Like many others, since I’ve had the Soul, the full suss (Five) is left gathering dust. Not that there’s anything wrong with the it, just not as fun, and a bit of a drag on the hills.
Surrey Hills just doesn’t justify a full suss for me so thinking about moving all the bits across to another hardtail. But what to get which is complementary and different rather than 2 bikes the same?

I’ve done singlespeed before but didn’t enjoy it.
Maybe XC with 100mm fork for long days across South Downs but the bits on the Five are pretty burly so wouldn’t really suit
Am trying to improve my jumping/drops so thinking about either a Bfe or Dialled Alpine for playing about on – Cy advised against repeat drops to flat on the Soul…
Trying to keep ££ to a minimum too.
Any thoughts?

What fork have you got on the 5?

Evil sovereign. End.

Five is relatively burly for days in the Lakes, Wales etc – Mavic 521, Hope M4, Pikes

You don’t need another bike, the five is a perfect companion to the cotic and is a good bike to work on drops and your jumping. Just book a session with Jedi and keep the five, for a while yet.

Once you improve your jumping a ride different trails in Surrey Hills you’ll break the hardtail. One you improve your jumping you’ll want to start riding other places with more jumps. Once you outgrow the five you can think about something else

hadn’t thought about the Sov. Agree it fits the bill. But for 2012 model it’s twice the price of a Bfe, £200 more than an Alpine. Is it really that much better?

blur 4x (or modern equivalent).

Sell the five, spend some money on the Cotic if its needs it, or buy a road bike or something completely different. Practice jumps and drops on the Cotic, Im sure it’ll be fine unless you lhave absolutely no finesse. If it breaks, buy a new one. Learning on a hardtail will make you a much smoother rider. Having a several thousand pound bike just to practice jumps and drops on seems a bit pontless.

Also, dont do drops to flat.

Once you outgrow the five you can think about something else

Unless he’s a child, hows he going to do that?

@david – jumping skills wise I meant

@brooeses – take your five on a Nirvana freeride ride. I admit I’m dragging a 6″ travel Reign around and ts too much for most riding but it’s great in the Alps etc.

@david – jumping skills wise I meant

I still dont really understand. If you’re riding the crankworx course then fair enough, but most jumps/drops you’ll find on any track you’d be able to do fine on a 5 (providing you can jump/drop properly)

I think you’re trying to find a solution to a problem that doesn’t really exist here. It sounds to me like you’ve already got a fairly complimentary bike to your Soul, it’s just that you don’t ride it as often cos your local terrain dictates that the Soul is more fun. I’m sure you’ll still have plenty of fun on the 5 if you go somewhere that warrants it though, or maybe at a push, lighten the 5 up slightly (lighter wheels and tyres to start) so that it at least feels a bit more sprightly and you want to ride it more.

A hardtail with a 100mm fork is not really going to make much sense when you already have the Soul…

Cotic X.

@brooeses – take your five on a Nirvana freeride ride. I admit I’m dragging a 6″ travel Reign around and ts too much for most riding but it’s great in the Alps etc

I got broke and left to make my own way home last time I went out with them…

Soul is a marketed as a pretty versatile “do it all ” hardail.
I don’t see a problem as an only bike, particullarly if you put a U-turn fork on it.

davidtaylforthI still dont really understand. If you’re riding the crankworx course then fair enough, but most jumps/drops you’ll find on any track you’d be able to do fine on a 5 (providing you can jump/drop properly)

I do agree with you, there is no need to change/upgrade, I was making a proposition to the OP in case after working on his jump skills he wanted to go to something totally hard core or with more travel – so as you say re crankworx.

Fair point, you could get something totally different/more hardcore like a downhill bike

jambalaya – Member

Once you improve your jumping a ride different trails in Surrey Hills you’ll break the hardtail.

I doubt very much the OP would break a BFE or Alpine on the Surrey Hills.

Sell the five and buy a bmx. Ultimate teacher of jumping and dropping 😀

Do what Mboy said, build the Five up lighter.

Sell the Five and replace it with a Solaris

I’ve been working on jumps and drops with on my Soul since I bought it. I’ll let you know when I break it. Cy’s comment to me was that the Soul is a very strong frame whilst the BFe’s strength was aimed at people doing really big drops and jumps, ‘like dropping off buildings’ or words to that effect.

I keep hearing good things about the stanton slackline.
http://www.stantonbikes.com/bikes
Ive seen a few builds and videos. Looks lovely in the flesh too!
Its like a hardcore version of the soul and the guys who run it are fantastic! When you contact them the designer answers 🙂

mboy – Member

I think you’re trying to find a solution to a problem that doesn’t really exist here. It sounds to me like you’ve already got a fairly complimentary bike to your Soul, it’s just that you don’t ride it as often cos your local terrain dictates that the Soul is more fun.

This = sense

Sell the five and buy a bmx. Ultimate teacher of jumping and dropping

+1 🙂

Do what Mboy said, build the Five up lighter.

This = sense

Hey, steady on guys, you’ll give me a complex! 😉

I run a Soul, set up lightish, for XC/long days (2×9, Sektors)

and a BFe set up burly for shorter/jumpier days (1×9, with Lyriks)

Perfect combo for me.

Keep five or buy road bike.

Take the Five to Spain / Alps / Whistler / Wales / Lakes / Peak (delete as applicable) more often?

#firstworldproblem

I agree with mboy, they go perfectly together. It sounds like you want to spend money on a new bike, not that you need a new bike. It’s your money, but I wouldn’t.