Both seem to be well loved on this site, I wont have the option to try either unfortunately. It’d be the deore build of the Soul (1×10, x-fusion forks Shimano MT15 wheels) or a singlespeed build of the Stooge (Charlie the Bikemonger’s build with upgraded B+ wheels, dually rims on hope hubs or something like that).

The bike would be for relatively flat narrow twisty singletrack in Suffolk (Tunstall, Rendlesham and Thetford forests) with occasional trips further afield and would be to complement my current Transition Bandit and Genesis Day 1, both of which I love.

I guess mostly I’m looking for someone who has ridden both and can tell me which would be the most ‘fun’ although I am cringing as I type fun, I know it’s hard to define! Maybe if you owned both which would you be reaching for more regularly and why?

Stooge as you’ve mentioned the magic phrase of singlespeed, all the guys I know with them love them.

I do love a singlespeed!

I’ve had both.

I was on a nice Soul from January 2010 until October 2014, when I switched to a Stooge. I thought a rigid bike would suit my needs well, due to me mainly riding local man-made trails since having kids. To start with, I rode it singlespeed:

The Stooge was a brilliant ride and really sharpened my skills – not to mention being a *beautiful* bike. I’m a serial bike fettler and so had ridden my old Soul singlespeed and rigid before, but the combination worked a lot better on the Stooge. Favourite memories include chasing down riders on expensive full sussers and being complemented repeatedly by Joe Public on the bike’s looks. I also rode it with gears as the trails dried out.

However, I found that as the trails dried out and as I pushed the bike harder, the Stooge just wasn’t allowing me to comfortably exploit all the lines and speed I’d remember being able to do on my old Soul. The recent Singletrack review by Greg May did strike a chord with me; I personally felt it wasn’t comfortable enough for me as my only MTB.

In the end, I replaced it in June 2015 with a Soul 275 – which I’m riding singlespeed and rigid over the winter and was / will be 130mm-forked and 1×11 from around May to November.

If I had the space for more than one MTB, I would have one again in a heartbeat – and, in fact, I may well do.

In short OP, do look closely at a Stooge… but I do think that a Soul 275 is more versatile for most people as their only MTB.

Thanks for that reply Ben, really helpful stuff! Would I be right in thinking your Stooge in the pic is a 29er? I wonder if setting the Stooge up in 275+ format would change the capability of it much? Or if the Soul is just an inherently more capable bike?

Hi Tom,

Mine rolled on 29 x 2.4 tyres, as it was a Mk1 and may not have been suited to 27.5 chubby tyres.

I think it really comes down to whether you’re happy riding a permanently rigid bike, as opposed to another that offers options up front. The Stooge is unashamedly the former (being sold on the ticket that suspension is kind of a sticking plaster for geometry deficiencies) – and you just need to be sure that you’re happy with that if it’s your only MTB.

Whether a Soul 275 or similar is more capable is entirely related to your needs. For mine, it is. Do remember that I don’t do bike packing and all sorts of other riding where a Stooge may meet needs far better than a smaller-wheeled hardtail.

If you’re interested in 27.5+, then a Cotic Solaris may be more comparable to the Stooge?

bikeytom

I’ve had a Solaris in 29er format and a Stooge. As Ben_H says the better comparison may be the Solaris in 27.5 format.

Most of my trails are a little rougher than my memories of Thetford, which I rode on my Solaris. They are like you described, man made but faster with more rocks. From memory, Thetford was just one big root fest!

Both are very different bikes. The Solaris was lower whilst the Stooge was higher and a little more relaxed. Both are good fun and both handled all my trails with ease.

My own experience was that the Stooge was better suited to my kind of trails…I ran both with 29+ rigid forks as a comparison. I did find the Stooge steel fork a little harsh so went for a carbon equivalent which made life nicer.

I can only imagine that it would be very nice in 27.5 format.

For what it’s worth, I took what I liked from both frames and went FAT custom…but based loosely on the principles of the Stooge but with a far higher front end (140mm HT + 40mm spacers) and shorter stays (422mm).

Not that this helps, but if you can…go ride both. Whilst we all have our own opinions your opinion is the best for what you do!

Cotic in 29+ format
[url=https://flic.kr/p/pNXaTY]29+ Solaris[/url] by Rosscopeco, on Flickr

Stooge with carbon forks
[url=https://flic.kr/p/BJ2Ecy]Stooge Mk2 on singletrack[/url] by Rosscopeco, on Flickr

…and seeing as I’m posting photos…here’s my custom rig with FAT front and 29+ rear.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/CSKx9d]IMG_4685[/url] by Rosscopeco, on Flickr

Thanks rosscopeco, that custom rig is quite something!

mk 1 stooge with 51mm offset 120 fork. Absolute animal of a bike. This was one of the 5 Singlespeed only bikes, and was used a test rig for every daft set up known to mankind to see what really worked/didnt work. 29+ rigid was lovely, until it got really fast and angry over big rocks, 29 with a nice fork in combination with the geometry and short back end….ooooo matron!

also ace with a longer stem and drop bars and a MONSTER cross

very nice indeed with jones loop bars

in fact it is one of the most versatile bikes I’ve played with.

the mk2 and the custom ti look even nicer

Only sold it on as it fell between my niche overlap of Jones space frame and black sheep

if it was my only bike I’d not be unhappy at all