I just tried both ripley and 2019 tallboy. I am a Ibis bikes fan but I must admit, the tallboy felt way more comfortable. The ripley had fox 36 and the tallboy fox 34 but for some reason the tallboy felt more comfortable on rocks. Ripley does climb better and it feels quicker but my hands suffered a little more than on the tallboy. Tallboy felt pleasant almost the whole ride. Ripley felt sporty but took a toll on my hands. Tallboy geometry made the bike feel like it had more travel! Mind you the ripely had 130 front, 120 rear. The tallboy had 120 front and 110 rear and I still felt more confident on the Tallboy when going downhill than the ripley. Try and test bikes before buying them. I was so convinced I wanted a Ripley and almost did not want to believe the tallboy felt better. Bikes feel different for everyone but this was my experience. I hope this helps anyone looking for a bike out there.
Agreed. We will do our best to get it in there on a future video. I used to own a Trance 29 as my personal bike and think it's a great contender in this category. If memory serves me well, the Trance feels a bit more like the Tallboy on the descents with a more active rear suspension. On the climbs its closest to the Tallboy as well.
My GF rides the aluminum Trance 29, and I've demo'd it several times. It is a wonderful bike. I think the aluminum Trance 29 is hands down, the best value, legit, trail/do it all bike out there. The carbon Trance builds have some more serious competition from the smaller, high end brands though. If I was going to spend 5-7k, I'd probably look elsewhere, but for less than 3K, the aluminum Trance 29 has no peers. It is a really, really good bike at that price point.
@@matt-jami-Van I also think so. I'm riding an aluminum Trance 29 too, but have upgraded all components, including the fork. So far it's been hard to actually replace the frame with a boutique brand of the same travel category. It's hard to justify because the frame is really good and I have the impression that I wouldn't gain anything by replacing it (aside from the "status symbol" you get from riding a boutique bike)
I almost bought the Ripley and I considered the Tall Boy, but I went with the High Tower instead. The Ripley is a great bike for sure and so is the Tall Boy. So many reviews that compare the Ripley to the High Tower, Tall Boy, and Bronson say it's the better climber. Down hill always goes to the Santa Cruz bikes. My High Tower climbs pretty darn nice. Much better than my Scott Spark did. It's also very comfortable and smooth on the trail. The two things that turned me from the Ibis Ripley was I don't like the rear shock position and how it makes getting the water bottle out a tad cumbersome. The biggest thing is the warranty. Ibis has a 7 year frame warranty and Santa Cruz has a lifetime warranty on the frame plus lifetime on the pivot bearings. I plan on keeping this bike longer than 7 years because I don't want to shell out thousands of dollars every 5 or 7 years on a new bike. Thanks for the video. You did a nice job on comparing the two bikes.
The Tallboy seemed very noisy in the video. The Ripley seemed like a much quieter bike. Is that just chainslap on the TB frame? Also, do you think the TB would do even better on descending if it had the bigger volume 2.6" tires like the Ripley?
I think of a lot of the noise you're hearing is a combination of a few things. The Rockshox suspension is a bit noisier. You can hear the fluid moving through it more than you can with Fox. The other is the Tallboy comes with 2.3" tires on 27mm rims. I have more air pressure in those tires than on the Ripley with 2.6" tires on a 35mm rim. There isn't much chain slap to be heard on either bike. Also the GoPro Hero 7 switches back and forth between standard stereo audio and a wind reduction mode. The wind reduction mode reduced a bit of the bike noise as well. Maybe that has something to do with it. As far as the 2.6" tire on the Tallboy goes I think it could go either way. The 2.6" will "float" a little more but might roll in the corners. I tend to prefer a narrower (2.3"-2.5") tire for riding hard. I think it mostly comes down to preference here though.
Wish I could my hands on Ripley. Just got off tallboy today and enjoyed the heck out of it. Of coarse compared to XTC hard tail probably doesn’t take much to impress.
Which would you recommend for the type of trails that exist in central Minnesota? Midwest area so not that mountainous. Maybe the tallboy would be overkill and Ripley is the better choice?
Which would you say is the more well rounded trail bike? Is the ripley closer to the tallboy on the downs than the tallboy is to the ripley on the ups? Thanks your bike reviews are always spot on you do a great job! Looking to get one of these two bikes for New England riding.
Love your work! Really good evaluation of these fine trail bikes. The descents looked fast ... Did you time them? The Ripley actually looked faster (to me), but maybe it was just not coping as well? Have to wonder what testing with the same tyre size (either 2.4 or 2.6) might have revealed, apart from make the Ripley an even faster climber.
Thanks. Glad you like it. I timed some of them after the fact using the GoPro footage. The Tallboy was faster in the bumpy stuff and on the techy trail. The Ripley was faster on the smoother stuff and tighter stuff. I rode the Ripley a few months back with 2.3" Trail King tires. It felt way faster and every bit as capable. I wish Ibis would ship the bike with something other than a 2.6" Nobby Nic or super heavy Assegai option.
Cant decide between this and the tallboy still. Im switching my spec SJ 2019 c frame for either ripley or tallboy to go to something a little more pedal friendly. But these seem so good both of them...
Would this be an accurate sentiment of your thoughts? Super similiar bikes. Ripley Climbing 9 of 10 Descending(I guess this just means big hits, stability, deflection on gnarly stuff) 6 of 10 Handling 9 of 10 Fun - Depends whether you want the lighter weight/quicker bike or the speed through gnar. Tallboy Climbing 8 of 10 Descending 7 of 10 Handling 8 of 10 Fun - More stable, slightly heavier. Longer/more slack (slightly on both) Did you have any traction issues with what I assume was narrower tires on the TB? I know you have to increase the TB chain-stay length to get the 2.5ish range I personally prefer.
I'd say thats fairly close. Although I'd probably put the Tallboy at 8/10 descending. And maybe drop it to a 7/10 for climbing. It's just that much more confident and descent focused. I'd take the stiffer RS Pike over the Fox 34 any day of the week and I think that had a lot to do with how confident the bike felt. I actually preferred the narrower tire on the Tallboy than the big 2.6" on the Ripley. The Maxxis Minions never lack grip even in a 2.3" width.
Biker's Edge I also thought I saw you said you tried the ripley with a 140mm? Would that be your personal preference with a 36/pike? Anyway thanks pretty limited demo options for these bikes where I live :)! Edit: guess I said that poorly. Was trying to say did you prefer these bikes at 140 or 130 fork travel if you had the chance to try it :).
Michael Kay the first time I ride the Ripley it had a 140mm Pike. I think it’s much better than the stock option. I don’t know if I’d put a 36 on either one - just for weight reasons.
@@esvegateban I don't see any enduro racers on 120mm bikes, these bikes can certainly handle anything an average rider may encounter due to geometry but they aren't nearly as forgiving to big hits and enduro racing tracks.
Which bike is better for riding in SoCal? I am looking for an efficient climber and a plush descender. I currently ride an XC race bike and I need something with more travel to cushion my old bones better. I am leaning toward the Tallboy, but the Ripley is definitely a contender. Also wondering if the Hightower would be better than the Tallboy for the steep/rocky terrain in San Diego.
@@bikersedge LOL! I hear ya. Noble Canyon is no joke. I don't shuttle when I ride it though. My carbon Trek Fuel 98 handles the climb just fine, but the rocky sections of the downhill are white knuckle time for sure. I ended up buying a demo 2020 Tallboy C S for a huge discount this morning. I'm guessing it will be far better than my Trek on something like Noble, but not as good as the Hightower. Will it be enough? Time will tell.
@@jarcidiacono1 It was a great bike but I needed a beefier fork and more travel. I rode it for 6 months and traded it in for an Ibis Ripmo V2. It is a little more sluggish on the climbs but it plows through anything you throw at it.
@@bikersedge so you don’t recommend on trail bikes at 120mm? I just picked up a Ripley and I’m sooo used to having an insert in with my sc and ripmo. Would the insert take away from the playfulness of the bike? I love the stability confidence with an insert but hate the weight. Your thoughts on double dhr on the Ripley
I wouldn’t say they’re inappropriate on a bike like that. All depends on the rider. If you’re tough on wheels and tires then yeah I’d put one in. You’ll notice the weight and it will kill a bit of the magic of a short travel trail bike. But then again so does getting a flat every time you ride.
@@bikersedge thank you for the feedback. Man I’m so used to inserts I dont know if I’m tough on wheels and tires. Never had an issue so I’m sssuming I’m not tough on the wheels and tires. Or was it the inserts doing its job. Will experiment on both setups
What tire combo (no inserts 😊would you run on the Ripley if you had one bike. Do all type setup. I saw ur video on tires and you recommended forecaster Rekon race for 120mm and below suspension bikes (xc light trail). Does that hold true to the Ripley
Between the two of them, which one is easier to get off the ground? I'm so torn between them, and i guess my decision would be base on how easy they jump around on trails. Need some advice here. Thanks in advance. Big fan of your channel
I think the TB is the better jumper. Not only in getting off the ground, but also landing. The frame feels more stout and offers more control for landing jumps.
So, if I were to get rid of my JET9 RDO (120mm front), my RIP9 (120mm front) and WFO9 (160mm front), and I ride mostly XC trails but also find myself on alpine style rides every now and again, and I wanted 1 bike to replace 3, would I go with the Santa Cruz or with the Ibis (answer probably Ibis?).
I crashed my bike and tried to tear my thumb off. My doctor made this to stabilize my thumb. I had him mold around my handlebars though. Pretty cool stuff.
Hi just wondering how the tall boy would compare to the Bronson. I currently ride a 2019 Bronson, great bike especially descending. Would you say the tall boy is a better all around bike? Is it note playful? How about compared to the Hightower? Thank you, nice review.
Tallboy and Bronson/Hightower are very different. The Tallboy and 5010 would be a closer comparison. The Tallboy is a better climber than either the Bronson or HT. It's a little more maneuverable and lively as well. It can't match the other two in capability though.
I’m 6’2” and almost always ride XL. They Ibis felt smaller than the Tallboy but it didn’t feel too small. I think the difference is in the seat tube angle. The Tallboy has a slacker actual angle than the Ripley so the higher the saddle goes the further back it gets.
Glad you liked it. There's always a written article to go along with these reviews. I go into a lot more details especially about fit and sizing there. www.bebikes.com/the-hub/tallboy-vs-ripley-trail-bike-showdown For the most part, I try to keep the videos as succinct and entertaining as possible.
The Rascal is in a different category on both the climbs and descents. Meaning, the Ripley climbs much better than the Rascal and the Rascal descends much better than the Ripley. I'd be happy to take the Rascal on any trail in Utah while the Ripley would have me concerned on some of the tougher downhills. That said the Ripley is a better long day/xc bike.
The reach on these bikes is a little shorter than most everything Yeti makes (minus the SB115) depending on your setup and fit they could require less conscious front wheel weighting than the Yeti bikes. Your bar height, stem length and personal fit probably affect that more though.
Great review Conner! and one I was looking for as the Ripley is my top contender so great to see a comparison to the competitors. Hour do you rate the Ripley to the Trail 429 (if you rode this) and whats your opinions/comparisons? Also, what are you wearing on your left hand? Looks like something my son needs. Thanks much!
Glad you liked it! The Ripley is a great contender. I haven't ridden the 429 so I can't compare. I will say the Ripley goes uphill with the best of them. It's a heck of a lot of fun on the DH too - super poppy and agile. I fell off my bike and injured my thumb back in July. I'm wearing a custom thumb brace molded to my grips.
@sfsurfer1 I took my handlebars into the hand therapy clinic and they custom made one for me. Pretty cool. The Ripley won't disappoint when it comes to climbing, or anything really. It climbs better than it has business doing.
I’m very used to bikes with head tube angles in the 65-66 degree range so it didn’t feel too slack. Seems like it’s the new normal for most bikes these days.
@@bikersedge Ah okay, thanks. My current mtb is a 2012 26" Stumpjumper FSR, so I was a little worried that the new generation of trail bikes would feel a little like monster trucks in comparison. Guess I need to get out there and demo them!
That will be the best way to decide what you like. They're all going to feel pretty different compared to what you're riding. It might take a second to adjust so have an open mind.
The Oiz TR is going to feel a lot more like an XC race bike, both up and downhill. The Ripley is very much a trail bike. The Ripley is far more stable and controlled on the descents (like it's not even the same category) and the Oiz is faster uphill.
Pretty much different categories. While the Tallboy is very capable for a trail bike the sb130 is a much, much better descender. The Tallboy is faster on the climbs though.
@@bikersedge thx! but now I'm royally confused. I've ridden both the SB130 and Ripley 4. SB130 climbed extremely well, not on par with the Ripley but not to far off.
Yeah I think it is. Despite having 140mm of travel I feel like it fits better in this category than it does with bikes like the Ripmo, Hightower and SB130.
I can pretty much say you won’t be Diy with either. If you prefer to climb fast get the Ripley. If you want a little more planted descender, get the Tallboy. The difference between them can’t be more than 10%.
Thanks for the review! Which one do you think handles rocky technical climbs better? In other words, which rear suspension and head angle are better at not getting hooked up on stuff, but without being so active as to invite pedal strikes.
The Tallboy. It feels better and smoother through the rough stuff on the climbs. It doesn't get held up at all and the added traction (from suspension) helps when it gets steep.
Personally either one is the ideal endurance XC bike for me. Let's face it, I'm not going to win one of those races any time soon. I'll take the extra capability and comfort for the tough downhills and long days in the saddle over speed and efficiency from a pure XC bike. If I had XCM racing in mind I'd go with the Ripley (with normal 2.3-2.4" tires) over the Tallboy. I'd really like it for something like True Grit.
@@bikersedge Thanks for the response. I have a local SC seller but not one that sells Ibis (tho can get one). Mmm...tough decision when considering one of these, an Epic Evo or a Scott Spark for my next bike.
I've ridden it with 140mm. To be honest it still doesn't quite ride the downhills like the Tallboy. The rear suspension design is to blame/credit for the difference I think.
@@pedroalmadav I never rode it back to back with 140 and 130. I rode the Ripley with a 140 about 3 months ago. Plus it wasn't the same fork back to back. The 140 was a Pike and the 130 was a Fox 34. To really feel the difference I should ride them back to back and on the same trail. I did feel more confident hitting bigger jumps and features on the 140 Pike equipped Ripley however. You can see how apparent it is in our Ripley vs Ripmo video. ua-cam.com/video/iK_ghh7Drck/v-deo.html
@@bikersedge hi...I have the 140mm fork and I can feel the difference...I also have a dhf wt 2.5 up front and 2.5 aggressor out back. I can definitely feel the difference...it changes your climbing position...a bit more relaxed....more stability up front and raises the bb a bit. The way my bike is set up, it climbs very well but not as well as my xtr test bike with carbon rims and a 130 fork. It is so much fun and fast.
Hi. Thanks for the video. It's a pitty we don't have much ripley or Santa Cruz here in Europe. But what I am even more interested in is your thumb support: I snapped my bands of the thump and I don't trust it anymore after the operation. Ca you tell me how it rides with this bandage? With my I get the impression that in case of a new crash I won't get my hand off the bar
That’s exactly what I did to my thumb. It’s just a thermoplastic brace that a therapist made for me. It gives enough support but is a little uncomfortable to ride with. Kind of digs into my hand a bit. I don’t really feel a big difference in my grip on the bars with it on. It’s certainly no harder to let go of the bars if needed.
I'd say quite a lot of your experience of "chatter" with the Ripley is down to the horrible tires. Nobby Nic or Hans Dampf 2.6" can't even compare to DHF in terms of damping; they are just too large and too low weight.
Martin Hertsius tires do make a huge difference. I’d be curious to see what smooths out small chatter more. A large volume, low pressure tire like the 2.6” NN vs a heavier Minion but only 2.3” width and higher air pressure. Could be a good video for us to shoot. I’ve ridden the Ripley with a handful of different tire combos. I think it still stands that the Tallboy is smoother in the early/mid stroke than the Ripley.
.1° steeper head tube angle on the Ripley & 1/6" shorter wheelbase than the Santa Cruz. What I don't understand is why Santa Cruz went to a more long travel enduro/downhill head tube angle on a XC/Trail bike. It's as if they lost sight of the classification. I'm seeing more forum chatter on people wanting used last generation Santa Cruz models due to them being more lively overall. It's interesting to watch the evolution of FS bikes over the last 5 years head further down the downhill frame geometry rabbit hole.
The Tallboy is a lot slacker (65.5 vs 66.5) and a little longer (1239 vs 1236) than the Ripley but honestly it doesn't hinder the uphill performance too much. With the Blur and Blur trail I think Santa Cruz felt like they could push this bike out of the XC category and into the capable trail bike category.
@@bikersedge But they already have *FOUR OTHER MODELS,* Hightower, Bronson, Nomad & Megatower for the endouro-trail genre, why jump into the enduro pool with the Tallboy as well when most people I know prefer a more spirited & climbing-filled trail ride? And the Blurr series is definitely XC oriented leaving, in my opinion, a *hole* between XC and Enduro-Trail.
Biker's Edge ok but the Blur trail is still 100mm out back...they simply upforked it to 110mm, which is weak sauce imho. Slightly better for Norco with the Revolver: they literally swapped the rear shock for one with a longer stroke to get to 120mm rear and then slapped a 120mm fork on the front. The geo numbers on the Revolver aren’t bad save for the high BB height compared to the conservative numbers on the Blur.
I don't think so. The change in geo isn't significant enough. The head tube angle only changes by 0.2 degrees. The head tube would still be significantly slacker on the Tallboy (nearly a degree.) More importantly though, I think it comes down to suspension platform. The Ripley is more efficient than a TB. Overall weight is a consideration as well and the Ripley is about a pound lighter for a comparable build.
@@bikersedge Can the tallboy come closer to Ripley in climbing efficiency by putting the rear shock into trail mode? If not, what else can explain the difference - 1 pound difference is very small when comparing bike+rider weight.
I been riding a V1 Ripley for about 5 years now and absolutely love it! I'm debating getting the V4 Ripley, especially considering the changes they made to the linkage ( pivots/eccentrics). In your opinion, how close are these bikes (Talllboy and V4) ? I believe the Tallboy is a bit cheaper in price. If someone bought the Tallboy would they be missing anything from the Ripley?
They are very similar and the differences between them are small. The Ripley climbs better than the Tallboy and feels a bit more agile on the downhill. The Tallboy still climbs well and is really fun to ride. I go into the differences a little more in this blog post www.bebikes.com/the-hub/tallboy-vs-ripley-trail-bike-showdown
@@1ndomitus The Ripley's 2.6" tires were lighter weight Nobby Nics. The 2.3" Minions on the Tallboy actually weigh more than the NN. They also have a more aggressive tread pattern. All this to say, that in terms of climbing performance the tires are probably pretty close.
Good question. To be fair I haven't pedaled either one of these for most of a day. The longest ride I've done on either one was about 3 hours. They both feel pretty similar geo-wise. I think I'd have to take the Ripley. It sits a little more upright.
I think its probably impossible to be 100% objective, from what ive seen on these types of reviews, the first bike ridden always sets a standard expectations the 2nd bike has to meet, even if better the 1st bike always gets a plus on something.
Typical story: small company makes it big by offering unique quality and is bought out by huge company and uniqueness becomes same-same as all the rest of the big names. Santa Cruz defined the playful & balanced excellent handling/climbing bike and has now become just another downhill bike, even in their short travel "Trail bike" model. Sad to lose the old Santa Cruz with it's snappy playfulness to now being just another 'Specialized'.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I just tried both ripley and 2019 tallboy. I am a Ibis bikes fan but I must admit, the tallboy felt way more comfortable. The ripley had fox 36 and the tallboy fox 34 but for some reason the tallboy felt more comfortable on rocks. Ripley does climb better and it feels quicker but my hands suffered a little more than on the tallboy. Tallboy felt pleasant almost the whole ride. Ripley felt sporty but took a toll on my hands. Tallboy geometry made the bike feel like it had more travel! Mind you the ripely had 130 front, 120 rear. The tallboy had 120 front and 110 rear and I still felt more confident on the Tallboy when going downhill than the ripley. Try and test bikes before buying them. I was so convinced I wanted a Ripley and almost did not want to believe the tallboy felt better. Bikes feel different for everyone but this was my experience. I hope this helps anyone looking for a bike out there.
I’ve been waiting for almost 2 months for my ripley from you guys
Sorry about the wait. Unfortunately the entire bike industry is pretty far behind on fulfilling orders. It's been rough for everyone.
Can’t go wrong with either. “Poppy” is the a great description for the Ripley, both bikes are poppier than say an SB120.
I marvel at your skill as a bike rider!
Man. You should see someone who’s actually good at bikes!!
I was between these two and so glad I got the Ripley.
I got my Ripley in last Tues, no regrets, it rips.
Live to see the Giant Trance 29 added to this comparison
Agreed. We will do our best to get it in there on a future video. I used to own a Trance 29 as my personal bike and think it's a great contender in this category. If memory serves me well, the Trance feels a bit more like the Tallboy on the descents with a more active rear suspension. On the climbs its closest to the Tallboy as well.
X2
My GF rides the aluminum Trance 29, and I've demo'd it several times. It is a wonderful bike. I think the aluminum Trance 29 is hands down, the best value, legit, trail/do it all bike out there. The carbon Trance builds have some more serious competition from the smaller, high end brands though. If I was going to spend 5-7k, I'd probably look elsewhere, but for less than 3K, the aluminum Trance 29 has no peers. It is a really, really good bike at that price point.
@@matt-jami-Van I also think so. I'm riding an aluminum Trance 29 too, but have upgraded all components, including the fork. So far it's been hard to actually replace the frame with a boutique brand of the same travel category. It's hard to justify because the frame is really good and I have the impression that I wouldn't gain anything by replacing it (aside from the "status symbol" you get from riding a boutique bike)
DW's suspensions are so sweet and responsive. After testing both went with the Ripley
Nice. It’s a rad bike for sure.
Ripmo vs Hightower will be an interesting one for sure!
Yes it would. After riding them a few times each, I can already tell you the Ripmo climbs better and the Hightower descends more confidently.
I almost bought the Ripley and I considered the Tall Boy, but I went with the High Tower instead. The Ripley is a great bike for sure and so is the Tall Boy. So many reviews that compare the Ripley to the High Tower, Tall Boy, and Bronson say it's the better climber. Down hill always goes to the Santa Cruz bikes. My High Tower climbs pretty darn nice. Much better than my Scott Spark did. It's also very comfortable and smooth on the trail. The two things that turned me from the Ibis Ripley was I don't like the rear shock position and how it makes getting the water bottle out a tad cumbersome. The biggest thing is the warranty. Ibis has a 7 year frame warranty and Santa Cruz has a lifetime warranty on the frame plus lifetime on the pivot bearings. I plan on keeping this bike longer than 7 years because I don't want to shell out thousands of dollars every 5 or 7 years on a new bike. Thanks for the video. You did a nice job on comparing the two bikes.
The Tallboy seemed very noisy in the video. The Ripley seemed like a much quieter bike. Is that just chainslap on the TB frame? Also, do you think the TB would do even better on descending if it had the bigger volume 2.6" tires like the Ripley?
I think of a lot of the noise you're hearing is a combination of a few things. The Rockshox suspension is a bit noisier. You can hear the fluid moving through it more than you can with Fox. The other is the Tallboy comes with 2.3" tires on 27mm rims. I have more air pressure in those tires than on the Ripley with 2.6" tires on a 35mm rim. There isn't much chain slap to be heard on either bike.
Also the GoPro Hero 7 switches back and forth between standard stereo audio and a wind reduction mode. The wind reduction mode reduced a bit of the bike noise as well. Maybe that has something to do with it.
As far as the 2.6" tire on the Tallboy goes I think it could go either way. The 2.6" will "float" a little more but might roll in the corners. I tend to prefer a narrower (2.3"-2.5") tire for riding hard. I think it mostly comes down to preference here though.
Biker's Edge l
Wish I could my hands on Ripley. Just got off tallboy today and enjoyed the heck out of it. Of coarse compared to XTC hard tail probably doesn’t take much to impress.
Tried both. Prefer the agility and playfulness of the Ripley and it’s a lot easier to ride in the tight stuff.
Agreed!
Which would you recommend for the type of trails that exist in central Minnesota? Midwest area so not that mountainous. Maybe the tallboy would be overkill and Ripley is the better choice?
Not super familiar with the area. Sounds like the Ripley could be a good option for you.
@@bikersedge Yup that's what I'm leaning towards. Plus the ability to *feel* the trail and not feel like you're floating. Thanks for the content.
Which would you say is the more well rounded trail bike? Is the ripley closer to the tallboy on the downs than the tallboy is to the ripley on the ups? Thanks your bike reviews are always spot on you do a great job! Looking to get one of these two bikes for New England riding.
The Ripley is probably more well rounded. The TB is a great descender for the category.
Love your work! Really good evaluation of these fine trail bikes.
The descents looked fast ... Did you time them? The Ripley actually looked faster (to me), but maybe it was just not coping as well?
Have to wonder what testing with the same tyre size (either 2.4 or 2.6) might have revealed, apart from make the Ripley an even faster climber.
Thanks. Glad you like it.
I timed some of them after the fact using the GoPro footage. The Tallboy was faster in the bumpy stuff and on the techy trail. The Ripley was faster on the smoother stuff and tighter stuff.
I rode the Ripley a few months back with 2.3" Trail King tires. It felt way faster and every bit as capable. I wish Ibis would ship the bike with something other than a 2.6" Nobby Nic or super heavy Assegai option.
Cant decide between this and the tallboy still. Im switching my spec SJ 2019 c frame for either ripley or tallboy to go to something a little more pedal friendly. But these seem so good both of them...
You can't really go wrong with either of these!
Very helpful. Thank you.
Nice review. Thank you.
Those cables on the Ripley. Noticeable from the SC
The new TB4 rips!
Sure does! It's a lot of fun.
Would this be an accurate sentiment of your thoughts?
Super similiar bikes.
Ripley
Climbing 9 of 10
Descending(I guess this just means big hits, stability, deflection on gnarly stuff) 6 of 10
Handling 9 of 10
Fun - Depends whether you want the lighter weight/quicker bike or the speed through gnar.
Tallboy
Climbing 8 of 10
Descending 7 of 10
Handling 8 of 10
Fun - More stable, slightly heavier. Longer/more slack (slightly on both)
Did you have any traction issues with what I assume was narrower tires on the TB? I know you have to increase the TB chain-stay length to get the 2.5ish range I personally prefer.
I'd say thats fairly close. Although I'd probably put the Tallboy at 8/10 descending. And maybe drop it to a 7/10 for climbing. It's just that much more confident and descent focused. I'd take the stiffer RS Pike over the Fox 34 any day of the week and I think that had a lot to do with how confident the bike felt.
I actually preferred the narrower tire on the Tallboy than the big 2.6" on the Ripley. The Maxxis Minions never lack grip even in a 2.3" width.
Awesome thanks! Yeah I really want a pike or 36 on whatever I get :).
Biker's Edge I also thought I saw you said you tried the ripley with a 140mm? Would that be your personal preference with a 36/pike? Anyway thanks pretty limited demo options for these bikes where I live :)!
Edit: guess I said that poorly. Was trying to say did you prefer these bikes at 140 or 130 fork travel if you had the chance to try it :).
Michael Kay the first time I ride the Ripley it had a 140mm Pike. I think it’s much better than the stock option. I don’t know if I’d put a 36 on either one - just for weight reasons.
Biker's Edge great, thanks a ton! I’ll def stop by BE if I ever get a chance :)
Great review!👍🏽
Hello, can’t find a comparison between Ripley and Blur TR…
We haven’t been able to get a blur for review yet. Still working on that one. LT bough I wouldn’t put those two in the same category at all.
@@bikersedge ok thanks I wasn’t sure if they could compare since similar weights and travel.
Nice job brother!
Why thank you!
Grabs two bikes from the same category: "omg they're more similar than I thought!"
;)
Esteban LV enduro? These are 120mm
@@seanhornchek6440 as Chris Porter keeps telling us, it's more about geometry than travel.
@@esvegateban I don't see any enduro racers on 120mm bikes, these bikes can certainly handle anything an average rider may encounter due to geometry but they aren't nearly as forgiving to big hits and enduro racing tracks.
@@seanhornchek6440 edited my comment to avoid nit-picking and pointless conversations that do not change what I meant.
No, the Ripley with 2.6" tyres out-handled (11:08) & out-climbed the Tallboy with it's 2.3" tyres - that's not a *little difference* to me.
Hi, Thanks for the review. Have you had the chance to ride the Orbea Occam? If so, how would u compare it with those 2? Thanks!
I have. Here's the link to the video ua-cam.com/video/U1WLJOpt74M/v-deo.html
I do not see how it gets any better than the TB. Loving mine.
It’s a solid bike. Super fun.
Which bike is better for riding in SoCal? I am looking for an efficient climber and a plush descender. I currently ride an XC race bike and I need something with more travel to cushion my old bones better. I am leaning toward the Tallboy, but the Ripley is definitely a contender. Also wondering if the Hightower would be better than the Tallboy for the steep/rocky terrain in San Diego.
I haven't ridden much out there so I can't really say. All I've done is the old school Laguna stuff, and for that, I want a Megatower.
@@bikersedge LOL! I hear ya. Noble Canyon is no joke. I don't shuttle when I ride it though. My carbon Trek Fuel 98 handles the climb just fine, but the rocky sections of the downhill are white knuckle time for sure. I ended up buying a demo 2020 Tallboy C S for a huge discount this morning. I'm guessing it will be far better than my Trek on something like Noble, but not as good as the Hightower. Will it be enough? Time will tell.
@@precycled1 Nice. I think you'll be stoked on that bike. It is a really fun and engaging ride.
@@precycled1 how did you end up digging the tallboy??!!
@@jarcidiacono1 It was a great bike but I needed a beefier fork and more travel. I rode it for 6 months and traded it in for an Ibis Ripmo V2. It is a little more sluggish on the climbs but it plows through anything you throw at it.
Hi are you running inserts?
Not on those bikes.
@@bikersedge so you don’t recommend on trail bikes at 120mm? I just picked up a Ripley and I’m sooo used to having an insert in with my sc and ripmo. Would the insert take away from the playfulness of the bike? I love the stability confidence with an insert but hate the weight. Your thoughts on double dhr on the Ripley
I wouldn’t say they’re inappropriate on a bike like that. All depends on the rider. If you’re tough on wheels and tires then yeah I’d put one in. You’ll notice the weight and it will kill a bit of the magic of a short travel trail bike. But then again so does getting a flat every time you ride.
@@bikersedge thank you for the feedback. Man I’m so used to inserts I dont know if I’m tough on wheels and tires. Never had an issue so I’m sssuming I’m not tough on the wheels and tires. Or was it the inserts doing its job. Will experiment on both setups
What tire combo (no inserts 😊would you run on the Ripley if you had one bike. Do all type setup. I saw ur video on tires and you recommended forecaster Rekon race for 120mm and below suspension bikes (xc light trail). Does that hold true to the Ripley
Between the two of them, which one is easier to get off the ground? I'm so torn between them, and i guess my decision would be base on how easy they jump around on trails. Need some advice here. Thanks in advance. Big fan of your channel
I think the TB is the better jumper. Not only in getting off the ground, but also landing. The frame feels more stout and offers more control for landing jumps.
So, if I were to get rid of my JET9 RDO (120mm front), my RIP9 (120mm front) and WFO9 (160mm front), and I ride mostly XC trails but also find myself on alpine style rides every now and again, and I wanted 1 bike to replace 3, would I go with the Santa Cruz or with the Ibis (answer probably Ibis?).
If you prioritize climbing I’d recommend the Ibis. It’s capable enough and climbs very well.
May I ask what wrist brace that is you're wearing?
I crashed my bike and tried to tear my thumb off. My doctor made this to stabilize my thumb. I had him mold around my handlebars though. Pretty cool stuff.
Great video. Thoughts on 2020 Trek Fuel EX?
Haven't ridden it but it looks cool. Seems like people like it quite a bit.
Hi just wondering how the tall boy would compare to the Bronson. I currently ride a 2019 Bronson, great bike especially descending. Would you say the tall boy is a better all around bike? Is it note playful? How about compared to the Hightower? Thank you, nice review.
Tallboy and Bronson/Hightower are very different. The Tallboy and 5010 would be a closer comparison. The Tallboy is a better climber than either the Bronson or HT. It's a little more maneuverable and lively as well. It can't match the other two in capability though.
Maybe I missed it but what is your height and what size bikes did you ride? Do you feel like the Ibis ran small?
I’m 6’2” and almost always ride XL. They Ibis felt smaller than the Tallboy but it didn’t feel too small. I think the difference is in the seat tube angle. The Tallboy has a slacker actual angle than the Ripley so the higher the saddle goes the further back it gets.
Love the channel! Are you guys going to test the Pivot Trail 429 and new Switchblade?
Thanks for the kind words. We don't stock Pivot so unfortunately not.
Nice video. How about letting us know your height and weight so we can put your comments in perspective and also where you are riding. Thanks.
Glad you liked it. There's always a written article to go along with these reviews. I go into a lot more details especially about fit and sizing there. www.bebikes.com/the-hub/tallboy-vs-ripley-trail-bike-showdown
For the most part, I try to keep the videos as succinct and entertaining as possible.
nice review, this really helped. I ended up getting the niner rip 9 rdo 4 star
What made you go with the niner? Did you test ride all three?
Another great video! Thank you! What would you say the difference, good and bad, between the Revel Rascal and the Ripley? I am sold on both.
The Rascal is in a different category on both the climbs and descents. Meaning, the Ripley climbs much better than the Rascal and the Rascal descends much better than the Ripley. I'd be happy to take the Rascal on any trail in Utah while the Ripley would have me concerned on some of the tougher downhills. That said the Ripley is a better long day/xc bike.
Do you need to weight the front like a yeti?
Not sure what you mean here.
@@bikersedge with the progressive design. Did you need to get over the front to corner?
The reach on these bikes is a little shorter than most everything Yeti makes (minus the SB115) depending on your setup and fit they could require less conscious front wheel weighting than the Yeti bikes. Your bar height, stem length and personal fit probably affect that more though.
Great review Conner! and one I was looking for as the Ripley is my top contender so great to see a comparison to the competitors. Hour do you rate the Ripley to the Trail 429 (if you rode this) and whats your opinions/comparisons? Also, what are you wearing on your left hand? Looks like something my son needs. Thanks much!
Glad you liked it! The Ripley is a great contender. I haven't ridden the 429 so I can't compare. I will say the Ripley goes uphill with the best of them. It's a heck of a lot of fun on the DH too - super poppy and agile.
I fell off my bike and injured my thumb back in July. I'm wearing a custom thumb brace molded to my grips.
@sfsurfer1 I took my handlebars into the hand therapy clinic and they custom made one for me. Pretty cool.
The Ripley won't disappoint when it comes to climbing, or anything really. It climbs better than it has business doing.
@@bikersedge found that reply on your thump . Sounds good I a am sad for not taking my grips with me. Maybe have to buy a second pair
Great review! Any experience with the Intense Primer V1 and how the Ripley feels compared to that?
Unfortunately no. I haven't ridden that one.
Whats the name of that trail?
Baby Thunder
How does the slack head angle of the Tallboy feel on steep climbs?
I’m very used to bikes with head tube angles in the 65-66 degree range so it didn’t feel too slack. Seems like it’s the new normal for most bikes these days.
@@bikersedge Ah okay, thanks. My current mtb is a 2012 26" Stumpjumper FSR, so I was a little worried that the new generation of trail bikes would feel a little like monster trucks in comparison. Guess I need to get out there and demo them!
That will be the best way to decide what you like. They're all going to feel pretty different compared to what you're riding. It might take a second to adjust so have an open mind.
Hi, thanx for nice reviews! I am between Ripley V4 and Orbea OIZ TR, is it possible to compare these two bikes? Climbing, acceleration, descending?
The Oiz TR is going to feel a lot more like an XC race bike, both up and downhill. The Ripley is very much a trail bike. The Ripley is far more stable and controlled on the descents (like it's not even the same category) and the Oiz is faster uphill.
Great Vid.. I'm also curious how Tallboy/SB130 compare.
Pretty much different categories. While the Tallboy is very capable for a trail bike the sb130 is a much, much better descender. The Tallboy is faster on the climbs though.
@@bikersedge thx! but now I'm royally confused. I've ridden both the SB130 and Ripley 4. SB130 climbed extremely well, not on par with the Ripley but not to far off.
@@michaelutley7661 True, they both climb very well. It's on the descents where the SB130 is in a category of its own.
What was the tire difference?
Stock tires on both bikes. Minion 2.3 on the Tallboy and Nobby Nic 2.6 on the Ripley.
I know you reviewed the Occam and said it felt fast and climbed well too.... is that a similar bike to these?
Yeah I think it is. Despite having 140mm of travel I feel like it fits better in this category than it does with bikes like the Ripmo, Hightower and SB130.
Great riding and review! Got my eyes on SC tall boy
Hey thanks! Glad you liked it.
Ripley all the way. Way more better bike than Santa Cruz. Got new Ripley V4 2022 custom made, what a bike.
Which one pedals the best on flat or flowy trails?
Ripley. Hands down.
@@bikersedge I'm at a loss if I should go for the Ripley or the Tallboy 😫
I can pretty much say you won’t be Diy with either. If you prefer to climb fast get the Ripley. If you want a little more planted descender, get the Tallboy. The difference between them can’t be more than 10%.
Thanks for the review!
Which one do you think handles rocky technical climbs better? In other words, which rear suspension and head angle are better at not getting hooked up on stuff, but without being so active as to invite pedal strikes.
The Tallboy. It feels better and smoother through the rough stuff on the climbs. It doesn't get held up at all and the added traction (from suspension) helps when it gets steep.
If you had to Marry one which was would it be ?
Best thing about living in Utah is you don't have to pick just one....
I see what you did there😄
Biker's Edge 👏
Biker's Edge 😂😂😂😂😂🍾🍾🍾🍾
Great review, thanks.
Would you select either as an xcm bike? To use in a multi-day stage race?
Personally either one is the ideal endurance XC bike for me. Let's face it, I'm not going to win one of those races any time soon. I'll take the extra capability and comfort for the tough downhills and long days in the saddle over speed and efficiency from a pure XC bike. If I had XCM racing in mind I'd go with the Ripley (with normal 2.3-2.4" tires) over the Tallboy. I'd really like it for something like True Grit.
@@bikersedge Thanks for the response.
I have a local SC seller but not one that sells Ibis (tho can get one).
Mmm...tough decision when considering one of these, an Epic Evo or a Scott Spark for my next bike.
Not considering the Pivot Trail 429?
@@1ndomitus I think that's a great bike. Although, It's not something we have access to at our shop. We won't be able to do a review.
How do these bikes compare to the Intense Sniper Pro Trail?
I've never ridden that one so I can't compare.
Sweet trail! Wheres it at?
Snowbird
I’m only here to see the tallboy cuz there aren’t many reviews for it
We have a review about just the Tallboy is that's what you're looking for. It's in the "Bike Reviews" playlist.
Thx welcome done
Do you think a 140 fork would help the Ripley?
I've ridden it with 140mm. To be honest it still doesn't quite ride the downhills like the Tallboy. The rear suspension design is to blame/credit for the difference I think.
@@bikersedge did you honestly felt any difference between 130 and 140 fork?
@@pedroalmadav I never rode it back to back with 140 and 130. I rode the Ripley with a 140 about 3 months ago. Plus it wasn't the same fork back to back. The 140 was a Pike and the 130 was a Fox 34. To really feel the difference I should ride them back to back and on the same trail. I did feel more confident hitting bigger jumps and features on the 140 Pike equipped Ripley however. You can see how apparent it is in our Ripley vs Ripmo video. ua-cam.com/video/iK_ghh7Drck/v-deo.html
@@bikersedge hi...I have the 140mm fork and I can feel the difference...I also have a dhf wt 2.5 up front and 2.5 aggressor out back. I can definitely feel the difference...it changes your climbing position...a bit more relaxed....more stability up front and raises the bb a bit. The way my bike is set up, it climbs very well but not as well as my xtr test bike with carbon rims and a 130 fork. It is so much fun and fast.
Just ordered Tallboy AR 2019 for $2899 hope I made the right choice since the Ripley is all sold out
Nice. Congrats. You're going to dig it.
Biker's Edge thanks for the video can’t wait to get it delivered
What trail is this?
A few different trails at Snowbird.
Where is the tallboy Hightower comp
On the way.
Hi. Thanks for the video. It's a pitty we don't have much ripley or Santa Cruz here in Europe. But what I am even more interested in is your thumb support: I snapped my bands of the thump and I don't trust it anymore after the operation. Ca you tell me how it rides with this bandage? With my I get the impression that in case of a new crash I won't get my hand off the bar
That’s exactly what I did to my thumb. It’s just a thermoplastic brace that a therapist made for me. It gives enough support but is a little uncomfortable to ride with. Kind of digs into my hand a bit. I don’t really feel a big difference in my grip on the bars with it on. It’s certainly no harder to let go of the bars if needed.
ok what's the difference between the Hightower & tallboy now.
You beat us to it. Please hold. Video coming shortly.
Do you think one would be better for a less skilled rider. Thanks for the great video.
For the descents the Tallboy is probably a little more forgiving. The Ripley will probably make the climbs a little easier.
I'd say quite a lot of your experience of "chatter" with the Ripley is down to the horrible tires. Nobby Nic or Hans Dampf 2.6" can't even compare to DHF in terms of damping; they are just too large and too low weight.
Martin Hertsius tires do make a huge difference. I’d be curious to see what smooths out small chatter more. A large volume, low pressure tire like the 2.6” NN vs a heavier Minion but only 2.3” width and higher air pressure. Could be a good video for us to shoot.
I’ve ridden the Ripley with a handful of different tire combos. I think it still stands that the Tallboy is smoother in the early/mid stroke than the Ripley.
.1° steeper head tube angle on the Ripley & 1/6" shorter wheelbase than the Santa Cruz. What I don't understand is why Santa Cruz went to a more long travel enduro/downhill head tube angle on a XC/Trail bike. It's as if they lost sight of the classification. I'm seeing more forum chatter on people wanting used last generation Santa Cruz models due to them being more lively overall. It's interesting to watch the evolution of FS bikes over the last 5 years head further down the downhill frame geometry rabbit hole.
The Tallboy is a lot slacker (65.5 vs 66.5) and a little longer (1239 vs 1236) than the Ripley but honestly it doesn't hinder the uphill performance too much. With the Blur and Blur trail I think Santa Cruz felt like they could push this bike out of the XC category and into the capable trail bike category.
@@bikersedge But they already have *FOUR OTHER MODELS,*
Hightower, Bronson, Nomad & Megatower for the endouro-trail genre, why jump into the enduro pool with the Tallboy as well when most people I know prefer a more spirited & climbing-filled trail ride?
And the Blurr series is definitely XC oriented leaving, in my opinion, a *hole* between XC and Enduro-Trail.
Biker's Edge ok but the Blur trail is still 100mm out back...they simply upforked it to 110mm, which is weak sauce imho. Slightly better for Norco with the Revolver: they literally swapped the rear shock for one with a longer stroke to get to 120mm rear and then slapped a 120mm fork on the front. The geo numbers on the Revolver aren’t bad save for the high BB height compared to the conservative numbers on the Blur.
If the Tallboy was in "high" mode, would the climbing capability be much closer to the Ripley?
I don't think so. The change in geo isn't significant enough. The head tube angle only changes by 0.2 degrees. The head tube would still be significantly slacker on the Tallboy (nearly a degree.)
More importantly though, I think it comes down to suspension platform. The Ripley is more efficient than a TB. Overall weight is a consideration as well and the Ripley is about a pound lighter for a comparable build.
@@bikersedge Can the tallboy come closer to Ripley in climbing efficiency by putting the rear shock into trail mode? If not, what else can explain the difference - 1 pound difference is very small when comparing bike+rider weight.
@@yasmas70 Why have FS if you have to lock it out to climb? Just buy a Hard Tail.
I been riding a V1 Ripley for about 5 years now and absolutely love it! I'm debating getting the V4 Ripley, especially considering the changes they made to the linkage ( pivots/eccentrics).
In your opinion, how close are these bikes (Talllboy and V4) ? I believe the Tallboy is a bit cheaper in price. If someone bought the Tallboy would they be missing anything from the Ripley?
They are very similar and the differences between them are small. The Ripley climbs better than the Tallboy and feels a bit more agile on the downhill. The Tallboy still climbs well and is really fun to ride. I go into the differences a little more in this blog post www.bebikes.com/the-hub/tallboy-vs-ripley-trail-bike-showdown
@@bikersedge And the Ripley had 2.SIX tyres vs the Tallboy 2.THREEs - and Ripley still out-climbed it. That's more than just a "small" difference.
@@1ndomitus The Ripley's 2.6" tires were lighter weight Nobby Nics. The 2.3" Minions on the Tallboy actually weigh more than the NN. They also have a more aggressive tread pattern. All this to say, that in terms of climbing performance the tires are probably pretty close.
Ripley sure is quieter! Tallboy sounds like Fred Sanfords truck!!
yup sounds loud but on other reviews is quiet, I wonder if it has an issue?
I found a loose rear brake rotor after the ride. that could have been some of the extra noise on the Tallboy.
Wouldn't you include the price of both bikes££ ??
Our Tallboy build came in at $8199 with Reserve carbon wheels and the Ripley is a bit of an odd build but would come in around $6900.
@@bikersedge THANKS GUYS
Great review 👍😎 Are you going to do the Yeti SB 165 ? 👍
Yes sir. It's already filmed and now just in the editing process.
Can I ask which one you found more comfortable pedalling all day Geo wise. Flat terrain and what not
Good question. To be fair I haven't pedaled either one of these for most of a day. The longest ride I've done on either one was about 3 hours. They both feel pretty similar geo-wise. I think I'd have to take the Ripley. It sits a little more upright.
I think its probably impossible to be 100% objective, from what ive seen on these types of reviews, the first bike ridden always sets a standard expectations the 2nd bike has to meet, even if better the 1st bike always gets a plus on something.
This wasn’t the first time I had ridden either bike. I actually rode the Ripley a long time before the Tallboy.
Great content. Thank you. I would suggest less riding footage to shorten your videos.
What about more riding footage to lengthen them?
🤘🏼🤘🏼
It would be prudent to look at other brands also there are some really good bikes in this category.
Anybody else feel the tallboy was significantly louder than the Ripley? Sounded like a box of legos on the downhill
Typical story: small company makes it big by offering unique quality and is bought out by huge company and uniqueness becomes same-same as all the rest of the big names.
Santa Cruz defined the playful & balanced excellent handling/climbing bike and has now become just another downhill bike, even in their short travel "Trail bike" model.
Sad to lose the old Santa Cruz with it's snappy playfulness to now being just another 'Specialized'.
Dw link boyzzz🔥
Here I thought 29ers are dead.
#36forlife
Biker's Edge 😂
ibis ...