. Done cleanly with bolt on cable guides,” mused another rider. “My main gripe about the Mojo is that there’s no provision for an easily reachable water bottle.”
Genius dw-link Gets it Done
David Weagle is truly a boy genius. It seems every bike we ride that sports his suspension design performs with the utmost efficiency both up and downhill. The dw-link on the Mojo HDR is no exception. Boasting either 160mm of rear wheel travel with 26-inch wheels or 130mm of rear travel with 27.5-inch wheels (as tested), the Mojo HDR can go both ways without changing geometry spec of the original Mojo HDR. Our test bike featured a standard Fox Float CTD shock out back and a 140mm Fox Float 34 CTD up front.
Pedaling up the 1,500-foot vertical Sulphur Springs Road climb, riders were impressed overall with the HDR’s climbing prowess, especially considering its somewhat portly 30-pound weight.
“The bike climbs with almost zero pedal induced bob thanks to the dw-link system, even with the CTD system in ‘descend’ mode,” one rider said. “I was astonished to find this bike weighs almost 30 pounds.”
Another rider praised the HDR’s climbing ability as well.
“The HDR holds a line pretty well and the suspension helped the rear tire dig in on loose, steep climbs, even when pedaling erratically. I was actually amazed the rear didn’t break loose a couple times when I picked deliberately poor lines,” he said. “All around I found both Ibis’—I rode the Ripley too—climbed nimbly and efficiently.”
In technical uphill sections, the dw-link showed off its superior anti-squat reputation.
“Very little traction loss even when out of the saddle. The dw-link is so efficient you can climb in ‘trail’ or even ‘descend’ mode through tech sections and maintain traction without bobbing all over the place. This is a true ‘set and forget’ bike,” said yet another rider.