The difference to the "normal" Ripley lies in the geometry. This is longer and slacker (LS = long / slack) than the Ripley. This ensures more riding fun and smoothness on the descents, as the suspension travel - as is usual with trail bikes - is not exactly generous at 130 millimetres at the front and 120 millimetres at the rear. The cable routing has also been redesigned. The frame now offers numerous options for routing the cables and lines internally.

According to the manufacturer, the rear triangle has been made a lot stiffer, with almost the same weight. Although it does not offer a lot of space for wide tires (2.35 inch), it should be sufficient for almost all tire models. With the combination of thick tires and the massive 941 carbon rims, which also come from Ibis, you could be forgiven for thinking at first glance that this is a bike with plus-size tires.

The Ripley LS in the wild

To allow the bird to gain height as quickly as possible, we close the three-stage damper and start climbing. This is where the comparatively light carbon wheels have a positive effect. Accelerating is easy and you immediately feel comfortable on the bike. The perceived weight is clearly below the measured weight of the Ripley. We would have estimated it at just under twelve kilograms - but the scales showed us the figures 12.6 - albeit in size L, with pedals and bottle cage.
The vertical meters tumble and we are glad that the frame offers space for a bottle cage and a half-litre bottle. We recommend choosing a bottle cage with side access, otherwise the bottle will bump against the shock when you take it out and stow it away.

We set off on a controlled dive. With the saddle slightly lowered, the blue Lizard Skins grips mounted on the 760 millimeter wide carbon handlebars firmly gripped and the suspension elements open, we plunge onto the prey called the trail. The Rock Shox Pike harmonizes surprisingly well with the Fox shock. The shock pump is still a "bag command" on the first few rides, but it's well worth trying out and adjusting. Once adjusted, both systems respond very sensitively and have sufficient reserves, as long as the jumps don't reach bike park level.
The Guide RSC brakes with 180 and 160 millimeter brake discs also gave us no reason to complain. From light deceleration to brute force braking, the stoppers are always easy to modulate and predictable.

Conclusion

Whether Ripley or Ripley LS? No question, we would opt for the bright orange LS version. The bike is an all-rounder, has a great look and is simply a joy to ride. Two small drawbacks are the cable ties on the down tube, which detract a little from the look, and the tire combination of Schwalbe Nobby Nick and Racing Ralph - good tires, but we would prefer Hans Dampf tires for this purpose.
The bike in our configuration costs around 9000 francs. We think that the Ripley LS is money well spent. However, if you want to spend less, you can find various equipment variants that cost less.