My first twenty-niner and the bike that made 29″ wheels the only size I would ever ride again. This is a V1 and as of 2021 is 6 years old. I’ve replaced the XTR drivetrain twice and this bike just keeps going. It’s truly a classic.

I wish the fork on the Ripley V1 was raked out a little bit more. On steep climbs I frequently lift the front end off the ground. The LS version of the Ripley influenced all subsequent models and now the Ripley geometry is pretty spot on.
Now the quirks. The seat collar is 1 cm too tall for my frame. Ibis fixed that in the V2 and so with newer models you can run a tall dropper post and still get the height adjustment right. I’ve learned to live with the extra height and I manage to stop the seat right before it hits its peak.
My other original complaint was the color. I didn’t like the neon green on black. I’ve 100% reversed my thinking and now I really like the color combination. It’s a beautiful bike.
Latest Ripley posts
- Sugar Cookie in WatopiaCouldn’t resist more desert. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift – Climb Portal: Col de la Madone at 100% Elevation in WatopiaAnother funky climb. The scenery is wacky but the up feels pretty real. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift group ride with INEOS Grenadiers Stage 2Not my first time on this route or with this group. Did it again because it’s always more motivating to ride with a group. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Shorelines and SummitsI found a route I haven’t covered in the past. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift’s Trippy ClimbsI rode the Rocacorba route on Zwift which I think matches a real climb in France but looks like an early 80s music video on screen. Then I throw in a couple of miles because the show I was watching was only a few more minutes. The ride – Zwift Zwift’s Trippy Climbs The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Rainy and cold so ya I’m on ZwiftAt least you can ride in a group. It’s amazing how a blob of avatars can be motivating. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Last of the Tour of WatopiaI had one more route and ended up finishing it today. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- 2nd to last of all the Watopia tour ridesI’ve managed to finish all but one of the routes. I’m headed out of town so I’m not sure I’ll make the last one but maybe. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Climbing!!!Not a big climb. Not even a real climb. I guess I’ll take what I can. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift Movistar TeamSame course again today and then a few minutes in Paris. – if only. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift with Johan JacobsHung out in a fun group ride today. The ride – Zwift The bike Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift race!Tried out and nearly died racing on Zwift then took a relaxing 23 miles wandering Watopia. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift – Tour of Fire and IceClimbing day on Zwift The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift – Triple Flat Loops in WatopiaGrinding gears, avoiding the cold like the wimp I am. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift – Going Costal in WatopiaNew Zwift routes are a welcome change. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift Tour of Watopia Stage 5 againStarted with a short warmup and then started late on the stage ride. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift Stage 5Started with a 10 mile warm up and then dropped in just a bit late to grab the A group but managed to join the B group before the timer shut me out. That was fine since 25 miles of keeping up with the group was plenty of pain for today. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9.
- Short Stage 4Trails are muddy or dusted with snow and the thought of road biking in 30 degrees chills my soul. Zwift you are my only hope. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Another Zwift Stage 4The weather is turning so I’m turning to Zwift again. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
- Zwift while the Ripmo takes a breakThe Ripmo is at the shop and the weather is iffy today so I very weakly took on Stage 4 of the Tour of Watopia. The ride – Zwift The bike – Trek Madone 6.9
I’ve logged a lot of miles on this bike.