Before now Ragley Bikes only offered its frames as just that, frame only, but last week we reported on the news that the company is bringing to market its first range of complete bikes.

The Blue Pig, first introduced in 2009, was given a major update for 2011, and we saw it for the first time when it was rolled out in front of the public for the first time at Eurobike last September.

The updated Blue Pig gets a revamped frame. The new tubeset sees the main tubes internally and externally butted, and a 30.9mm seat tube will accept one of the growing number of dropper posts. A 44mm head tube allows you the freedom to run whatever fork you fancy, meaning you could fit a 1.5in fork on this steel hardtail.

Strengthening the Blue Pigs ‘hardcore hardtail’ credentials are additions such as the ISCG05 mounts so you could single ring with a chain guide, and been able to fit a dropper post. Other updates include a newly updated single investment cast three-finger bridge behind the bottom bracket, a signature feature of Ragley frames, which gives the clearance for running 2.5in tyres.

What makes the Blue Pig stand out from the hardtail crowd however still remains, and that’s the geometry that centres around a slack head angle (67.5° with a sagged 140mm fork, it’s more like 66° static), steep seat angle (73.5°) and low top tube combined with a short stem.

With a 140mm fork and a 50-70mm stem and that slack head angle, the Blue Pig as astonishingly capable and huge fun on technical steep stuff, and it climbs and rides well too with the seat tube angle pushing the rider forward over the centre of the bike. It’s a frame shape that is winning Ragley a lot of fans.

And as luck would have it, a complete Blue Pig has just arrived in the Bikemagic office. Already its vivid orange paintjob is getting it loads of attention. Our bike is the £1250 X7 Sektor option, and for that money the frame is built up with a SRAM X7 groupset around a triple chainset, and a RockShox Sektor R 150mm fork with 15mm bolt-thru axle.

The rest of the kit on this bike is adorned with a Ragley logo, and that’s no bad thing. Ragley’s own Wiser bar, CNC’ed stem, lock-on logo grips, saddle, seatpost and Turning Circle XC wheels not only look great but give the bike a ready to ride status. Tyres are Maxxis High Roller 2.3in reinforcing the bikes intended riding, and brakes are Hayes Stroker Ryde Comps with a 180mm rotor at the front and a160mm at the back.

We’ll let you know how it rides in our next instalment.

The complete bikes will be available at the end of the summer (which summer we’re not sure…) More at www.ragleybikes.com and www.hotlines-uk.com