Ibis Cycles Pork Chop Frame Bag

With the new Ibis Cycles Pork Chop frame bag Mojo and Ripley bike owners now have a new place to put tools, tubes, munchies, CO2’s, Speedos (scary thought), and whatever else they might deem necessary during a ride. I wonder what some Western state riders might carry in the bag?

The “Pork Chop” frame bag neatly fits inside the front triangle of the Mojo and Ripley, without the use of paint-dulling straps, and is a co-branded and patented design by Ibis and Blackburn. The bag is manufactured by Blackburn and comes with a lifetime warranty. The unique internal suspension is designed to secure the bag without the need for straps. Fabric on the outside is nylon ripstop, and the padded ballistic nylon side panels will not rub against your frame. Padding also adds to the durability, and there is a water repelling zipper tape with an easy to use pull. The internal storage and elastic webbing keep CO2 cartridges and tools in place. Due to its location, you can still mount water bottles inside the lower triangle of the Ripley or Mojo. They weigh in at approximately 6oz.

The Ripley Pork Chop Frame Bag works with any Ripley LS, including the V2 Ripley and Gen 3 Ripley.  The adjustable wedge system secures the pack into the area nested above the shock mount and works with frame sizes Medium, Large, and XL. The Ripley Pork Chop bag retails for $49.95 and can be found in their online store, or you can order through your Ibis retailer.

For the Mojo HD4/HD3 and Mojo 3, the size-specific Pork Chop Frame Bag is installed in the front aperture. With this design, you order the bag size to match your frame size (Medium, Large or XL). The Mojo Pork Chop bag retails for $49.99 and can be found on their online store, or you can order through your Ibis retailer.

Impressions 

I tested the Pork Chop frame bag on a medium sized Mojo HD3. At first, I couldn’t get the bag to fit properly into the upper triangle slot, until I realized I was putting it in backward. Duh! Once I installed it in the proper direction, it popped in without much fanfare. It utilizes two wire frame members on each side, a straight one on the top and a V-shaped one on the bottom, to hold the bag in position. After installation, the wire structure sits on the outside of the frame tubes to hold the bag firmly and securely in place, and I never had it move, no matter how bouncy and gnarly the trail was. It has a zipper on one side located at the top and bag is padded, so it was quiet and even when the contents jostled around the sound was decently muted. If the bag is relatively empty, the contents will bounce around on the inside on rough trails and make a bit more noise, so try and keep it packed or have something that offers stuffing like a head warmer or skull cap. Opposite the zipper, internally there is a sewn on an elastic strap to hold a CO2 cartridge, while the zipper side has a small mesh pocket with a Velcro closure for small loose items.

The bag has some decent width, but the odd triangular shape makes it more useful for tools, CO2’s, and energy bars and gels than larger and bulkier tubes. I tended to carry my low-pressure tire gauge, my WristReader reading glasses and a supply of munchies. I liked having quick access to some of those items, such as tools and munchies as it meant I didn’t have to take my pack off. Having the additional carrying space allows you to lighten the load in your pack and for those days you might want to go minimalist or packless.

The Pork Chop frame bag is a worthwhile addition to anyone with an Ibis Mojo HD4/HD3, Mojo 3, V2 Ripley and Gen 3 Ripley and it makes use of a wasted and unused space on the bikes allowing you to carry just an extra few items and keep them dry and secure.