WHO IS GARY FORREST?
Gary raced downhill from an early age up until he felt the need to take a couple of years off to, in his own words, “drink beer and ride road bikes”. The 28-year-old Peebles native is now the number one rider (well, perhaps behind Anne-Caro...) on the Ibis EWS outfit, having already scored top 10 results before going full-time pro.
WHY IS THIS A SUPER BIKE?
- Ibis make some of the most desirable trail bikes in the world. As one of their fastest enduro riders’ race bike, this is the finest machine they offer.
- Own-brand carbon rims create a tyre profile that gives incredible grip and makes the impossible possible.
- Prototype shock coupled with the latest iteration of the DW-Link suspension design capitalises on that insane grip.
There are some bikes that are all about stealthy finishes, matt graphics and subtle lines. Then there are bikes like Gary Forrest’s Ibis Mojo HD3, which screams speed and begs for neck-snapping attention the minute it breaks cover. One of the first in the country, this particular 650b wheeled, carbon fibre Mojo is handcrafted for just one thing – winning Enduro World Series stages. “It’s an absolute weapon,” says Gary, smiling the smile of a team rider who knows his bike is fast, and isn’t simply toeing the PR line.
Gary first met Ibis owner Scot Nicol at the Val d’Isere round of the EWS. The two stayed in touch and now they’re set to take on the world together. This will be the Tweed Valley rider’s first full factory ride, despite him coming through the British DH ranks with the likes of Madison Saracen’s Matt Simmonds. The frame itself is everything we’ve come to expect from Ibis over the years, combining beautiful lines with fastidious attention to detail. It offers 150mm (5.9in) of rear wheel travel via the latest incarnation of Dave Weagle’s DW-Link suspension design, and those clean lines draped in bright cyan paint are shown off thanks to internal cabling. The rear brake line is run externally though, for easier brake swaps and repairs.
Unusually for a boutique brand, Ibis have chosen to equip the HD3 with own-brand wheels. These are no ordinary hoops though – the Ibis 741s use meaty looking carbon fibre rims with a whopping 35mm internal width. The increased tyre volume that this extra width provides has changed how much pressure Gary can get away with – he’s down to 20psi – and he reckons the extra grip from the lower pressures and larger contact patch opens up myriad new line choices, making once inaccessible inside lines fair game.
Testing times
Gary has a factory tuned 150mm (5.9in) travel X-Fusion Sweep fork up front. “I run it slightly softer than a lot of people expect,” he says. “I’m not riding DH tracks looking for half a second, I’m riding for over an hour, so it’s easier on my arms.” Out back is something rather special and slightly mysterious – a blacked-out prototype shock that arrived hand-signed along with some suggested pressures. Gary was remaining tight-lipped, but it looks like the shock uses two separate reservoirs that run into a single main central chamber. Ibis supply X-Fusion suspension as OEM kit on many of their stock bikes so development feedback is sure to be being exchanged.
Gary’s spec sheet is unusual for a team rider in that he’s actually got a wide choice of components. In accordance with Ibis’s thinking, he uses Shimano brakes and a 1x11 SRAM drivetrain – what they see as the best performing brands in each field. SRAM XX1 is a showstopper and offers an industryleading spread of gears and superior chain retention, while Shimano’s XTR Trail brakes offer razor sharp deceleration and next-level heat haemorrhaging. Likewise, he can use either Maxxis or Schwalbe tyres. Though the bike is shod with the former when we shoot it, Gary reckons a swap back to Schwalbe is probably on the cards to take advantage of a wider spread of enduro-specific models. He’ll then stick with that for the season.
With 15 races including the full smattering of EWS rounds as well as the UEC European Enduro Champs, Gary has a packed 2015 ahead aboard the Mojo. He’s training harder than ever and looking forward to playing his cards right when the beeps start.
SHOCKINGLY SECRET STUFF
Even Gary doesn’t know what’s going on inside his rear shock. The triplechamber X-Fusion prototype sports a hand-signed sticker and arrived with a set of suggested settings. Gary has been blown away so far though, and will continue giving feedback to the team at the races.
YOU CAN GO YOUR OWN WAY
Ibis believe that, simply put, Shimano make the best brakes and SRAM the best drivetrains, so that’s what their team and production bikes get. Gary goes for Shimano XTR Trail brakes and SRAM XX1 shifting. He increases his disc rotor sizes for longer enduro stages.
BIG RINGS
Race Face provide the Ibis team with cranks and chainrings. For training Gary has been running a 32t direct-mount narrow/wide ring on Next SL cranks, but reckons he may swap to a 36t number when racing gets underway.
PLUMBING PERFECTION
On the old Mojo, cables were routed along the top tube via crotch-worryingly sharp carbon fibre guides. Now Ibis have decided to better show off those beautiful lines with internal routing for everything.
35MM IS ALL IT TAKES
It mightn’t sound like much but an internal rim width of 35mm is massive. Match that to carbon fibre construction and DT Swiss hubs and you have the Ibis 741 wheelset. The larger volume equals lower tyre pressures and therefore more grip to offer maximum line choice.
SOFT AND SUPPLE
Jump on a pro downhiller’s bike and you’ll struggle to move the suspension, but Gary’s Ibis felt more like a trail bike to us. He runs things a bit more supple to save him from fatigue on long stages, and runs his rebound quicker on the front than on the rear.
Price 3973$ (frame only)
