PSA – Ragley frames for £170

@tomtomthepiperson – how does the dropper cable route please?

Grabbed off the CRC site on a full build.

Yep, just like that. I pushed an inner and outer in from the top, grabbed the inner with some tweezers when it appeared near the exit then pushed it up the seat tube. Was very easy (just don’t forget the grommet things). 

We got a Marley 290 to replace my partners 2016 orange crush. Pretty much built just waiting for a new reae brake line as we moved the brakes over and they physically go one but the line is too tight round the headtube. Looks awesome though and I know she will enjoy the jump from 650b to 29er.

Does anyone fancy posting up pics of their yellow Marley 29 frame or build?

I’m still tempted to grab one but I need some more visuals to sway me! 👀

NBD today for Tyred Jr the Younger.

His previous bike was a wonderful Top Fuel 9.9 (when it was an XC rocket rather than a downcountry not-sure-what) inherited from his older brother who’d ridden it half to death. The younger brother completed the job in Champery this summer by managing to crack the rocker. That bike had had a good life – replacing bearings had become an exercise in filling some of the housings with resin so the bearings vaguely fit, the once-lush fork was at the end of it’s life and so on.

The older one and I both have Ragley BigWigs, brilliant for everything bar XC racing, especially over the winter. Recently the younger one has had 4-pot envy plus a growth spurt that’s seen him get close in height to his big brother. There’s been a subtle but deliberate shift in the younger one referring to “your hardtail” to “the hardtail” and some bickering over who gets to ride what and when, now we’re all close in height.

On seeing this PSA, figured I’d get a BigWig or Big Al frame plus a Revelation fork, take the wheels and Eagle groupset off the Trek and away we go, but by the time I’d accounted for all the other bits it was looking distinctly less of a bargain, then I spied Wiggle doing full-build BigWigs half price with not a bad spec: https://www.wiggle.com/p/ragley-big-wig-hardtail-bike-moss

Courtesy of the parcelforce driver ,there’s now a big box in the younger one’s room and I’m waiting for him coming in from school in the next few minutes.

Everyone loves a NBD, especially when the sun’s out and particularly if you’re the younger sibling who only ever gets hand-me-downs! 🙂

especially when the sun’s out

Where the heck are you? Bloody miserable in Derbyshire

Happy NBJ to Jnr

Frame arrived today – Ragley Mmmbop  – so converting the 2016 Crush to that is this weekend’s project in between rides!  Will let you know how I get on!

Frame arrived today – Ragley Mmmbop – so converting the 2016 Crush to that is this weekend’s project in between rides! Will let you know how I get on!

Pictures please when you get it. Been hovering over a copper one for a few days

@2tyred don’t keep us hanging, how did it go?

Will do re the pics. Frame looks better in the flesh IMO. Will take some pics tomorrow

Piglet headset –  ZS44/28.6 upper, EX44/40 lower

So it’s this yeah?

https://www.wiggle.com/p/brand-x-semi-integrated-44iets-sealed-headset

@2tyred don’t keep us hanging, how did it go?

Awesome, the sparkly moss green colour’s lovely. He’s over the moon with it, not long back in from the maiden ride!

Ragley mmmbop in orange/bronze!!

Ragley mmmbop in orange/bronze!!

Nice – is that a large frame?

Yes. Pretty much the same dimensions as my crush. Frame swap this weekend…!

That’s nice.

Let’s see that moss green frame mentioned above as well please.

Good PSA. Mine arrived yesterday. Swapped over the bits from my Marin hardtail. Pretty everything went over without any “standards” issues. Just swapped the rear wheel as it has a different hub spacing and it takes a much longer dropper.

Went for the green Marley.

Very happy with it after a quick ride. Still need to tidy the cables/hoses (the brakes aren’t staying long term) and need to cut the grass.

That orange/bronze finish looks lovely!

yes, its really nice – much better in the “flesh” than I was expecting!

Will drop some pictures of the finished bike later this weekend (hopefully) when done

That looks fantastic! I’m glad I’m quite good at disassociating myself from the cost of bike purchases, or the vastly higher price of my Moxie vs these Ragley bargains would be rather painful! (Also I do like my sliding dropouts for singlespeeding but that’s a bit of a niche preference…)

Went with this. Probably a so-so fork but around £400 in total if the cashback works. Now do I go 10-45 or 10-51 with the 30t? I currently have 11-50 on a 32 but 27.5 and quite happy with it. I have worked out the gearing and basically my current gearing is between the 2 proposed ones. So I can either go with a silly granny OR smaller gaps between gears…

Also, would anyone know what length hose I will need for the rear brake on a L frame? Will 150cm work by any chance with 800mm bars?

So I can either go with a silly granny OR smaller gaps between gears…

Smaller gap between gears is pointless on MTB…

In your situation I’d go 10-51 but replace the 30T chainring with a 32T for a bit more top end speed too…

Thanks a lot, sounds good. No idea why the pic of my basket is not showing. I went for a L size Big Al in white with the £180 Revs.
I might actually keep my NX cassette so 32 makes sense. Can I run the SLX cranks with my current GX chain or do I need a Shimano chain? And if so, will that work with the NX cassette? Cheers.

Just picked my frame up from the depot where it’s been sat whilst I’ve been up in the Borders.

N(old)BD tomorrow!

Couldn’t wait till the weekend so cracked on with the build. Pretty happy with it. Looks nice!! Test ride Sunday

the cranks will be fine Nick.

Simon, if you’re going to put a rear guard on, put a rear guard on!

otherwise, looks nice. 😉

@del 😂😜

Del
Full Member
the cranks will be fine Nick

Thanks Del. That’s my assumption but the internet keeps saying the 12 speed Shimano rings don’t play well with Eagle chains so I thought I would check!!

Hmmm

Got to admit, I’m not a huge fan now I’ve seen it built up – and I can’t place my finger on why, because technically it should look great, soz 🥺

But it has made my decision easier about which frame to buy, cheers 👍

Enjoy though, I’m sure it’ll ride great and the colour is lovely

Anyone got any tips for how to tighten the front hose retention clip bolt on a Marley frame please, there isn’t space to fit an Allen key in as it’s too close to the downtube.

I had exactly that issue. Stupid design.

I managed to find an old Allen key that must have come free with something flat pack and that just fitted using a 3/4 turn each time.

the biggest pain is the thread lock as that just makes it harder!

What’s a front hose retention clip? Does the front brake hose need to be attached to the frame?

Do the bare frames come with the rubber grommets for the dropper cable?

Anyone got any tips for how to tighten the front hose retention clip bolt on a Marley frame please

Normal Allen key, not a fold out set, just about fits. I actually have a set that I’ve cut down as I often work on things with limited access. That fits nicely, but you can still only turn it 3/4 each go. Bit of a pain but neat once it’s done and still way easier than internal routing.

Do the bare frames come with the rubber grommets for the dropper cable?

Yes. And cable ties or clips for the other cables/hoses.

What’s a front hose retention clip? Does the front brake hose need to be attached to the frame?

Not for the front hose, but to mount the rear hose to the underside of the crossbar. There’s three clamps. The rear two are easy but the front one is right in the triangle with limited access.

Thanks Nick. I can’t wait for the swearing when I get the Big Al frame. I was going to put it together in the house but on reflection I might do it in the garage 😂

Thanks for the tips guys. I ended up doing an emergency Halfords trip for some cheap allen keys that I ended up filing down to fit.

Shes done ..would have been quicker but my old dropper remote shat itself