Got my Flare frame on Tuesday, so after a couple of days of swearing and eating chocolate digestives, today was the first run out to see what I haven’t fitted properly. Picked a nice easy route with a bit of everything to check it on the ups and downs.

Have to say I’m absolutely chuffed with it so far. A fair bit quicker than my Soul on a easy but juddery descent down Long Lane – PB by 45 seconds. 😯 But it’s pretty spritely on the ups as well.

Running 2×10 – As an aside, the SLX side-swing front mech is astonishingly easy to shift compared with a conventional mech.

Apologies for crappy mobile pics

MMmmm… still tempted and if the financial controller ever relinquishes I may well treat myself.

Looks really nice.

Looks very, very nice. Jealous.

Edit: just realized it’s not the max version. Still very nice but not so jealous 😉

saweet.
Good to see a front mech too

Lovely bike. I almost bought one.

I hate you martinhutch.

Not really, but I am very envious, I just can’t justify one at the moment (see my hobbies thread). Had a demo on Longmynd back in August, loved the flare, though I rode a medium, when I should really be on a large. Think I’m going to try a large at the FoD demo just to see if it feels as playful as the medium did. If it does then I’m in trouble.

I was sold on the blue, until I rode an orange one, now I don’t know, and have since added an Orange Solaris to the shed……

Also glad to see someone else still running a front mech.

Sweeeeeeeet! I’m loving mine (orange) as well 😀 It’s great for messing about on with the shock as locked out as much as it’ll go- you can stand up and mash the pedals but it’ll still soak up bumps! It’s witchcraft, I tell you, witchcraft.

It’s great for messing about on with the shock as locked out as much as it’ll go

Kept it in that position for yesterday’s ride, and that’s plenty enough for 90% of Dales riding, certainly.

I have to say I found that too when I had the demo ride, you’d struggle to make it bob.

Very nice. Looks spot on.

Martin – do not cross paths with me for thy shall be walking home 😛

Looks lovely that.

Is there still that loose stone on the clapper bridge behind you in the first shot? Gave me a bit of a wobble when I rode across the other week.

Is there still that loose stone on the clapper bridge behind you in the first shot?

Seemed OK to me. It’s fair to say I was rather focused popping up onto it on an unfamiliar bike. 🙂

Very nice! Is that one of the Cotic complete builds?
Just curious, why the 2×10? Do you need the range for local trails?

Very nice! Is that one of the Cotic complete builds?
Just curious, why the 2×10? Do you need the range for local trails?

No, frame and shock only from Cotic – very similar to one of their builds though as it has an Xfusion Sweep RL2 (bought from someone on here). Wheels are Arch EX on XT hubs. 150 Thomson dropper which fits – just (very worried for a minute!)

2×10 for the top end more than the bottom. 26-38 with a 11-36 gives me enough of a low gear. I think I could go marginally lower on 30×42 but I’d be pedalling faster than I like or even spinning out on the road sections and long fast off-road downhills you tend to get on most Dales routes. As an example, I was pedalling one or two gears off the top of the range on parts of the Long Lane descent I mentioned.

Just compared your times on Long lane to mine (sad I know), interesting to see that you weren’t that much quicker on the top bit but the long flatter lower section you were significantly quicker. My fastest time is on a rigid BTW and that middle section feels like you are in a tumble drier, not many places in the Dales where a FS is genuinely useful but that’s one.

Best colour 🙂 Nice looking bike. I have the Max but have been running it 29 for the winter gloop. I prefer it ‘chubby’ but might have to borrow a non Max from Sam on the next FoD demo just to compare.

sad I know

Yes, you sad man! 🙂

As expected, on the Flare you could just plough through the bits with the repeated small hits which just buck your back wheel around on a hardtail and kill your momentum. Also the extra grip on the short slippy rocky bit back up at the bottom made it feel significantly easier.

Glad the forks are being put to good use, I hope they serve you well. Build looks great.

Cheers – I took them off to someone to give them a service, change the seals and adjust the travel, and he said they were in pretty much perfect nick.

It looks fantastic, if only I had the money 😯

Is that Settle in Yorkshire? That first pic looks familiar 🙂

Wouldn’t mind demoing something like this eventually. After having an Inbred hardtail a few years ago, I’ve always been curious about other steel bikes.

It is a looker too 🙂

The first shot is the clapper bridge above Wharfe near Austwick

Lovely !

Ah whitestone, I’m not that familiar with the area. I stopped at a campsite in Settle and rode over that way. I’m pretty sure I went over that bridge.

IS the a bit called “Tunnels and Bridges” round that area?

Yes, the tunnels are on the segment out of Clapham https://www.strava.com/segments/2645335. The bridge in the shot is at the end of this segment https://www.strava.com/segments/5232224