Ranger vs Ripley

[Laps]

So, by some miracle I found 2 bikes local to me that I are on my short list. Ranger is a full GX build @$5500 and the Ripley is mostly gx (not nx/gx) with xt brakes and ibis carbon wheels for $6100…
Can ride both in a parking lot, not sure what that will tell me. I have been scouring the interwebs reading and watching reviews and I think I will be happy with either bike.

Am I an idiot for not just going for the ripley?


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[alpinevibes]

Used or new?

My wife had a Ripley GX build w/ Ibis carbons on order for $6100. It got delayed, then Ibis forced prices to jump and she ended up paying $6400 for an SLX one with the wheels and Factory suspension. All that to say - $6100 for the GX+Carbon (the old pricing) is a great price. She loves the bike, but is a bit grumbly on the extra weight for the $7000 out the door cost.

Buddy just got his Ranger GX and is loving it, though he has a Pike and Revel carbons on it.

Hard to say either option is a bad choice; the Ripley is maybe a bit more for the $$$ with the wheels. I think the bigger choice is do you want to have SID suspension and slightly burlier G2 R brakes or Fox 34+DPS and Deore brakes

[Laps]

Both new, and the ripley has xt brakes b/c the shop had to pull the guides for another build. I am 90% sold on the ripley, but just wanted other opinikns.

Thanks!


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[evdog]

I test rode a Ripley 2 yrs ago. Great bike, probably would have bought it if there were availability during covid last year. I also test rode a Rascal and Rail just before Covid. Also great bikes. I can only imagine the Ranger would be awesome too. I know a few people who are riding them now and they seem very happy. I ended up on a Transition Spur as a shop had one come in that fit well. Consider yourself fortunate to have the choice! I don't think you can go wrong with either. Ibis has long history of great customer service, and have heard good things about Revel as well. I have a rail sitting at home waiting to be built : ). I'd do the parking lot ride of both and go with whichever one seems to fit better. The spur I got was a medium which I didn't expect would fit, but it did.

[Laps]

I think having an option is what is throwing me! I will ride both, but unless I love the ranger and can work a deal, def leaning towards the ripley.

Evdog, tganks for the info and congrats on your CTR finish, that trail is amazing and takes a lot to pedal end to end!


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[ticketchecker]

Haven’t ridden a Ripley but it was in my final three this year. Went Ranger and it’s awesome, didn’t ride either so went with a coin flip.

Spur got eliminated cause I’m in New England where things be tight and techy.

I had a glitch on a trip in OR and Revel shipped me a part to a shop in Bend pronto.

I know the DW link is a great design but the CBF has met expectations. For comparison my previous bike is a V2 Bronson and the Ranger blows it away for climbing, acceleration and doesn’t give up much on the down with the SID setup. I’m a wheels on the ground old guy so the Bronson was an over bike for me.
Doubt you can go wrong with either.




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[Kopi_Red]

I think the Ranger is one of the best looking bikes out there and I think the opposite of the Ripley.

I haven't ridden the Ripley or the Ranger but I've ridden the V1 Ripmo and I've owned a couple of Pivots (Trail 429 and Mach 4 SL). I also own a Rascal.

I'm a fan of both CBF and DW Link suspensions. I love the way my Rascal descends. It doesn't get hung up on square edges hits the same way the DW Link bikes I've ridden do. CBF seems to "round" the edges of those hits and roll over them better. Plus I love how sorted the frame of my Rascal feels. It just feels so good to ride. But I love the way DW link bikes climb. They feel so energetic.

OP if I were in your shoes I'd pick the one that fits you best. If they both fit great I'd probably pick the Ripley since it comes with XT brakes and carbon wheels (hopefully they are the S28's). I'm not a fan of the G2 R brakes that came on my Rascal and I wasn't wowed by the I9 1/1 wheels either. The 1/1 aren't bad and the hub has enough engagement but they feel kinda heavy and slow. I'd prefer something like a set of DT Swiss M1700's over the 1/1.

Best of luck with your future bike purchase!

[Bushwacka]

Have ridden both current gens. I think from the same shop that you are looking at them.

Ripley is the better pedal and more easier to pump. The Ranger is plusher with some pedal bob while really hammering. Both IMO can get overwhelmed in some of the spiceir trails around Stowe, Vermont(waterwork, Perry hill, Stowe school street, top of Cady's Fall) but are great for the Cady Hill Forest or Adam's Camp. If my assumptions are correct about where you ride I personally would go with the Ripley around here, but I already have bigger bike and if your going to have short travel it might as well pedal exceptionally well. I am not sure a more plush suspension can make up for lack of travel.

[Wes Mantooth]

I've been on a stock GX Rascal for the last year or so and put a lot of miles on it. It is a magic bike. CBF is ridiculous for tech climbing and the bike smashes downhill. I've done anything from 5000+ foot climbing days to DH races and it's always delivered. A lot of guys around here have Rangers and it sounds like the main advantage is getting to squeeze out a lighter build but they still punch way above their weight class when descending

I'm not super weight conscious since I can never really afford really light builds so I've never felt the GX build to be cumbersome but that said when (if) I have a couple extra grand I'll probably get a set of carbon wheels for it. FWIW based on build alone I think the Ripley is a better deal, but I would put a lot lot lot of stock in the Revel frame and suspension design. I was deciding between a Ripmo and a Rascal for a bit and couldn't be happier with the Rascal

[Phall]

have not ridden the ranger, I have my ripley set up 140 fork, 2.6 tires on 27mm internal carbon hoops, and code brakes. Its a beast, bike is fun at any speed, haven't really hit a speed limit yet, but on some more gnarly stuff I find i wish I had a little more bike. The Ripley is snappy and quick. I'd love to put a lighter build on it one day and see what it's really capable of doing without a Ripmo build.

[CantDog]

I have a rascal and love it. Friend has Ripley with piggyback shock and beefy tires and loves it. We ride all the same stuff. I came from a Ripley to the rascal and would have a hard time going back, but haven’t thrown a leg over the Ranger.

[Laps]

Thanks to all for the info, it helped me in deciding to go with the Ripley…until my buddy who owns a shop offered me his Blinged out Spur.

I pick it up on Friday and I am going to ride the shit out of it


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[m2711c]

don't know this Ranger fella, but Mr. Ripley hasn't lied to me yet....

[GoSlowGoFar]

Anyone else been on both of these rigs able to provide some insight? Looking for something to compliment my Stumpy Evo that’s a little more of a sprightly climber so more on the XC end of things - which has me leaning towards the Ranger. Is the Ripley AF too far on the trail spectrum to make sense pairing it with the Stumpy Evo?

Had also considered the Fezzari Signal Peak, but the superficial side of me is having a hard time getting past the Fezzari name thing. I suppose I could just lean into how cheesy it is and decorate my bike with pizza stickers or something.

[One (+) Sentence]

I'd go Ranger for sure. CBF suspension design. Better aesthetics. A little less money.

Does the Ripley still employ some bushings at pivot locations rather than bearings?

edit: Whoops, I just noticed this thread is way old. I hope your mountain bike has given you much joy.

[GoSlowGoFar]

I'd go Ranger for sure. CBF suspension design. Better aesthetics. A little less money.

Does the Ripley still employ some bushings at pivot locations rather than bearings?

edit: Whoops, I just noticed this thread is way old. I hope your mountain bike has given you much joy.

I revived an old thread instead of starting a new one.

I believe the Ripley still does use bushings for the lower linkage. I do agree that the aesthetics are better on the Ranger. Is the CBF really that much better than DW Link?

[frorider]

I revived an old thread instead of starting a new one.

I believe the Ripley still does use bushings for the lower linkage. I do agree that the aesthetics are better on the Ranger. Is the CBF really that much better than DW Link?

For low rotation pivots a bushing has some real advantages over bearings, provided it’s been designed and manufactured correctly. I’ve owned several bikes with bushings on lower pivots. I see it as an advantage of the Turners Ibis’s etc I’ve owned.

[GoSlowGoFar]

For low rotation pivots a bushing has some real advantages over bearings, provided it’s been designed and manufactured correctly. I’ve owned several bikes with bushings on lower pivots. I see it as an advantage of the Turners Ibis’s etc I’ve owned.

Ya, I’m not really concerned about them. It doesn’t seem to be an issue with the Ripley from what I’ve read. That being said, think I’m gonna pounce on a Ranger I found a deal on. Seems the geo and suspension platform are more what I’m looking for as a compliment to the stevo.

[singlesline]

Anyone else been on both of these rigs able to provide some insight? Looking for something to compliment my Stumpy Evo that’s a little more of a sprightly climber so more on the XC end of things - which has me leaning towards the Ranger. Is the Ripley AF too far on the trail spectrum to make sense pairing it with the Stumpy Evo?

Had also considered the Fezzari Signal Peak, but the superficial side of me is having a hard time getting past the Fezzari name thing. I suppose I could just lean into how cheesy it is and decorate my bike with pizza stickers or something.

I'm in a similar boat. Getting rid of a hardtail but would like something to complement my Ripmo (which is the recent build with a Fox 38 and Float X2). The Ripley is a cool bike, but it seems too close of an overlap (especially the AF builds where you're not even dropping weight).

What about stepping over to the Vietnam-built Exies at 100/120 travel? Haven't sat on one, but could be a fun pairing with a bigger bike. Kinda sits just to the other side of the Ranger. I also glanced at the Signal Peak, but while I was interested in the Delano Peak, the Signal Peak just doesn't excite me. Maybe I'll just build another hardtail.

[One (+) Sentence]

Is the CBF really that much better than DW Link?

Probably not. Maybe a little less dependent on a certain amount of sag...

[GoSlowGoFar]

Maybe I'll just build another hardtail.

I love my hardtail for the quick hour long rides, just kind kind of feel a little beat up on longer rides with it. Also when you’re dealing with traction issues on the rear wheel on steep climbs, having a little suspension in the rear makes things a bit less frustrating.

[smmokan]

I'm in a similar boat. Getting rid of a hardtail but would like something to complement my Ripmo (which is the recent build with a Fox 38 and Float X2). The Ripley is a cool bike, but it seems too close of an overlap (especially the AF builds where you're not even dropping weight).

What about stepping over to the Vietnam-built Exies at 100/120 travel? Haven't sat on one, but could be a fun pairing with a bigger bike. Kinda sits just to the other side of the Ranger. I also glanced at the Signal Peak, but while I was interested in the Delano Peak, the Signal Peak just doesn't excite me. Maybe I'll just build another hardtail.

How about the Epic Evo? (unless you're totally against Specialized, nothing wrong with that)

[GoSlowGoFar]

If you go this route, I'd just hold out for availability from a new direct to consumer brand also located deep in the heart of Utah - they call themselves Borsche.

Haha, nice…

[supermodel159]

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...y-v4-SLX-Large

Just popped up.