Finnish brand 4130 FI are back with the second iteration of The Rig gearbox hardtail mountain bike. The notable news here is that this model is welded up in Germany by none other than Nicolai Bicycles, instantly noticeable at the top tube seat tube join. The Rig V2 goes somewhat against the grain of current trends in mountain bike geometry… let’s take a closer look.
4130 FI The Rig v2
Over the last several years, we’ve seen a constant barrage of press releases from mountain bike brands spouting the “longer, lower, slacker” mantra. That’s all well and good. We like roomy bikes with slack head angles and low bottom brackets; they handle well. But, what do you do when your bike is already long, low and slack?
4130 FI are only making one frame size for The Rig V2 for “production reasons”. They say it should cater to riders 177cm to 190cm tall. In comparison to the original Rig, the V2 is 0.5° slacker at the head angle, now sitting at 64° in line with current trends in mountain bike geometry.
However, it is now shorter, both in the reach and wheelbase. It loses 5mm in the reach, now measuring up at 500mm, and 9mm in the wheelbase now at 1291mm. Chainstays are adjustable, ranging massively from 435mm to 465mm via adjustable rear dropouts. At 455mm, the maximum tire clearance is 29″ x 2.4″. The BB drops 57mm, making it just 3mm higher than the original 4130 FI The Rig.
Another aspect of the geometry that goes against current trends is the slacker seat tube angle. The Rig V2 sits at 77°, an angle that was intended for the original Rig. It didn’t quite work out for them first time around, coming in steeper at 78°. The seat tube is also 10mm longer at 450mm.
The Rig V2 Frame Detail
4130 FI’s The Rig V2 is now fabricated from 7020 T6 Aluminium in Germany by Nicolai Bicycles. This hardtail mountain bike stands out from the crowd not just because of its aggressive geometry, but because it is designed for a Pinion Gearbox, rather than a traditional rear derailleur drive train.
The Rig V2 can take two models of Pinion Gearbox; the C1.9 XR with a 568% range or the C1.12 with a whopping 600% range. 4130 FI reference the low maintenance, reliability, the ability to shift while coasting, and silence of the gearbox as just some of the benefits that outweigh the drawbacks associated with the additional weight (C1.9 XR is roughly 700g heavier than a XT drivetrain).
Pricing & Availability
4130 FI’s The Rig V2 starts at 2965 € for a frame with Pinion C1.19 gearbox. That creeps up to 3075 € for the wider range C1.12 gearbox. 4130 FI offer build kits featuring components from Chris King, Onyx (for their high POE hubs), MRP and EXT suspension, with finishing kits from Burgtec and DMR.
