… apart from the suspension bit.
I love my Cotic Soul, but fancy something bouncy – wondering what I could get, second hand, which is similar size/ geometry (medium), and would take a 130-140mm fork, air shock with about 100-120mm travel, preferably four-bar or DW-link, 4-5lb frame weight.
Any ideas?

orange 5 is the obvious choice for the similar sort of trail bike? single pivot though

Would Sir not be requiring a Hemlock?

Frame weight is a bit optimistic, though.

hmmm, lots about too I guess, but probably hold their value so not good value second hand?

Would Sir not be requiring a Hemlock?

looks aren’t the be all and end all, but they’re u g l y

Frame weight is a bit optimistic, though.

just trying to keep it the same as the Cotic

Mythic spitfire

Turner Flux

H/L 5spot, when I spoke to cy when I was buying a soul about sizing he said the soul was loosely based on a spots dimensions, when I got a large soul lo and behold he was right (I have a large 5spot)
Or obviously, a hemlock 😀

Just check out the geometry oif FS frames till you find an identical one. Simples.

Just check out the geometry and weight oif FS frames till you find an identical one. Simples

Or not. 😆

Weight specified is going to be tricky unless you have deep pockets. I’ve a Flux and Hemlock and neither are close to 4-5lb…Flux is 6lb

looks aren’t the be all and end all, but they’re u g l y

Eye of the beholder and all that but my white Hemlock looks…well, eeerm, average looking. I’m not going to say it’s a looker but it isn’t that muntish

silly question perhaps… but why aim to have 2 bikes which are similar except for the bounce at the rear?

Why not try and have bikes which feel different – and give you a variety of experience and which might excel at different things?

Hemlock

I’ve got a soul and it truly is the full sus version of the soul.

Mines builds up about 26-27lb with 150mm forks and 120mm rear

Don’t agree with the Hemlock… Not to criticise it, but it’s not a full suss Soul despite the obvious similarities. (I think it’s something a lot better than a full suss Soul personally, ridiculously good bikes in long/short mode)

And yep, they are ugly, like dockside cranes. But this is the price you pay.

The closest match for the full-suss-Soul I’ve ridden would be the Trance X I think.

The Hemlock is out anyway, its been discontinued.

Hemlock is Ok, he’s looking second hand

orange 5 is the obvious choice for the similar sort of trail bike?

Is it just me, or has this become the defacto first answer to every question posted on the forum?

“What car for driving to Anglesey?”
Orange 5

“How long should I leave a cake in the oven?”
Orange 5
and so on…

Orange 5 😉

Thanks for the suggestions, the idea is to take the bits off the Cotic and put them on the full suss frame
cynic-al, can you not do the research for me?
I’ll have a look at Hemlocks again, didn’t they have some breakage issues?

brakes – Member

I’ll have a look at Hemlocks again, didn’t they have some breakage issues?

Some. The recent models had it revised out (they come with a swingarm like the forth bridge), older ones sometimes had issues with snapping just behind the pivot. Mine did it there… Cy sent me a new swingarm for free despite me not having any warranty and having just ridden it down fort william dh course

If the swingarm looks like this:

Don’t worry. That’s the revised one and it’s strong like ox, it feels like it’s come straight off a downhill bike. If it doesn’t, well, maybe worry. But the breakers still seem to be a minority.

But, like I say, I’m not convinced it’s exactly what you want… I think with a big fork and the tight short rear end it’s a ridiculously good bike but when I ran mine with 130mm front and 120mm rear it didn’t feel like my Soul, and it didn’t really shine at being a Hemlock either. YMMV of course.

I have a Soul and a Turner Flux (TNT), geometry nearly the same and ride feels very similar, apart from obvious difference.

I like the Turner Flux, I’ll check it out, thanks

silly question perhaps… but why aim to have 2 bikes which are similar except for the bounce at the rear?

This. If you’re going to have a second bike make it different. If I had a Soul I’d go for something chunkier – slacker angles, heavier, bigger forks, sample some big bike action 🙂

I’ve got 3 MTBs which span the XC/AM spectrum as much as possible – this is deliberate. I’d hate to have two bikes that did similar things, that’d be a waste!

you folks (mol et al suggesting a problem with a similar 2nd bike) need to learn to read! 😆

If you’re going to have a second bike make it different.

Don’t agree. I know what I like to ride and that isn’t full on downhill stuff or 7 hour epics in the saddle. Its 2 hour blasts full of fun, technical, swoopy stuff. My full sus and hardtail are setup to be as near identical to each other as possible. Hardtail for when its filthy outside or the full susser is in bits. Full susser for maximum fun and those odd occasions when I do go and do a trail centre or a big all dayer.

Not everyone needs/wants a bike for all duties.

This. If you’re going to have a second bike make it different. If I had a Soul I’d go for something chunkier – slacker angles, heavier, bigger forks, sample some big bike action

This. If you’re going to have a second bike, make sure its a bike for a riding style you dont partake in. Then after about 20 years of it being sat in the shed unridden, you’ll probably be able to sell it on the retrobike forum for a touch less than you paid for it.

to set the record straight, I have two mountain bikes, a Cotic Soul built up for XC duties which is about 26 lbs with a 140mm fork on, my other bike is an Enduro built up for gnarlite at about 35 lbs and with 170/180mm travel both ends – very different bikes.
this would be a replacement for the Soul, so would need to be as good, with a bit of cush in the back.

Pivot mach 4? morewood zula (or whatever its called)