[Closed] Why shouldn't I buy an mmmBop?

The only thing I'd say, based on my experience with a Blue Pig is that it doesn't love things which aren't either up or down, which makes it slightly surly on flatter terrain in my experience. The geometry is interesting if you're used to more standard stuff. And finally, my Pace 405 does pretty much everything the Pig does, but faster and more comfortably to the point where I'm not sure it's worth running both. The Pig also builds quite heavy, though it has enough rear triangle give to justify the steel, I've heard the Bop is quite brutally harsh, but that's just anecdotal and it will obviously depend on tyre choice, amount of seatpost showing etc.

I should think the bits off of the 6" FSer would be much better than the bits off of the rigid hardtail given the mmmbop is designed around 130-150mm forks for steeper more technical riding (more so than the peak?)
Then switchback when you fancy a change

You'll probably not ride the FS as much, making it even less 'value for money' than it currently is

"the Bop is quite brutally harsh, but that's just hearsay and it will obviously depend on tyre choice, amount of seatpost showing etc."
Its got a seattube to take a 31.6mm seatpost, if you were to stick a (carbon) 27.2mm (or similar narrow) post and shim it out, that should atr least reduce the seated harshness, though shims can be a bit of a faff for putting your seat up and down

The full susser wasn't cheap and due to a variety of family circumstances doesn't get ridden as much as it should, so I'm not sure I want to buy another frame that will replace it then just hang up in the garage. By "replacing" my knock-about bike which does get ridden quite regularly - even if just practising wheelies in the park, I can see the mmmBop offering some value for money.

Is the mmmBop just a lighter aluminium version of the steel Blue Pig?

Is the mmmBop just a lighter aluminium version of the steel Blue Pig?

Same geometry, different material and an oversized head tube, but pretty much, yeah. All the details are on the Ragley web site. I haven't ridden a Bop but I have had a go on the ti version, which from memory felt pretty similar to the Pig, but a fair bit lighter. Pikes are good on the Pig btw.

"Am I just being sucked in by the price?"

Yes. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy one. I bought my current HT frame in Oct 2009 but if I hadn't I would probably be buying an Mmmbop frame now.

What kind of weight does a Pig build to with 150mm forks? My full susser is 29lb ish so I don't see the point in having a hard tail in a similar ball park. Might be the lighter MmmBop is the one then.

Yes. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't buy one. I bought my current HT frame in Oct 2009 but if I hadn't I would probably be buying an Mmmbop frame now.

To be frank I don't mind if it sits in the shed for months whilst I acquire the bits to build it. It will make Christmas and Birthdays easy for everyone 😀

What kind of weight does a Pig build to with 150mm forks?

Weight of Pig frame + indetmerinate weight of forks and build kit.

HTH!

Cheers Al. Very helpful 😆 🙄

I reckon my Pig, with coil Pikes, XT crankset, Crossmax XLs etc probably weighs around 29 or 30lb or so. It's not a light frame, but then it's not really supposed to be.

Cheers BWD, that's useful to know. I'd prefer something lighter than my full susser to add to the bike quiver. I know I could have something lighter than coil Pikes and Crossmax wheels on the Pig, but then the Pig isn't the frame on offer.

Maybe I need to talk to "management" and persuade [s]her[/s] them that a good frame re-spray wouldn't be much cheaper than a new frame 😆

I am nearly sucked in by the price to. And the shiny green colour.

But then again I find my 456 uncomfortable so it might be a bad idea.

Cheers Al. Very helpful

I did my best with teh specification supplied 8)

I did my best with teh specification supplied

Thankfully BWD saw that the question was steered perhaps a little more to him, but I appreciate your contribution as always 😆

Am just glad my effoprts are appreciated. Thanks. 😀

I dont see whats the problem with the 1.5" headset. I hardly notice it next to my other bikes with standard size head tubes ... maybe your looking too hard at it? I certainly wouldnt be put off by it. Headsets are pretty much the same price, and you get all the advantages of the bigger headtube (not that I can feel any difference.

Anyways. My mmmbop is a fantastic bike. It certainly is not an xc-race bike, but it was never intended for that and I havent built it to be.

Coil pikes, DtSwiss5.1 on pro2 wheels, xt drive/gearing, el-camino 203/160 brakes, thomson post/stem and truvativ bars ... nothing flimsy or light and with the swampthings front and back it weighs in at 29.5lb.

The frame looks built to last. Good climber and confident on the downs. For £154, its a steal.

I'm not after an out-and-out XC bike, but I'd be disappointed if I can't get the build under 27lbs without spending a fortune. Is it the coil Pikes that are making these builds heavy?

Minus 27lb may take some money ... or not really the intended type parts.

There are quite a few 3.8lb 140mm forks about that will drop the weight by a pound and a bit. Lighter tyres will help ... but to be honest, isnt all this lighter is better kinda old fashioned in mtb-ing now?

I look at my mmmbop as a razz bike. A 2-3hr fun bike. Why do you want it under 27lb? its not a xc-racer as said.

My BP with dual air revs, xt wheels and mainly xt drivetrain comes in around 28lb I think I could loose another 1 lb - 1 1/2 lb for £100 ish....

That said I'm not too bothered about the weight. My last HT weighed 26lb and I can't tell a big difference.

Well, I have a mmbop, with air revs, and light but functional parts, and i dont KNOW but i would guess it's weight is about 27-29 pounds, it could easily be lighter... Great bikes by the way.

Well I've just succumbed to that price as well (from The Bike Chain) and built it from that spare parts box this very morning. The frame (16) weighs 1.7kg. Built with revs, cheap deore wheels, small block 8's and deore drivetrain, bike hut seatpost+shim, slx brakes, m520 pedals it comes in at 28 lbs.

First spin was very entertaining! I've got a downhill type stem (40mm) I think and it's too short. It's noticably harsher than either a Whyte 19 or a GT avalanche (all I've to to compare it to). I thinks its to do with the more vertical angle and my heavy duty post. Overall - after just an hour I like it a lot and cant wait to get back out on it again!

btw - the headtube does look odd. I wish I hadnt put the badges on as this might make it less noticable?

Why do you want it under 27lb?

As said above I have a 6" full susser that is 29lb or so. I DO believe that weight makes a big difference and can't see much point in investing time or money to make a hardtail that weighs nearly as much as my FS. There is nothing magic about 27lb other than it is halfway between my current HT and my FS (actually that would be 26lb). My HT is fully rigid and "sprightly" but not great when the going gets bumpy and rocky. My FS is ace to be sure, but I sometimes think it is overkill and a bit portly for some of my riding.

I'd also like a fun bike that can be chucked about a bit, but I'm not planning on "going big". Neither of my current bikes is ideal for that.

horses for coarses I guess ..

My 5.5" fs is 3lb lighter than the mmmbop. Prefer that for longer days in the saddle, so like to keep that with the lighter parts.

My Mmmbop weighs in at 30lbs exactly....could probably save a couple of lbs on the forks but not interested....its still an arm annd a leg lighter than the Patriot LT that went before.

Spec - coil Bomber 66's (150mm), XT/XTR mechs/shifters, SLX double/bash, Ritchey pro post, spoon perch, Hope M4's, Diabolus D2 50mm stem, NC17 bars, Big Slim flats, DT swiss 5.1 front and an old Alex rear from the Orange. Chunky.

Climbs like nothing I've owned before. The descents are more challenging though...I've gotta think my way down a hill now..whats that all about!? 😉 Been used to going top to bottom as the crow flies with 6" travel front n back.

Do it stilltortoise.

My FS bike is lighter than my blue pig. They're different bikes though designed for different things. Come play out and have a go on the piggie, you can buy it if you really like it 🙂

Is it the coil Pikes that are making these builds heavy?

They won't help, but from memory, the Blue Pig frame weighs 5.4lb or something, which isn't exactly light. And you're not really going to build a Pig or a Bop with uberlight bits.

I'd suggest that if you're worried about the weight, then you're probably looking at the wrong sort of frame... I guess you could build a lightish M-Bop with the latest Revelations, XTR group-set, Bonty Race X-Lite wheels and lightweight tyres, but what's the point of a tec bike that's limited by its component spec?

To be frank the Blue Pig isn't on the buying radar, it is the MUCH cheaper mmmBop

As a convert to FS there are two main reasons I sometimes prefer to ride my hardtail:

1. I'm not precious about it so don't get the bucket and sponge out after every ride scrubbing away at all the pivots
2. It's a lot lighter

What my HT [i]isn't[/i] is a burly frame that with the right build can be thrown down some mountains. It is a XC bike that barely fits 2.1" tyres out back. I'm not looking to build a burly bike at the mo', but I like the fact the mmmBop can go there.

What I want is my current HT advantages in a tougher frame that will go a bit further to bridge the gap between my current HT and FS. The mmmBop is a light and strong and cheap frame so Bonty was wrong - that's what I can't resist at the mo' 😆

oh, and the bit I've not mentioned yet is that in a year or two I may send the mmmBop to live at the in-laws in the Spanish mountains. I reckon SLX groupset and some decent forks would give me a nice little low-maintenance holiday bike. That's an ongoing stealth build tho' 8) 😉

hmmm, reading my last post back it sounds like I have already talked my self into this. Where's that credit card? 😆

Do it, you won't regret it...

Done it!

Now begins the build whilst saving for some nice forks. Looks like "management" might be going clothes shopping tomorrow as a reward for understanding my "need" for a bright green frame 😀

Good call StillTortoise (is that a native american name?). Made the same leap myself for the lime green mmmBop, now have an awesome combo of a bright orange Orange Five and the lime green Ragley, trouble is the team race kit is red and white, I think I'm going to have to switch to the green meanies - Cardiff JIF to get some degree of coordination going. You don't think about these things when reaching for the credit card to buy the damn thing do you?
RE forks - CRC have got the 1.5" 2010 Fox Van 32 for £399, got them for mine, fitted last night and waiting for some burly Hoops, the ones off the Patriot just don't fit...
Neil

cos theyr proper shit! 😀

Green!!

The blue isnt good ...but the green!

StillTortoise (is that a native american name?).

Nope. Wife's "favourite" joke (the one she can remember) is "where do you find a tortoise with no legs?" Hence stilltortoise 😀

As for the forks, I don't think £399 is going to sneak under the radar. I will have to make do a little longer 😆

[EDIT] although what about [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=53075 ]these?[/url] 😈

anyone run these at 100mm? That's the only fork I have right now, but looks like it would make the seat angle too steep