Ragley Bikes Announces Rigid Only Titanium 29″er
March 3rd, 2010 by Guitar TedRagley Bikes, the U.K. based bicycle and component company that is the brainchild of Brant Richards, has announced that a new 29″er model is coming soon to be built by Lynskey Performance of Tennessee, U.S.A. The frame, dubbed the “TD-1″, will feature geometry optimized for use with a 440mm axle to crown fork, and not a suspension fork. We reported on the prototype frames last year in this post.
The titanium frame will feature Ragley’s signature “Three Finger” drive side chain stay treatment along with a slightly curved seat tube for better tire clearance and a vertically ovalized down tube junction with the head tube. Lynskey Performance sliding drop outs will be used to allow for a geared or single speed set up.
Three sizes will be made available: 16″, 18″, and a 20″. Top tube size for the three sizes are as follows: 23.5″, 24″, and 24.5″. Head tube angle will be 72 degrees, seat tube angle is 73 degrees. MSRP in the U.S. is said to be approximately $1526.00. Word is that the frames are to be ready to go in a “couple weeks”. Brant Richards also hints here that a steel and aluminum version of this frame may follow.
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6 Small 10 Medium and 10 Large have left the factory and we should see them early next week.
Looks really good.
@brant, what is your philosophy behind the non-suspension corrected geometry?
How do you mean “philosophy”?
I saw lots of people were running rigid 29ers.
I thought it was silly making it all suspension corrected if people were running rigid.
So I thought it made sense to make a bike that was compatible with a lot of off the shelf forks, but worked with 29in wheels (as if you’re making a rigid bike, 29in wheels make a lot of sense).
brant,
what’s the BB drop?
2.5in
I have a SS Scandal. Great ride. Please do make a AL version, Ti is for lawyers. These things are really race-a-season throw-away race bikes. I’ll buy one in AL and heck yes, these things should be run rigid.
Please also post in mm too, a lot of us think that way.
Thats an interesting frame and concept in building only rigid versions. I sort of like the idea actually in that I’m currently shopping for a rigid only single speed frame – the TD-1 though is way over budget, still it would a kick to ride one.
Nice job Brant, I’ll be watching here and checking around mtbr where I first saw the the TD-1.
I have come to really love rigid bikes. However, I had a raleigh xxix g and is was based off the same fork length and I could never get the bar height right without using a riser stem with a riser bar or a crap load of spacers. That was with a 110mm headtube. My other rigid only bikes are designed around 465 a/c forks and seem to work just right for me.
Brant, what would the headtube length be for about a 19 or 20inch frame?
I’m sure that will be a problem for some riders, Captain Bob. This is an unashamedly ass-up, head-down race weapon. Not a bars-higher, see-where-you’re-going machine.
Headtube on the 20in frame is just 4.5in. I think you’ll find this model a little uncomfy, or requiring an oddly tall stem.
Thanks Brant.
Nice! All props to the rigid only design. Personally not to crazy about the bent seat tube since I find longer stays much more beneficial on my 29ers. I am a bike addict, but i have to say I would never buy another Lynsey ti bike.