Tradition Meets Innovation with the New Ibis Oso E-MTB

The Ibis Cycles brand and its founder, Scot Nicol, are among the absolute veterans of the mountain bike scene. At the end of the 1970s, Nicol, together with other daredevil hippies, plunged down Mount Tamalpais on clunker bikes, some of which were ready for the junkyard, and created the basis for the sport we call mountain biking today. At the same time, he let pioneers like Joe Breeze and Charlie Cunnigham introduce him to the art of frame building. More than forty years later, Ibis is now writing a new chapter in its very own history. It is about ebikes, but this time it is not told by pioneers. Given a high carbon share and an innovative reference to motorcross, it nevertheless promises plenty of thrill.

Ibis Oso

Familiar pattern

Ibis has just presented its first ebike ever, the Ibis Oso. And you almost want to say: they’ve done it again. No, it’s not about the electrical assistance thing. As said, this is a debut for the company from Santa Cruz, California. Rather, it’s about the patience the manufacturer has shown in development.

Already at the beginning of the 2000s, this was one of the secrets of Ibis’ success. At that time, it was a question of coming back to the market from a bankruptcy with a real smash hit. At Interbike 2005, Ibis presented the Mojo, the first full-suspension mountain bike whose carbon main frame was made from a single piece. Chief designer Roxy Lo and the rest of the team spent a total of three years working on the realisation of this idea. Slightly modified, it still defines the look of most Ibis mountain bikes today.

The number 1 is the number 3

The Mojo gave the brand new charisma, which ultimately made the new Oso possible. This e-mountain bike is the result of even six years of development work. Isn’t a single bike a rather modest result? Perhaps. In fact, Ibis has produced three complete ebikes in that time. However, the first two went straight into the trash. Not inspiring enough. Too far away from their own ambitions. Only the third attempt was able to convince everyone internally.

Roxy Lo was again responsible for the very organic design. The top tube and rear triangle flow harmoniously into each other in a wave. Motor and shock nestle into these lines instead of forcing the frame into a certain shape. This concept unmistakably bears Lo’s signature.

A question of trust

In some parts, this requires enormous know-how in the production of the carbon frame. For example, the lower part of the seat tube. This tapers into an arch through which the shock is guided. At its narrowest point, this arch is only a few millimetres wide. So close to the bottom bracket, the area must nevertheless withstand great forces. Despite this, Ibis is not afraid to integrate extra channels for the light cables even there. This indicates a high level of confidence in their own material and the quality of their production. With the onset of the Corona pandemic, Ibis started to move part of its carbon production to its headquarters. Apparently, this measure is paying off with the Oso, among others.

It almost seems as if the rear shock pierces the seat tube.

The appearance of the premiere e-MTB is largely determined by the unusual rear triangle. You could easily call it a swingarm. After all, the parallel to the cross motorbike is unmistakable. Yes, other bicycle manufacturers have already pursued this idea. For example, the Mountain Cycle San Andreas and the Honda RN01 from the 1990s are worth mentioning. However, with a single-pivot swingarm in combination with the DW-Link system, the Ibis Oso sets new standards.

Single pivot swingarm with DW-link system

According to initial ride reports, uphill riding in particular is said to be a real revelation. The testers praise the bike’s exceptionally good traction. Of course, the better the contact with the ground, the faster you go uphill. Especially since the rear triangle is also excellent at balancing the forces while pedalling. The same applies to the lateral forces during cornering. All in all, the construction seems to be very robust and to convey both smoothness and surprising agility.

During the first test rides, the Ibis Oso was extremely stable on the descent, even at high speeds.

Individuality is a top priority

In any case, it is clear how much attention Ibis pays to a balanced position on the bike. Everyone should benefit from this, regardless of their body size. That’s why the manufacturer is very particular about frame sizes. In each of the four frame sizes S, M, L and XL, decisive factors such as the length of the seat stays and the seat angle are individually adjusted. The result is that in each frame size you have proportionally the same part of the bicycle in front of or behind you. What does this mean? Well, with an identical seat angle, someone with an XL frame size and a correspondingly longer seat post, for example, would tend to sit further back on a bike than someone with an S frame size. The riding experience would be completely different. Ibis prevents such effects with its tuned geometries.

Of course, there are also different preferences among people of approximately the same height. The manufacturer even has an answer to this. Basically, the Oso lies somewhere between the Enduro and All Mountain categories. The standard front travel is 170 millimetres, while the rear triangle has 155 millimetres. If you want to swing the pendulum clearly in the direction of Enduro, you can do so. The frames are designed for longer suspension travel and are approved for it. So you can also ride with 170 millimetres at the rear triangle and a dual crown fork with a maximum of 190 millimetres at the front.

Bosch outshines all competitors

Ibis says it tested all the systems on the market to find the right e-drive. If this is really the case, it must have taken some time. In the end, the choice fell on Bosch and its Smart System. According to Ibis, the system felt most natural in the Oso. Especially in terms of how harmoniously the motor assistance kicks in and how it stops when you exceed the 25 km/h limit.

Moreover, Ibis did not want to conceal the “E” in its ebike. From the manufacturer’s point of view, such a bike is a league of its own compared to one without a motor. Therefore, it should not have to hide its difference. Especially since riding an ebike is a different matter than riding a regular bike. Particularly when the Performance Line CX pushes you along with its 85 Newton metres of torque and power peaks of more than 600 watts.

Details make the difference

The battery is another example of the ingenuity with which many smaller brands like Ibis score points. The manufacturer has designed its own locking mechanism for the battery. It is held in the frame by a kind of thru-axle and thus, pardon me, sits bombproof. The design also allows the battery to be removed from the side, which is often easier than removing it from the bottom. Important side note: The smallest frame size only has room for the PowerTube 625, otherwise you can look forward to the PowerTube 750.

Thanks to the side removal, the battery compartment is easily accessible.

The complete lighting system on such a bike is also anything but ordinary. Hardly any real E-MTB offers this these days. Yet there are numerous arguments in favour of it. You can ride it from a standing start even on local roads. You don’t have to stop riding because it’s getting dark. The necessary energy source is already built in. And you become more visible to other people. The only criticism of the Lupine system is the front light. The illumination of the SL Nano is probably not enough to chase down the trails at top speed in unknown terrain in the dark.

Ibis Oso at a glance

• Frame: Carbon
• Suspension fork: Fox Performance Series Float 38
• Motor: Bosch Performance Line CX
• Battery: Bosch PowerTube 750, Bosch PowerTube 625
• Display: Bosch Kiox 300
• Drivetrain: Sram GX Eagle
• Brakes: Shimano XT M8120
• Maximum permitted total weight: 150 kg
• Colours: Mint Chip and Old Blue Ford
• Price: $10,999

Pictures: Ibis Cycles Inc.