Ibis

Mojo SL-R Carbon Mountain Bike Frame - 2014

When Ibis returned to the world of mountain bikes, things had changed drastically from the days of hand jobs and threaded steerer tubes. But they mustered up the gumption, and entered a volatile market with the latest technology packed into a sharp design -- rightfully named the Mojo. It's hard to believe this frame has spawned multiple iterations, including the featherweight SL-R Mountain Bike Frame, and proves the age old idiom; it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.

The SL, a redesigned and lighter Mojo, arrived at trailheads three years ago, and marked Ibis' drive to stay at the forefront of mountain bike innovation among industry giants. The SL-R, the most hyper Mojo to date, sets that fact in stone … er, carbon. To lighten an already class leading frame, the Mojo SL-R uses a new fiber molding process that shaves a third of a pound off the SL.

The Mojo SL-R Carbon mountain bike frame is 100% carbon fiber except for inserts at the linkage shaft bores, the rear post mounts for the caliper, the direct mount front derailleur plate, and at the threads for the Maxle. The composite frame sections are molded in one piece to exploit the benefits of an exacting layup schedule and to eliminate any unnecessary material. The resulting one-piece structure is stiff and durable to provide the ultimate platform for the DW-Link to do its work, yet a large frame still weights just over five pounds.

Our sources at Ibis tell us that it's nearly as stiff as the Mojo HD frame, and this is an understated way to say that the SL-R possesses a remarkable stiffness/weight ratio. Each alloy link is forged, CNC machined, polished, and anodized for the ultimate in stiffness and sex appeal. To finish off the quest for lightness, all of the pivot hardware for the SL-R is machined from 6/4 titanium.

The rear suspension design stays largely the same. The DW-Link-controlled, 140mm of travel provides an optimal blend of all-mountain suspension characteristics. One of the most notable traits is its natural anti-squat tendency. The position of the linkages creates resistance to the rearward transfer of mass and subsequent compression (squat) of the rear end as you accelerate.

This anti-squat transfers bio-inputs into forward motion instead of activating the suspension. According to Dave Weagle, the father of the DW-Link, these properties built into the Mojo SL-R rear suspension allow Ibis to use a lightly damped shock, which translates into greater bump sensitivity, traction, and control in all trail situations whether accelerating or coasting.

The bike is designed with a 69-degree head angle that is optimized for a 140mm front fork. However, it's fully-compatible with Cane Creek's Angleset Headset, which would allow you to adjust the head angle, in total, from 67.5 degrees to 70.5 degrees to change the steering behavior of the bike to suit your personal taste. Ibis recommends forks up to 150mm for lovers of aggressive terrain.

The cable/hose routing is similar to what you'd find on the Mojo HD, with provisions for a cable actuated dropper seatpost on the top tube. The rear brake and rear derailleur will route under the down tube, and the rock-proof Mojo HD cable protector will mount right up to protect them if you find yourself in loose rocky conditions often.

The Ibis Mojo SL-R Carbon Mountain Bike Frame has a 31.6mm seatpost and comes standard with a bolt-on seatpost clamp. It requires a direct mount, top-pull front derailleur, and the post style rear brake mount will allow a direct caliper mount for up to a 160mm rotor. The Mojo SL-R has a 1-1/8in to 1.5in tapered headtube (44mm ID top and 49mm ID bottom) and accepts a mixed tapered headset.

You'll need to use a BB92 (PressFit) style bottom bracket, and the rear dropouts take a 12x142mm rear hub (Maxle thru-axle included). The Mojo SL-R comes in four sizes -- Small, Medium, Large, and X-Large -- and is available in Black and Blue, South Beach White, DB5 Silver, and Lamborine Orange.