Mountain Bike Reviews Forum banner

HD4 vs RIPMO

15K views 14 replies 7 participants last post by  Creg 
#1 ·
Hi guys, looking for some hint. Im currently owner of the beast on the picture. Im 187cm height 90kg. Im a a satisfied owner of HD4. That bike is just awesome. BUT. I feel on this bike a little bit small. And I have now opportunity to change it for RIPMO in same setup with no extra money. There are a few thing Im hasiteting.

I like 153mm rear travel. I could use more - how about 145?
I like 65 HT angle.
Im in bikepark only 2-4x per year.
I do from time to time enduro races.

So what do u think?

Stay where Im now or move forward and try ripmo?
 

Attachments

See less See more
1
#2 ·
I am same weight and height as you are. I found out that HD4 can do all the things that Ripmo can do, but Ripmo can’t do all the things that HD4 can do. (In my experience).

Ripmo feels more efficient at climbing, and slow speeds. Ripmo cockpit feels more cramped, due to steeper SA.

HD4 is more confidence inspiring, willing to take bigger hits, more forgiving.

My $0.02


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#14 ·
I am same weight and height as you are. I found out that HD4 can do all the things that Ripmo can do, but Ripmo can't do all the things that HD4 can do. (In my experience).

Ripmo feels more efficient at climbing, and slow speeds. Ripmo cockpit feels more cramped, due to steeper SA.

HD4 is more confidence inspiring, willing to take bigger hits, more forgiving.

My $0.02

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Interesting--I demoed a RipMo for 3 days--I own an HD3--if I had to pick between the RipMO and HD3--Id pick the HD3. I demoed an HD4 and loved it--but too close to HD3--I too was surprised when the L RipMo was cramped compare to L HD4--my HD3 is an XL and it I got a RipMo would need an XL.

So basically--I had the same experience :)

This shocked me--I thought Id easily drop 10-20 seconds off a rather fast DH time on the 29er vs 27.5--this did NOT happen and Im not sure thats its a given using a 29er
 
#3 ·
A bigger bike can always do the same things a smaller bike can do...it's just more work. I traded my 27.5 firebird for the RIPMO and admittedly the bird was an eben bigger bike than the HD4 but it too could do all that the RIPMO can do. Certain things are just easier on the RIPMO however like climbing rock infested steeps and getting the front wheel up on ledges. Also carrying speed seems more efficient and its more poppy. You simply need less watts to keep the RIPMO moving. Obviously the bird was better at all the gravity assisted gnar mostly due to travel and better fork/ shock tunes but the RIPMO handles that stuff just fine. The bigger wheels do compensate a little for the 145 but it will not ride like a 160 bike. RIPMO does fine on built flow trails but I don't like it that much for natural DH.
 
#6 ·
coming back to the original post,

Are these bikes really that much different? if so why?

The front travel is the same, the WBs are the same.

The biggest differences between these two bikes...
Head angle 66 versus 65, but this can be explained by trail owing to the different wheel sizes. In the end this should equate to a similar feel.
The CS are slightly longer on the 29er, resulting in a shorter front center.
The reach will be longer on the 29er owing to steeper head angle, but the shorter front center - kind of makes this a wash.

Therefore the big difference in 145mm travel versus 153mm of travel. In general, most 29ers from various companies seem to run a bit less rear travel on their 29er relative to their 27.5 counterpart. The assumption that bigger wheels provide travel without actually true travel - i get this.

In my view, these appear as similar bikes just one in 27.5 and one in 29er....what am I missing in this evaluation?

In many discussions, it is appears that the HD4 is more burly whereas the Ripmo is more trail oriented. Maybe I am reading into the tea leaves too much.
 
#7 ·

HD4 can def level the trail... :)
I road both, and my stile riding HD4 is much more confidence inspiring, and I can still clean all the techie climbs ass good as Ripmo.
Is One likes better Fast (not DH), not much jumping, Ripmo would outperform HD4
Also I don't want to hear how come Enduro rider ride the Ripmo... #1 Marketing, #2 they are in much better shape then rest of us (they are pro's), #3 their bikes are set up by pro's (running 170/180mm forks), #4 I would not be surprised if they have more than 145mm travel out back ( Ibis demo guy told me after I asked him about LT Ripmo, he smiled and told me we have always something new that we work on it. But I ask about more travel HD4, he was like I wish...).
:(

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#8 ·
Thanks buddy!!! Nice drop!

Last year, I purchased a HD4, but it is was delayed. I needed a bike for a bike trip and purchased an Evil Calling. I was amazed by the Calling and its capabilities. It has been my go to bike for the last year. When the HD4 finally showed up, I was already happy with the Calling and just kept with it riding the HD4 occasionally. I really never gave the HD4 a chance. I was planning to sell it. Anyway, I just got back for a 9 day trip in the PNW - Washington and Canada and mistakenly brought the Calling instead HD4. The Calling was fine until about day 3, after that I was just getting beat up with the Calling and couldn't let it go as much as I preferred. I came back and been happily riding the HD4 and appreciate what it has to offer.
 
#9 ·
Jeff Kendall said in his video hd4 for bigger hits and bike parks and is more forgiving. Seems to confer the common notion of ripmo being more trail and less effort to climb but not as forgiving.

The SA is pretty different , 74 vs 76. Climbing is better since your over the BB more but that with a steeper HA, it should feel more sketchy on steeps. I guess in the end it just an hd4 closer to trail than enduro which might be closer to the sweet spot of most. I personally dont mind working more to get to the top and maximize the forgiveness coming down. My lines are suspect and that little extra with flat pedals has gotten me out of trouble.

Dude. I'm thinking you would be happier on the hd4. It'll let you go bigger and faster than the Calling. Also read that many prefer the dpx2 on the ripmo and the x2 on the hd4. Not really sure why.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
#10 ·
Well I have ordered Ripmo and I will have the luxury of testing both and than I will let go one of them.

So I will let you know about my feelings, maybe it will help to other ppl... Currently are my feelings still a bit confused sicne Im 187 cm. I feel a bit too big for 27,5 but it might be just a wrong feeling. So we will see.
 
#12 ·
Ripmo wouldn't be my first choice as a trail bike with 48 in WB and a 160mm fork, but the consensus seems to be that it's pretty nimble and a great all round all mountain bike. How I've seen it described which makes sense to me is that if you are going to have one bike get the Ripmo, but if you're gonna have an XC/trail bike as well get the HD4. I only have one bike but I'm sticking with my HD4 because I ride a bit of park and it lets me get away with a whole lot of crap!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top