Ibis debuted its revamped Hakkalügi carbon 'cross bike, complete with disc brakes front and rear plus other modern features such as a tapered front and a press-fit bottom bracket.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Housing is neatly routed up along the inside of the Enve Composites Cross Disc fork leg.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The press-fit bottom bracket allows for an aggressively flared down tube and seat tube, plus wider chain stay spacing for better tire clearance.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Cyclo-cross veteran Don Myrah won the Masters 45-49 world championships in January aboard an older Ibis Hakkalügi. Also note the use of titanium water bottle bolts.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Tire clearance at the chain stays isn't quite as generous as up top but it's still pretty good.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The post mount rear disc tabs are reinforced with a carbon fiber strut in between the stays.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The wishbone seat stays have massive tire clearance, supposedly for up to 38mm rubber. A small carbon fiber clip keeps the lines tidy.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Ibis will offer the new Hakkalügi Disc in two complete builds - one with SRAM Rival and the other with Shimano Ultegra. Bare framesets will also be available for those that would prefer to spec things themselves.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Ibis has moved to a slightly more compact rear triangle on the new Hakkalügi Disc.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Previous Ibis Hakkalügis came with standard 50/34T compact chainrings but new ones will now come with 'cross-specific FSA cranksets.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Ibis continues to use a genuine head tube badge on its bikes. Bravo.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
New on the redesigned Ibis Hakkalügi is a tapered front end for more precise handling. Cables are routed along the top tube and the rear brake is hydraulic hose-ready.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Ibis is including an Enve Composites Cross Disc carbon fork with complete Hakkalügi bikes and framesets.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Yes, the lion is still hocking a loogie.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Ibis Cycles joins a growing list of companies offer cyclo-cross bikes with disc brakes, launching the all-new Hakkalügi Disc at the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross (USGP) stop in Fort Collins, Colorado. The new bike promises the same creamy ride quality of the standard rim brake-equipped Hakkalügi but with the increased stopping power, consistency, and modulation that discs provide.
"We've been waiting patiently – ok, maybe anxiously – for disc brakes to hit the road and 'cross scene," Ibis principal Scot Nicol told BikeRadar. "As you know, rim brakes have greatly diminished braking power in the wet. Would you accept driving a car that required you to think ahead a couple hundred feet before the brakes started working in wet conditions? No.
"Since 'cross bikes get ridden in inclement weather quite often, you are faced with this same dilemma. With the advent of disc brakes, that's not true any more. You can bring the speed down faster with the discs vs. rim brakes and there's no fork shudder. It also takes lower brake lever force, so you are less prone to hand and arm fatigue. This becomes a noticeable advantage on fast, bumpy descents."
The new Hakkalügi Disc retains the older version's mostly round and modestly oversized carbon fiber tubing throughout for what we hope to be a continuation of the predecessor's admirably smooth and forgiving ride. However, the head tube now houses a tapered 1 1/8-to-1 1/2" steerer tube for what Nicol says is noticeably improved steering precision while the newly press-fit bottom bracket shell now measures a wider 86mm across, providing more real estate for the more aggressive flared down tube and seat tube plus wider chain stay spacing for improved tire clearance (Nicol says 38mm rubber will fit).
Ibis is again touting versatility as one of the new Hakkalügi Disc's greatest attributes. At 1,150g (claimed), the frame is nearly as light as dedicated high-end road chassis and with high-volume slick or finely treaded tires installed, it's admittedly well equipped for the up-and-coming gravel scene. That being said, the revised geometry looks more 'cross race-oriented than ever with a lower 70mm bottom bracket drop for improved stability in corners – perfect for American-style courses with their typically tighter and more frequent turns.
Routing has been improved relative to the older Hakkalügi, too (which will still be available for those that prefer rim brakes). All three lines now run across the top tube and there's also a tidy housing clip atop the seat stay wishbone to keep the housings away from your legs while attacking the barriers. Sadly, though, the elimination of rim brake posts has also had the unfortunately side effect of rendering the old Hand Job housing stop (which we've suggested to Ibis could instead be used for the front derailleur…).
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The wishbone seat stay junction has huge clearance - and no brake calipers to collect mud
Ibis has chosen to size both the front and rear post mounts for 140mm rotors – seemingly the perfect diameter for 'cross racing's lower heat dissipation requirements – but larger discs will fit with appropriate adapters.
Suggested retail price for the bare Hakkalügi Disc frame is US$1,449.99 (add US$33 for the headset) while a complete frameset with Enve Composites Cross Disc fork will cost US$1,799.99. Ibis will also offer two complete builds – one with a Shimano Ultegra mechanical transmission for US$3,699 and the other with SRAM Rival for US$3,579. Both will include Stan's NoTubes IronCross tubeless aluminum disc wheels, Specialized Tracer Pro clincher tires, FSA's Energy hollow forged aluminum crankset with 46/36T chainrings, a Cane Creek 40-Series integrated headset, Shimano BR-CX75 mechanical disc brakes, and Ibis house brand finishing kit.
Nicol says 55, 58 and 61cm frames are currently in stock in white with all other sizes and the black color option arriving no later than early December.
