Ibis Mojo 3 first ride review

Ibis pitches the Mojo 3 as its “most versatile trail bike ever”. But just how does it stack up in such a competitive segment of the market?

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Ibis Mojo 3 spec overview

• Frame: Carbon fibre, 130mm (5.1in) travel
• Fork: RockShox Pike RCT3 Solo Air, 140mm (5.5in) travel
• Shock: Fox Float DPS EVOL Factory
• Drivetrain: Shimano Deore XT with Race Face Turbine Cinch cranks (1×11)
• Wheelset: Easton Arc 30 wheels
• Tyres: Schwalbe Nobby Nic TrailStar 27.5×2.35in (f) and Maxxis High Roller II 3C EXO 27.5×2.3in (r)
• Brakes: Shimano Deore XT, 185mm rotors
• Bar: Ibis, 760mm
• Stem: Thomson, 50mm
• Seatpost: KS LEV Integra
• Saddle: Ibis
• Weight: 12.79kg (28.2lb), large size without pedals

Key to this versatility is the Mojo’s ability to accept either 650b or 650b+ tyres (though the latter are a tight fit), thanks to the design of its chainstays and seatstays and its Boost rear axle spacing.

My test bike came with 650b tyres, and even when the Nobby Nic at the rear got sliced and I replaced it with a 2.3in Maxxis High Roller II, there was still bags of room around it.

In non-plus guise the bottom bracket sits pretty low, at 332mm. Ibis claims the BB height is the same with plus tyres because the higher-volume rubber sags more when run at the intended lower pressures.

A fifth-generation version of Dave Weagle’s DW-Link suspension design provides 130mm (5.1in) of rear wheel travel, controlled by a Fox DPS EVOL shock.

Cables are mainly routed internally, the BB is of the threaded variety and there’s capacity to bolt a front mech on, should you so wish. Four frame sizes mean most folk are catered for and there’s room in the frame to fit a bottle cage too.

Ibis Mojo 3 kit

Shimano XT gearing and a Race Face Turbine crankset made for solidly reliable shifting throughout testing, even in the grottiest of conditions.

Sadly the same couldn’t be said for the XT brakeset — the rear stopper on my test bike started with a wandering bite point and ended with limited power, even after a re-bleed.

In a similar vein, the KS dropper post needed almost constant assistance to get it to extend once dropped. It’s also worth mentioning the 50mm Thomson stem, which uses irritatingly small 3mm Allen bolts and, combined with the wide Ibis bar, felt a touch flexy.

Ibis Mojo 3 ride impression

At 5ft 8in I tested the large size. This felt good in terms of reach (438mm) but the relatively high seat tube and the 150mm drop of the KS post meant his legs were a little stretched when seated.

Get grinding up the first climb and the first thing you’ll notice is just how stable the Mojo 3 is to pedal. The twin-link design seems to do a good job of minimising unnecessary movement, and not once did we feel inclined to reach for the low-speed compression lever on the shock. The suspension still works when called upon though, which helps on slick, technical climbs.

Out of the saddle, there’s still very little pedal bob, which makes those slow, final few pedal strokes over the brow of a hill a little less of a chore.

Chucking the Mojo 3 about on the trail, its lively handling means it’s happy to zip from turn to turn, pop over obstacles or just let you explore the limits of the tyres’ shoulder tread as you carve an inside line.

The low weight, seriously compact 425mm chainstays and low BB come into play here, allowing the Mojo 3 to change direction rapidly and with little effort from the rider. That does mean you end up starting to ride that bit harder and at this point it’s worth playing around with volume spacers in the rear shock to ensure you keep the suspension as balanced as possible.

Ibis Mojo 3 early verdict

A fun and capable ride that’ll devour climbs and is eager to please on the way back down too.