Getting out of our comfort zone on the descents and the climbs is why we ride the Ibis Ripley SLX Mountain Bike. Made for those rowdy days when we've got a need for speed the new Ripley is expertly crafted to ride bigger than a trail bike and as fast as a cross-country bike. 120mm of rear travel gets us through more than we bargained for while Fox Factory suspension soaks up the hits. Ibis designed the bike with DW-link suspension that deflects pedaling input so it's not getting soaked up by our suspension. Geomtetry on the new version of the Ibis Ripley has us heading for the steepest bits of the trail. Whether we're looking for new stuff to plow over or just side hits here or there the Ripley's longer, slacker, and meaner angles get the job done. Made for plowing over rough terrain the Ripley is built with a 66. 5-degree head-tube angle and big 29in wheels. The reach is long for its class, with 475mm offered on a size large frame meaning the downhill endeavors are a lot more stable. Though the Ripley resembles a trail bike and rides like one too, replacing the aggressive Maxxis tread with something a little more spritely brings out the cross-country enthusiast in all of us. Kit on the Ibis Ripley is adorned with the Shimano SLX drivetrain from top to bottom. Shimano uses 12-speed technology paired with Hyperglide II engineering to build one of the smoothest drivetrains on the market. SLX is the workhorse of the group, offering long-lived components with budget-friendly replacement costs. The 4-pistons brakes from Shimano offer smooth and reliable braking to quickly bring the bike to a stop while 180mm rotors do their best to quickly dissipate heat. Ibis supplies the wheels with their aggressive 35mm internal width hoops paired with a Maxxis DHRII in the front and a Maxxis Dissector in the rear We can't find what the Ibis Ripley can't do and we're completely ok with that. The bike yearns to be taking on trips unkown and down trails we've never hit before. T...