NEW BIKES
Its geometry has been tweaked and trimmed, so how does the new Big Wig sit with us now?
£549.99 (frame only) • 29in • ragleybikes.com
NEED TO KNOW
● Ragley updates the geometry and sizing on the latest steel 29in Big Wig frame
● Frame is made with 4130 cro-mo tubing and designed around 140-160mm travel forks
● External cable routing makes swapping in parts super-easy
● Shimano SLX/XT drivetrain on Race-level build
● Nukeproof wheel with Maxxis EXO+ casing tyres make for a great wheelset
● Available in three sizes only: M, L and XL
For 2023, Ragley has made some minor modifications to the Big Wig platform. It’s still a hard-hitting 29er trail bike with a robust 4130 steel frame, but the angles and fit have been tweaked to eke out those final few percentage points of performance.
Currently the new format is only available as a frame only, as Ragley still has 2022 versions of the complete Big Wig to shift before the new frame geometry is rolled out across the range. As such, our Big Wig Race test bike was a mix of old and new: the build kit is similar to the 2022 build for £2,499.99, the frame is brand new and available for £549.99. Hopefully Ragley can hold complete build prices where they are at when the new frame finally rolls out to the range later this year.
So what exactly has changed? Well, on the size Large, the head angle has been slackened by 1° to 63.1° and the reach measurement has grown by 25mm to 470mm (160mm-travel fork). Not a wholesale shift in attitude then, but taken together, the front centre measurement on the size Large has jumped up to 824mm. Which is pretty rangy for a hardtail.
And those aren’t the only tweaks. Ragley has also lopped 30mm off the seat tube height to improve compatibility with longer-stroke dropper posts and steepened the seat tube angle by 1°.
Now, given that the chainstay length and kinked seat tube still allow for a relatively short 433mm rear end, the weight distribution, at least when applied through your feet, has been shifted rearward on the new Big Wig Race. Great for steep, bum-on-theback-tyre descents, but surprisingly, it also seems to work really well on flatter trails, as you tend to lean over the front and ride the fork more on a hardtail than on a full-suspension bike. In fact, that’s exactly where I found the revised geometry really beneficial.
Not that I want a 160mm-travel fork on any hardtail. And the reason is simple. More fork travel and no rear suspension leads to bigger swings in the dynamic geometry of the bike. Basically, the chassis pivots around the rear axle more than with a shorter-travel fork, and you need to shift your body position accordingly to balance the weight distribution and ultimately, traction. Which in turn requires more energy input from the rider and more thought.
HOW IT
