Blue pig vs Bfe

ste_t
ste_t Posts: 1,599
edited November 2011 in MTB buying advice
After building up a fs and then considering spending £4k on a mojo, then deciding I much prefer ht and selling the fs, I've now decided I want to try out a steel ht.

Settled on one of these two - as much as I prefer the look of the Bfe, can I really justify spending £370 on it when the Blue pig can be had for £235?

Bought WMB for the test, but hasn't helped me make up my mind at all. I'll be swapping most bits from my orange crush which has a head angle of about 68deg (with 140mm forks) and from the cotic/ragley sites it seems as though the Blue pig is a bit slacker and the Bfe is a bit steeper.

Want to get the new frame ordered tomorrow. Don't suppose anyone has an opinion as to which I should go for? :wink:

Comments

  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Not much between them but for me the Cotic just shades it. Mainly because of that ugly looking chainstay to BB joint. Of the bikes in the WMB test if I was splashing the cash it would be the Pipedream Sirius.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • submityournentries
    submityournentries Posts: 912
    as u can see from my signature i have a pig and i love it. ive gone from a saracen mantra (aluminium hardtail) to the ragley, and i didnt think id really notice a difference in how it felt, but the steel is much more forgiving. however if its meerly looks that are swinging it for you, then thats purely your choice.

    personally, the skwoosh orange of ragley sealed it from the day i first saw one, and the crazy brakes mounts and odd chainstay just make it look abit more funky :)
    Ragley Blue Pig
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    The cotic is slightly lighter and has an 853 mainframe. How much difference that makes is hard to tell, but 853 is the premium steel we see on MTB frames.
    GT ZASKAR CARBON TEAM

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  • rudedog
    rudedog Posts: 523
    Get the Cotic - if you were considering spending £4k on a bike, what difference does a couple of hundred quid make? :lol:
  • ste_t
    ste_t Posts: 1,599
    rudedog wrote:
    if you were considering spending £4k on a bike, what difference does a couple of hundred quid make? :lol:

    I tried that Mojo and fell in love. Then went back to my own full suss, and realised that the Mojo was of no real benefit on the downs as it was so light it needed to be ridden like a ht. Thus decided that my fs was more boring than my ht as on the fs I could just plough through everything and just felt less involved.

    And I was looking at selling my car to buy the Mojo!
  • gleesonandrew
    gleesonandrew Posts: 19
    Resurrecting an old forum rather than creating a new one, as I am now in the same position as you were ste_t... considering these two frames to run with a 150mm Rockshox Sektor. Thinking the Bluepig might end up a bit slack and would also need to get a new headset to fit my standard 1.25 fork on the new model, but it does have mad reviews and the long toptube is appealing being 6'5" tall. I really like the ideas behind the bfe though and a more straight fit for my fork and it seems just right (possibly bit short on the TT?) ...back to the point, all I was really wanting to ask is what did you get and how are you getting on?! (or anyone else at that)
  • specialeyes
    specialeyes Posts: 542
    Bfe price has dropped to 300 permanently now, ill be picking one up @ the end of this month! Have you had a look on the Cotic website on the dealer section? You may be able to find a demo bike near you, no substitute for swinging your leg over one! Failing that drop cy an email and give as much info as poss, usually pretty quick in response.
    Hardrock Sport Disc

    Cotic bfe
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    I'm a raging Cotic Fanboi, but, my BFe didn't really feel special at all- very competent, but nothing to make it really stand out and a little bit dead feeling. Unlike the Soul, which was a pretty inspirational ride. TBH I've never ridden a heavier steel frame which doesn't feel a bit like this, just seems to be par for the course.

    Blue Pig geometry is very good- I think I'd sooner have a Pig with 140mm than a BFe with 160mm, the geometry changes with a big forked hardtail are pretty major (a 100mm-travel Soul and a 160mm-travel BFe have the same head angle when bottomed out after all). And with less travel, well, I'd get a Soul instead of a BFe.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • specialeyes
    specialeyes Posts: 542
    Northwind wrote:
    I'm a raging Cotic Fanboi, but, my BFe didn't really feel special at all- very competent, but nothing to make it really stand out and a little bit dead feeling. Unlike the Soul, which was a pretty inspirational ride. TBH I've never ridden a heavier steel frame which doesn't feel a bit like this, just seems to be par for the course.

    Blue Pig geometry is very good- I think I'd sooner have a Pig with 140mm than a BFe with 160mm, the geometry changes with a big forked hardtail are pretty major (a 100mm-travel Soul and a 160mm-travel BFe have the same head angle when bottomed out after all). And with less travel, well, I'd get a Soul instead of a BFe.

    What about a soul and a bfe both running 140mm? Will there be a massive difference? They share the same geo but obviously the soul will be a bit lighter and 175 notes dearer! Just wondered because I'd like a soul but with the bfe going down in price...
    Hardrock Sport Disc

    Cotic bfe
  • ste_t
    ste_t Posts: 1,599
    gleesonandrew wrote:
    Resurrecting an old forum rather than creating a new one, as I am now in the same position as you were ste_t... considering these two frames to run with a 150mm Rockshox Sektor. Thinking the Bluepig might end up a bit slack and would also need to get a new headset to fit my standard 1.25 fork on the new model, but it does have mad reviews and the long toptube is appealing being 6'5" tall. I really like the ideas behind the bfe though and a more straight fit for my fork and it seems just right (possibly bit short on the TT?) ...back to the point, all I was really wanting to ask is what did you get and how are you getting on?! (or anyone else at that)

    Went for the Bfe - check out my sig below. I love it to bits, but I have occasionaly wondered what a blue pig would have been like. I did have Recon 351's prior to the Revs (Recons were solo air and the model below revs at that point,) and the Revs feel so much better through the rough stuff.

    In all honestly though, for the type of riding I do, should have gone for a soul.

    EDIT: check here http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12735715
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    specialeyes wrote:
    What about a soul and a bfe both running 140mm? Will there be a massive difference? They share the same geo but obviously the soul will be a bit lighter and 175 notes dearer! Just wondered because I'd like a soul but with the bfe going down in price...

    Well, personally I'd go for a Soul. I'd also say, travel adjust fork if possible- Soul does work fine at 140mm but it's a better allrounder at 120mm. A u-turn or similiar means you can get both sides of the bike's character out. It's not just travel though, if you're going to seriously smash the bike up then the BFe will give you more strength. Soul is no shrinking violet but it has its limits.

    Having said all that- I sold them both and got a slacked-out Carbon 456 ;) But the Soul is the best hardtail frame I've ever ridden, by a fair way too. Just doesn't suit my riding as well as the C456SS.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • specialeyes
    specialeyes Posts: 542
    thanks for the input! The carbon 456 was on my list as well but as i can be a bit shall we say hamfisted on the trail :D
    i thought the bfe might be more suitable! i wanna try and get a leg over all the options so i might ive it a bit longer before i pull the trigger!
    Hardrock Sport Disc

    Cotic bfe

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