Simple question
How have you built up your Soul and what do you do with it?

SID Teams and Crossmax SLRs or Revs with Maxle screwed down to 140 with burly wheels

Pics if you fancy!
Comments welcome
Dont feel left out if you have a Soda either 🙂

Cheers

This is mine today on Craigower (near Pitlochry).

Build is Dual Air Pikes knocked down to 120mm travel, XT/XTR bits, SLX brakes, Hope/XM819 wheels, Thompson Post and RF Atlas bars and stem. Neither heavy nor light, a great compromise for me.

It's a bike for riding, really. I've raced it XC, commuted on it, done 1 hour local spins and 60 mile all day rides.

EDIT: It's got a 2.1 Ignitor front/ 2.35 HiRoller rear on it as well – both UST.

Fox F120's thru-axle plus bits from my full suss namely Hope Mini Pros with carbon levers, Hope Pro 3's, CK headset, Thomson stem/seatpost, carbon bar, XT. Trainee sister of gnarrr – wuss around Swinley Forest on the fire roads 🙄

Only a few weeks old so we're still getting to know each other 😉

was built up with full XT, thompson and a set of u-turn Revs. rode all sorts and everything.

now 34-16 SS with rigid carbons. riding thru' the grit and sh1t of winter.

truly excellent at everything. can't imagine ever selling it.

140mm revs, Hope Mono M4, Panaracer Rampage 2.35 on mavic/hope, XT drivetrain and thomson bits. For general trail riding. Comes out reasonably light and is ace 🙂

mines on bombers at 120mm (was on old flexy 80mm sids), Xero session freeride wheels, (woollyhatshop), old hope mini's 180/160, mix of Xt(shifters&cassette), deore(rear mech as xt one died), KMC chain and fsa carbon cranks, kore lite stem and post and k-force risers,
tend to ride XC with a bit of Agressive XC when am feeling brave!!
absolutely Love it!!

and as per first post its in Buuilders tea too!!!

I sold my Soul to the devil 😀

mine has changed from this

to this

However, just today it's gone back to the Pikes.

for the 2nd time this year, when riding through thick mud locally, the clearance between the arch on the Reba and the tyre is not enough and the front wheel just stops.

plus I am sure the bike descends much better with the 140mm Pike on. Most riding was done with the Pike at 125mm the 140 was just for DH.

The damping on both forks are spot on (Blackbox on the Rebas and Pushed on the Pikes), it's just I have to put my weight less backwards when descending at 140mm.

It get used for all sorts Lakes, locals, Wales (natural and trail centres). I would have no doubt in taking it anywhere.

TBH I could never see myself without it (or a new version).

weighs 25.14lbs with the Reba and 25.9lbs with the Pike.

changed the wheels and tyres to 355's hope hoops and Nobby Nics both ends.

going to put a RC31 rigid fork on it and try racing this year 🙄

Built to last! ~28 lbs.
Talas (run pretty much at 100 all the time, 120 only very occasionally), XT, Tech M4's (deore rear been replaced), 90m stem (got a 70mm X4 still to fit to 'match' the pin). Wheels are Pro II's with 321's. Tyres have been changed but will be changed again as Ardent 2.25's are pish in the mud. Also running Flatboys.

I use it as my oh look all you boys are riding full suspension I'm only on a hardtail you don't really expect me to ride that do you? excuse bike. 😀

Probably the best hard tail I've owned. If something were to happen to this one I'd have to get another one as a replacement.

Mine is actually Custard, have had it since summer 07 so greatly pre-dates the builder's tea colour.

If it dies, as it surely will, as I ride it loads and everything has a lifespan, the only decision will be Soul or Soda 🙂

the only decision will be Soul or Soda

given the price of the new soda then it would be a Soul for me i'm afraid

given the price of the new soda then it would be a Soul for me i'm afraid

I see what you mean. Would be incredibly hard to justify a Soda now.

the only decision will be Soul or Soda Orange or Black

I could be tempted with a new Soda. But I'd have to be feeling decidedly flush at the time though…
But for a Soul no choice: orange for sure.

Double post

Orange for me as well i think

reba team 120 maxle
full xt
thomson post & stem
gobi
monkeylites(now mid rise)
hope hoops/nobby nics
salsa qrs/fsa orbit xl1
as much wooded singletrack as i can get away with! love it.

New Soul. 120mm Floats with 15mm hubs. Stans 355 rims with tubeless High rollers. Magura Louise's, Xtr shifters which were a fantastic indulgence and my favourite rapid rise rear mech.

Was great fun on Nant-yr-Arian today.

Loving everything posted so far! My Soul frame is on order, I was planning to transfer as much as possible from my old bike but this thread is full of temptation – keep it up!

In the process of getting beefed up (and yes I know, the front tyre is on the wrong way round)

It's been used for everything from xc racing to uplift days and is currently my go to bike for the majority of my riding.

Mine is built to be light but tough, so it can do pretty much anything i can do on 2 wheels. It's an 09 model so 130mm Revelations, Roval Traversee wheels, 2.1 Nevegals, 18-speeded with SLX, and a Gravity Dropper. All in, a little under 26lbs IIRC without sacrificing utility or toughness Great for local XC, absolutely bloody fantastic at Glentress, and did just fine on the lift assists at Fort William. Bit crap at commuting 😉

I did have 140mm Revelation maxles on it, quite liked the travel but the maxle didn't do much and they were a fair bit heavier so I went back to the QR 130s. Sometimes it gets a carbon seatpost in place of the dropper, and carbon forks, and then it's a very different beast, not as capable but a lot of fun.

Sold mine and bought a Prince Albert

Can't do pics I'm afraid and would probably cause some upset if I could 'cos mine's a bit of collection of bits – Revs, Pro II on 719 at the back, Stan's Flow on Pro II at the front, Easton / Thomson bars stem and post, Hope M4's, XT cranks, Sram X9 gears and Continental Puncture Speed Kings.

Use mine for the odd race and whenever I can as I absolutely love it. It has transformed even my leaden riding.

I've got full XT on mine, Hope ProII's on Bonty Mustangs, Magura Marta 180/160's, Bonty Rhythm finishing kit, SDG Ti-Fly saddle. Up until I become an adopted Northerner, twisties spec was Maguraa Menja 100's, Bonty XR2.25" tyres, 670mm bars. These days it's got Thors, CrossMark rear, High Roller or Swampthing 2.35" front and 710mm wide bars. Running tubeless and XTR pedals it's easily under 26lbs.

I went from an 853 prince albert to a soul. The soul is a more lively ride, but I think the pa was indestructable! Parts change a bit, but currently running a reba at120mm, and can't see me dropping this back to 100mm. Blue hope hubs on 719's, nice wide bars, louise brakes, mix of slx and xt with some carbon fsa cranks, 80mm stem and an inline post. It's my only mtb so it does everything and always puts a smile on my face!

Cy, out of interest, what would the head angle on my Soda be if I had 140mm Thors on there? I'm debating whether the Soda with Thors on, a 2.4' tyre up front and 2.2' on the back would be fun to take on my trip with Joyriders in Spain later in the year?

My Soul is a bitsa.

Magura Phaons
mavic 71somethings on hope hubs
hope mono mini brakes
big wide Salsa moto bar
thomson stem
Easton post
spec BG seat
LX ht2 chainset
SRAM rear mech, lx front
complete mongrel which deserves a nicer build but it rides great.

My only MTB so gets used for everything off road

I have one. Built it 5+ years ago, so it's still running all the kit from then (105mm bombers, permanently binding Juicy 5's, XT hubs on 717s). Nice bike, and on occasion I get into it, but I've never managed to find its sweetspot.

Early Soda (have had a Soul as well) – current spec above, a hair over 24lb. It's been lighter, it's been heavier – this seems a reasonable compromise for most things. Still my favourite bike. Climbs as well as my fitness will allow, far more capable DH than it has any right to be.

What do I do with it? Ride it for the most part. 🙂 Surrey Hills singletrack, Peaks epics, proper "mountain biking" in the Pyrenees.

Not seen your Soda for AAAGES Joh, that's a sweet set up you've got there.

In response to the Soda question, you can't put Thors on a Soda – the new frames are max 120mm to keep 'em light and tight in the brave new world of CEN regs. If you want to know about head angles, have a play with our Cotic Geometry Widget on the Geek page of the website.

squin, having just come back from joyriders (November), I can honestly say that that spec it will be spot on and fantastic.

that would be great on a Soul, but looks like Cy says no. 🙁

for the new ones anyway

Thanks Cy, my Soda is the original one so I presume Thors would be alright?

Cheers Chucky, sorely tempted to take the Soda.

2010 Soul here

Fox F120's
Thomson/Easton finishing kit
pro2 hubs on 717's
XT drivetrain
nevegal / bluegroove combo
Formula Oro's

Don't know the weight.

Use it for general xc, with marathons, sleepless etc… later in the year.

Squin – Thors won't be OK on your old Soda, they were specified for maximum 130mm travel forks.

Thanks Cy, I'll probably opt for Revs then. Got Reba'a on at present and it's nicely quick handling but am thinking more travel for Spain. I suppose that the real answer is to buy a BFe! 😉

squin – You don't need a BFe for the big mountains, but something bolt through on the front will be a revelation (no pun intended) compared to Rebas. Get some big tyres (I like Bontrager Big Earl 2.35" tubeless for mountain taming on the Soul) and you'll be well away.

squin – You don't need a BFe for the big mountains, but something bolt through on the front will be a revelation (no pun intended) compared to Rebas. Get some big tyres (I like Bontrager Big Earl 2.35" tubeless for mountain taming on the Soul) and you'll be well away.

Currently have an Altitude 30 on loan with maxle Reba Races on. Very tight and light fork!

Put your saddle up, wind your fork down and give it some stick 🙂

did your rear wheel survive that drop, looks like the trajectory is straight into those huge blocks !!

My Soda shortly after it was built (couple of years ago!). Spec now is push'd rev's, slx cranks, xt gearing/brakes, monkeylite cnt bars, bontrager racelite carbon seatpost, stans arch/pro2. It's my only mtb so gets used for everything – quick local blasts, big days in the hills, trail centres etc etc. Great bike.

I'm thinking of selling mine to the devil 😉