Hello all,

Another bike dilemma. I went out on my Cotic Escapade at the weekend and it was a great ride. I really like the frame for what it is – good value, indestructible feeling, springy and fast handling. The chain stays are short so it handles very quickly (doesn’t feel like a touring bike), the frame weighs under 2Kg, the forks 1Kg, which is pretty light for a cheap steel frame. Maybe the handling is too fast?

The gear system is a Shimergo 8 speed set up with Spyre brakes – it works ok but isn’t super slick.

I’ve sold a load of stuff and was about to pull the trigger on a new Stooge frameset to hang some bits off, but just wondering whether I should:

a) Invest in a hydraulic groupset for the Cotic. Is the frame worthy?

b) Sell another couple of bikes including the Escapade and get something like a Mason Bokeh or Tripster AT.

c) Stick with the Spyres, upgrade other bits and bobs like the STIs, and get the Stooge.

Thing is, the Tripster AT weighs in at 1.8Kg frame and about 0.6kg forks, which is a weight saving of 800 grams. Hardly worth it, and I bet it doesn’t have the spring of the Escapade. Not sure what the Bokeh weighs but seems to be built quite tough.

Gets me wondering how the Escapade would work as a road bike with a set of slicks – probably not unlike my steel road bike I suspect, but not as quick as a Ti or carbon one.

What are peoples thoughts on the Escapade?

Dull post, dull morning. Apologies.

Gets me wondering how the Escapade would work as a road bike with a set of slicks – probably not unlike my steel road bike I suspect, but not as quick as a Ti or carbon one.

Yeah That, My Escapade is a 105 Hydraulic with Hope 20Five wheels and Tubeless 35mm G-Ones. I’ve done over 100k rides over the past few weekends, was it as fast as a dedicated road bike? No, was it damn near perfect fun, yeah it was. The Rides were mostly road but had some sizable stretches of old Railway line and dirt/gravel in them. The bike was fast as needed on the Road and great on the dirty bits. It suits me fine, the tyres help a lot as the G-ones are bloody good on the road and roll really fast.

I have an Escapde with Ultegra and hydro discs. I have a carbon fork though .

Awesome bike , great handling and very comfortable.

I use Challenge gravel kings on mine which are a good compromise for mixed surface riding .

Did my best ever time for the H.O.N.C. On it this year.

Even did a cheeky lap of Mountain Mayhem this year.

Thanks.
I think it’s a better frame than it gets credit for sometimes.

How are the g-ones off road? Tried them in the mud?

Off Road Fine, Mud would be a slip fest, they’re as good as slick as the knobbles are low profile and small but perfect for dirty, hard pack, gravel etc and surprisingly capable on the road. Most of my local dirt sections don’t get muddy (except for a few small sections) just wet.

I went out on my Cotic Escapade at the weekend and it was a great ride. I really like the frame for what it is – good value, indestructible feeling, springy and fast handling.

This doesn’t strike me as a review of a frameset that you should sell and replace with something completely different.

Youre probably right. Just have moments of “the grass is greener”. Rarely is. I’ll stick with it as it is good and upgrade when I can.

get a bokeh 😉 heres mine

How does the bokeh ride? Smooth, stiff, comfy? I suspect it’s fast!

My Escapade is currently my favourite bike ever.

I bought it for winter commuting (20 miles each way on rough Perthshire lanes with a couple of optional gravel sections), but a couple of weeks ago I decided to use my Spesh Roubaix instead. The Roubaix is about 4kg lighter (no rack or mudguards helps) and runs 25mm slicks compared to the 35mm tyres on the Escapade.

The Roubaix was slower, much less comfortable and much less enjoyable to ride. It is now up for sale as I just can’t see the point in it. Quite upsetting really as the Roubaix was my “best” bike for sunny days.

The Escapade is built with Tiagra 4700 so I could get the cables under the bar tape. Brakes are TRP Hy’Rd’s, recently upgraded from BB7’s. I’m still bedding in the TRP’s and they are getting stronger each ride, but the BB7’s were more powerful so far. The main reason for upgrading was heel clearance – I kept bashing my heels on the BB7’s as they stick out so far, but the TRP’s are flush with the frame. They do “feel” better though – like a hydraulic brake not a cable brake if that makes any sense?

I can’t see me getting rid of the Escapade any time soon. It just does road, commuting, touring, gravel and light MTB stuff so well. I genuinely wake up in the morning and get excited about commuting to work as I love riding it.

Are you on a mk1 or mk2? Wondering if the lower bottom bracket is noticeable?

I’d stick with the Cotic fo sho.

A pinnacle arkose would be a good option if you wanted to try and save a bit of weight.

Another happy Escapade owner here, love mine, done loads of road miles with the local cycling club on it and some light xc/gravel. I craved more tyre clearance for off road so building up a Fargo. Spyres are excellent brakes, easy to adjust to perfection. I added cross top levers to my escapade for gravel riding and do give more confidence in braking.