1997 IBIS BOW TI - MY DREAM BIKE - FINAL PICS!
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albatros38
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Beautiful bike !!
Love it ! Ive never seen or even heard of one of these before. Im with you on the feeling that it-might-break etc. Titanium has an incredible fatigue life so in sensible use it wont fail. Does that "suspension" arrangement work well ? Take the sting out of a hardtail without compromising drive ?
Do not let me know if you ever sell it ! I dont want to pay for it and have to sell my other bikes to make space
Do not let me know if you ever sell it ! I dont want to pay for it and have to sell my other bikes to make space
ti_pin_man
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when I first got mine I was similarly scared of breaking it. Circa 15 years later I have hammered it and this included using it to complete the Trans Provence race in 2012. If the later doesn't class as a good test then I don't know what does. It survived 7 days of riding from Gap to Monaco, down some of the steepest gnarliest terrain you can find.
As a ride its pretty comfy. I usually get 3 inches of travel out of it in most usual UK rides and get up to 4 or so when it gets more extreme in the Alps. I have a 100mm fork and disk brakes on mine and in all honesty its only downside is its x-country head angle. These days most full sus bikes are slacker for steeper stuff and in all honesty on very scary stuff I was more over the front than I liked BUT hey it was a 12 year old bike against brand new carbon fibre superbikes so outgunned but manageable.
As for the ride quality its pretty much like riding a normal mid travel full sus bike, it doesnt ride like a softail, its plusher than that. Softails always remind me of a flat rear tire and its more than that. Theres a little tail wag and sometimes you can get some brake judder but you kind of get used to these things. Neither happen enough to worry me. The ride is actually kind of similar to a slightly heavier ibis ti mojo only more bump absorbing and you can certainly descend faster on it through rougher ground. I'm a fan, can you tell.
As a ride its pretty comfy. I usually get 3 inches of travel out of it in most usual UK rides and get up to 4 or so when it gets more extreme in the Alps. I have a 100mm fork and disk brakes on mine and in all honesty its only downside is its x-country head angle. These days most full sus bikes are slacker for steeper stuff and in all honesty on very scary stuff I was more over the front than I liked BUT hey it was a 12 year old bike against brand new carbon fibre superbikes so outgunned but manageable.
As for the ride quality its pretty much like riding a normal mid travel full sus bike, it doesnt ride like a softail, its plusher than that. Softails always remind me of a flat rear tire and its more than that. Theres a little tail wag and sometimes you can get some brake judder but you kind of get used to these things. Neither happen enough to worry me. The ride is actually kind of similar to a slightly heavier ibis ti mojo only more bump absorbing and you can certainly descend faster on it through rougher ground. I'm a fan, can you tell.
34henry3w
Retro Guru
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Thanks everyone for the positive feedback and comments! much better than the "that's nice honey" from the wife!
I am going to shorten up the front derailleur housings today and have some ODI attack grips on order which I will cut down.
I applied wolfgang metal sealer to all the polished alum parts and it seems to work great..doesn't haze the finish..says it will last 3 years! (We will see)
I probably will take this off road on a dry dry day...we will see.
Thanks everyone for the positive feedback and comments! much better than the "that's nice honey" from the wife!
I am going to shorten up the front derailleur housings today and have some ODI attack grips on order which I will cut down.
I applied wolfgang metal sealer to all the polished alum parts and it seems to work great..doesn't haze the finish..says it will last 3 years! (We will see)
I probably will take this off road on a dry dry day...we will see.
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