Hi,

I know there are a lot of posts about BFe sizing but I was wondering if there is anyone who’d have any advice for me and might even be willing to let me have a go on one. I’m based in Dundee and usually ride around these parts or Glentress.

I’m 6′ 3” and I’ve previously owned a large Soul and am undecided whether to stick with a large BFe or see whether a medium BFe might be a bit more fun with loads of standover height.

I see from the geometry that there isn’t a great deal of difference in length between the medium and large. Certainly nothing that can’t be accommodated by 10mm longer stem. The difference in saddle height would be 1.5 inches which I definitely had available on the Soul.

I enjoyed the large Soul and used it mostly for xc riding and trail centres before I sold it to buy my current bike which is a large meta 5 which I feel would be better as a medium so this is why I’m going back to a nice compact hardtail.

I’ve been in touch with cotic who have advised that I would probably want to stick with the large for a more comfortable pedalling position up hills which is fair enough but has anyone else of a similar height gone for a medium? I have a single speed xc bike that I enjoy using for the fitness/straight from the front door stuff so the BFe will be primarily used for trail centres, fun parks etc.

Hope that makes sense.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Cheers

I think you’d really struggle with a medium BFe. I’m 5’11” and I need to put an extra long (400mm+) post on my medium to get a sensible pedalling height.

At 4″ shorter than you, I have masses of standover on mine.

Great bike though!

Oh well it sounds like I need a large then. Unfortunately they’re out of stock until April. Hopefully I’ll be able to pick up a second hand one soon, if not I might struggle to resist a Ragley or 456!

Stanton Slackline?

The larger of the two sizes is in between the medium & large BFe sizes.

A Dialled Alpine should be on your list as well. The 18″ sits nicely between the med and large BFe’s and its aimed at the same sort of riding

Thanks for the replies guys but I’m really limited by finances and have a maximum budget of £300. I’m selling my meta frame and shock to fund it.

CRC have ragley blue pigs at £250 but not in the right size unfortunately. I was also looking at the on one summer 456 which might be a good bet and leave me with a bit of cash for other bits and pieces.

I’m 6’3″, had a large Soul and then owned a medium BFe (as it was a Mk 1, before they made them in Large). It was not great for climbing, mainly because it was hard to get weight forward and then play around with it. You could probably get away with it, if it was mainly just a play bike, but its a more ideal as a DJ/4X bike in a medium, I’d say.

Hi whereisthurso. I have just finished my BFe and its a medium i am 5’11” and after talking with cy from cotic was adviced this was best. I do mostly lakes and the odd trail centre, I need a good length seat post to get the right position for pedalling cx. Don’t know if it’s any good but there is a cotic soul in large on eBay item number 300649283178. It’s nothing to do with me. I just came across it when looking. Its got a buy it now and is less than you want to spend you can also do a best offer might be worth a look. Happy hunting hope you find what you want. 🙂

I’ve a large bfe in blue that I bought on a whim and not used yet. It’s in great nick. Email me if you’re interested my email address is in my profile.

I’m 6ft 2 and went for a large. Definitely the right size for me. Gets used for technical Singletrack. I tend to run the seat a bit lower than optimum for efficient pedalling, but even at that height there is still a lot of seatpost showing. So a medium would need a really long post.

Just fitted a reverb. Only ridden once, but really impressed as it now allows me to run a full seat height for the climbs but gets the seat right out of the way for the downs.

I’m 5ft11 and went for a small, with a 50mm stem for quick handling, and a 410mm Thomson post.

In hindsight, it was too small for anything other than a messabout bike. Even if I’d fitted a 70mm stem it would have felt quite compact, and I had to run the Thomson post at almost full extension. A medium would have been better suited to my needs probably, but then again the BFe wasn’t that well suited to my needs anyway as it was a bit overbuilt for me.

You won’t want a Medium. I am another ‘almost 6 ft’ person. It fits perfect. If you were any taller it would feel like you are riding a child’s bike.

I also found the advice from Cy and the team spot on. I told them the 2 mtb bikes I was riding. Which one I found too small, which one I liked and they got it right.

I’d echo mboy,

5’10 here and on a small. Bit cramped and not my bike of choice for pedaling. But who said it was designed for that! need long seat post to claw back some climbing finesse (still get laughed at by passersby)

Retrospectively I still wouldn’t have tried to size it properly, fortunately I have another bike for general riding duties, and if it was my only bike I probably would have got a soul.

It is soo much fun though! smalls the new 29…

If you want a trail centre play bike, Bfe is a good choice… I think you may be ok with a medium? I am 6 foot and went for a medium, there is plenty of room for me when climbing and with the seat down its really responsive and chuckable on the single track and down hills! It would really be an advantage to try one before you buy.

good luck 🙂

I’m 6’2″ and ride a large BFe, perfect size for me with a short stem and wide bars around Glentress.

I think the medium size would compromise the seat height for climbing as there is not much more than 100mm of post left in the frame on mine.

I’m 6′ and I too had the same decision to make….

So I mailed Cy at Cotic and after a couple of exchanges of e-mail I ended up with a medium and for me (mainly DH focussed with some pump track and commute when the commuter is getting serviced!!) it has worked out perfectly. Cy is really helpful. You can but ask….

Was going to order a Bfe, then changed mind and went for a carbon 456 at the same price.

Amazing value for a carbon frame and after giving it a good bashing over the weekend, its stood up really well, super light and perfect for a trails, good at uphill, fast xc and of course downhill.

Cotic seem’d to have shot themselves in the foot somewhat if they arent getting any large frames until April. You would have thought they would have planned ahead when they reduced the price of the frames. Guess they are only a small outfit though and stock is a big investment….depending on where they are made of course.

The other frustration with Cotic is the fact they only ship frames out on a Thursday. So if you order on a thurs or friday you wont get anything delivered for a week.

On-One is pretty much next day and state stock levels on their website.

Its good for all of us there are lots of choices around in the 300-400 price point for hard tail frames.

5′ 11″ here and I went with a small. Changed down from a medium. I ride it with Pikes set around 120mm, 50mm stem and 710mm bars.

I use mine for all sorts of riding, don’t really enjoy XC, so I’m not fussed if it’s not great for that – however sticking the seat post up and it rides OK for 20 milers.

Don’t get me wrong the medium is a nice size if you’re just planning on using it for XC (which seems odd as it’s not the point of the frame imo). But it felt too much of a gate with 4x and dual tracks. Small also feels better for me on DH sections as I prefer the smaller, play bike feel.

If I wanted an XC bike I’d probably go for a Soul in a medium.

5ft 10/11 on a small? Horses for courses i know, but jesus, i’m 5ft 8 and feel right on the limit for my small Soul.

I thought also Cotic only ship on a thursday, but i believe mine was sent on a different day.

5’10”
Small Hemlock/Simple/BFe here.
Mediums would be too long for me for fun stuff and are fine uphill. Ok the Simple is fine uphill as it’s quite light ;0)
The Bfe is currently compromised for climbing with the forks at 140mm which I intend to shorten come the next service as everything came straight off the Hemlock which was perfect with that setup.

5ft 10/11 on a small? Horses for courses i know, but jesus, i’m 5ft 8 and feel right on the limit for my small Soul

The small isn’t really a small by other manufacturers specs. It’s a 16″ seat tube (cotics have long TT’s anyway), the Dialled Alpine is 16″, as is the Slackline.

tomlevell has the right idea 😉

I was contemplating a XS but it I think it would have been too small for riding up and around the hills.
But body shapes are different so I wouldn’t say a medium is wrong for someone my height.

I was contemplating a XS but it I think it would have been too small for riding up and around the hills.
But body shapes are different so I wouldn’t say a medium is wrong for someone my height.

No I don’t think it is. Medium is a nice size if you want a bike that’s climb well, and you do that often. That’s not the type of bike I want my BFe to be, if I’d wanted that I’d have gone a Soul. So for something as tough as the BFe I wanted a smaller, play bike feel – something I could hoon around on at the 4x tracks, DH, trails etc.

I am 6’3″ and have a large, it suits me perfectly it is good for hooning around and heading out doing the miles cross country. I had to get the longest Reverbe to make sure that there would be enough post in the frame and it does look a bit odd with the seat all the way up and the bars looking like they are way lower than the saddle.

No matter what it is an ace bike.

Medium Chumba HX1 – long and tons and standover.