Ultralight, ultra-fast.
The Ibis Cycles Exie is a made-in-the-US carbon fiber full suspension 29er x-country bike. There is scant information from Ibis other than some tidbits they’ve posted and a factory tour and mini-review from Pinkbike journalist extraordinaire Richard Cunningham (who is supposed to be retired).
It started as a World Cup Cross Country Race bike, but after testing and build iterations, it became a BC Bike Race bike (100mm rear/120mm front). It was designed, built, and tested in their Northern California facility (aka Pajaro, CA), which is powered entirely by solar panels.
They set out to make full suspension carbon fiber frames in the United States. The labor costs in the US are five times higher than their current factories in Taiwan and Vietnam, so to make a US-made frame somewhat cost-effective, they have to make them faster and cheaper. This is the story of how they did it!
Ibis utilizes automated cutters for the carbon fiber, making more intricate and smaller pieces, which reduces the parts count, and saves labor time for prepping and layup.
Ibis uses internally heated aluminum molds which are pressure-regulated by computerized control systems. Their mold designs and the steps followed during curing reduce build time and use less energy.
Highlights
- Wheel size: 29″
- Travel: Rear 100mm/Front 120mm
- Carbon Frame with dw-link suspension
- 67.2-degree head angle
- MSRP: Frame $4,499 (Fox DPS2 shock), build kits from $7,999 to $12,799
- Colors: Natural carbon
- Sizes: Small, medium, large, X-large
- Weight: 22.2 lb/10.1kg (full build), 4.4 lb/2kg (frame/shock)
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