Cotic Rocket: first ride review

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The Cotic Rocket looks like nothing else. Don’t like it? Do like it? Either is fine. Shall we talk about how the bike actually handles? Yes, let’s.

  • Brand: Cotic
  • Product: Rocket
  • From: Cotic
  • Price: from £8,799
  • Tested by: Benji for a day

Pros

  • Flexibility (in every sense)
  • Sorted geometry
  • Easy to live with

Cons

  • Cost
  • Unconventional aesthetic

Although I only had a few hours playtime on the new Cotic Rocket, I have a sneaking suspicion it’s easily the most capable Cotic mountain bike ever.

Which may sound unsurprising – seeing as it has a motor – but I’m not just talking about climbing capability. Although it is an extremely adept ascender; steeper actual seat tube, longer chain stays and grippy rear suspension in full effect. It is its capability on descents and traverses that is also a step up from any analogue Cotic I’ve ridden before.

If you’ve followed Cotic over the years you’ll probably have noticed that it doesn’t really release bad bikes. It also doesn’t really release ‘safe’, conservative or retro-minded bikes either.

First and foremost a Cotic bike is designed to handle well. It is also designed to be easy to live with. You’ll not see any cabling passing through headsets on a Cotic.

I talk about these historical aspects of Cotic as a way of addressing the main contentious aspect of the Rocket. That externally mounted battery.

Anyone who’s been on any bike website with a story about the Cotic Rocket on it can’t fail to have noticed the haters.

It is not an old fashioned location for a battery. It is not a cheaper location for a battery. It is not the easiest location for a battery. Cotic has gone with an externally mounted battery because it is the best location. It is the best location from a flexibility point of view.

And I mean flexibility in every sense.

The easy-on easy-off nature of the external battery makes it possible to choose what battery to run (Cotic has 418Wh, 504Wh or 630Wh option). You have flexibility in terms of what weight-to-range ratio you wish to run. Run the lower capacity and have a considerably lighter bike. Or go all in with the 630Wh for big mileage days.

And not having a whacking great down tube means you can actually have some compliance in your frame. There is no point in a Cotic that doesn’t offer controlled chassis flex. Compliance is the whole flipping USP of the brand.

Aluminium e-bikes with internally mounted batteries housed in oversized down tubes are incredibly stiff. So are most carbon e-bikes with similar designs. Not all carbon ebikes, mind. Some are okay. But not everyone wants carbon fibre.

I’d actually say that having the external battery weight where it is on the Cotic Rocket is pretty much the ideal spot for it. A lot of brands may state that having the battery nearer the bottom bracket is beneficial as it’s “low and central” but I’ve not found that to be the case.

First of all, the BB is not the centre of the bike (the centre of the wheelbase is the centre of the bike). And secondly, low slung weight can make bikes handle worse; like you’ve got an anchor between your ankles. Having the battery weight basically at the midpoint between your feet (BB) and your hands (cockpit) is a good thing in my experience. It makes traction much more predictable and controllable and also improves the bike’s turn-in feel.

So yeah. I’m a big fan of the externally mounted battery. I have frequently bemoaned the move away from them.

Before we get on to the bike handling stuff, let’s go in to the motorspeak. The Shimano EP801 should probably have been given a whole new number name. It is not the same as the previous EP8. It has the same headline power numbers (85Nm of torque, 600 watts peak power) but it’s quieter both when delivering power and when coasting (there’s minimal rattle). Anecdotally the EP801 is way more reliable too. (We’re currently going through our recent e-bike owners survey results to assess things like this)

One thing that really stands out about Shimano motors is their fuel economy. For the same capacity battery and same Nm/watts stats, we get more range out of a Shimano system than any other. Obviously, ‘your mileage may vary’ (as they say) depending on a whole swathe of variables but for us, Shimano are the rulers of range. The modest 504Wh battery is very possibly all most people will ever need.

I don’t think there’s any magic to this fuel economy. I think it’s just a by-product of Shimano motors not giving you maximum assist levels as eagerly/early as other motor brands do. You do get 85Nm/600w, just not as frequently as, say, with a Bosch motor. I haven’t yet ridden an EP801 with the new ‘Race’ firmware, which may make things a bit more Bosch-y (with an attendant loss in mpg too no doubt).

I like the Shimano bar remote. Simple, two-buttons. I kinda like the beside-the-stem display from a size and location point of view but I just wish the specced display would show the current time permanently (instead of defaulting back to current speed after a minute or two). The Shimano EN600 (I think) display with its customisable multiple screens would be a good option.

I’ve only ridden the Cotic Rocket for a day but the immediate sensation was that it was very similar to a Cotic RocketMAX but with even more calmness and grip. And more standover by virtue of the improved seatpost insertion from the revised rear suspension layout. Cotic’s Droplink suspension design has been… er, dropped. The new design (without a pivot passing through the seat tube and limiting dropper insertion) is called Rocklink.

Anyhoo, the Rocket ducked and dived into all of the more challenging trails on my test loop and just felt like I’d known the bike for a long time already.

In terms of build kit, this demo bike was a mix of model and model’s own. Basically it had different wheels and fork damper compared to the official spec. It did have the Magura MT7 Pro brakes and Cane Creek DB Air IL rear shock. Both of which are truly excellent performers.

Overall

In terms of what matters, the Cotic Rocket feels like a winner. Great geometry – the best geometry from Cotic so far in my opinion. An impressively retained classic Cotic chassis feel. Good motor. Excellent range. Impressive overall weight for a capable full power eMTB (22.1kg for an XL size bike including pedals).

Oh yes, it ain’t cheap. But that is literally the price you pay for getting things made in the UK.

Cotic Rocket Custom Build Specification

  • Frame // Reynolds 853 steel w/ alloy chain stays, 150mm
  • Shock // Cane Creek DB Air IL G2, 185x55mm Trunnion
  • Fork // Rock Shox Lyrik w/ custom damper, 160mm
  • Wheels // Reserve Alloy MX
  • Front tyre // Maxxis Assegai, 29×2.5in
  • Rear tyre // Maxxis Minion DHR II, 29×2.4in
  • Chainset // Shimano
  • Drivetrain // Shimano XT Di2
  • Brakes // Magura MT7 Pro, 203/203mm
  • Stem // Cotic SHORTERSTEM, 35mm, 35mm
  • Bars // Cotic Calver
  • Grips // Cotic Lock-on
  • Seatpost // One-Up V3 Dropper
  • Saddle //WTB
  • Bottom Bracket //Shimano
  • Motor // Shimano EP801, 85Nm
  • Battery // 504Wh tested
  • Size tested // C5
  • Sizes available // C1, C2, C3, C4, C5
  • Weight // 22.1kg (‘kerb weight’ inc. pedals as depicted in photos)

Geometry of our size C5

  • Head angle // 64.5°
  • Effective seat angle // 76.7°
  • Seat tube length // 465mm
  • Head tube length // 140mm
  • Effective top tube // 674mm
  • BB height // 40mm BB drop (from front wheel)
  • Reach // 520mm
  • Chainstay // 456mm
  • Wheelbase // 1,324mm

Home Forums Cotic Rocket: first ride review

Viewing 22 posts - 1 through 22 (of 22 total)
  • Cotic Rocket: first ride review
  • 2
    sharkattack
    Full Member

    Go on then, I’ll have one. You’ve talked me into it.

    chakaping
    Full Member

    it ain’t cheap. But that is literally the price you pay for getting things made in the UK.

    Bike journalists are so good at spending other people’s money.

    I only wish Cotic good fortune as a business, but let’s see how many people want to pay that price eh?

     

    ayjaydoubleyou
    Full Member

    But that is literally the price you pay for getting things made in the UK.

    Only the frame is UK made right? Then the other foreign parts are assembled in the UK

    Seems like a massive ebike tax if you compare data points from Cotic’s and other made-in-the-UK brands’ meat powered offerings

    sharkattack
    Full Member

    Having had a proper look at the spec and the configurator I’d be only be really interested in a frame if you could delete the shock. I don’t want CC or Fox based on previous experience with both brands.

    Then you’re still nearly 6k deep before you start building it.

    No doubt they’ll sell some but it’s a non-starter for me.

    6
    cy
    Full Member

    This frame is 100% UK made. Every. Single. Piece. The rear ends of the droplink frames are made in Taiwan, which does keep the price lower on those than they might otherwise be. Nobody’s scoring Porsches or mansions out of this. We are building the very best thing we can the very best way we know how.

    munrobiker
    Free Member

    https://www.pinkbike.com/news/pinkbikes-2024-community-survey-what-bikes-do-pinkbike-readers-ride.html

    Only 8.3% of the 13,000 people who responded to Pinkbike’s survey said looks weren’t important when buying a bike. Wiping out over 90% of your customers doesn’t sound like great business to me.

    2
    cy
    Full Member

    We think it looks ace. YMMV.

    1
    bootsy
    Full Member

    Nah, haters gonna hate. Betcha it will be one of the best riding eebs out there.

    sharkattack
    Full Member

    Nobody’s scoring Porsches or mansions out of this. We are building the very best thing we can the very best way we know how.

    That’s great. I’m totally on board with the ethos and the approach and I bet the bike is mint to ride. I also don’t mind if you made shedloads of money selling them.

    The sad reality is that I’m priced out and I’m not the only one.

    2
    kelvin
    Full Member

    Seems like a massive ebike tax if you compare data points from Cotic’s and other made-in-the-UK brands’ meat powered offerings

    Have a look at the work that goes into the custom made motor cradles… a hell of a lot lighter than any off the shelf forged cradle you’ll find on other steel ebikes (what few there are) but an awful lot of work… far more than the front triangles of the droplink frames (made by the same people):

    Fiveland_production_Rocket_ebike_1585Fiveland_production_Rocket_ebike_1771

    2
    hardtailonly
    Full Member

    I don’t think anyone is saying the cost isn’t justified given the expense of fabricating the frame in the UK. Or that Cotic are “taking the p*ss” with their pricing … It’s just the reality that the price of the bike will put it out of reach of all but a very small proportion of riders/potential buyers.

    I’m guessing that, for a small company, factoring in the notorious unreliability of ebikes and the likely need for warranty issues, a certain extra margin needs to be reflected in the asking price.

    As regards looks – this is covered in depth in the comments on the FGF issue a couple of weeks ago. Personally, I think it looks alright; the basic frame silhouette is very similar to the Swarf Contour I used to have, which was a gorgeous looking bike. The battery is a bit of a carbuncle, but I think it’s something you’d get used to. Besides, if in the market for an eMTB, looks / aesthetics are pretty much compromised whatever ebike you’re looking at.

    Good luck to Cotic, I hope they do OK with this.

    montylikesbeer
    Full Member

    When my right knee eventually packs in it’s going to have to be an e-bike.

    Unfortunately my pockets are not deep enough.

    1
    HansRey
    Full Member

    I don’t mind the looks, and I like the swappable nature of the battery. I won’t be buying one, but it did persuade me to go for a cotic jeht or rocket next year.

    1
    ampthill
    Full Member

    My hunch is that there Will be enough people who are happy with the looks and with deep enough pockets to make this work.

    My amateur knowledge of markets says that this enough unique features to make it work. Yes you could buy an ebike for less. But you couldn’t buy an ebike for less and get everything on offer here.

    If this looked like every other ebike, had an intergrated battery and was made in far East then the only reason to buy it would be if it was cheaper

    bikesandboots
    Full Member

    The price would be more palatable if I knew I could replace the motor with a latest gen tech one in a couple of years. That has value.

    But water bottle under the downtube in small and medium sizes, especially when the latter has a reach of 463 and a stack of 639.

    I really appreciate this as a creation though.

    chiefgrooveguru
    Full Member

    “The price would be more palatable if I knew I could replace the motor with a latest gen tech one in a couple of years. That has value.”

    I’m not sure what you’re expecting to change? These electric motors are a mature technology and nothing radical will happen with batteries either – that kind of R&D is very slow moving. My ebike is now 6 years old and the motor and battery are essentially identical to what you get in a new equivalent bike.

    Making stuff in the UK is expensive and not a route to great wealth (certainly isn’t for me!) but I’m glad to see Cotic doing this and hopeful others will buy into their concept.

    It feels like they’re ahead of the curve with building a compliant ebike frame, as that’s one of the big focuses on non-ebikes now that geometry and suspension have converged to pretty similar places.

    Rubber_Buccaneer
    Full Member

    off topic but did I see you on TV last night @chiefgrooveguru ?  Working in the ‘ugliest building in Brighton’ 🙂

    jaketurbo
    Free Member

    What a surprise, an STW review of a cotic bike, with absolutely no critical comments made.

    Every bike has flaws, for it to be a review it needs to be objective and critical, otherwise it’s pointless.

    In regards to the Shimano motor efficiency comments, that’s exactly the opposite of what every review from every other source has stated.

    jaketurbo
    Free Member

    I’m not sure what you’re expecting to change? These electric motors are a mature technology and nothing radical will happen with batteries either – that kind of R&D is very slow moving. My ebike is now 6 years old and the motor and battery are essentially identical to what you get in a new equivalent bike.

    Ebike motors are fundamentally flawed, across the board they have extremely high failure rates, well beyond what most industries would consider acceptable and most of the suppliers of them have been in breach of consumer rights as a result. The amount of media is rapidly increasing covering this.

    As a result iterations to motor design are in the works from most suppliers/manufacturers to improve resilience and maintainability, to reduce cost and likelihood of the need for replacement under warranty. Bosch have stated this in reply to the guardian article on poor reliability.

    Likewise the associated technologies are changing rapidly – the size and capacity of batteries for example, the software upgrades that translate to increased efficiency, changes in power curves etc… Which are often locked to specific generations of motor.

    To say a) the tech is mature and b) things don’t change much, is frankly wrong.

    1
    davros
    Full Member

    Cons

    Cost

    Unconventional aesthetic

    There’s two for you…

    hardtailonly
    Full Member

    What a surprise, an STW review of a cotic bike, with absolutely no critical comments made.

     

    Well, firstly, it’s a ‘First Ride Review’ … So more about initial impressions rather than an in depth long term review.

    Secondly, the price, and ‘unconventional aesthetic’ are listed as cons … So, y’know, a bit of balance there, contrary to what you claim.

    Gribs
    Full Member

    I’m not sure what you’re expecting to change? These electric motors are a mature technology and nothing radical will happen with batteries either – that kind of R&D is very slow moving. My ebike is now 6 years old and the motor and battery are essentially identical to what you get in a new equivalent bike.

    The DJI motor has moved the game on massively in terms of power and torque in a lightweight unit. Combined gearbox and motor units are now available. Perhaps manufacturers will think about proper sealing and reparability in the future?

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