Field Test: Ibis HD6 – Sporty and Smashy

That all sounds grand, besides taller riders might discover some shortcomings when it comes to geometry. Given that the fork journey runs lengthy at 180mm, Ibis has chosen a brief 95mm headtube on the dimensions 3 body. Compared to the Nukeproof Giga 297, which makes use of a fork of equal size, the stubby head tube is 15mm shorter and might elevate eyebrows for some riders who respect a taller stack height.

Then there are the chainstays to think about – the 435mm size stays the identical on all sizes, which we’ll talk about in each climbing and descending.

The HD6 a surprising bike when it comes to look, but it surely’s additionally dear, a minimum of for the model we examined. Unlike the Ripmo, there isn’t any aluminum body choices right here. Our prime-of-the-line construct equipment with Fox Factory suspension, home-branded carbon bars and 35mm rims, plus the newest digital shifting and dropper submit from SRAM totals $11,199 USD.

All of that sums as much as a mass of 15.1 kg (33.4 lb), almost 3 kg lighter than the heaviest bike on check, the Nicolai Nucleon 16.

Climbing

Out of the gate, the HD6 is fast on its ft. The DW-link suspension provides a stable platform to face up and put the facility down with out giving up a lot when it comes to climbing traction. The 76.5-degree seat tube angle is not the steepest on check, however testers discovered it to be it to be extra comfy for pedaling on flatter terrain in comparison with a few of the different bikes with what felt like almost vertical seat tube angles. Out of the eight bikes we had on this spherical of testing, the HD6 ranks close to the highest in relation to how straightforward it’s to climb. Its low weight definitely does not damage, however the mix of grip and help deserves credit score too.

Our dimension 3 bike was in a position to clamber up tough climbs with out a lot fuss, however the stability of the 2 bigger sizes is probably not as very best – the dimensions 5 has a whopping 541mm attain, nonetheless with these compact 435mm chainstays. It is nice to see that the seat angle does steepen on the bigger bikes, which is supposed to assist be certain that riders do not find yourself with their weight too far over the rear wheel.

Descending

Why can we maintain occurring about why the HD6 being an outstanding enduro race bike? In the suitable palms, it may be an absolute weapon on the descents. In a straight line, the monstrous 180mm fork can eat heavy impacts, making you’re feeling invincible at instances. However, relying on the way you arrange the fork, that may trigger an imbalance with the 165mm of journey out again. Compared to a typical 170mm fork, it yields extra sag and a steeper head tube angle, subsequently quicker steering. When you get into steep, chunky trails, present in Whistler’s Garbanzo Zone, the entrance finish height can really feel further low because the fork strikes into its plentiful journey. Unlike the equally aligned Commencal Meta SX V5, it’s not as safe feeling in steep terrain or fairly as forgiving when it comes to stiffness.

Why the lengthy fork then? Simply put, extra journey means elevated consolation and grip over the course of an enduro race weekend.

At the trailing finish, the HD6’s DW-Link suspension handles impacts of all sizes successfully, however most significantly, with consistency. No, it doesn’t have that bump-erasing high quality of the excessive-pivot Slash, nor does it have the squishy consolation of the Nukeproof Giga, but it surely permits you to focus much less on what “might happen” on the rear wheel, retaining it predictable throughout numerous path varieties.

When the race mode is engaged, you’ll be able to assault nearly all the things you’d discover in a motorbike park. There’s a superb pairing of stiffness and forgiveness offered by the body flex and suspension too, a minimum of for skilled stage riders. On the flip-facet, for those who don’t have Enduro World Cup ambitions, pedalling the lengthy-journey HD6 round much less taxing trails wouldn’t be a complete burden both, making it appropriate selection for those who favor to be over-geared up when it comes to journey.

Technical Report

Ibis Handlebars: Handlebars are a private desire, so why not put one thing center of the street on there and let the rider decide their very own if they’ve an odd favourite. These 31.8mm carbon bars had a ton of backsweep, but state a 9-degree angle. They’re on the softer facet for flex and make sense for survivng all-day enduro descents. One fascinating characteristic which I have not seen on another carbon bar is the built-in alloy ends that thread in so as to add or subtract size.

Ibis Carbon Rims: Another distinctive element carrying the Ibis identify are the additional-huge, 35mm carbon rims. Those give the tires a extra sq. profile, which may also help to interact the shoulder knobs earlier and enhance tire stability at decrease pressures. Plus, none of us had any complaints about them being overly stiff. A minor problem to notice was that the spokes misplaced rigidity before anticipated and require finagling to carry straight as they’re tightened.

SRAM Code RSC brakes: One would possibly contemplate Code RSCs the bread and butter of braking. They’re linear in energy, pretty dependable and spare elements are available. However, we wished that the HD6 got here with the thicker HS2 rotors which dissipate warmth quicker.