I tested two speedy boutique trail bikes to crown a winner | Ibis Ripley XT vs Last ASCO

Ibis Ripley XT

This fifth-generation Ripley is by far the most capable yet.

Designed in the US, it uses a twin-link suspension platform and has size-specific everything, including seat tube angles, chainstay lengths, suspension kinematics and even bottom bracket heights – all tailored to match every rider shape.

This latest carbon fibre frame is a big departure and, aside from the usual geometry updates, has had a bump up in rear-wheel travel to 130mm, paired with a 140mm Fox fork up-front.

The more angular frame also now packs a down tube ‘lunchbox’ and a flip chip at the lower shock mount to convert the rear wheel size from 29in to 650b, should you wish.

Ibis Ripley XT specifications

• Frame: Carbon fibre monocoque, 130mm travel
• Fork: Fox Float 34 Factory GRIP X, 140mm travel
• Shock: Fox Float EVOL Factory
• Wheelset: Ibis Blackbird Send alloy wheels
• Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHR II EXO 3C MaxxTerra (f) and Maxxis Forekaster EXO 3C MaxxTerra (r), 29x2.4in
• Drivetrain: Shimano Deore XT M8100 (1x 12)
• Brakes: Shimano Deore XT, 180mm rotors
• Bar: Blackbird Hi-Fi, 800mm
• Stem: Blackbird, 50mm
• Seatpost: Bikeyoke REVIVE, 185mm
• Saddle: WTB Silverado
• Weight: 13.6kg, size XM without pedals
• Price: £6,099

Last ASCO

Less commonly seen on our shores, German brand Last’s ASCO is a 130mm-travel trail rocket, especially in the special ‘Featherweight’ carbon layup here, which omits frame storage and even paint for the lightest possible chassis.

This version also has a 100kg rider weight restriction. Last makes only 100 ASCO frames a year, and the bike comes in four sizes.

It has extremely progressive suspension, courtesy of a single-pivot swingarm and linkage-driven shock, with a lighter flex-stay design used instead of any rear pivots.

Our custom build here includes some proper boutique Euro kit, including hand-laid, flyweight Bike Ahead Composites wheels.

Last ASCO specifications

• Frame: ‘Featherweight’ carbon fibre, 130mm travel
• Fork: RockShox Pike Ultimate, 140mm travel
• Shock: RockShox Deluxe Ultimate
• Wheelset: Bike Ahead Composites Three Zero rims on DT Swiss 240 hubs
• Tyres: Maxxis Minion DHF EXO 3C MaxxTerra 29x2.5in (f) and Dissector EXO 3C MaxxTerra, 29x2.4in (r)
• Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle (1x 12)
• Brakes: Formula Cura 4, 180mm Trickstuff rotors
• Bar: Reverse Seismic, 810mm
• Stem: Reverse Black-One, 50mm
• Seatpost: Bikeyoke REVIVE, 185mm
• Saddle: Ergon SM10 Enduro
• Weight: 11.8kg, size 180 without pedals
• Price: €9,053 (custom build)

First released in 2011, the much-loved Ripley is now in its fifth incarnation.

This time round, Ibis has gone for greater downhill capability still, with more stretched-out geometry and another 10mm of rear-wheel travel over its predecessor.

The new carbon fibre chassis is angled more sharply and comes with that modern must-have – down tube storage, complete with stash bags from Cotopaxi.

Ibis uses Dave Weagle’s DW-link suspension layout, with two short links connecting the rear triangle to the mainframe (the eccentric seat tube pivot of earlier Ripleys is no more).

The lower link wraps around the outside of the rear triangle and cinches tight at a pivot running on IGUS bushings (rather than sealed bearings, to save weight). The upper link sits inside the rear triangle, at the forward tips of the seatstays, and drives a horizontally-mounted shock.

At the rear shock eyelet, a tidy new yoke offers more suspension progression with a smoother curve.

With its low-slung down tube, there’s plenty of room in the front triangle for a full-size bottle, and even with its various bumpers and ridged chassis protection, the frame still manages to look clean and sleek.

There’s also sensible internal (not through-headset) cable routing, which remained reassuringly rattle-free during testing.

The Ripley v5 has also moved to a larger 34.9mm-diameter seatpost, for extra stiffness in longer sizes, while a new SRAM Universal Derailleur Hanger adds compatibility with the brand’s wireless AXS Eagle Transmissions.

A flip chip enables you to switch the stock 29in wheel for a smaller 650b one without affecting the geometry or suspension.

Because the new chassis shares carbon pieces with Ibis’ longer-travel Ripmo, you can swap out the shock clevis and eyelet hardware, add a 230x60mm shock and 160mm fork, and convert the Ripley into a 150mm rear-travel all-mountain machine.

This could mean it does the duty of two bikes in one, if you want a more bike-park friendly setup.

Being tough enough for this switch means Ibis’ carbon frame isn’t all that light anymore though, at a claimed 3.3kg, including the Fox shock.

This is highlighted in this head-to-head test by Last’s exceptionally feathery ASCO frame, which weighs from 1.8kg, without the shock (approximately 310g).

The full Ripley payload is a shade over 13.6kg, which is still pretty respectable for a trail bike this capable.

Ibis Ripley XT geometry

Ibis has put a lot of effort into its pretty radical geometry concepts. One of the most unusual aspects of the frames being completely size-specific is that bottom bracket height increases with size, the idea being that taller riders get more pedal-strike clearance.

However, a higher BB means a higher centre of gravity, which isn’t desirable. On my XM test bike (a new size between M and L), the BB was low anyway, at 332mm, so it wasn’t a noticeable issue.

This BB tweak is only one part of a geometry philosophy aimed at maintaining rider balance, which includes size-specific chainstay lengths, reach figures, seat tube angles, suspension kinematics and rear-wheel sizes – way more than most brands are doing.

On this latest Ripley, the rear centre (measured from the middle of the BB to the rear wheel axle) is a few millimetres longer, the effective seat tube angle is steeper and the reach has also grown.

In fact, the XM has a 34mm longer wheelbase than the previous size L.

This concept leads to some wildly long frames, with the XL gaining a 545mm reach.

Another big change is the head angle getting slacker and more aggressive, with a significant 1.5-degree tilt back to 64.9 degrees.

All these factors should combine to get rider weight in the sweet spot between the front and back wheels.

If that’s still not enough, Ibis has increased suspension anti-squat on the larger sizes (which also have slightly longer chainstays) to better counteract rider weight transfer when pedalling.

	SM	MD	XM	LG	XL
Seat tube angle (degrees)	77.4	76.9	76.9	77.4	77.9
Head tube angle (degrees)	64.9	64.9	64.9	64.9	64.9
Chainstay (mm)	436	436	437	440	442
Seat tube (mm)	395	400	415	457	477
Top tube (mm)	577	604	629	654	684
Head tube (mm)	85	95	110	125	140
Bottom bracket drop (mm)	48	45	42	39	36
Bottom bracket height (mm)	326	329	332	335	338
Wheelbase (mm)	1187	1211	1241	1279	1321
Stack (mm)	613	619	629	640	650
Reach (mm)	440	460	483	511	545

Edit Table

Ibis Ripley XT spec details

Since as far back as I can remember, Ibis has been a Shimano advocate, so it’s not surprising to see this mid-range bike based entirely around a Deore XT groupset.

Most riders know what to expect from the four-piston brakes and reliable drivetrain, and it’s worth noting that although it may not look as flashy, mechanical shifting saves a chunk of weight compared to SRAM’s increasingly common wireless Eagle AXS Transmissions.

There are two more expensive Ripleys in the line-up with battery-powered AXS shifting.

At this price point, you may not be getting Shimano’s flagship XTR, but you are getting top-tier Fox suspension, in the form of the Factory-level 34 GRIP X fork and Float EVOL shock.

The latter features Ibis’ special ‘Traction Tune’, with reduced compression and rebound damping compared to an off-the-shelf Fox Float, to enable the wheel to better move out of the way of bumps.

Maxxis tyres – a Minion DHR II at the front and a faster-rolling Forekaster at the rear – are mounted on own-brand Blackbird Send alloy wheels with a really wide/rounded rim and a special bead profile to resist pinch flats.

These hoops aren’t the lightest, at over 2kg a pair, but they accelerate well enough.

Other tasty kit selections include the Bikeyoke REVIVE dropper, which can be bled on the fly and is one of the best on the market.

Ibis Ripley XT ride impressions

Do Ibis’ significant changes eat into the all-round capability of a model known for being a stable and efficient pedalling platform?

The short answer is a firm ‘no’, especially considering the Ripley climbs just as effectively and is smoother under power than its much lighter rival in this head-to-head test.

For a 130mm-travel bike, the pedalling action is very stable, even if you stand up and mash, and that’s with the Fox shock wide open.

It’d be cool to see how much extra zip and zest could be added by swapping out the alloy wheels for some lightweight carbon hoops.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that pedalling so well comes with the typical trade-off of giving up too much comfort or tracking on the descents.

The Ripley is a true all-rounder with real smoothness and excellent bump absorption. It feels as if it floats across uneven sections with no harshness.

However, it isn’t as sharp and precise as the ASCO in terms of transcribing every bump detail, nor as taut and punchy through manmade rollers and berms.

This new, slacker Ripley can handle the steeps and chunk too, but there’s definitely an upper limit for how hard and fast you can push in ‘enduro’ terrain before things start to get a bit too hectic.

You’re limited more by the 140mm of travel and 34mm legs of the fork, rather than any twangs or clangs through the chassis, or anything drastic in terms of stiffness or twisting.

This is one of the first bikes we’ve tested with a Fox 34 fork with the new GRIP X damper, and it works much like the excellent GRIP2.

However, there’s an annoying audible wheeze to the stroke, echoed by the Float shock out-back.

Even with good sensitivity, there’s enough support in the rear suspension to keep the ride stable and supported, enabling you to eke some pace from little edges and dips.

But this isn’t the type of bike where you can push hard into the pedals and expect to fire in and out of holes or off lips, as you can on the ASCO.

The flipside is the Ripley keeps you more neutrally positioned between the wheels and is way more comfortable, calmer and more stable when the ground serves up repeated hard hits or you’re having to lean and muscle really hard through the bar and stem.

We ended up riding in the middle (of three) compression setting on the Float shock, for the best balance of tightness and flow.

The Ibis Ripley is no longer a fast, longer-travel cross-country or marathon bike – it’s firmly a trail bike, in terms of shape, weight and components.

Look to the brand’s Exie if faster mileage is your bag, but choose the Ripley if you’re the kind of rider who wants to head out all day and tackle whatever comes your way.

It may not have you explicitly hunting out the harder, steeper side of the hills, but won’t be fazed by fall-line trails if you encounter them.

The Ibis also seems to revel in gobbling up and slinking through all manner of nadgery tech and slippery steeps while keeping you flowing.

Last ASCO frame and suspension details

It’s rare these days that a bike looks so different that it makes you sit up and pay attention, but that’s exactly the case with this ultra-exotic trail bike from Last.

The German brand keep things exceptionally simple on the ASCO in favour of weight saving and ultimate ride performance.

If ever a bike screamed ‘boutique’, this carbon frame, limited to a mere 100 units a year, is the one.

It’s shared with Last’s Celos downcountry bike, but the ASCO uses a different shock stroke and fork to add 10mm of travel at each end.

The frame comes in two carbon layups – either ‘Featherweight’ (tested here), with a 100kg rider weight limit, or the 300g heavier ‘Superduty’ version, which also includes a frame-storage compartment.

The latter is approved for forks with up to 150mm, rather than 140mm, of travel and rider weights up to 120kg.

Both options are hand-laid in Germany by a partner brand, come with a six-year warranty and are ASTM category 4 rated for toughness (a downhill or freeride bike would be cat 5).

Four frame sizes (170-200) cover riders from 1.7m (5ft 7in) to 2m (6ft 7in) tall, and each has a proportional chainstay length and anti-squat value, to keep ride feel consistent.

The ASCO is about as clean and simple as it gets, with a vertical shock driven by a triangulated rocker straddling the uninterrupted seat tube.

Last uses an asymmetric rear triangle made in one solid piece, with (lighter) ‘elastic’ flex-stays used instead of a rear pivot to cope with the rotation as the shock compresses.

The suspension curve is highly progressive (with a 34 per cent rising rate from the sag point to the end of the travel), so the RockShox Deluxe Ultimate shock needs few volume spacers.

Other shocks from RockShox and Fox (including a coil-sprung option) are available on the website.

Last tunes the suspension’s pivot points through the sizes so that anti-squat numbers remain closer. The anti-rise ‘curve’ is actually a pretty flat line on all frame sizes, from just under 100 per cent at sag to around 80 per cent at full travel.

Last ASCO geometry

My test bike came in a raw finish, which saves even more weight and money, with the two painted options costing €400 more.

As you’d infer, the 180-size frame I tested is for riders around 180cm tall, with a 470mm reach.

Last is clearly going for a sporty, reactive ride on the ASCO with its short 431mm chainstays and reasonably steep (for today’s market) 65.5-degree head angle.

The stack height is pretty low, at 619mm, so I ended up running around 25mm of stem spacers to get a more confident descending stance. Head angles are marginally steeper on the two larger sizes.

While the actual seat tube angle is just over 70 degrees, the effective angle is over 77 degrees on this 180 size, and steeper still on bigger frames.

This gives a seated position with a good balance, enabling you to put the gas down on mellower trails without falling off the back on super-steep climbs.

Seat tubes are reasonably short on all sizes, so there’s the option to go up or down in frame length by preference.

One slightly different stat is the ASCO’s 34mm BB drop, which is considerably less than the Ripley’s 42mm (on the XM size).

This gives a 342mm static BB height, which is higher than on many equivalent trail bikes.

Last ASCO spec details

Last offers a custom build configurator. My test bike was specced with a RockShox Pike Ultimate fork and Deluxe Ultimate shock, plus a mechanical SRAM GX Eagle drivetrain, which saves a fair bit of weight compared to the wireless AXS Transmission version.

Formula Cura 4 brakes offer powerful stopping, but the lever feel may be a bit vague for some, because there’s a lot of modulation.

Unsurprisingly, there’s a German focus to some of the kit, including the Reverse Seismic handlebar.

This is rated for DH use and has built-in vibration damping. With more bend than even OneUp’s carbon bar, it looks a bit disconcerting, but is very comfortable.

The same is true of the swanky Bike Ahead Composites Three Zero wheels.

These weigh well over 400g less than the Ibis’ alloy wheels and you can really feel it, in terms of acceleration and directional changes.

The ASCO is so light, snappy-feeling and responsive, it’s almost a shock to the system.

In an age of stable, planted and downright heavy-feeling bikes, the handling feels as if it’s from a previous generation.

It has as much reactiveness as a 26in-wheeled rig from 10 years ago, but with a more refined ride quality, thanks to modern (safer) geometry and the extra rolling speed of 29in wheels.

The suspension is very capable, but the overarching ride sensation is just how much precise trail feedback the Last bike transfers.

At times, this can overload your senses, and it’s not over the top to say it delivers quite an extreme riding experience, by virtue of how sharp and mercurial it is.

Last ASCO ride impressions

Few bikes share the ASCO’s uncanny ability to flick effortlessly from one side of the trail to the other – you can just dip a shoulder or wriggle your hips and get it to lean over, tip in and turn or really rail a corner.

It’s unbelievably easy to move the back end around too.

Another great attribute is how much it launches forwards when you stomp on the pedals.

Sprint hard coming out of turns to regain speed, accelerate towards a jump and, boy, does this thing shift.

It’s almost like a cross-country race bike in the way it surges forward, and it becomes a bit of an addiction to go hard and fast on it, knowing there’s maximum payback for your physical effort.

There’s some shock movement and pulsing around the sag point (especially if you’re stood up on flat pedals, when the anti-squat effect extends the shock before subsequently compressing it). However, sit down and spin smoothly, and Last’s remarkably light bike can get uphill efficiently and quickly.

Those lightweight wheels add to the speedy sensation and feel like a serious bit of kit, even compared to bigger-name carbon wheels.

The ASCO’s back end is smooth off the top over small ripples, stones and skinny roots, but can be a bit quick to move through its mid-stroke, using more travel than you’d expect going through low-speed compression events, such as big hollows and G-out holes.

Deeper in the travel, it seems to reach a ‘wall’ of support and really ramp up.

Pushing against this adds speed and drive through rollers and berms and off lip faces, to make the ASCO absolutely fly about the place.

While the amount of grip and feedback is unusual, in terms of how much detail you can sense through the bike from the terrain, the flipside is it can be fatiguing.

Also, I could feel the back wheel skip up off the ground a little under braking, causing the Last to skim across the top of the terrain, and making it a bit harder to kill speed suddenly than on the Ripley.

As for rider position, the ASCO sits marginally high at the cranks for a trail bike, so it doesn’t ever feel as if you’re really ‘sitting in’ the frame, as you do on the Ibis.

I added more air to the Pike fork and stacked spacers under the stem to counteract this sensation of it pushing weight onto the front tyre, but I’d prefer a slightly bigger BB drop with this much travel.

The steering is also quite sharp, which suits the bike’s precise nature, but you could potentially swap in a slightly longer stem to quieten this response.

While the Ripley seems to rub out slightly bigger bumps and trail chop fairly smoothly without feeding back everything into your feet, the ASCO’s rampy suspension feel and taut frame mean you suffer more turbulence.

However, it also rewards you if you inject body language and energy. It’s not a bike for riders who like to cruise along – think rally car rather than trophy truck.

The Last defines what a boutique mountain bike should be.

It’s different from almost all other current trail bikes, and is certainly not mainstream or conservative.

Sure, it’s not as comfortable as the Ibis, but riders who dig its vibe won’t care about that.

We’d prefer a slightly lower BB to make it feel a little more planted, but who knows if that might also take away some of its dynamism and tuned tautness.

It delivers all the thrills, but inevitably scrimps on some modern practicalities and stability in favour of the most agile and reactive ride qualities.

That makes it feel like a superbike from another era (in a good way) with turn-on-a-dime handling, zippy pedalling and an incredibly poppy feel.

This won’t be for everyone, but some riders will absolutely adore it – the ASCO is genuinely unique.