Bike Check and Interview: Megan Giblin's Ibis HD6

One of three riders on the newly formed Tweed Valley Bikes / Ibis Cycles race team, Meg will already be a familiar face to some, having spent the last couple of years around the UK enduro racing scene while also attending our Dirt School BASE course here in the Tweed Valley. Having won the British Enduro Series overall last year Meg has already proved that she can be quick when it counts, but you’re much more likely to see her just riding for fun or sessioning a trail with her mates.

With a couple of months riding behind her on her new Ibis HD6 now, we caught up with Meg to have a chat about her background, her riding and how she’s finding the new bike. 

Give us quick introduction to yourself. How did you get into bikes and what does your riding look like these days? 

Hey all, I’m Megan Giblin and I’ve been riding for around 5 years now, having got into mountain bikes when I was travelling in Australia for two years. I actually learned to ride in Derby, Tasmania which was a perfect place to start with an amazing mix of trails and good weather. Before bikes, I used to compete on horses in eventing and showjumping. 

I moved to the Tweed Valley from Dumfries and Galloway in 2021 to focus on riding and racing, starting BASE in September 2022. The BASE course has been incredible for my riding and I wouldn’t be where I am without it. I absolutely love riding with my mates and filming content for social media. I’m a big believer in having fun and not letting anything become too serious and sessioning trails and filming is really great for this. 

I train as much as I can in the gym which I really enjoy, especially with a sauna afterwards! I’ve raced enduro for 4 years now which I absolutely love. As I become more confident in my riding I feel like I can push more and it’s exciting to see the results of the years of hard work. 

What would the highlights from the last couple of years?

Winning the overall British Enduro Series was big, along with learning to be a supported athlete, having partnered with some really cool brands. Attending BASE has made for some great times.

Plans for the year ahead?

Race the Scottish Enduro Series, along with some British Enduros, and Ard Rock. I think I might also have a go at the Scottish DH National Champs at Glencoe. Graduating BASE will be a milestone. Alongside all that, I’ve got lots of cool video projects and shoots. Have fun hopefully in the sun! 

Favourite places to ride and or types of riding? 

I love the Tweed Valley, its shaped my riding to be what it is. Derby, Tasmania where I learnt to ride is close to my heart and Glassie Bike Park is mega!

How has the switch on the HD6 been - has it taken any getting used to?

It’s actually been such an easy transition, I was a little apprehensive as I'd only ever ridden one other bike brand in my life but straight away I felt incredibly comfortable and like it was completely the right decision. 

Any negatives to moving up to a longer travel bike (Meg was riding a 150mm bike previously while her HD6 is 185/165mm)?

Nothing so far, I haven’t noticed much difference aside from the fact it’s really planted and stable yet feels really lightweight which is perfect for me. 

What size are you on? Happy with your choice so far?

Size 2 (medium) is perfect for me. It suits me because the rear is quite short and I’m not super tall (5’7/5/8) and not a very aggressive rider (TVB - don’t believe her, Meg charges). The mullet set up is also great for me! 

How do you have the bike setup? Any parts you especially like or are fussy about?

I’m riding a Burgtec 35mm enduro stem and Ride Wide 30mm Carbon Enduro bar. The bar is 30mm rise and I’ve currently got it cut down to 730mm but I think I might still go a bit narrower. Grips are Burgtec Greg Minaar in the super soft compound for extra grip and cushion. Always flat pedals for me, I'm riding Burgtec Penthouse MK5 right now which are great, light, tough and grippy.

For tires I’ve currently got a Maxxis Assegai 2.5 MaxxGrip EXO+ upfront and a DHR II MaxxTerra DoubleDown on the rear. I’ll run that almost all year round and in most conditions, it’s a really good and predictable setup that I can take anywhere and be comfy on. Wheels are the Ibis Blackbird Send Alloy MX, they’re wide at 35mm without being too heavy and seem super tough so far.  

It's also been Invisiframe wrapped since new, I make sure and do all my bikes as it just makes a massive difference when it come to protecting them from the wear and tear of life, training and racing.

There's quite a bit of adjustment of the Factory suspension on the HD6. How was the setup process for you - are you on more or less final settings yet?

It’s always a bit of an extended process for me but the Scottish Downhill Association race at Innerleithen was a really good weekend to be able to push a little bit and try to get the set up dialled. Managing a second place finish at a DH race on what’s really a big trail bike feels like a pretty good start all in all and the HD6 feels really nice and balanced now. My settings might still change race to race but so far I’m happy with what I’ve got as a base. Overall it’s quite a soft setting with rebound pretty open (Meg is light at just 60kg and likes an active bike).

Fox 38 Factory 180mm travel 

PSI: 46.5 

LSC: 15   HSC: 6    LSR: 16   HSR: 8 (All clicks recorded from fully closed)

Fox X2 Factory  

SAG: 29%  PSI: 144        LSC: 8  HSC: 5   LSR: 11   HSR: 6

Any other new or favourite parts to the build? Is this your first transmission drivetrain?

First time on SRAM T-Type which is a game changer, it’s so smooth and being able to switch gears mid sprint and not back off is amazing when racing. I just have to remind myself it's another battery to charge every so often. The Send wheels are great too, they just feel super solid. 

With a packed calendar ahead, we’ll be checking with Meg and the rest of the team as the summer rolls on - keep an eye out on our socials for all the action from Tweed Valley Bikes x Ibis Cycles and give her a follow at @meganthalia.

Keen to try an HD6 or Ripmo yourself? We've a range of demo bikes at our Innerleithen High Street store so drop us a line and we'll get you out and riding one of these brilliant bikes. 

☎️01896 831429 📧shop@tweedvalleybikes.co.uk or message us via our socials. 

Thanks for all images to @innesgrahamphoto.