1997 IBIS BOW TI - MY DREAM BIKE - FINAL PICS!

34henry3w

Retro Guru
Hey Everyone,

After 3 years this thing is finally done. I am completely happy with it. Lots of things went wrong but it came together as I had envisioned. As we know, these were only available as a frame and I wanted to give it the credit and respect it deserved by doing a clean, comprehensive build. For components, I wanted to nod to the innovative boutique builders of the time, namely white industries, who, similarly to ibis, thought outside the box to come up with a better mousetrap. The LMDS system perfectly suits the frame I think, as the twin cables reinforce the twin tubes. The bike is also a bit of a love letter to the Rock Shox Judy..

I rode it briefly today and it definitely does have a magic carpet ride to it!

Final Specs:

Headset: Chris King
Stem: Ibis Titanium
Handlebar: Ibis Titanium
Grips: Grip Shift

Brakes: Avid Arch Supreme
Brake Levers: Paul

Shifters: White Industries LMDS
Front Derailleur: M950 XTR
Rear Derailleur: White Industries LMDS
Cassette: M950 XTR
Chain: HG-90
Cranks: Kooka
Crank Bolts: ActionTec Titanium
Chainrings: ActionTec Titanium
Chainring bolts: ActionTec Titanium
Bottom Bracket: UN-91
Pedals: Crank Bros

Hub Skewers: Control Tech Titanium
Rims: Campagnolo Atek Polished 32hole
Hubs: White Industries
Spokes: DT Swiss
Tyres: Ritchey megabite Zmax 1.9

Fork: Rock Shox Judy with Paul Crown, Dengler Brace, Risse Racing Damper, Ti Hardware. Custom Painted Legs

Saddle: Flite Titanium
Seatpost: Thomson
Seatpost Binder: Titanium


ORIGINAL THREAD:

I have searched for this bike for years. Several mediums have come up, but I (a giant) needed a large. Also, I wanted one with the v brake bosses still intact as I intend to do a period correct build.

The bike has many issues but none a big deal for me...cracked Chris King hub bearing, leaky fox 5R, mismatched shifters, mismatched brakes..SUPER lame fork...but that will all be addressed.

This winter I will send out the frame to Steve Potts for a refinish and new decals, (NO disc tab) and build it up with mostly nos or close 950 XTR, 1998 SID, etc. Ill keep the Chris King Hubs and get a matching avid arch for the front...It will be sick.
 

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Re: 1997-1998 IBIS BOW TI - MY DREAM BIKE

thats just a mad looking frame, im still trying figure out how the rear shock would work when frame looks like its welded solid?
 
Re: 1997-1998 IBIS BOW TI - MY DREAM BIKE

thats just a mad looking frame, im still trying figure out how the rear shock would work when frame looks like its welded solid?

....because it is solid - the titanium is butted in the right places to allow it to flex without a pivot. This has been used in a number of Ti and also carbon bikes (cannondale synapse for example)
 
Re: 1997-1998 IBIS BOW TI - MY DREAM BIKE

Looking forward to seeing this come to gether, by past results this should be special.

just scraped into this section, a year later and you'd have defo disappeared into the abiss that is the 98> (one place where I very rarely venture) and we'd have missed this build.

Nick



.
 
Re: 1997-1998 IBIS BOW TI - MY DREAM BIKE

They are lovely and only about 270 were ever built.

I've had mine about 12 years and haven't kept it original. Upgraded the shock. New fork. Sent to Potts for disk mount/clean/decals/remove bosses and its gorgeous. I still ride it with regularity although not much since completing the 2011 Trans-Provance on it. Serves me right for not currently living near any mountains. I'll never sell.

I look forward to the build. I did see pics of one that a guy had SS-ed. nowt so funny as folk.
 
Re: 1997-1998 IBIS BOW TI - MY DREAM BIKE

nice! registering for updates. :cool:

i have a spare avid arch supreme that needs some TLC if interested. ;)
 
Re: 1997-1998 IBIS BOW TI - MY DREAM BIKE

Funnily enough I spoke to the UK importer of crank bros yesterday as i chased my pedal rebuilds and got chatting, he asked what bike it was for so i explained it was my bowTi. he exclaimed, wow you have one? you want to sell it?
Of course, my answer was a flat no way. He said scott nicol was actually trying to find one recently to put into a mueseum room at ibis HQ, they apparently have one of each of their bikes except the bowTi.
 

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