Hello Chaps,

I’m new here and I need a bit of advice. So , I have been riding around on a pretty old bike for the last 12 years and now its time to upgrade. I like near the alps and I am looking at getting a Cotic soul, I though that this would enable me to have the best of both worlds in terms of climbing and fun descents. I would also like to do a bit of comp when i regain my fitness levels.

So, I gather that this bike does well with anything up to 140mm, I wont think i want to go this high, in fact 120 or 130 would be great for me. However at times I would also like to be at around 100. Is there a fork which I can use 100-130? like an easily adjustable ? perhaps its a novice question, but I have been out of the game for a while 🙂

Also what forks would you guys recommend? My budget is around 400 smackers, I don’t mind having last seasons version. So if there are any recommendations of where I can get some good deals, that would also make me very happy.

Cheers

Used to run Rockshox Recon U-Turn coils on my Soul (85-130mm) they were great, but a bit heavy and to be honest, I found I mostly left them at around 120…

I weigh about 12st and last year upgraded to some SID RLT Ti 120mm with poplock and haven’t looked back. The Soul frame is so nicely balanced for ups and downs at 120mm and the lockout plus the SID’s lightness more than make up for the lack of travel adjustment:

You can pick up a new pair of SIDs, Rebas or Revs for around £400 if you look around, I bought mine from Merlin Cycles…

If you’re living near the alps, 140mm would be thoroughly recommended. The soul is supposedly designed for the longer fork.

You can go for an externally adjustable travel – Fox’s TALAS or Rock Shox’s Dual Position Air, but generally these forks are either much more expensive OR do not perform as well as the non-adjustable versions. This is not a rule by any means.

I’d recommend a 140mm bolt-thru fork – where I live it’s much flatter and twistier and it handles all of that just great whilst being awesome downhill. With a straight instead of layback post (thus steepening the seat tube angle) it climbs very well though I lock the fork on longer and smoother climbs as I’m often up out of the saddle. I have 2010 Fox Float RL – not as fancy as the latest FIT damped versions but does that matter as much when your speed is limited by the back end kicking around? Whatever you get make sure it has clearance for big tyres – makes the bike even better in the rough rocky stuff. I don’t think my tyres would fit in SID or Reba forks.

Adjustable travel forks really suit the Soul. I have RS Revelation U-Turns (110-140mm) on mine and they work very well indeed. I run them short for my local riding on flattish forest singletrack, somewhere in the middle for general trail riding on trips to Peaks/Wales etc, and wound all the way out when I feel like a hooligan 😀

Hello mate,

I’ve just upgraded from Rockshox Revs U-turns on my old Soul, to dual air revs, which I picked up new for £400 from On One, but I found them cheaper on german bike sites – the UK delivery costs made it about the same as on-one, but if you’re mainland Europe you might get a better deal.

I loved the U-Turn Revs though, as the old Soul frame I have was designed for 130mm, and no-one makes 130mm forks. So I could adjust up to 130mm for trail centres/trickier stuff, and keep them at 120mm for gentler local riding.

But my new ones are lighter, set at 130mm all the time, and the bike LOVES them – I was bouncing about like a mountain goat last week, and I’d happily ride the Soul pretty much anywhere (badly, probably, but I’ll have a go) without worrying.

Hey guys,

Thanks a lot of the input. I feel more educated now 🙂

Cheers