Ragley's 2016 Models - Get Wild

Oct 15, 2015 at 13:18
by Ragley Bikes  
Views: 11,461    Faves: 48    Comments: 1


The best way to get faster is to ride a hardtail - FACT. It teaches proper trail manners; demanding that you ride clean and smooth, reading the trail ahead, picking the best lines and carrying speed everywhere you can. As you are directly connected to the trail underneath, there is better feedback and it is more natural. It is also just more fun!

Ragley bikes are a UK based, trail focused hardtail brand. Ran by riders for riders, we design products that we love to ride and we think you will love them too!

After many, many late nights and a lot of blood, sweat and tears, tt is a great pleasure to release our new 2016 Ragley range of bikes and frames. Our new range is made up of 5 models which cover a variety of styles, materials, wheel sizes and fork lengths depending on the type of rider you are and what you want to ride. Each model is available as a frame only or as a complete bike: ready for action straight out of the box. One thing that they all have in common is that they are long, low and slack which translates to a confidence inspiring ride and loads of fun out on the trails!

Group photo

Geometry - Updated Ragley Trail Geometry explained:
Geometry is taken very seriously at Ragley. We believe it is the most important part of any bike’s personality. It defines the bike and ultimately dictates the way a bike will interact with you and the trail.

Our updated trail geometry has been designed long, low and slack to inspire confidence whether you are a beginner or an advanced rider.
• Better control and a more forgiving ride for beginners
• Improved stability and control to Inspire confidence for advanced riders

The main changes are:
• Longer front triangles and shorter stems:
• Give the rider more room to move around, stay in control and makes it much harder to go over the handlebars.
• It lengthens the wheelbase to increase stability at speed and over technical terrain.
• Moves rider weight forward to load the front wheel giving better traction in corners and helps to keep the front wheel on the ground when climbing steeper sections.
• Slack static head angles:
• Designed to mimic the characteristics of a modern full suspension bike with a rider on board but obviously without the sag at the rear. This is why our bikes seem slack when static. However, once the rider is on the bike, the front suspension will sag, steepening the head angle by the desired amount.

2016 Ragley Geometry Diagram

See below for range highlights:

Bluepig 27.5”
2016 Ragley Bluepig

Introducing the new and improved Ragley Bluepig: Designed as an All Mountain/Enduro Race friendly bike, our top of the range 27.5” wheeled Bluepig is built for those who want to go faster and play harder.

Building on the success of the original, we wanted the new Blue Pig to keep the soul of the old frame by retaining as many of the original features as possible: It is still made from custom triple butted 4130 Chromoly Steel and features classic Ragley attributes such as; 44mm head tube, 3 Finger Bridge, Taperlite seat tube and chain stay mounted disc brake calliper. To bring the frame right up to date, we have added a whole host of new features such as 27.5” wheels, a stiffer bolt through rear end using exchangeable dropouts which will allow you to run 142x12m or QR, better tyre & stand-over clearance and stealth dropper compatibility.

Key Features:
• Custom triple butted 4130 Chromo steel
• Optimised for a 150mm fork
• 44mm Headtube
• Head Angle: 64˚Static (66˚ Sagged at 25%)
• 27.5” wheels
• Stealth dropper cable routing
• 142x12mm Through Axle
• ISCG 05 Tabs 
• 5 Year Warranty and lifetime crash replacement

Ragley s in action

The new Bluepig is a blend of DH stability and uphill tenacity. It will descend and climb with such contradiction that you will be left scratching your head.



Piglet 27.5”
2016 Ragley Piglet

The new 2016 Ragley Piglet has been updated to use 27.5” wheels. Designed as a ‘more normal’ Trail friendly bike with All Mountain capabilities, the Piglet is created for exploration, adventure and play. It is for people that ride with their saddle up as much as their saddle down.

Key Features:
• Custom triple butted 4130 Chromo steel
• Optimised for a 130mm fork
• 44mm Headtube
• Head Angle: 65.5˚Static (67˚ Sagged at 25%)
• 27.5” wheels
• Stealth dropper cable routing
• 135mm QR
• ISCG 05 Tabs 
• 5 Year Warranty and lifetime crash replacement

Ragley s in action

The new Piglet should see you climbing up, going along and flying down faster than ever before!



Mmmbop 27.5”
2016 Ragley Mmmbop

The original Alloy hardcore hardtail is back! In case you are not familiar with the Ragley range: the Mmmbop is the Alloy version of the Steel Bluepig. First launched back in 2008, the original Mmmbop defined what a modern All Mountain Alloy hardtail frame should be: Strong, light, stiff, adaptable, agile and huge fun to ride!

Key Features:
• Custom butted 6061-T6 Heat treated aluminium tubing
• Optimised for a 150mm fork
• 44/56mm Tapered Headtube
• Head Angle: 64˚Static (66˚ Sagged at 25%)
• 27.5” wheels
• Stealth dropper cable routing
• 142x12mm Through Axle
• ISCG 05 Tabs 
• 5 Year Warranty and lifetime crash replacement

Ragley s in action

The Mmmbop frameset features ISCG 05 tabs, a 44/56mm tapered head tube to keep the front low, a stiffer bolt through rear end using exchangeable dropouts which will allow you to run whichever standard you desire(142x12m or QR) and stealth dropper compatibility. It is engineered from custom butted aircraft grade 6061-T6 Aluminium tubing resulting in a frame that is at home on any terrain but happiest when ridden hard, roosting turns and hammering the descents!



Marley 27.5”
2016 Ragley Marley

Introducing the next generation Ragley Marley; updated with 27.5” wheels. The Marley is our entry level frame and the Alloy version of the Steel Piglet. The new Marley is faster and smoother over rough terrain, more fun to ride, packed with more features than ever before and best of all; we have reduced the price tag! The new Marley offers a lot more bang for your buck!

Key Features:
• Custom butted 6061-T6 Heat treated aluminium tubing
• Optimised for a 130mm fork
• 44/56mm Tapered Headtube
• Head Angle: 65.5˚Static (67˚ Sagged at 25%)
• 27.5” wheels
• 135mm QR
• ISCG 05 Tabs 
• 5 Year Warranty and lifetime crash replacement

Ragley s in action

The Marley is at home on any terrain: from tearing up your local singletrack, back country adventures in the middle of nowhere or smashing out runs in the Alps; it will go wherever you want to take it and have you coming back for more!



Bigwig 29”
2016 Ragley Bigwig

The Big Wig is our top of the range Steel 29er frame. Designed as a Trail/All Mountain/Enduro Race friendly bike, the Bigwig is built for those who want a versatile, go anywhere and ride everything flat-out kind of bike.

Key Features:
• Custom triple butted 4130 Chromo steel
• Optimised for a 130mm fork
• 44mm Headtube
• Head Angle: 65˚Static (66.5˚ Sagged at 25%)
• Frame designed for 29” or 27.5+” wheels
• Stealth dropper cable routing
• 142x12mm Through Axle
• ISCG 05 Tabs 
• 5 Year Warranty and lifetime crash replacement

Ragley s in action

The Bigwig will help you push your limits on any terrain, letting you ride further, faster and all whilst having more fun!

Here is what our Brand Manager; Steven Jamison had to say about the new range:

The Hardtail market is a fairly saturated one these days so in order to make sure that ours stood out from the crowd we decided to focus our attention on the details; producing trail focused frames with well thought out features and modern, aggressive geometry to inspire you to get wild out on the trails! If you aren’t having fun on a Ragley then you’re doing it wrong!

For full details on our new 2016 range, please visit the Ragley website / @ragley-bikes

Author Info:
ragley-bikes avatar

Member since Sep 30, 2015
4 articles

70 Comments
  • 38 0
 My Marley is fun and simple and hasn't broke, all you want from a bike really.
  • 14 0
 a short and surprisingly comprehensive review Razz
  • 12 0
 Loving the frame design numbers. Look like a shit ton of fun. Need an aggressive hardtail in my life.
  • 27 21
 Cracked a marley frame and was denied a warranty. Commencal gets my money now.
  • 1 0
 What was the reason and how did it crack?
  • 10 0
 Having broken two Commencal frames and being denied warranty I don't think you're any better off mate.
  • 10 0
 WUT. I used to work in the warranty dept. that dealt with Ragley. I'd be fairly certain denying your claim was valid.
  • 3 16
flag cptstoney (Oct 19, 2015 at 8:10) (Below Threshold)
 they denied it since i didnt buy it from a vendor. still had/have the box it came in and all.
  • 2 0
 I like Liteville warranty policy. They don't care which owner in row you are and how you ride your bike.
  • 6 3
 Yep cause warranty exists without a proof of purchase, don't it
  • 6 8
 cause a quality frame cracks in 6 months right?

redbull cans use thicker wall tubing.....
  • 7 0
 Love my Blue Pig... Can't wait for the new ones!
  • 3 0
 I have been lucky enough to ride quite a few of these Ragleys at my own trails and I have to say they are such great handling bikes. If you are thinking about treating yourself to a new hardtail then you would be foolish to overlook Ragley as one of your top choices. Guaranteed smiles at the bottom of the trail on one of these bikes. They look even better in the flesh too.
  • 8 6
 I kinda disagree with the whole hardtail improves your riding thing. I got into riding the classic way, started out on a hardtail, small full sus and now for a while a 160 full susser, which i use for general thrashing and ragging about. I also own a downhill rig, ride that a lot, race a bit and switch between the two bikes. Last winter and This season I've ridden my DH bike a lot. Getting back on the trail bike I'm noticeably quicker than I was on it previously. I'm much faster on the decents than I was when just on the trail bike and that's simply down to the fact that I'm used to DH speeds now. The top guys don't train on hardtail a they ride moto. Graves has also said to keep his speed for the EWS he rides his big bike for training. Having said that, Ragley bikes look sick, and if it wasn't for a rather severe knee injury a few years ago Ragley would be my choice for a hardtail...
  • 13 0
 My HT taught me a lot about carrying speed.
  • 26 0
 Ride a lot of everything will make you faster.
  • 6 12
flag WAKIdesigns (Oct 19, 2015 at 6:21) (Below Threshold)
 For general riding Hardtail does teach you a thing or two but it definitely does not directly translate to riding full sussers.
The best thing hardtail does though it gives you an excuse to be slow and makes you shine when you make it to be one of the faster guys Big Grin

@thenotoriousmic - If you ride sht loads on all bikes then it doesn't matter what you ride, but if you ride twice a week like most people out there, swinging your foot over the hardtail deliberately to hone some skills for a fully is a waste of time. They are fun to ride and good to make a switch from time to time, but leave it there, no rationalization is necessary as there is none. Have a hardtail to ride jumps and pumptrack but if you already have a decent full susser, taking it to trails is nothing more but being hip, even if only to yourself.
  • 4 1
 @Samarius - I think the way you ride a bike changes between DH and a trail bike - when I do DH I'm effectively sessioning a track or two over and over, effectively practicing a particular set of skills. On a trail ride you may only do everything once, and if you mess a corner/jump/etc. up, won't come back to it until next time. What brought on your skills was probably more to do with the way you were riding than the bike (in my opinion!) - you were probably practicing your skills more. It has always certainly been the case for me!
  • 4 0
 The best thing about hardtails is that they're simply loads of fun on flatter terrain that isn't a pure rock and root fest.

Having ridden both I can tell you a fully just doesn't give you the same feeling when manualling/bump jumping/general local wood tomfoolery. Yes it can be done (see random UK corner ripping edit) but it will not feel as bmx-y..
  • 4 0
 @WAKIdesigns there's loads of advantages to taking a hardtail out over a trail bike. There lighter you can sprint way quicker especially out of corners. You've got a way better hop, you can hit jumps better. You've just got to get used to hoping or jumping rough sections of trail. Getting your weight over the front and picking the right line.
  • 3 5
 If your terrain is root and rock fest then HT is pure fun, not much of efficiency. Feeling of insane speed, not really high speed. You simply can't pump bumpy terrain. Same goes for DH bike vs 6" bike, your sine wave of putting pressure down, going up gets completely different.
  • 2 1
 Going by my experiences, a HT *can* hold speed pretty well pointing down even on fairly chunky terrain, it's getting up to that speed which requires some finesse. Obviously the rear hooks up on rocks as it's not compliant, so you can't decelerate too much as it's hard to get it back up. It really suffers on rough flat sections. Pedalling out of the saddle (as you have to) for an extended period over coarse terrain suck the juice out of you, so again you have to try and carry as much speed as possible. On my FS I can brake and pedal with impunity and just smother the f*** out of whatever I want. Thanks to the HT, I'm thinking more and carrying more speed in and out of sections.
There is also the confidence thing; pin a feature on the HT and you are happy to smash it on the bouncer.
  • 4 1
 "You simply can't pump bumpy terrain"

LOL, say that to the countless fools I pass in the park on my NS. I honestly do not see the need for anything with more than 6" of travel. Many riders use suspension as a comfort blanket to smooth out issues they choose not to work on, and continue to develop bad habits. Riding hardtail consistently, and hard, will break you of those habits... or it will break you. Plus, nothing beats that look you get when you drift right passed riders in their full armor and big rigs with your dome and gloves on a hardtail. Did everyone forget Brian Lopes and his dominance over DS/MX because the additional speed he carried racing hardtail?
  • 5 0
 You'd be surprised at how fast you can actually go other rough terrain on a hardtail. Hit stuff right and you'l just skim over the top like motoX hitting whoops sections. Riding a hardtail is not an excuse for going slow.
  • 3 7
flag WAKIdesigns (Oct 19, 2015 at 10:00) (Below Threshold)
 Hardtail fast? Against who on FS? I can pick a bunch of ti-carbonated sub 28lbs dentists for a ride, against whom I'll be a God on any trail on XC HT as long as you give me clipless pedals, wide bars and stem shorter than 80mm. But when I ride with top Swedish dudes I am left behind by a bigger margin than on FS, especially on flat bits. On HT I have nothing to live up to, on carbon Santa Cruz, I do. I was propagating this HT for skills utopia for many years (including that bullcrap about using suspension to sit on your arse, I've been there, I know a dude riding his second year and he never sat on anything else than DH bike, smoking 99% of local field), I am done with it, you can delude yourself all you want. They are fun and raw, like shagging a midget - perfectly fine if you have no other choice but only thrilling when you got bored of everything else. I love my hardtail but I keep it for commuting, pumptrack and jumps. I ride it in the woods when I get bored of my super bike Big Grin
  • 4 0
 A hardtail allows one to recapture the focus on smaller terrain details, which is easily lost on a hightlycompensating full suspension trail bike. My ability to read and react to the smaller trail details, when on my full suspension, is far better after a couple consecutive rides on the old hardtail. Just my opinion, but buying a hardtail has made me a far better rider, after 16 years of riding full suspension trail and DH bikes. Previously I had only ridden a HT in the first year and a half of riding.
  • 3 0
 I don't see how the hardtail theory makes a rider faster, by picking better lines? I pick lines to go faster where fs guys I ride with just plow though what I am choosing to go around.
I ride a hardtail because I can't afford a fs right now but in no way am I disappointed about riding one. Always have a big smile at the bottom of a run just like the fs guys. As for speed it's all up to rider skill and balls.
Downieville I was the only hardtail there and I got passed by fs bikes and I also passed fs bikes. Its all skill level.
Love my budget built ragley!
  • 1 0
 Hardtail is very good for building leg muscle seeing as how your legs are the suspension. I ride a lot farther on fs.
  • 1 0
 @brncr6 the theory is that if you ride a hardtail your going to be used to getting the most out of the trail and riding in the absolute limit that when you get on your full suss it's going to be like riding in easy mode. Which only really makes sense if your intending on riding the same trails at the exact same speed as you was on your hardtail.
  • 2 0
 If you want to be good on any type of equipment, practice on that equipment. You can't explore the limits of your FS bike if you're only pushing the limits of your HT. Aside from the dj bike and bmx, I've got a steel hardtail (DMR Switchback) and an aluminium fully (Cannondale Prophet). Because of the nature of the terrain I'm riding most here, the DMR is best fun. Yes on some sections the fully allows me to go quicker. But until I got the FS, I've been aggressive on the front brake and very easy on the rear brake. I like it like that, gets the rear going wild and still be able to point and shoot. I hate it when chicken riders lock up the rear on steep descends and rip the trail apart. Well, I had to relearn descending when I started riding that fully. Not only does the front end dive when braking, the rear end rises as well! You don't have that on an HT. Luckily the rear brake pulls the rear end down (is that what they call brake-jack?). I had to learn using it like that though. A different rear suspension design would probably behave differently.

For some reason the affordable proper single pivot bikes got extinct, which is a shame. Orange and Santa Cruz aren't that affordable over here compared to multi-pivot stuff. Luckily we're getting loads of good hardtails these days. With what's on offer now, I probably wouldn't buy a FS anymore. The Ragley seems nice but Cotic still seems best to me. Their steeper geometry keeps me on my toes Smile .
  • 3 3
 I was once told an excellent thing by the chance of arguing about clipless vs flats and propelling that crap about flats making you better: progression is for the one that wants to progress. It's up to you what you do and how you do it, equipment comes quite further down on the list. To me all this talking of learning on HT vs FS, 26 vs 29, flats vs clipless, medium tyres vs aggro tyres is a complete misunderstanding of term "no pain, no gain" - some seek hard way because they think it is the way to progress, which is nonsense. Seek the best way to progress and pain will come, don't worry
  • 1 0
 Unless you're competing, progression is a goal in itself. And it is multidimensional, you can improve one thing at the expense of something else. A typical example is endurance vs explosive capacity. Set your own goals, own it. Intrinsic motivation is always better than extrinsic. So if you want to be good on flats, on a 26" hardtail on aggro tyres then get that kind of gear and ride the hell out of it. You'll become good on it. You may not be faster than if you'd have made a different choice. But faster isn't necessarily better unless you've defined it as your goal. Very often it isn't. Very often it is all about fun, thrills and giggles. And you yourself decide how you're going to achieve that.
  • 1 0
 I ride to feel like a bada$$. I know it is lame but I want to feel like I am good when I ride. I am really average but it's not about reality, but perception, right? As long as the bike is set up right I reach my goal.
  • 5 0
 Holy shit are these looking sexy now, .
  • 3 0
 Great, now I have to choose between another Ragley and a DH bike next summer. (I still have my 26" Marley, but why not a 27.5" Mmmbop?)
  • 4 0
 WOOOO, welcome back Ragley. Cant wait to get my blue pig in November!
  • 1 2
 Wanna buy my commencal Cromo Ramones instead?
  • 2 0
 Nope haha.

I ordered a Blue Pig back in 2013/2014 cant remember to be precise. But my order never came, I then heard rumours that there had been a fire a Ragleys manufacturing plant and I thought well Ragley are dead. As such a long time out of the market for a small company could be really destructive to them. In that time I set my heart on a NS Eccentric Cromo, lovely bike. Just when I was about to place my order my LBS informed me that Ragley were coming back and coming back strong. He wasnt kidding the new Blue Pig destroys the spec of the Eccentric despite the Eccentric being slightly more expensive. Also Ragley are now offering 5 year guarantee and a lifetime crash replacement?? Thats awesome. Blue Pig for me Big Grin
  • 4 0
 Ooooh that Blue Pig looks goood.
  • 3 0
 My old blue pig is still one of my favourite hardtails.
Has the paint work improved on the modern ragleys though?
  • 1 0
 funny you say that. I've had a stylus, blue pig, now NS surge. All seem to have fairly wimpy coatings. not sure if it's just a ragley problem but I feel like I have to be far more careful around my powder coated frames these days. I wouldn't mind trying a raw Stanton just to avoid the colour coatings all together.
  • 4 0
 No boost spacing! Congrats on a solid looking line up Ragley. You're back!
  • 3 2
 The biggest joke ever is having a staff member to take care of warranty replacement .... Ragley's don't break, so this guy is simply the coffee / tea boy in the office then Razz

Lovely bikes!
  • 1 0
 I love my Ragley but I owned 3 Mmmbops, only one of em was straight out of the factory and that one had faulty paint. They don't break much but the QC was bloody awful.

(actually... I have the Ti now so being a Lynskey, it's probably more likely to break than the alu and steel ones!)
  • 2 0
 www.pinkbike.com/video/368887 Here is a video of Ragley brand manager Steven riding a Ragley Big Wig 29er down a trail in Northern Ireland called Big Wig Jig.
  • 2 0
 anyone remember the bagger 288? That was a cool idea, no idea how it pedalled though.
  • 3 0
 i still have a bagger. solid bike all round; ahead of it's time in regards to its slack head angle.

not bad numbers on the new pig; though the front center is short by contemporary standards - ie, 410mm reach on the 18" / 425mm on the 20"). i suppose the slacker (72*) seat angle gives the bar to seat length they were looking for; i'd just rather see a couple degrees steeper seat tube (to keep on top of that slack hta) with at least an inch more on the front center. personal pref, of course.
  • 3 0
 That trip looked real fun may need to look into doing that run .
  • 2 0
 The only reason for me to change to 27.5, the new piglet. Now to talk the wife into new frame, fork and wheels.
  • 2 0
 I wonder what the percentage of viewers would ride that trail on a DH rig ?
That'll do nicely Pig Smile
  • 3 0
 Love my little piglet since the day I got it
  • 2 0
 Anyone know where you can buy a Ragley in the US? Want an mmmbop but their website for US sales led me nowhere.
  • 4 3
 Aaaah shame they're all 650b!! Not letting go of the 26" BFe! 26" ain't dead yet!
  • 4 2
 All nice and clean but when and where can I buy any of the frames?
  • 6 2
 In the future, and from shops.
  • 4 4
 They are out of stock since over half of a year. It gets on my impulse shopping habit
  • 2 0
 That was a problem for Ragley since day one. In the time it took for my Blue Pig X to arrive, I'd waited three months, gone to a custom builder, had a 'not Blue Pig' made by hand and painted metallic green, cancelled my Blue Pig order and been riding the custom bike around for five months. Still got the custom bike, never bought a Ragley product. Hopefully they've sorted stuff like that out this time.
  • 2 0
 feel all the feel and keep it real.
  • 2 0
 2.24... Why you wear knee pads!
  • 1 0
 I have learned from using my face to stop me too often
  • 1 0
 frames look small in the pictures, almost like jump bikes
  • 1 0
 mmm bop, doh doh doh doh fa-fa-fa-fa Fashion
  • 1 4
 "The original Alloy hardcore hardtail!" LOLZ, is basically all you can say to that.
Below threshold threads are hidden







Copyright © 2000 - 2024. Pinkbike.com. All rights reserved.
dv56 0.036063
Mobile Version of Website