Currently riding a 2013 Trance with 140mm fork. Bikes a little small and I’m struggling to find a medium frame to swap over my components. Tempted to purchase a Soul frame and sell my Trance frame on and hopefully break even.

Has anyone changed from a full sus to a hardtail as a do it all bike? Most of my riding is Rivington, Cragg Quarry, Delga sometimes and lots of bridleway / green lane local stuff.

I made the switch a few weeks ago Craig and although its early days im enjoying my hardtail rides. I dont miss my canyon 140mm travel at all on the flat areas where i am. I am in your area and have done llandegla on a ht before and its just as enjoyable just have to ride it a bit differently.

Haven’t changed but, I have a 160mm full sus and a 140mm hardtail, rode/ride Rivi, Cragg & Degla along with local stuff in Lancs on the hardtail and it’s a blast. The hardtail is more suited to this stuff than the big bouncer I think. If that’s what you ride most often I reckon you’ll be fine.

around 4 yrs ago I went from am old Rock Lobster and a 5, to a Soul with 120mm Reba and a dropper as my only MTB. Riding mainly west of Scotland xc natural stuff, some big days out, the occasional trail centre. After a while I wanted a short travel fast FS for some variety, and got an Anthem SX last spring, which fist the bill perfectly for me. The Soul still gets ridden more though.

Thanks all, you’ve confirmed my thoughts. 😀

Not swapped but last April I bought a new Soul frame and built up a new bike.. Since then I’ve used it as my main bike and have only ridden my Transition Covert for bike park and Alps trips duties.

The Soul is a massively capable bike and it never feels out of its depth. In fact, if I thought I’d get decent money for it, I’d consider selling the Tranny.

I’ve the Solaris, AKA the Soul’s big brother, only felt out of my depth on it out in the Alps, but that is likely to have been me not the bike.

The Soul/Solaris definitely scratch the N+1 itch.

Here’s a photo to encourage you to ditch the trance

Had my Soul for about 5 years and every ride has big grins and laugh out loud moments.

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Wow, brilliant photo, I really do want one. Now the search for a frame begins, hopefully easier than looking for a Trance frame has been.

Exactly as per @crag I have a Covert but since buying a BFe I only ride the Covert occasionally, ie holidays and practicing before holidays. I have even bid on a few Soul frames (2012 26-ers went for £185 and £245 with headsets) to add another Cotic to the collection.

Cheers Craig. Hope you find one quick

I’ve just gone back to a Solaris after having a couple of 29er full suspension bikes. Can’t say I’m missing them.

To counter the above I went HT only for 9 months and couldn’t wait to build my FS back up. Sold the HT not long after as I couldn’t think of a time I’d use it.

Couple of mates went HT only for longer. Both thought it was great early on, both now back on FS.

Saying that, if your FS is too small then you need to change anyway. Just been through the same having convinced myself for years that 18/19″ was my size only to finally have to accept I’m stuck with gates.

Be fine mate, done all those places on my 901 a couple of years back, riding a hardtail teaches you some good habits too and you’re buying a frame that holds its value and is sought after. Only reason I’ve gone back to FS is how brutal some of the routes I rise on since moving house are

I’ve got both F/S & a hardtail.I ride around Rivi quite often & the biggest difference I notice is my back aches on the hardtail,but Rivi has a lot of stuff with small bumps & cobbles,these shake me up whereas on the short travel 100mm Anthem I don’t feel anywhere near as tired at the end of a ride.
I don’t think I’d have the same problem at groomed trail centres like Degla,ironically I’ve not ridden a hardtail there,yet..

Small bumps and cobbles are one of the reason I would like to stick with the FS.

Next Dilema is size, I seem to be in-between a small and a medium, any advice, looking at a 26er frame and im 5ft8 with 31 inside leg.

go medium, I’m an inch shorter than you, with 29.5in inside leg and I currently have a small Soul and Simple, but I can, and have ridden medium Cotics with no bother so I’d say go medium, especially if you’re going to run it with a short stem, I don’t, but if I did I’d def be riding medium.

Dont do it, I fell into the stw hype trap afew years back about hardtails being the one bike solution 🙂

I have collected four hardtails in the search for a comfortable one and the only one I ride occasionally now has a titanium frame, love the aesthetics and simplicity but dammed uncomfortable.

I addition I discovered even a 6″ travel FS bike is faster along a canal towpath that a HT. ……….. Strava fact 🙂

Plus……..plus after years of riding FS bikes I have a funny pedalling action that doesn’t work on a HT 😀

HT will be fine for llandegla and the like but I think you would regret it around Rivi. A 29er HT or plus/fat bike might be ok but on the rocky stuff, a FS is much more comfortable and therefore more fun.

Sell the trance and buy a FS that fits I reckon

@craig ask Cy about sizing. FYI I am 5-10 and 32 inside leg and on a medium BFe (2012 26 model) with 50mm stem and ot fits perfectly and was what Cy recommended. They know their stuff.

@jes you need a Cotic 😉

A HT will do most of what you normally ride without too much issue but it will be certain features, certain lines you’ll need to take and predominantly comfort that’ll be the biggest issues for you I expect.

Save up for N+1 and find a larger Trance frame in the interim.

I really, really like having both long travel fs and short travel hardtail. Why not keep both? If you’re on a budget save up for an on-one frame, under £200.

If I had to pick one I’d probably go with the 29er hardtail though (or short travel fs).

did someone suggest a picture of a Soul to help convince you ? 🙂

Didn’t change but went through a couple of hardtails as complements to my Pitch Pro – hated the unbalanced feeling of suspension at one end but not the other. Got rid of both and have a rigid SS instead.

Had a Jekyll until recently and since I had a spare Sektor due to replacement and other spares I bought myself a Medium Cotic BFe 26 to build a second bike . I’m really liking it and it’s a go to everywhere bike since my new full will arrive only in October. I’ve only felt its becoming harsh on rocky trails but its still liveable beyond this point. I don’t know your terrain but it could be something that your looking for. I can’t say it would be a replacement for a full 6″ inch bike , I never looked at it like that but it’s a fun bike to ride all around . Regarding sizing , I find the medium quite versatile, since I’m 6 foot tall and with a 60 stem I can ride off the saddle easily, at the same time my girlfriend which is just a shy under 5ft3 can still enjoy it occasionally , therefore at your height I don’t recommend you to go for smaller.

Here is mine : https://scontent.fomr1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12512229_10154793465374126_6249902013343311589_n.jpg?oh=b8b892fc53715df05dbe07717dfdaf3b&oe=584023AE

I ditched my 2012 Trek EX8 for a Cotic Soul Mk3 and can honestly say it was one of the best things I did. It’s a proper capable bike. Done most trail centres in Wales, Snowdon, Lakes etc. It’ll handle 4ft drops to flat easily.

I only sold it to get a slacker longer forked stanton. I always wished I’d kept it though.

I have however got my wife an XS one all built up after several months searching for one. 🙂

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/13808010/

PS I found 120mm fork the best after using 140 for a while, but some swear by theirs at 140

For the kind of riding you describe, a Soul will be great.

I’m obviously riding a big bike through the summer, but I ride a Cotic BFe through the Autumn and Spring seasons. Really like it and I ride almost anything on it (just a bit slower than the big bike…) and I love the more direct-energy feel when I’m “going out for a ride” rather than hitting lifts/trails.

Soon to be up for sale most likely though as I’ve always found it a wee bit short (Medium frame, 5’11” rider…) and it could really do with a fork upgrade (straight head-tube and 25″ wheels doesn’t leave much options now…) so likely to have an Orange P7 in my near future unless Cy is reading this and wants to make a suggestion… (hint hint)

Love mine and here is another pic of a soul
IMG]http://i1005.photobucket.com/albums/af171/upbeat30/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsgcagj2l9.jpeg[/IMG][/img]

I ditched my Banshee Rune for a Stanton Switchback Ti and haven’t looked back.

I had a steel Switchback at the same time as the Rune and I always ended up on the hardtail, so figured I’d buy a posh one! It suits me better for most of my riding plus I’ve now got a Demo for DH duties.

well as seen as my last pic did not owrk here we go again love my soul even got some custom decals for the forks

Just ditched my 160mm travel “Enduro” bike for a 650B BFe with a 160mm Pike. I’ve never looked back, I hit trails harder on this than I ever have on the full sus. Lightweight, flickable maintenance free fun!

I’ll add another thumbs up for a Soul. I think it will easily handle the riding mentioned and they are fantastic, fun bikes.

I’m just about to hang my soul frame on the wall, in favour of a cheap full sus frame, I have another hardtail (Scandal 29) so that covers my proper xc rides. The soul has 120mm forks, dropper, 1×10, wide bars etc.

Where I favour a full sus is on fast open hill and chattery descents, or anywhere washboard like, it’s much smoother and less tiring. I feel less beaten up after a techy ride on full sus, but they mostly look horrible and there’s more to maintain. If I had to have just on bike it’d be a 650b soul or similar.

There’s lots of people trying to match hardtail type to terrain on this thread, but thats only one way of looking at it. Based on what you’ve described, a gravel bike would be the best for you taking that rationale.

Have you stoppeed to think about what you’re looking for from the ride?

Do you want the close-to-the-ragged-edge-but-just-got-away-with-it feeling?
Do you want a comfortable mile muncher that makes you feel like you’re flying?
What about that poppy, snappy, mad march hare urgency in the twisties between the trees?

What about your riding style? Are you a sat on your arse, I’ve been used to an FS doing the work for me type rider, or do you like more body English that hooning a hardtail on pumpy, rough ground requires?

I have a 140mm burly FS and a hardtail with a similar build. I ride them onn the same terrain according to what I feel like because they’re very different.

Point is, there is no one right bike, only the one that gives you the closest experience to what you’re looking for.

What ARE you looking for?

Short term, you won’t regret it. Long term (after a yearish) you’ll bin yearning for a FS.

Short term, you won’t regret it. Long term (after a yearish) you’ll bin yearning for a FS.

Not necessarily….I’m not!

Give it a whirl and see what happens. Worst case is you switch back.

Hi, I swapped a full suss for a Cotic Solaris after an eye opening demo over familiar terrain in the Peak District. I found the bike to be no slower than my full suss unless it got really rocky. The big wheels help. Cotic do demos all over the place, if they’re not doing one near you get in touch with Sam who does the demos. I’d go for a Soul 275 but try a Solaris too.

I’ve always missed the HT when going the other way but never vice versa. N+1 is clearly the solution but in our house N<=1

I feel like I’m pushing the hard tail (Alpine) closer to its limits whereas the Norco FS it replaced didn’t have the trails around here to make it worthwhile.

I love Souls, most steel hard tails in fact.

For me I did a swap of full sus to hardtail in my early 20’s (now 35) and it pit me off mountain biking for about 10 years. With the full sus (Univega Ram 990 with bomber z1’s, hope discs etc) I got into the pedalling habit of sitting down a fair amount spinning pedals.

I moved to a hardtail as my Univega frame started creaking horribly. Hardtail nothing special, but I hated it. So uncomfortable in comparison. Had no problem with it downhill doing standing up technical stuff it it was just comfort that killed it for me.

Years on I tried an ancient Kona Uhu (not a good suspension frame) FS and it has totally got me back into biking.

So for me I wouldnt swap. Maybe keep looking for the right size full sus frame – does it have to be a trance or could you widen the search to other makes?

OP My view is clear, try the 275 Soul. If you don’t get on with it the frame you can sell on and put the bits onto a 275 Full Suss Frame. You don’t have to be buying full bikes each time. Likewise you could ride the Soul say 10 months of the year and build up a FS for say an Alps holiday.