Afternoon , looking for a new frame in the new year and the shortlist is-
Cotic Soul
Stanton Slackline

I know loads about the Soul thanks to various threads/owners on here ( cheers guys )
So a couple of questions for Slackline owners if its ok,
Are they still “old school 26′”?
Is there much difference between the 631 and the 853 (other than cost)
Fork recommendations please 120 or 140mm ?

As they are frame only builds I can’t get a test ride,

Thanks in advance,
Steve

Are they still “old school 26′”?
Yes. Switchback in the 650b version.
Is there much difference between the 631 and the 853 (other than cost)
No. Theres an article somewhere but basically the wall thickness on a long travel hardtail means that thin wall tubing can’t be used so theres no point using 853.
Fork recommendations please 120 or 140mm ?
140, or adjustable 120-150.

Cheers Stevet1. The sizes are 16.5/18. I usually ride a medium (5’10/32inch inside leg). Is the 18 a big medium?

Where are you based? I’m just building up a 16.5″ right now with a 120-160 adjustable fork. I’m 5ft10 with 32.5″ inside leg so almost same proportions as you.

The 18″ is a long 18″ if that makes sense. You or I could probably ride an 18″ happily for more XC based stuff, but I’m building this bike more biased towards quick blasts in the woods and throwing down the occasional DH track myself… Hence the fork as with 120 it’ll be perfectly balanced for general trail riding yet I can chopper it out for the gnarlier DH stuff. Dan Stanton does state it rides sweet anywhere between 120 & 160 mm, but personal preference will always have some bearing on what an individual goes for. As my bike is also to be a shop demo bike I thought the ability to choose travel was a wise one.

Only reason to go for an 853 would be that you’ve already got a very nice 1 1/8th headset that you insist on using, otherwise it’s more expensive, isn’t any lighter that you’d notice (an ounce or two tops) and you can’t run a modern tapered fork on it.

To make double sure you got this from the above;

– 853 = straight 1 1/8th headtube = straight 1 1/8th forks only
– 631 = 44mm headtube = straight or tapered forks

also

– 853 = 27.2 seat tube = limited dropper posts
– 631 = 31.6 seat tube = pretty much every dropper post.

Join the back of the queue mate! Lots of Slackline 631 wannabe’s waiting for their frames to arrive imminently!!!

Mboy, North Wales buddy, but it sounds like the 18″ will be good. Cheers for that.

@duir, what is the current waiting time. I’m not in much of a rush, i may wait until after xmas.

@duir, what is the current waiting time

Not sure I believe Stanton are waiting for the new frames to clear customs which must be a long process as it seems to be taking several weeks. That’s just for the pre-ordered from Stanton themselves orders. There are probably spare frames on this batch you could buy or failing that a few shops seem to have the odd slackline left.

Dan took delivery of a shipment of frames today according to the Stanton Bikes Facebook page.

Happy days!

The sizes are 16.5/18. I usually ride a medium (5’10/32inch inside leg). Is the 18 a big medium?

I’m 5’9 with a 32″ leg and ride the 16.5. It’s absolutely perfect and definitely wouldn’t want to go for the 18. I reckon it’s more a chuckable bike so smaller the better (and i’ve ridden a 19″ kona and ride a 56 road bike)

oh and easily best bike i’ve ridden (i know everyone says that but i sold my enduro for this bike, have had a superlight, numerous hardtails and a pitch)