Even though mountain bikes continue to get longer and slacker, we think there's a point where it can go too far. There is a balance that needs to be achieved, especially for trail bikes, and thankfully Ibis takes that into consideration with the Ripley. We feel it hits a sweet spot that makes this bike a capable descender, yet still able to make quick accelerations and split-second maneuvers when riding tighter, techier trails. That's the essence of the Ripley, which makes it our first choice in the category of lightweight, speedy trail bikes. The Ripley 4's design is based on the Ripmo, which still holds DW-Link suspension tucked neatly in the front triangle, but without as much weight, and with a huge boost in stiffness. This change in the frame's chassis allows massive weight savings of over a half-pound on the frame alone, giving your all-mountain machine a little more pep in its step when you're pushing up grueling climbs, and a more nimble feel when you're flicking it around tight switchbacks. Weight savings aside, one of the biggest benefits we see with the new DW-Link design is extra room in the seat tube, which enables taller riders to run dropper posts up to 185mm. This long-dropper length lets Ibis' engineers carry forward with even more geometry tweaks, like an extra-low standover height, so you can pick your frame based on reach, eliminating seat-tube size from your list of limiting factors on your new-bike hunt. Changes didn't stop with the linkage though, the Ripley has been tweaked all over, including a one-degree slacker headtube for a stretched wheelbase that adds a bit of confidence to the descents, and a three-degree steeper seat tube angle that keeps you in the center of your cockpit perched nicely for climbs. On the rear end of things, Ibis shortened the chainstays by a whopping 12-millimeters to boost stiffness, and make the suspension a bit more progressive, without letting go of the lively pedaling characteristics of the previous R...