2011......This will offend retro riders, please do not look!

[Splatter Paint]

Cor! Nice video on the Ragley site. It is ages since I rode Snowdon, I'm going up there in a couple weeks. I must admit I am interested in riding one of these bikes now. The most gnarly bike I owned was GT Ruckus - but that looks pretty tame in comparison!

SP

 

[KeepItSteel]

180mm fork on an HARD TAIL? So, erm, why? Seriously, in what terrain / riding conditions do I need to have a front end capable of tackling boulder fields and a rear that is solid?

SP

Im going to contact Ragley and tell them what a difference a good vid makes!



seriously though, its got my mouth watering...id love to carve downhill and soak up all the hits like that.

 

[FMJ]

180mm fork on an HARD TAIL? So, erm, why? Seriously, in what terrain / riding conditions do I need to have a front end capable of tackling boulder fields and a rear that is solid?

How about the Flintstone section of the World Cup course at Bromont on a Z-1 Bomber equipped HT? If the big bike's broken, and the chalet's already paid for, you make do.

 

[graham1975]

the whole bike will only weigh around 29Lb

What on earth is it made from? Are the tubes solid or just lead filled :shock:

The Bluepig is a hard hitting 150mm ALL MOUNTAIN hardtail, its not really a XC frame, you cant go putting superlight wheels and cranks on them then blast it down rock faces and expect it to last, the frames are steel but not like most other steel frames, they have less flex, you have to cane them to get the best out of them, the frames alone are 5.6LB, mine is full XT build kit with Havoc downhill bars on and stem and Raceface double crank and super strong Spank rims and comes in at 30.2LB
My brother ahsa an XC built TI version with full XTR and his comes in at 24.3LB

 

[brocklanders023]

Maybe I'm being totally dense but what's the cable running up to the saddle for? (On the one that's some kind of Moto-X lovechild)

MP3 connector?
For administering chalfont preparation after some huge dropoff that needed 180mm of suspension travel?

I wonder what it's like to ride uphill out of the saddle...

It would be fine to ride up hill out of the saddle as most forks have a complete lockout on them so it will feel just like a rigid bike and the whole bike will only weigh around 29Lb i would of thought for the steel one and around 26Lb for the alloy one, so it will sprint up the hills i would have thought

I've got the Blue Pig with 150mm RS Revelations with lock out. It's no wippet on climbs but does climb really will as they have a 74 deg seatpost which puts your weight more central. When the trail points downward you need to lean forward to weight the fork more and let the back float over stuff. Mine comes in at about 30lbs and keeps up with full sus bike no problem.

You were faster on your old full suss buddy. I can keep up with you now

I've tried these long travel hard tails and don't really like them. Having a really active front end and stiff rear just feels strange. For me shorter travel hard tails = good, and full suss = good but a mix of the two feels wrong.

The Blue Pig feels a lot like my 5 to ride but without the benifit of rear bounce. Oh, and it's heavier.

 

[graham1975]

Maybe I'm being totally dense but what's the cable running up to the saddle for? (On the one that's some kind of Moto-X lovechild)

MP3 connector?
For administering chalfont preparation after some huge dropoff that needed 180mm of suspension travel?

I wonder what it's like to ride uphill out of the saddle...

It would be fine to ride up hill out of the saddle as most forks have a complete lockout on them so it will feel just like a rigid bike and the whole bike will only weigh around 29Lb i would of thought for the steel one and around 26Lb for the alloy one, so it will sprint up the hills i would have thought

I've got the Blue Pig with 150mm RS Revelations with lock out. It's no wippet on climbs but does climb really will as they have a 74 deg seatpost which puts your weight more central. When the trail points downward you need to lean forward to weight the fork more and let the back float over stuff. Mine comes in at about 30lbs and keeps up with full sus bike no problem.

You were faster on your old full suss buddy. I can keep up with you now

I've tried these long travel hard tails and don't really like them. Having a really active front end and stiff rear just feels strange. For me shorter travel hard tails = good, and full suss = good but a mix of the two feels wrong.

The Blue Pig feels a lot like my 5 to ride but without the benifit of rear bounce. Oh, and it's heavier.

It may be heavier than your orange 5 but you must remember this is the Orange Alpine 160 of hardtails!!!! so in theory its lighter, the Ragley Piglett is the the XC version which is equevelant to the standard Orange 5.
Also its how you build it up, all you are buying is a frame, you could if you wished build a 50LB Bluepig and you could also build yourself a 24LB Bluepig

 

[graham1975]

180mm fork on an HARD TAIL? So, erm, why? Seriously, in what terrain / riding conditions do I need to have a front end capable of tackling boulder fields and a rear that is solid?

How about the Flintstone section of the World Cup course at Bromont on a Z-1 Bomber equipped HT? If the big bike's broken, and the chalet's already paid for, you make do.

Id love to give that terrain a go on the Bluepig, something like that is a case of luck!!!! just as easy to come of on a full sus as on a hardtail on that type of terrain, you cant really say oh damn i fell off on my Ragley i should have had a full sus, it just means you have to go down it a little faster on a hardtail!!

 

[FMJ]

Id love to give that terrain a go on the Bluepig, something like that is a case of luck!!!! just as easy to come of on a full sus as on a hardtail on that type of terrain, you cant really say oh damn i fell off on my Ragley i should have had a full sus, it just means you have to go down it a little faster on a hardtail!!

There's the skill factor too. I've seen Nico Vouilloz rooftop (ride through just skimming the tops of the rocks) that entire section.

 

[graham1975]

Yeh thats true but i wouldnt say it was skill alone, its a case of skill / balls / practise and f**kit just do it

 

[giant-one]

If anyone doubts the virtues of long travel, watch the vid on this link (2nd one with orange bike):

http://www.ragleybikes.com/our-products/blue-pig-frame/

The forks are working overtime but soaking everything up with ease! As the trail becomes really rocky I know that its beyond the capabilities of my hardtail...

Ive never been keen on the long travel idea, but now im thinking its worth at least looking into.

Ha Ha
Thats the mechanic Stuart Rider from Skipton bike shop. He has some videos form whistler where he was clearing 30-40 foot gaps but on his full sus. He's a top bloke too.