A few more things... 1. My funky lighting setup did an awful job showcasing the beautiful candy apple red color of this frame. It's as red as can be in real life. 2. I wanted to see how much clearance there was with a 2.6. there was so much that I decided to try a 29x2.8 wheel on both these frames, and they cleared! Not a ton of mud clearance, but a few mm on each side. Pretty awesome! 3. My review of this bike drops tomorrow. Stay tuned. 4. Ragley only makes hardtails. Gotta love that. 5. I am so grateful to ragley for sending me this bike ahead of time so I could get some videos ready for launch day. My goal in the future is to always get bikes a few months ahead of time on the future. According to PinkBike, here's the availability schedule: 15 Feb: Mmmbop frames 22 Feb: Big Al frames, Big Wig frames, Blue Pig frames, Marley frames, Mmmbop frames & bikes, Piglet frames 1 March: Big Wig Race bikes, Blue Pig Race bikes, Mmmbop bikes, Piglet bikes, Trig bikes. 15 March: Big Al 1.0 & 2.0 bikes, Big Wig bikes, Big Wig frames, Blue Pig bikes.
Good on Ragley for letting you compare these back to back. I'm glad to see you growing in legitimacy and that manufacturers are taking you seriously. 35% weight difference!
Literally an hour before I saw this video I had checked Ragley’s site and saw that they had released their 2021 lineup. Perfect timing! I was close to putting a deposit on the Sergeant v4. Now I have more bikes to drool over before I pull the trigger.
@@hardtailparty and you're using the Tannus insert. I've also been looking at those. I tried to give you two thumbs up for this video, but TH-cam won't let me🤣
It is good to see a manufacturer realize the value of your reviews. You provide such a wealth of information to us so that we can make smart purchases. My friend and I often talk about some of the stupid things we did when we first started out some thirty years ago.
@@hardtailparty OK, I wasn’t aware they have control over placement. I definitely get the advertising aspect but it sure is nice when you don’t have to sit through one or two at the beginning of it. Thanks for all the great videos.
I can go back and modify the placement after, but TH-cam initially places the videos for me. It's always a balance of not putting a million annoying ads and still being able to afford to run the channel. Thanks for the kind words.
I'm really enjoying your reviews. I'm lucky to have owned loads of different bikes over the years but always have a massive soft spot for hardtails. I ordered a Vitus Sentier VR yesterday after noticing they were actually in stock, woo hoo! I built up a Ragley Mmmbop a few years back and it was great fun. Those frames look great. Watching your ride reviews and seeing those blue skies is great escapism from the Winter and Covid misery here in the UK. Keep up the good work👍 (Would be nice to see a Vitus review if you could get hold of one!).
I have a 2020 Bigwig and I love it. 150mm fork, 29x2.6/2.4 Minions. Bontrager Line Pro carbon wheels. It’s a good all arounder. It hauls when you point it down, but it is a bit harsh on on chattery stuff. But I take the trade off for good power transfer when pumping.
This is great the old Steel vs Aluminum debate continues!!! Can’t wait to see real time results and get your take on the bikes. This should be one of the better opinions because of the same parts and I assume same trails ridden on both frames!!!! Great job Steve can’t wait!!!! 💪💪💪👍👍👍
@@mortonj100 awesome, I got lucky and bought it second hand from a 74year old shredder..., he wheeleed it for me in 5he parking lot blew my mind , 5old me he was a regular with his sons and rode hard trails like a-line🤫 in whistler, bc, this guy was something else , this chromolie bike brings me back to being a kid again🙂
Pumped for this review! I got a Big Al last fall, partly because of your review of the Mmbop and partly because it was literally the only bike I could find available after months and months of searching/researching. I don't have a huge amount to compare it to, but I'm loving it, granted some of the parts are entry level but the price seemed very reasonable.
A 26" Blue Pig has been my main ride for 8 years. Looking forward to this comparison - what a great idea. (Steve - ask them to send you a new Blue Pig to review too!)
I'm exited about this one. Hope you also compare the Ragley Big Al 29er vs the MMMBOP 27.5er (also Al) which you previously tested and loved. Ragley claims the geo and frame compliance are basically the same, but just scaled up to the 29er frame. Additionally, you being a smaller rider comparing a small wheel vs a big wheel frame of theoretically similar characteristics will be very interesting to me. As I am a big guy 6'2" with a long torso and short legs (30" inseam).
Yes, yes and yes. This brand seems to give good value for money. Hopefully the ride quality is up to snuff. This is something I personally want to see since they are in my budget. The color way is fantastic.
@@hardtailparty I just don't know of any experiences that anybody has had with the bikes so I just wasn't sure. The geo and specs were pretty hard to beat though, I'm really excited to see how the big wig rides
Im going to buy a Ragley, but I'm not sure which yet. Many of them have just a 10mm difference in travel, and the geometry is almost the same. What differnce do that 10mm make?
As an FYI, my Ragley Big Al frame came with a box that had two sets of grommets, one set for a dropper cable to pass through, and a solid set with no hole in case you don't run a dropper.
@@TheFatSteez The difference in seat tube length between the medium and large is 40mm (420mm vs. 460mm), and I can fully insert a 200mm PNW dropper (which has a full insertion length of 300mm) on my size large frame. Non-scientific, non verified math would lead me to believe that you could use whatever has a max insertion length of ~260mm :)
@@yong7137 Amazing thanks mate! I've got a 170mm x fusion which apparently has as 285mm max insertion. According to a single tracks article "the post was perfectly bottomed out against the curve of the Privateer 161’s 420mm seat tube" so fingers crossed haha
I can't wait for the review of these two frames. I built up a Ragley Blue Pig which is the steel version of the aluminum Mmmbop you had. Too bad you couldn't do a side by side comparison then but this one should be interesting.
At least with my mmmbop the plugs weren't inserted when I bought the frame. Still fiddly to get the cable and housing through, but I don't think you could really do that with them already inserted. It also came with a little foam tube to put over the housing and squeeze through into the frame, which should reduce rattling there, not sure if that came with your review frames.
Hi, just wondering wich offset your fork has. Ragley specs these modells with 51mm offset, but I would like to use a 44mm offset Fox 34. Thank you very much, greetings from Germany ✌️
I was looking at the Big Al sizing, in their website it says the starting height is Medium for 170- 180 cm, can smaller riders ride the Big Al ? I am 164 cm and looking for a trail bike.
Those Ragley frames seem to hit all the perfect Geo numbers, I can’t wait to hear your comparison alloy v/s steel. I missed that you’re trying out the new tubeless Tannis Amour inserts. Curious about those too.
They seem to go for a somewhat balanced approach. Chainstay is neither super short or super long, so it will be neither too twitchy nor too planted. Reach, in comparison to others is the same, not as short as some bikes, nor as crazy long as some of the very aggressive models we have seen recently. Headtube angles are slack, but also not super crazy. Even the mmmbop is just shy of 64 degrees, and that is their most extreme model. If you're looking for those do-it-all unicorn bikes, then Ragley is probably as close as it gets.
@@Dark__Thoughts my bikes are 66HTA with 30% fork sag,so static there close to 64-65. I completely agree that this is the sweet spot for HTA. Of course all the other numbers need to complete that balanced feel. Too short of chain stay is not for everyone. Nice stack height, so you don’t need 40mm of spaces just looks better. A reach that works nicely with your stem length (I like 40mm stems) and a BB drop that makes you feel like you can corner faster and ride lower. Just my thoughts
Counterpoint, with the advent of eccentric bottom brackets you may be better off with that and a fixed rear axle than with sliding dropouts. Sliding dropouts add more weight and complexity to both axles and brake mounts, and also are weaker than normal through axles. I'm actually curious what you think. I ride a fixie around town and would be happy to use an eccentric BB on my next one, but I don't ride single speed mountain bikes.
@@adanielweaver Yeah, I have no experience with EBBs. I've only read that they can also be heavy and present problems. Also seems like a rider might have more flexibility with chain tension with the sliding dropouts. I'd be curious to see what Steve has to say about this.
I also wish they came with sliding dropouts, running my Big Al as SS with a spring type tensioner. It worked OK, but now I'm planning to experiment with an ISCG chain guide with pulley wheel for tension.
It's beautiful. I just wish it were a tiny bit more durable. But for the price, it's insane what you get on these bikes. $399 for a killer frame. Not bad!
@@hardtailparty Yeah, shame about the durability. Do you think the actual color underneath the clear coat comes off easily or is it mainly just scratching in the clear coat so far (neither being ideal of course)?
What will the HT angle end up with sag? I believe Ragley uses a static HT angle on their geo charts - correct? What amount of sag will you be running in that particular fork?
👌great looking rig, and video, I've looked on chain reaction and they're out of stock, i see its a medium, what size would you advise for a 6ft rider?🤔
Hi, I'm toying between a Marley, Big Al, and a Mmm bop. I know you've ridden both the Mmm bop mid last year. So how do you think you sit between the Big Al and the Mmm bop on your types of trails and since less techy flowy stuff. Thanks Craig
I've got a 2020 Big Al and absolutely love it. Paint work is a bit meh, got a few scratches on it after a few months. Just want to know what components you would put on it to make it lighter?
Oh man! That's fast!!!! It would be great if you also compare MMMBop and Blue Pig - I am riding Blue Pig now but thinking about switching to MMMBop because of the weight.
What size frame will be reviewed? I'm an in betweener and currently have a medium mmmbop but wonder how a small would feel as well. Thanks, keep up the good work.
How've you been getting along with the Teravail tires? Any reason for not running a Honcho in the rear instead of the Kessel? Being from MN these are basically in every shop but little to no info out there on them.
Teravail is a Q brand (the largest distributor for bike shops). So any shop with a q account can get them. I'll talk about them a bit in the review. I like the kessel up front, but not so much in the back for climbing.
@@hardtailparty Used to live right by the Q headquarters. (That's why I alluded to the fact they're everywhere). Looking forward to the video. Keep up the great content as usual!
@@hardtailparty I’m picking one up. Due to the shortage of bikes everywhere this seems like a good option that will be available soon. Would love to hear your thoughts.
Hey Steve, when and where are these going to be available in the USA? It looks like they are no longer distributing with chain reaction? I did not pull the trigger on last’s years model, because we were moving out of state.
I'd try the bike bondsman and Chuck n roll bikes. Last year they were to two importers for the US. They're both one-man shows though, so sometimes it takes a little while to get a response.
interesting frames, but why are the HT frames so over wight. 3KG for a steel frame is just too much. Ditto for the alu frame at 2.25kg. They are built to last that is for sure, but maybe they have gone a bit over board?
@@hardtailparty mm probably but I have three old xc 26" frames and they are used for everything. One 1400gram(alu), 1700gram and 2000gram for the other steel frames and the flexing is why I can ride those frames in that terrain. I dont ride in harsh terrain with my alu because I get bruises on my love handles as I ride rigid. :P But logically I am probably way slower than any rider on a modern bike in the same terrain but those weight for a bare frames scare me of, I mean my Crescent Lodur from 1997 with seat post, saddle, square taper bottom bracket, headset, front derailleur is 3.2kg and that frame has been through some pretty gnarly downhill abuse without any issues :P
Any thought on the Marley ? I really want to finally go for a fun/all rounder hardtail but I'm torn between 27,5 or 29 (Marley or Big AL). Looking forward to watch the reviews :)
How tall are you and what’s your inseam? I’m interested in the Big AL 1. In most hard tails there is overlap between the small to medium for individuals between 5’6” to 5’7” ish so I’m trying to figure out frame size. I believe my build is similar to yours as in short legs and taller torso but not much reach (often needing a 50 or 60 mm stem) ...
@@hardtailparty I am 5’6” & a half with a 28.5 inseam and have been trying out several hard tails at Bike shops around me and they are fitting me onto small frame for 29ers with a stem adjustment of 50-60 mm depending. So you and I being nearly ditto in dimensions how is it that you fit on a Ragley Big AL 29er in the medium frame ?
@@hardtailparty I got a M big al frame at 5’10 and 32” inseam. I have a little bit longer wingspan at 6ft hoping I didn’t make a big mistake instead of the large. Since I haven’t built it up yet.
Can't wait to see the reviews 🤩 Sadly the aluminum ones are like 100bucks more than list price on Chainreaction... I hope when the german dealers have em they are not as expensive. We have crazy times but a 100bucks over listprice? WoW😬 If they are just as expensive i maybe should wait till next year and maybe better geometry as a 100bucks or so can take me 2months to put aside depending on how it goes and then i still don't have all components yet. I will just buy components for now and put em on my old non boost frame for the time being and have a look from time to time what the prices are doing.😃
@@hardtailparty Yea that's why i'm waiting till german dealers have some to see what price they will put on em. I have to get components first anyways. Can't use a boost frame without boost hubs LoL also i need to get better brakes.
@@MagpieManny Well yea kinda. Dirty stuff has they Mmmbop wich i want and it's 330euros wich is reasonable. But first i have to get all the components...
every single 4130 standard steel frame weighs more then 6lbs, I know weight isn't the end all, and cost is cheaper I'm sure with the standard 4130...almost 7lbs, same as my full squish enduro frame. I think for a fun extra hardtail I may just have to look into the aluminum frame, way cheaper.
I've seen sub 5lb steel frames. It can be done but most bikes are being riddennahrdr than ever and people want a strong bike over light these days. A lightweight steel frame is a thing of beauty.
I love ragley but the prices went from 1000 to 1350 Euro here in Germany. Brexit kills english brands. Same with nukeproof. Both are nice brands with a good price/Quality and now they are expensive af. Now u can only build it up by yourself. Frames are only 50 Euro more than last year
A few more things...
1. My funky lighting setup did an awful job showcasing the beautiful candy apple red color of this frame. It's as red as can be in real life.
2. I wanted to see how much clearance there was with a 2.6. there was so much that I decided to try a 29x2.8 wheel on both these frames, and they cleared! Not a ton of mud clearance, but a few mm on each side. Pretty awesome!
3. My review of this bike drops tomorrow. Stay tuned.
4. Ragley only makes hardtails. Gotta love that.
5. I am so grateful to ragley for sending me this bike ahead of time so I could get some videos ready for launch day. My goal in the future is to always get bikes a few months ahead of time on the future.
According to PinkBike, here's the availability schedule:
15 Feb: Mmmbop frames
22 Feb: Big Al frames, Big Wig frames, Blue Pig frames, Marley frames, Mmmbop frames & bikes, Piglet frames
1 March: Big Wig Race bikes, Blue Pig Race bikes, Mmmbop bikes, Piglet bikes, Trig bikes.
15 March: Big Al 1.0 & 2.0 bikes, Big Wig bikes, Big Wig frames, Blue Pig bikes.
Do you happen to know when they'll go on sale?
@@isaacbrooks5999 they're for sale right now, but i wouldn't expect them to go on sale at a lower price. I expect these to sell out in a few weeks.
@@isaacbrooks5999 I think today was their release date. Probably why we didn't get this video sooner.
Looking forward to your big al review, I'm on the wait list for this frame with the bike bondsman
@@isaacbrooks5999 I've updated availability in the original post. It looks like 22 feb for frames.
Good on Ragley for letting you compare these back to back. I'm glad to see you growing in legitimacy and that manufacturers are taking you seriously.
35% weight difference!
I'm super appreciative of them. This is going to be a fun experiment.
This review when it comes out is gonna get you the most views out of any bike on this channel
Literally an hour before I saw this video I had checked Ragley’s site and saw that they had released their 2021 lineup. Perfect timing! I was close to putting a deposit on the Sergeant v4. Now I have more bikes to drool over before I pull the trigger.
Danggg it finally!!! Im excited for your input on these !!! There is a glow in your face when you first said big al and big wig :) from ragley
When a speaker is fired up and passionate about the subject, you know his information is legit. Great job on this one.
I did not expect this review, but I am super stoked. I'll really tempted to do my first "frame-up" build with the red Big Al.
It's so much fun to build up a frame from parts.
@@hardtailparty and you're using the Tannus insert. I've also been looking at those. I tried to give you two thumbs up for this video, but TH-cam won't let me🤣
@@isaacbrooks5999 a lot of locals love 'em, but I'm not crazy about them.
It is good to see a manufacturer realize the value of your reviews. You provide such a wealth of information to us so that we can make smart purchases. My friend and I often talk about some of the stupid things we did when we first started out some thirty years ago.
Guarantee your gonna love the feel of the steel frame, been rocking a custom build Piglet for a few years now ....absolutely love it!
Thanks for not putting a commercial at the very first of your video and having a short intro. Salute.
TH-cam automatically places them. I hate it when they put them at the front, but commercials are the only way I can continue to make free content.
@@hardtailparty OK, I wasn’t aware they have control over placement. I definitely get the advertising aspect but it sure is nice when you don’t have to sit through one or two at the beginning of it. Thanks for all the great videos.
I can go back and modify the placement after, but TH-cam initially places the videos for me. It's always a balance of not putting a million annoying ads and still being able to afford to run the channel. Thanks for the kind words.
Looking forward to the review, built the Big Wig 2019 and love it, does feel long at times, but ploughs through anything 🤟
This is so cool, huge props to Ragley for sending you the bikes for review, I hope more companies will follow ! Looking forward for this 💪
YES! Been looking forward to this review.
I'm really enjoying your reviews. I'm lucky to have owned loads of different bikes over the years but always have a massive soft spot for hardtails. I ordered a Vitus Sentier VR yesterday after noticing they were actually in stock, woo hoo! I built up a Ragley Mmmbop a few years back and it was great fun. Those frames look great. Watching your ride reviews and seeing those blue skies is great escapism from the Winter and Covid misery here in the UK. Keep up the good work👍
(Would be nice to see a Vitus review if you could get hold of one!).
I have a 2020 Bigwig and I love it. 150mm fork, 29x2.6/2.4 Minions. Bontrager Line Pro carbon wheels. It’s a good all arounder. It hauls when you point it down, but it is a bit harsh on on chattery stuff. But I take the trade off for good power transfer when pumping.
This is great the old Steel vs Aluminum debate continues!!! Can’t wait to see real time results and get your take on the bikes. This should be one of the better opinions because of the same parts and I assume same trails ridden on both frames!!!! Great job Steve can’t wait!!!! 💪💪💪👍👍👍
I bought a blue pig and it is an amazing ride, and quite a rare bike in 🇨🇦, I love it
I’m in New Brunswick and I’ve got a 20 BigWig race and I love it.
@@mortonj100 awesome, I got lucky and bought it second hand from a 74year old shredder..., he wheeleed it for me in 5he parking lot blew my mind , 5old me he was a regular with his sons and rode hard trails like a-line🤫 in whistler, bc, this guy was something else , this chromolie bike brings me back to being a kid again🙂
Seeing a back to back comparison like this is going to be awesome! Can’t wait to see how much of a difference you feel in the frame materials.
Pumped for this review! I got a Big Al last fall, partly because of your review of the Mmbop and partly because it was literally the only bike I could find available after months and months of searching/researching. I don't have a huge amount to compare it to, but I'm loving it, granted some of the parts are entry level but the price seemed very reasonable.
Noted your comments on liking 130mm forks on trail hardtails. I feel same. Just a nice sweet spot.
Love my 2020 Bigwig. Can't wait for your ride video!!!
HP - you are on a roll. Thanks so much from this hardtail fan.
A 26" Blue Pig has been my main ride for 8 years. Looking forward to this comparison - what a great idea. (Steve - ask them to send you a new Blue Pig to review too!)
I'm actually more interested in the marley than the blue pig. The marley looks like a hoot!
Finally! Please don't delete your video ;)
Already uploaded and ready to go tomorrow.
Looking forward to hearing your ride impressions!
I'm exited about this one. Hope you also compare the Ragley Big Al 29er vs the MMMBOP 27.5er (also Al) which you previously tested and loved. Ragley claims the geo and frame compliance are basically the same, but just scaled up to the 29er frame. Additionally, you being a smaller rider comparing a small wheel vs a big wheel frame of theoretically similar characteristics will be very interesting to me. As I am a big guy 6'2" with a long torso and short legs (30" inseam).
Yes, yes and yes. This brand seems to give good value for money. Hopefully the ride quality is up to snuff. This is something I personally want to see since they are in my budget. The color way is fantastic.
I own a 2020 ragley marley i love it you can't go wrong with a Ragley
i got a Big Al a truly amazing bike so smooth so fast
I've been hesitant to buy the big wig so it's nice to see ur vid on it
what's been holding you back?
@@hardtailparty I just don't know of any experiences that anybody has had with the bikes so I just wasn't sure. The geo and specs were pretty hard to beat though, I'm really excited to see how the big wig rides
Wow that is fast! Good for you because you deserve it!
Thanks for the kind words Rick.
Hah, soon as I saw the release of these I immediately thought of you 😄
Exactly what I wanted to see, as I'm thinking on getting a Big Al frame too :)
Psyched for these reviews. Looks like I wasn't the only one haranguing Ragley to send you a Big Wig 🤙.
Thanks for putting in a good word.
First bike I ever built was a Big Wig. Awesome bikes at a great value. 👌
It's insane how affordable they've made their bikes. They ride as good as bikes double their price.
That’s a Nice looking bike🔥
I'm really looking forward to your take on those Tannus inserts, I've been thinking about adding them to my 26 tube tires
Im going to buy a Ragley, but I'm not sure which yet. Many of them have just a 10mm difference in travel, and the geometry is almost the same. What differnce do that 10mm make?
As an FYI, my Ragley Big Al frame came with a box that had two sets of grommets, one set for a dropper cable to pass through, and a solid set with no hole in case you don't run a dropper.
Any idea what the biggest dropper is you can run on a medium? Cheers!
@@TheFatSteez The difference in seat tube length between the medium and large is 40mm (420mm vs. 460mm), and I can fully insert a 200mm PNW dropper (which has a full insertion length of 300mm) on my size large frame. Non-scientific, non verified math would lead me to believe that you could use whatever has a max insertion length of ~260mm :)
@@yong7137 Amazing thanks mate! I've got a 170mm x fusion which apparently has as 285mm max insertion. According to a single tracks article "the post was perfectly bottomed out against the curve of the Privateer 161’s 420mm seat tube" so fingers crossed haha
Stunning!
The Geo chart on the Mmmbop states 74 deg seat tube angle but it feels way steeper.
I can't remember... Is that effective sta or actual?
@@hardtailparty I think it’s actual, unsagged STA. That being said, I find the Geo on the MMmbop perfect.
@@BudoDave76 the mmmbop is a fantastic bike.
yeees! i think the big al is the bike to buy on a budget! waiting for the reviews :)
Good overview. Any seatpost insertion depth limitations we should be concerned with?
Yes. Any curved seat tube will have limitations on insertion depth.
@@hardtailparty would be swell if there was any list anywhere online of that parameter for the Ragleys.
@@hardtailparty do you have any rough measures how much space the is until the bent?
@@eXaviar I don't, sorry. It depends on the size. That's info every manufacturer should post on their website.
@@hardtailparty too bad, but thanks for replying. Sadly Ragley does not state that information
I can't wait for the review of these two frames. I built up a Ragley Blue Pig which is the steel version of the aluminum Mmmbop you had. Too bad you couldn't do a side by side comparison then but this one should be interesting.
Yeah, there weren't any frames available 6 months ago, so we had to wait for the 2021 models to become available.
At least with my mmmbop the plugs weren't inserted when I bought the frame. Still fiddly to get the cable and housing through, but I don't think you could really do that with them already inserted. It also came with a little foam tube to put over the housing and squeeze through into the frame, which should reduce rattling there, not sure if that came with your review frames.
Nope, my review frame came just as shown. That would have been nice.
Looking forward to this!
Hi, just wondering wich offset your fork has. Ragley specs these modells with 51mm offset, but I would like to use a 44mm offset Fox 34.
Thank you very much, greetings from Germany ✌️
You can use any offset on any bike. I'm on a 44-46mm offset here.
Nice looking bikes!!
I was looking at the Big Al sizing, in their website it says the starting height is Medium for 170- 180 cm, can smaller riders ride the Big Al ? I am 164 cm and looking for a trail bike.
Thanks for the video!
This is a great video idea!
Those Ragley frames seem to hit all the perfect Geo numbers, I can’t wait to hear your comparison alloy v/s steel. I missed that you’re trying out the new tubeless Tannis Amour inserts. Curious about those too.
They seem to go for a somewhat balanced approach. Chainstay is neither super short or super long, so it will be neither too twitchy nor too planted. Reach, in comparison to others is the same, not as short as some bikes, nor as crazy long as some of the very aggressive models we have seen recently. Headtube angles are slack, but also not super crazy. Even the mmmbop is just shy of 64 degrees, and that is their most extreme model.
If you're looking for those do-it-all unicorn bikes, then Ragley is probably as close as it gets.
@@Dark__Thoughts my bikes are 66HTA with 30% fork sag,so static there close to 64-65. I completely agree that this is the sweet spot for HTA. Of course all the other numbers need to complete that balanced feel. Too short of chain stay is not for everyone. Nice stack height, so you don’t need 40mm of spaces just looks better. A reach that works nicely with your stem length (I like 40mm stems) and a BB drop that makes you feel like you can corner faster and ride lower. Just my thoughts
Is the Big Al here really Candy Red or is it the Raspberry Black version?
I put 140 on my Marley it’s great
hi I love your videos and i was wondering if you ould do a review on a production privee oka
Man, I wish more HT frames had sliding dropouts. The ever-present singlespeeder's dilemma... Otherwise, these bikes look awesome!
Counterpoint, with the advent of eccentric bottom brackets you may be better off with that and a fixed rear axle than with sliding dropouts. Sliding dropouts add more weight and complexity to both axles and brake mounts, and also are weaker than normal through axles.
I'm actually curious what you think. I ride a fixie around town and would be happy to use an eccentric BB on my next one, but I don't ride single speed mountain bikes.
@@adanielweaver Yeah, I have no experience with EBBs. I've only read that they can also be heavy and present problems. Also seems like a rider might have more flexibility with chain tension with the sliding dropouts. I'd be curious to see what Steve has to say about this.
I also wish they came with sliding dropouts, running my Big Al as SS with a spring type tensioner.
It worked OK, but now I'm planning to experiment with an ISCG chain guide with pulley wheel for tension.
@@tomerg2 How did the ISCG mounted tensioner work on your Big AL?
What did this build weigh please?
I love their paint!
It's beautiful. I just wish it were a tiny bit more durable. But for the price, it's insane what you get on these bikes. $399 for a killer frame. Not bad!
@@hardtailparty Yeah, shame about the durability. Do you think the actual color underneath the clear coat comes off easily or is it mainly just scratching in the clear coat so far (neither being ideal of course)?
@@baddriversofcolga pro ably just the clear coat. It was entirely my fault though.
I’ve just managed to bag myself one of these 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄
This is a fun idea.
BigWig is niiiiice!
looks great
What's that little torque gauge you used on the stem bolts? Have a link?
It is a torque wrench that comes with the 9poin8 stout stems.
I have a big wig! You will love it!!
Oh boy oh boy 🤠
What will the HT angle end up with sag? I believe Ragley uses a static HT angle on their geo charts - correct? What amount of sag will you be running in that particular fork?
For every 20mm of atc you lose, the head angle gets 1* steeper.
👌great looking rig, and video, I've looked on chain reaction and they're out of stock, i see its a medium, what size would you advise for a 6ft rider?🤔
Hi, I'm toying between a Marley, Big Al, and a Mmm bop. I know you've ridden both the Mmm bop mid last year. So how do you think you sit between the Big Al and the Mmm bop on your types of trails and since less techy flowy stuff. Thanks Craig
I've got a 2020 Big Al and absolutely love it. Paint work is a bit meh, got a few scratches on it after a few months. Just want to know what components you would put on it to make it lighter?
@hardtailparty do you think a ceramic coating could mitigate the paint job being easily scratched, have you ever tried it on any of your bikes?
I don't have any experience with ceramic coating.
Oh man! That's fast!!!! It would be great if you also compare MMMBop and Blue Pig - I am riding Blue Pig now but thinking about switching to MMMBop because of the weight.
The comparison will be very similar between these two. I'd feel comfortable extrapolating any results from this test to those two bikes as well.
@@hardtailparty then I am waiting for the video. Also the paint on my Blue Pig is also not good so I got many scratches when I was building.
given you're running 130mm fork, you might have slightly more static reach but a shorter top tube than Rigley official geometry?
Correct, but i ended up putting a 140mm on for the review.
@@hardtailparty Why did you not keep 130mm? Too low bb?
What size frame will be reviewed? I'm an in betweener and currently have a medium mmmbop but wonder how a small would feel as well. Thanks, keep up the good work.
Do you think Big Al will handle a 150 mm fork? (140 is recommended)
Yes
How've you been getting along with the Teravail tires? Any reason for not running a Honcho in the rear instead of the Kessel? Being from MN these are basically in every shop but little to no info out there on them.
Teravail is a Q brand (the largest distributor for bike shops). So any shop with a q account can get them. I'll talk about them a bit in the review. I like the kessel up front, but not so much in the back for climbing.
@@hardtailparty Used to live right by the Q headquarters. (That's why I alluded to the fact they're everywhere). Looking forward to the video. Keep up the great content as usual!
@@bimmerfan729 Whisky, teravail, wheels mfg, salsa, surly, and all-city are a few of the many q brands.
Ever ridden a pipedream moxie?
Just for a few feet. It was a buddy's bike. I've been hounding them for over a year to get one in for review, but no luck yet.
@@hardtailparty I’m picking one up. Due to the shortage of bikes everywhere this seems like a good option that will be available soon. Would love to hear your thoughts.
Ragley bikes are very nice. I see Ragley bikes already out of stock on chainreaction site, and quite pricey too. Then again, what do I expect?
This frame is $399 and the completed start at $1399. Does crc mark them up more than others?
Crc only has outlandish prices on them for mainland europeans, we will most likely see way better ones from the local distributors.
@@hardtailparty Yeah, I see it's 1699 euros for 2.0 Big Al and 2199 for 1.0. I think in 2020 it was 999, on wiggle, but with cheaper parts
Hey Steve, when and where are these going to be available in the USA? It looks like they are no longer distributing with chain reaction?
I did not pull the trigger on last’s years model, because we were moving out of state.
They are on Chainreacton right now
I'd try the bike bondsman and Chuck n roll bikes. Last year they were to two importers for the US. They're both one-man shows though, so sometimes it takes a little while to get a response.
I've updated availability in the top post in these comments.
I bought a Big Wig frame from chain reaction last spring without any problems.
I know you aren't an ambassador for RSD anymore but will you be able to get the sergeant v4?
I sure hope so, it looks rad.
interesting frames, but why are the HT frames so over wight. 3KG for a steel frame is just too much. Ditto for the alu frame at 2.25kg. They are built to last that is for sure, but maybe they have gone a bit over board?
There are lighter frames, but they are flexier and not meant for riding today's rowdy trails.
@@hardtailparty mm probably but I have three old xc 26" frames and they are used for everything. One 1400gram(alu), 1700gram and 2000gram for the other steel frames and the flexing is why I can ride those frames in that terrain. I dont ride in harsh terrain with my alu because I get bruises on my love handles as I ride rigid. :P
But logically I am probably way slower than any rider on a modern bike in the same terrain but those weight for a bare frames scare me of, I mean my Crescent Lodur from 1997 with seat post, saddle, square taper bottom bracket, headset, front derailleur is 3.2kg and that frame has been through some pretty gnarly downhill abuse without any issues :P
Finally, first Big Wig, after original one, with decent paint scheme.
rly i liked the old ones better
Any thought on the Marley ? I really want to finally go for a fun/all rounder hardtail but I'm torn between 27,5 or 29 (Marley or Big AL). Looking forward to watch the reviews :)
Marley looks fun. I haven't ridden one.
Man I want one so bad. but i need to be patient
How tall are you and what’s your inseam? I’m interested in the Big AL 1. In most hard tails there is overlap between the small to medium for individuals between 5’6” to 5’7” ish so I’m trying to figure out frame size. I believe my build is similar to yours as in short legs and taller torso but not much reach (often needing a 50 or 60 mm stem) ...
I'm 5'6" with a 28" inseam
@@hardtailparty I am 5’6” & a half with a 28.5 inseam and have been trying out several hard tails at Bike shops around me and they are fitting me onto small frame for 29ers with a stem adjustment of 50-60 mm depending. So you and I being nearly ditto in dimensions how is it that you fit on a Ragley Big AL 29er in the medium frame ?
@@hardtailparty I got a M big al frame at 5’10 and 32” inseam. I have a little bit longer wingspan at 6ft hoping I didn’t make a big mistake instead of the large. Since I haven’t built it up yet.
Can't wait to see the reviews 🤩
Sadly the aluminum ones are like 100bucks more than list price on Chainreaction... I hope when the german dealers have em they are not as expensive. We have crazy times but a 100bucks over listprice? WoW😬
If they are just as expensive i maybe should wait till next year and maybe better geometry as a 100bucks or so can take me 2months to put aside depending on how it goes and then i still don't have all components yet.
I will just buy components for now and put em on my old non boost frame for the time being and have a look from time to time what the prices are doing.😃
it sounds like the effects of brexit
@@hardtailparty Yea that's why i'm waiting till german dealers have some to see what price they will put on em. I have to get components first anyways. Can't use a boost frame without boost hubs LoL also i need to get better brakes.
yeah brexit messed it up quite a bit. I think one of the german distrubutors has prices already.
@@MagpieManny Well yea kinda. Dirty stuff has they Mmmbop wich i want and it's 330euros wich is reasonable. But first i have to get all the components...
@@MagpieManny The price there now changed to also over 400euros LoL
every single 4130 standard steel frame weighs more then 6lbs, I know weight isn't the end all, and cost is cheaper I'm sure with the standard 4130...almost 7lbs, same as my full squish enduro frame. I think for a fun extra hardtail I may just have to look into the aluminum frame, way cheaper.
I've seen sub 5lb steel frames. It can be done but most bikes are being riddennahrdr than ever and people want a strong bike over light these days. A lightweight steel frame is a thing of beauty.
@@hardtailparty yeah,I get it for sure. Did they say when the frames might be available?
😍
I love ragley but the prices went from 1000 to 1350 Euro here in Germany. Brexit kills english brands. Same with nukeproof. Both are nice brands with a good price/Quality and now they are expensive af. Now u can only build it up by yourself. Frames are only 50 Euro more than last year
Well looks like Tess has lost her Hubby to the Man-cave again! Lol #hardtailwidow
I call it my "second office." :)