Shot some video and took some pics on the ride this morning. They seem OK (ish) to me. But there’s a bit of “walking back” and “doing it again”. About six scenes and some pics. Do you fancy having a go at editing it?
Quite a few people had a go. You can get the footage here.
“Rear-facing Seat-Post slot. Tut, tut, tut.” said “Jambon” on STW.
Well I know what you mean, and what you’re thinking.
But.
1. Because I’m using much less seat tube extension above the top tube on these new frames than I have in the past as it means you can run your post higher for a given frame size (the post should engage to half an inch below the bottom of the weld between the seat tube and top tube). As there is more metal at the rear of the seat tube, so putting a slot in it has far less effect than putting it at the front – ie: ITS STRONGER THIS WAY.
2. I am far from convinced there is actually any difference in terms of “goop going down the seat tube” with front or rear slots. I know it’s something that’s often quoted, but I’m really not sure it’s any different, and bearing in mind point 1, I know what I’d rather do (which is why I did it).
I’ve put a lot of work into the chainstay area on the Ragley’s, and here’s a vid to show the clearance we’re getting. It’s the best I’ve seen of any titanium production frame.
Ovalising tubing is heavily frowned upon by Lynskey, apparently leading to failure in fatigue, unless you start with very soft tubing!
Ti frames offer interesting and different finishing options. In the past I’ve done frames in both brushed (shiny) and blasted (matt satin) finishes.
Satin is much cheaper than brushed. You blast the frame and it smooths the surface to one neutral finish. Brushing costs a lot more. Because a guy has to go all over the frame and get a consistent brushed polish all over it. Lynskey can do mirror polishing too. But it takes one guy about two days to do it. And it’d scratch up on a mountainbike.
I like industrial finishes. The Japanese call it Wabi-Sabi.
I got into this wabi-sabi stuff particularly from following the creations of motorcycle designer Shinya Kimura. He does ace work. And loves bare, just-worked finishes. I love it too.
So I have been working with Lynskey on a new finish. I wanted frames straight off their welding tables. With all the marks still on them. They were unhappy about that. People often over-analyse Ti frames, and they weren’t happy about them going out super-raw.
We’ve reached a compromise on the finish, or rather lack of finish. Ragley frames will be “scrappy brushed” – just to remove welding debris – rather than brush polished or media blasted. Gives a totally individual raw industrial finish which will age wonderfully, polish as your knees rub it, be easy to buff big scratches out of (which you can’t do on a satin).
We’ll have some ace stickers which are going to look punchy and poppy and cool against the raw finished Ti. And if you want to sit there for a while with a pan scourer and some furniture polish, you can do it to your hearts content.
Of course, if you’re one of those people who is going to go down the “I’ve paid all that money for a frame I want it to look beautiful”, you’ll be getting the idea that this isn’t the model for you.
First sample packs of jerky and biltong turned up today for evaluation. I think I must have the best job in the world.
OK global bike companies. Here’s the numbers for the best riding trail hardtail around. Get copying now! All geometry listed at ride height with 25-30% fork sag.
| Frame Size | Top Tube (effective) | Head Angle | Seat Angle | Chainstay | BB Drop | BB Height with 2.5’s |
| 16in | 23in | 67.5deg | 73deg | 16.73in | 0.8in | 12.4in |
| 18in | 23.5in | 67.5deg | 73.5deg | 16.73in | 0.8in | 12.4in |
| 20in | 24in | 67.5eg | 74deg | 16.73in | 0.8in | 12.4in |
Seat tube diameter :: 34.9mm outside (constant), 31.6mm inside (seatpost size).
Headtube :: 1.125in standard external.
Geometry is set for contemporary 140mm travel forks. It will happily take 130’s or 150’s.
Updated:: Friday late afternoon.
So – what’s different? Well, it’s a series of tweaks that I’ve not seen anyone combine in one place before. The 67.5deg head angle is pretty slack by most peoples experiences, but combined with a long top tube and a short stem gives a bike that handles incredibly well at speed, through the rough, yet retains a quickness when you need it. It’s great. We recommend at 50-60mm stem.
Seat angle is steep and gets steeper the bigger the frame. This lets us use a short back end for good stood climbing, but also keeps your weight forward when you’re sat, going up. The steeper seat angle is to stop big lads sitting right back over the back wheel and looping out. It’s the reverse to what normally happens – the other option would be making the rear stays longer on bigger frames, which I didn’t fancy.
Seat tube is reamed for a 31.6mm post – so that you can get a dropper type post in there. It’s noticeable that a bigger post DOES seem to transmit more shock, but if you’re that offended, shim it to 27.2mm. I like to solidity of it, and the Ti back end definitely takes the edge off. Plus get the saddle out of the way when you’re hammering eh!
Brief trip out this afternoon to meet up with Guy Kesteven (words) and Russell Burton (pictures) from What Mountainbike (or maybe it was MBUK, not sure).
Me and Ed took the 16in and 18in ones out for them to have a play on, and they bashed them up and down Pecket A (the local track that comes out by the toilets in Hardcastle Crags.
They’re going to do something more in-depth soon, but this was a “first ever” shoot – we really should get those [brand] stickers done 🙂
More pics on Flickr
Regular readers (do I have any?) will know I like nothing more than riding to the top of the hill and back. And infact readers of Singletrack magazine will see me talk about it in their latest issue too (where I am apparently a “contributor”)
As I said in Singletrack – the top of the hill and back is my litmus test for me and my bikes. I’ve cleaned the climb in 32:18 on a 29er. I’ve groveled up it in 22:32. I’ve pushed up it on my 24in wheeled Jump Gimp (that was a while ago).
Today was the day for Ragley Ti to experience the fun trip, and it didn’t disappoint. Cleaned the climb from above the steps up Sunny Valley (first), cleaned the last little steep climb before the flat bit before the gate (not done for ages). Hauled up to Hades, with particularly nice out-of-the-saddle action (I think it’s the short stem that does it).
Coming down was even better. I need a 36t ring on there, the speed you can get up. Just laughable fun and whippy and stable, and “I can’t believe I’m riding like this after a week and a half off”.
Put a new line in on the track that nobody else rides down to the telegraph pole on the corner.
Now I know you’d assume I’d always write this, and you can imagine that I make this shit up to hype product, but I don’t. We pushed the numbers quite hard on this – it’s quite edgy. Bits a bit longer, bit slimmer, bit fatter, bit shorter, bit slacker, bit steeper… and it’s worked. It is balanced and different and fun, and now I’m going to have to give it to some journos to test. And I don’t want to.
