Ragley, any good?

[BOBTEE]

So, popped into my LBS yesterday for a powerlink, came out with some grips and an energy yoghurt thing and no powerlink! Anyway, whilst there I got chatting about Ragleys.

To cut a long story short, I currently ride a Lapierre Spicy (2010). I'm doing the C2C in June, 130 miles. Now the Spicy reckons to be 'All Mountain' so in theory it should be capable of doing a good distance, that said I can't see the 160mm of travel being much use on a disused railway!

The LBS have a Ragley Piglet kitted out with Deore shiny bit and an air fork, I forget which one, £1100. Clearly a more suitable bike for the C2C.

So do I go for a Ragley, SWMBO approves, when I should really use the money for paying off existing debts, or do I MTFU and pedal a bus from one side of the country to the other?

[MadDad]

Ragley...........there, end of!! :-)

I have the Piglet's big brother, the Pig which I built myself last year and really love! Mine is a bit heavyweight as I stuck a set of Pike 454's on it but it really is a great bike. It's also nice to ride trails on something slightly different, and steel!

In a way I wish I had gone for the Piglet as I am currently riding more XC than trail, but I still love the way it rides, even up hills!

Taking a break on the Ridgeway a couple of weeks ago;



On the day I finished the build;

[shouldbworking]

I'm not sure a ragley would be any less overkill than the lapierre. A cross bike would be an obvious choice.
If i had that kind of money to spend on a bike for that task I'd get an on one pompetamine versa 11 speed.

[Digga]

shouldbworking said:

I'm not sure a ragley would be any less overkill than the lapierre.

^This.

They seem to be a cracking bike though, but a mate who has one reckons the slack head angle dosen't make for easy climbing.

HTH

[anonymous-user]

it really depends which C2C route you are using, there are a few routes now, road and mtb routes though almost every mtb route i have seen does have the occasional section on minor roads. An off road route often referred to as "Wainwright's route" is one of the popular deviations of the original road-based C2C but of the 180 miles or so of the wainwright route, about 40 of that is on roads.

WRT the off road route, its easily completed on a cx bike or a hybrid with a bit of care. 160mm travel will be hard work, its not the sort of route where you want that sort of bike, it will make the entertaining bits more fun but you will suffer on the flat. The ideal bike would be a tough steel HT like the P7 or the Soul, of course if you are using C2C as a reason to justify a new big travel bike purchase then its the perfect bike....

see the pictures here for a guide to the type of trail. http://www.trailbrakes.co.uk/assets/documents/2810...
http://www.c2c-guide.co.uk/off-road-sections/

[BOBTEE]

Sorry, should have said, it's the off road route for the C2C. Also, even my man logic can't justify a new bike for just one ride! So if I were to buy a hardtail it would also be used for jaunts around the Yorkshire Dales.

Interesting about the head angle and climbing, not something that I would have considered, anything else to add on that note? I have become used to a slack head angle now with the lappy. I've had a go on a couple of HTs and just felt like the front was gonna tuck under at any moment, the Piglet felt much like my Lappy.

MD, your thought? Nice bike btw.

Surely any hardtail, within reason, would be better for the C2C / XC than my Lappy?

Thanks

[MadDad]

TBH I have never had any issues with climbing, but that is because although the head angle is slightly more d/h oriented, the seat angle is slightly more upright which keeps you forward on the ups. Here is some blurb from their web site;

Riders coming from some brands may be puzzled about our shorter-than-they-are-used-to top tube dimensions But if you have a compare with the new way to measure dimensions (below), youll understand more. As our frames have steep and steeper seat angles (bigger frames get steeper seat angles), this means that larger riders are sat a little more forward than on a lot of frames. We do this to move weight from the back of the bike, forward. To keep your front tyre weighted for steering and grip, to stop you looping out backwards on climbs Nobody else does this (yet) that weve seen, but it seems pretty obvious. Tall riders with long seatpost extensions dont want to be way back over the rear wheel (unless you really like doing wheelies).
Also, if youre into new ways of measuring things Try this its the new way, apparently. Makes sense!

See more here http://www.sicklines.com/2008/12/18/reach-and-stac...
The Piglet does not have such a slack head angle, its much more of an XC setup so concerns about pulling a wheely going up hills wont apply!

[a11y_m]

Sounds like you need something with a slack head angle to complement your Spicy and avoid the "tucking under" feeling you describe. Et viola, an On-One 456 Carbon

I too ride a 2010 Spicy and measured the HA as ~65.5deg with 160mm fork. One of my other bikes is an On-One 456 Summer Season (it's 2deg slacker than the regular/carbon 456) and measures 65.0deg static HA with 140mm forks... Mental, but fun too and climbs much better than it should with a HA like that. Only downside is it could be lighter, hence me suggesting the carbon 456 which is 2lbs lighter frame. I've heard it's a comfy ride even if the thought of carbon puts me off. Basically it complements my Spicy and my riding style well so might be worth a look. Or depending on budget, a Cotic Soul or BFe would be worth a look.

[.Adam.]

I've got a Blue Pig, built it up reasonably cheaply from second hand bits/stuff I had lying around. I use it mainly as a winter ride and really like it. Can't say I've ever had any trouble climbing, I can get up anything that I can on my 5. I'd happily have another one, although I would quite fancy an On One Carbon to try!

[MadDad]

Great bikes eh .Adam.? Also quite nice to ride something you don't see dozens of at the trail centres!

[NCC]

For once, a thread I feel qualified to comment on!

Myself and a group of friends did the full off road C2C (the one where you
climb mountains and stuff) a few years ago. Bikes ranged from full on 150mm
'all mountain' bikes to a Trek 4300. All made the trip without any real
issues. Obviously the full sus rigs had more fun on the bonkers downhills and
the hardtails enjoyed the climbs more. All had fun though. Basically, you'll be
fine whichever bike you take.

Re the Ragley. I'm riding an mmmBop at the moment. Brilliant bike, likes to be
properly bullied around and loves tech. Not a bad climber with the fork wound
down to 120mm either. Gratuitous picture time

[Pablo16v]

The Ragley frame angles are fairly sorted so you wont have any problems climbing if you have the bike set up properly. The slack head angles are offset with steepish seat tubes so with your post fully raised youre sitting pretty much dead centre on the bike so keeping your weight forward on steep climbs is easy. Im running 150mm and 160mm forks on my Blue Pig with absolutely zero climbing issues even on super steep stuff. Ive had my Pig a year now and its a blast to ride. I havent ridden a Piglet but the reviews all seem to be very positive, a grin inducing bike by all accounts.

[Digga]

Pablo16v said:

Ive had my Pig a year now and its a blast to ride.

My mate loves his - certainly descended nicely on our recent hoon down Minton Bach on the Long Mynd:

[BOBTEE]

Thanks for the replies!

NCC, where is that first pic, looks just like Cowling, where I live!

I'm ruling out anything carbon! I used to have a Gary Fisher, as did a mate, he snapped his, I sold mine to get the Spicy...not entertaining carbon, at all.

Looks like I'm gonna have to get some overtime in, gonna have to get me a Ragley! Thanks all!

[NCC]

BOBTEE said:

NCC, where is that first pic, looks just like Cowling, where I live!

Not a million miles away - it's deepest, darkest Calderdale.


Digga - you're not wrong about Mark's love of the Minton Batch descent and his bike does kind of look like a Radley but I think he's in a Cotic BeFe (which he does indeed reckon is a bit wandery uphill).