Ibis Bow-Ti content

[incorrigible]

4 Bow-Tis for sale on eBay USA at the same time.
What's going on?
Is there something that I don't know?
Is this a sign of the Apocalypse?
Should I stock up on canned goods and toilet paper (......and ammo, of course)?
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2332490.m570.l1313&_nkw=+Ibis+Bow+Ti+&_sacat=0

 

[ferrus]

They’re one of the most sophisticated and beautiful fabrications in bicycle history. Whether they justified their aim is debatable, but plenty of current owners still love them and think they ride well, even today….

 

[incorrigible]

They’re one of the most sophisticated and beautiful fabrications in bicycle history. Whether they justified their aim is debatable, but plenty of current owners still love them and think they ride well, even today….

I agree 100%.
I'm just curious why suddenly so many are up for sale.
I guess it's just that it's a valuable collector's item and sellers needs money.
Perhaps some bargains to be had?

 

[biker23]

4 Bow-Tis for sale on eBay USA at the same time.
What's going on?
Is there something that I don't know?
Is this a sign of the Apocalypse?
Should I stock up on canned goods and toilet paper (......and ammo, of course)?
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2332490.m570.l1313&_nkw=+Ibis+Bow+Ti+&_sacat=0
View attachment 860054

About your 4 questions:
1.) A lot.
2.) Yes, of course.
3.) Probably yes.
4.) Yes, it's probably a good idea.

Bonus: (Helpful) About "am-mo":
If you have a really ugly girlfriend or wife or simply life companion- but she MUST be "fugly" then this also counts as "am-mo".

 

[fearfactoryüberalles]

One of them went up, and then the others with bow-ti’s saw one listed and also listed theirs.
99% of those bikes are wall hangers in rich people’s houses or buried in a dentists garage. They don’t think about them until someone recognizes their bike or shows it to them.
So I’m gonna guess someone who likes bikes knows someone with a bow ti, sees one on eBay, and tells the someone they know with a bow ti that it’s worth X amount of money because it’s listed on eBay.
So then they also list it on eBay for a mountain of money.

They’re bikes owned by people who don’t know anything about them.
The real tell there is the one kitted as a commuter. Someone was commuting on a bow-ti, they do not have any concept of what they’re riding beyond that it cost them a lot of money one time so it’s probably a good bike.

Bloody hell, say what you might, but I'd definitely make a commuter/beater from a Bow-Ti, just for sheer fun and raising some eyebrows as well...

Inflation considered, they aren't looking the best investment decision ever also, as RRP back then could have been similar money I guess.

 

[biker23]

One of them went up, and then the others with bow-ti’s saw one listed and also listed theirs.
99% of those bikes are wall hangers in rich people’s houses or buried in a dentists garage. They don’t think about them until someone recognizes their bike or shows it to them.
So I’m gonna guess someone who likes bikes knows someone with a bow ti, sees one on eBay, and tells the someone they know with a bow ti that it’s worth X amount of money because it’s listed on eBay.
So then they also list it on eBay for a mountain of money.

They’re bikes owned by people who don’t know anything about them.
The real tell there is the one kitted as a commuter. Someone was commuting on a bow-ti, they do not have any concept of what they’re riding beyond that it cost them a lot of money one time so it’s probably a good bike.

@fennec:
Ahmm.....you young 27 year old guy, instead of lamenting about "rich" people and "rich people's houses" (what does "rich" even mean?!)
and that they list them for a "mountain" of money, it would be better if you either went to work to be able to afford such a bike or simply be kind to your relatives - example grandparents / cousins, uncles etc... and tell them about those nice Ibis Bow mtb's &
voilà you probably would have one within 6 months or so.....

=> Yes, maybe those "rich" people - they don't know much about those bikes
or maybe they just buy them to show off or even just commute with them....
BUT what would YOU do with such a bike? You would probably ride it like a devil
(and do you even have proper biking skills?!) and then smash it to pieces because you over did it with so called hardcore biking....

All in all you seem to be quite bitter and jealous so I have an idea for you:
If you can tell us fellow RB members a really really original, special "worthy"way how you would use such an IBIS bow ti bike we might decide to contribute $10 each & if we can get to 500 people you would have your new IBIS Bow ti!
AND then you could / would probably smash it to pieces within 2 months or so, right?!
How does that sound? I know that your generation "expects" a lot, but is not really willing to go to work to deserve it,
so that would be a MODERN time fitting solution so that you get your hands on a IBIS Bow ti.
P.S. FYI: $5'000.00 - $6'000.00 is certainly not a "mountain" of money.....those bikes cost more when new in 1997 & then you add inflation and you end up north of $10.000.00.

 

[Woz]

They’re one of the most sophisticated and beautiful fabrications in bicycle history. Whether they justified their aim is debatable, but plenty of current owners still love them and think they ride well, even today….

Not keen myself. Always thought the Ibis Silk Ti would be an interesting ride on fast fireroads.

 

[Woz]

Yeah, that's how I see it. More to take the buzz out, attempt to keep the back wheel on the ground with no linkage slop.

 

[M-Power]

I have a castellano fango, the aluminum version of the silk, and it’s definitely an interesting feel for my uses of riding on gravel and railroad ballast
I can see why it didn’t see a huge amount of success, the short travel rear suspension concept in general, at least during its time of relevancy. It’s good at one thing and not great at a lot else. It’s outright uncomfortable on really harsh terrain, because the rear starts to flex out of sync with the obstructions on the ground.
But on fairly consistent gravel, where the bumps turn more into vibration? It’s amazing, you could sit and sprint as fast as you want and would barely feel the ground, while not losing too much power pedaling like you would on proper full suspension.

Wonderful to get a proper ride review on these . Never tried one and tbh its not to my taste visually.

 

[ti_pin_man]

An old picture of mine. I still have it more or less as it is in this picture.

I’ve owned for many years and just yawn when people say it’s ugly or didn’t work or too expensive … it just shows naivety in the workings of the bike industry and, in this case, usually lack of experience in riding this particular model compared to its competitors at the time. It is indeed all relative.

Yes there’s better looking bikes. True.
Yes there’s better performing sus bikes but not many from that year.
Mines never broken. I’ve tried on many an occasion and it’s still going strong.
Price wise 5k seems about right. That’s about what the frame cost at the time. 269 were only built and production stopped because the cost to produce was too expensive and Scot Nicol has said this. Then design moved on at pace and better solutions arrived. Hardly surprising when you buy a bike today it’s usually “out of date tomorrow” as something else arrives.

Love to you all