There is a hell of a lot of Cotic love on here at the moment.

here we go folks.. the bike that has got me so excited.
sorry about the terrible picture quality, i must get some nice outdoorsy type shots sorted.
See if you can spot the extra orange details.

I have a CEN Soul and it’s not the best handling bike ever sorry to pea on yur strawberrys but there are 2 bikes in this category

Its no better or worse than my Simple which is the best handling bike ever 😉

Yee ha I am a winner 2 26er’s from cotic

Shame I am too short for a Solaris

Simple is high up (top) on my ‘if one comes along in my size i wont be able to say no’ category.

love my 853 Inbred too much to let go though.

I have an older soul (’07?).

It’s my reference bike. Everything else gets measured/compared back to this.

Soul G1 on Flickr

I’d love a Soul, got a roadrat and the frame build quality is great. Any one want to swap for my 456? 😉

I sold a 456 for the Soul no regrets ok it cost a shed load more than the 456 but its worth it

The Souls is alot safer for me because the 456 made me ride beyond my limits and then bite me back

The soul just rides realy nicely and soooo smooth the 456 was a head banger in comparison and hurt cos the back end is so stiff

Is the 456 a bad bike hell no just the soul is nicer.

I’m really not sure why more people don’t go for matching orange bars…

I know what you mean saladdodger, over rough bumpy ground it feels like it smooths the trail out. It wants to go much faster than my skills can cater for

They’re just recycled Grifters. They are. That’s why you don’t see Grifters any more.

orange bar looks nice, i thought about orange seatpost. I just personally prefer to keep smooth paint and anodising to a minimum

They’re just recycled Grifters. They are. That’s why you don’t see Grifters any more.

you mean ‘Griffins’

It wants to go much faster than my skills can cater for

ah yes, the little cycotic voice in your ear “go on just a little faster, faster, faster” its like riding a mad furby.

Not sure if it’s the best handling bike I have ever had, but it’s the only mtb I have, so it must be doing something right;

joining the love in

Heres mine which is my 2nd.
Purchased from the classifieds and now with Gritstone decals

I’ll join in too…

I miss mine sometimes … One of the best handling bikes I’ve ever ridden.

Tyres have changed to Nobbys, saddle’s been replaced (didn’t get on with the Gobi) and fork’s been dropped to 120mm since then.

Lovely bike. Currently being stripped to feed an Anthem 😕

Here’s mine.

Dalbeattie – Soul at Heart Cleft Stane by Stu_N, on Flickr

Bought August 2007, 4,000 miles later I is still loving it. (actualy 3,969 miles!)

Here’s mine, I love it:

There’s a lot of carbon fibre wrap around your Soul frame.

Those steps look like a health and safety issue too.

Your Cotic Soul looks like its been left by the fire for too long and now its turned into a dogs dinner.

😀 Couldn’t resist. Gave quite a lot of thought to the Soul before buying the C456, i just couldn’t square the £200 difference in price. Lovely frame in the flesh though.

And you’re not wrong about the steps, but the washing line pole doubles as a handrail.

My 2nd, still a pre CEN model and still just as amazing to ride as the first generation that I had previously.

Love mine.

There’s nothing you can tell me about my garden that I don’t already know. 😉

Giving some thought to brown saddle, but can’t decide on new grip colour.

some very nice examples above!

had one and sold it as it failed to turn me into the riding god that everyone in stw land reckoned it would- it was ok but not sure it was any better than my wanga, duster, 456 that I have owned

Now got a titanium 29er and that has also failed to turn me into a riding god as well- may have to get an orange 5 ( oh bum I ve had one of them too and preferred my trek ex8)

perhaps its just me 😥

My reference bike used to be an 853 kona explosif

Then I bought a soul.

😉

Remember a mate borrowing my custard soul for a spin. He came back ashen faced saying ‘it just wants to go apeshit in every bloody corner’.

My 2nd as first was stolen (I can’t tell the difference pre and post CEN by the way). As others have said it’s a great reference point. Mine’s done an uplift holiday in Italy at Rivera Bike as well as XC racing.