Here’s the lowdown on Ragley’s 2017 range. There’s six individual hardtail models that can be tricky to tell apart, so we’ll break it down for you as clearly as we can.

>>> Hardtail of the Year winner: Ragley Marley (2016) review

All Ragley bikes are on the progressive side of geometry and are all intended to be trail thrashers rather than XC machines.

Ragley Bigwig

• 29″ or 27.5+ tyres
• 130mm fork
• Steel frame – custom triple butted 4130 chromoly
• £1,749

This is the only 29er that Ragley do. You can now also run 27.5+ tyres instead should you wish. It’s a steel frame, which always adds a couple of hundred quid to the price tag. This is the bike that Ragley’s Brand Ambassadors are opting to race in enduro events.

>>> Ragley Bigwig (2016) review

Points of note: 65° head angle, revised 3 finger chainstay bridge for better clearance, Boost bolt-thru axles, Stealth dropper routing.

Spec: 130mm Rockshox Yari RC, 1×11 Shimano SLX M7000 drivetrain, Shimano SLX M7000 disc brakes, WTB Vigilante TCS (Light/High Grip) and WTB Trail Boss TCS (Light/Fast) tyres, Novatec hubs on WTB ASYM i23 Tubeless ready rims, Brand-X Ascend Dropper seatpost, Ragley Wiser Stem, Wiser Bars and Tracker saddle.

Ragley Bluepig

• 27.5″ or 27.5+ tyres
• 150mm fork
• Steel frame – custom triple butted 4130 chromoly
• £1,699

With a whopping 150mm travel fork up front the Bluepig is proper hardcore hardtail and no mistake. It’s long, slack and stable at speed. Clearance has been upped so it can accept Plus tyres.

Points of note: 64° head angle, revised 3 finger chainstay bridge for better clearance, Stealth dropper routing.

Spec: 150mm Rockshox Yari RC, 1×11 Shimano SLX M7000 drivetrain, Shimano SLX M7000 disc brakes, WTB Vigilante TCS (Light/High Grip) andWTB Trail Boss TCS (Light/Fast) tyres, Novatec hubs on WTB ASYM i23 Tubeless ready rims, Brand-X Ascend Dropper seatpost, Ragley Wiser stem, Wiser bars and Tracker saddle.

Ragley Mmmbop

• 27.5″ tyres
• 150mm fork
• Alloy frame – Custom Butted 6061-T6
• £1,349

This is the aluminium version of the Bluepig. Everything about the Bluepig – bar the ability to run Plus tyres – applies to the Mmmbop.

Spec: 150mm Manitou Mattock Comp /Dorado Air fork, 1×11 Shimano SLX Groupset with FSA Comet Modular cranks, Shimano Deore disc brakes, WTB Vigilante Comp (High Grip Compound) and WTB Trail Boss Comp tyres, Novatec hubs on WTB STI 23 rims, Ragley OEM stem, OEM bars and Tracker saddle.

Ragley Piglet

• 27.5″ or 27.5+ tyres
• 130mm fork
• Steel frame – custom triple butted 4130 chromoly
• £1,649

Designed as a trail friendly bike with all mountain capabilities, it’s biased much more in the trail bike category than most hardtials but it’s tailored for a bit more saddle-up mile-munching than other Ragley bikes. As with the steel Bluepig above, it can now be run with 27.5+ Plus tyres.

Points of note: 65.5° head angle, revised 3 finger chainstay bridge for better clearance, Stealth dropper routing.

Spec: 130mm Rockshox Yari RC fork, 1×11 Shimano SLX M7000 drivetrain, Shimano SLX M7000 disc brakes, WTB Vigilante TCS (Light/High Grip) and WTB Trail Boss TCS (Light/Fast) tyres, Novatec hubs on WTB ASYM i23 Tubeless ready rims, Brand-X Ascend Dropper seatpost, Ragley Wiser stem, Wiser bars and Tracker saddle.

Ragley Marley

• 27.5″  tyres
• 130mm fork
• Alloy frame – Custom Butted 6061-T6
• £849 for the Ragley Marley 2.0 and £999 for the Ragley Marley 1.0

This is the aluminium version of the Piglet. Everything about the Piglet – bar the ability to run Plus tyres – applies to the Marley. The previous Ragley Marley has been a winner in our Hardtail of the Year test and the 2017 one looks set to be up there too.

Ragley Marley 1.0 spec: 130mm Manitou Minute Comp fork, 1×11 Sram NX Groupset with FSA Comet Modular cranks, Shimano Deore dosc brakes, WTB Vigilante TCS (Light/High Grip) and WTB Trail Boss TCS (Light/Fast) tyres, Novatec hubs on WTB STI 23 tubeless ready rims, Ragley OEM stem, OEM bars and Tracker saddle.