I seem to be having a mid bike crisis and seem to be hankering a Ti bike mainly a Cotic Soda. But having never ridden a Ti hardtail apart from round a carpark i need to find out what the buzz is about before i decide to flog my five spot and steel hardtail to fund it or Would that be a big mistake?

Any pictures of your Sodas would be nice as well.

Cheers
Gordymac

Don't do it! When I bought my Hummer, I thought it could be the one bike for all occassions. Is it hell! I was out on my DW link Turner last night and it is simply a better bike in almost every respect. Quite simply, I can ride further and harder on it than on the Hummer. The latter is still a nice bike but it just doesn't float my boat in the same way. Keep the Turner though if it's a large, ignore my posting and sell it to me!!!!! 😆

Having ridden a steel Cove as well as a Ti one, I was really hard pushed to notice a difference between the two.

Keep your Turner and use the money for a return trip to Verbier with us!

Cheers

Sanny

😆 I like it someone to keep me right.

When are you back to Verbier?

Gordymac

I decided a few years back that, living in a small flat, I should get one bike to rule them all. So, obviously, hardtail, with a fork with lockout and some slicks; and I figured Ti.
My Soda (2008 model) is light (3.5lbs frame only), a little forgiving, but able to put the power down, and just a whole lotta fun. But then I'm a bit of a lightweight when it comes to riding and don't go in for jumps, DH or suchlike. er… yeah. 🙂

gordy – my ti456 is stunning.
but then so is my Helius AM.

both brilliant, just do things differently.

oh – if i had to have one bike however, it'd be a Helius AC.

Hi Simon

Aye sounds like i wil be keeping the Turner and the Chromag, both fantastic bikes i was just checking to see if i was missing anything 😉

Gordymac

Best buy for me Gord. Just watch, the older pre2010 have a flexi rear end. Which is why I bought mine as I have a racing snake build so get the benefit of a forgiving frame but can still get the power down…..

And do I need to remind you how light they can built-up 😀

Buy a 2010, you know you want too…………..

2010 production frame, sneaky quick peek …

i've got a soul which is fantastic, the question I keep coming up with is "how could the Ti version be ~£1000 better?" appreciate its a bit lighter and won't rust, but is the Soda really that much better?

and yes I do want one, but seem to be emotionally attached to the Soul

That's the classic Ti argument though, isn't it. A Ti456 is aMAAAAYYYzing, apparently, but is it really £600 better than a normal 456?

I guess if you're asking yourself that question, you probably already know the answer :).

I went from a Nicolai Helius CC (5.25" of travel at most) to a Cotic Soda about two years ago. Don't regret it one bit, in fact there's no other bike (except my 29er) that I'd consider riding instead. I've got 130mm fork on the front with a lock down (DT Swiss), and 2.4" tyres.

For the people I ride with and the trails I ride on (Brecon Beacons and S. Wales, mainly) it performs brilliantly. It's comfortable enough that I can ride it all day and I'm not any slower on the descents than I would otherwise have been in the Nicolai (i.e. I can still keep pace with the people I ride with on full suspension bikes). It climbs like a dream too. Big benefit to me at the time was reduced maintenance for pivots/ shocks. The transition from 5" of travel to hardtail wasn't anywhere near as difficult as I thought it might be either.

In all, I can't fault the Soda. Also, it still looks as good as new two years later. Get one 🙂

I had the same dilemma and sold my 5 Spot and kept the Soda. I really enjoyed the 'more involved' feeling on all terrains, but I missed my 5 Spot as it was such a great bike, so I bought it back again. Stupidly, I sold the 5 Spot again and want one again. The bike that stayed throughout it all was the Soda.

My advice is to keep them both as they are equally brilliant in different ways.

Last night I rode my Ti Dean for the first time this year and yes it is £1000 better than my steel Surly winter bike.

ianb – what pivots / bearings wore out on your Nicolai ??????