As in title. I'm an averagely proportioned 5' 7 1/2 person. Medium or small soul?
Secondly, I can't see any reason why not to use a 150mm fork (66RC2X). It's the same geom as a Bfe. I'm a light rider both in terms of what I ride and I'm skinny! I know it's not a perfect combination but it's what I have and I'm on a budget.
I'm looking to build a bike for my sadly predictable Friday rides (25km - long hard ups and downs. My Norco LT is too much work on a 30 min climb!), 3km daily commute (with 2 boys in a bike trailer) and 4 times a year all day-ers.
Thanks
What wheel size ? I have a 26 BFe in Medium, I'm 5'10". The bike has 110/150 adjustable forks and rides fine in the longer setting. It's my do-it-all bike ridden from xc to "DH" trails. Based on your height you might be a small ?
Also getting to ride 25k on a Friday is to be saluted 🙂
Came back to edit but was too slow.
2nd hand Soul so won't be running to Cotic if I broke it by ignoring the rules.
edit: 26".
I'm a teacher so follow the children out of the door and meet fellow bikers/teachers in the car park at 3:25. Just checked Strava. Only 22.7km 🙂
It's my only time off family duties. Every other week we go to the pub with a "the children are already in bed so might as well have another few beers" attitude!
second edit:
I know they're different bikes but wife's 14" Inbred is too small.
Not sure where you are located, my bike is in Winchester area if you wanted to try it for size.
S.W. Thailand.... but thanks for the offer.
Living over here has many benefits but it does mean buying bikes by numbers; especially if you're studiously studying the classifieds waiting to jump on a bargain.
I'm 5' 10", but with short legs, long back and have a small but that's with 100mm forks so the reach on it is going to be a bit longer than it would with longer forks. I've done plenty of long days on it and it's been perfectly comfy.
However, I've also got a Rocket and that's a medium so make of that what you will.
Small.
I'm 5'10" and pretty much perfect for a medium. I do have a small BFe too, but that's very much a jumpy/play bike kinda thing.
Paul @ Cotic is 5'8" and he's perfect on a small (in fact it was pretty much designed around him).
120/130mm forks will just be better all round than 150s. I've run 150s on my BFe, and whilst there's certain conditions they're awesome in, it does jack the BB up a bit high, and generally just takes the edge off the handling that makes Souls quite so good.
OP I'm the same height as you and had a go on a medium 275 soul at the weekend. Did feel a little long for my tastes .I've found Cotic sizing recommendations tend to be spot on.
I'd get a medium if I were you. I'm 3" taller and have a medium but if I was buying again now I'd get a large. Bear in mind that the longer the forks, the shorter the reach. To be honest you'll probably be fine either way!
i'm 5'8" and had a small just right, don't know why I sold it
Chapeau again fomroding in the heat and humidity. In 2yrs in Singapore I went cycling twice, not helped of course by living in such a built up place
Ask Cotic, they are pretty helpful with these things
5'9" on a Mk1 medium, if it helps
I'm 5'7 and 3/4 🙂 and have a small MkII
It has a shortish stem at the moment which feels a tiny tiny bit cramped, but then I am used to riding an 18" 90s Voodoo on a daily basis which probably increases the perception of feeling cramped on the Soul... i could easily solve this with a slightly longer stem
I wouldn't recommend a 150mm fork personally, but then I've always found LT hardtails of that era more than a bit iffy..
I use a suspension corrected for 100mm rigid fork on both bikes (445mm A-C IIRC)
As mentioned above, the Cotic sizing guide is pretty accurate (and! dare I say it! there for a reason). You are top end of a small but still a small.
Will you 'get away' with a medium? Possibly, if you've a long reach and (run a short stem). I'm just shy of 6' and I'm on a medium (70mm stem & setback seat pin).
I remember asking a similar question about running a set of 140 vans on my Mk 1 and Cy was adamant: [b]no[/b]. Length of forks acting as a lever can rip the head tube off. Besides, I thought just about everyone was agreed now that 120mm is the sweet spot... 
5'8" on a medium Mk3 26er - fits me well
im 5ft 9... 29inch inside leg..
bought a second hand small mk2 26" cotic soul off ebay..
it turned out to be a medium.. 🙁 I built it up anyway as I was unsure of the sizing too..
and it felt absolutely massive..
I think the main problem for me was the longer headtube and therefore higher top tube.. the reach i could have coped with but the top tube was way too high for my liking..
this was coming from a 16inch mk1 inbred though which has a tiny headtube and v.low top tube..
dismantled it and sold it straight on..
still got the inbred..
Im around 5'8" and just recently got a small sized 26" wheeled Bfe. Fits great.
5' 8" and the small the the GF has is too small, she loves it though @ 5' 7".
I'm 5'8" on a medium
The wife is 5'9" on a small.
5'8" Small. Fits fine
I think you could probably just get away with a medium
I'm about 5'7 1/2" same as you. I ride a small Mk2 Soul. 70mm stem, 740mm bars. I find it about right, although a little longer reach wouldn't hurt.
I also run 150mm forks. They were originally 130mm, but I wanted them set to 140mm/coil. The chap I gave them to had probs with the coil, so left them set to "140mm". This was after some time and I needed the bike back. Turns out the travel is at 150mm. Still it rides fine@150. (on your head be it though! Headtube may crack!).
I've just had my last ride on it though. Got a new HT frame/forks. Was a lovely lovely bike.
Photos might help:
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8570/16637632219_dc92094fcb_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8570/16637632219_dc92094fcb_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/rmddpV ]DSC_0020-1[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66452821@N00/ ]ritcheyp20[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8265/8689484923_045e01894c_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8265/8689484923_045e01894c_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/eeRT8z ]Cotic Soul[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/ahsat/ ]Tasha[/url], on Flickr
5'11" and my dear old medium BFe (26" wheels) feels just right. Previously ran a set of Revelations set at 140mm, but it's a surprisingly good all-rounder with a set of Lyriks set at 160mm. It's my go-to non-fat bike.
Oddly, my medium Soul (also 26" wheels) feels a bit on the small side, though with shorter forks (130mm Floats) and a longer stem, it ought to feel longer if anything...?
I'm a 5'8" doris and my medium was too long for me.
😀
Thanks all.
Looks like a med will be a bit big.
PSA. A med Soul with King headset and Hope seat clamp. £150 on Pinkbike.
You can have my small Soul Mk2 orange with FSA headset and Hope seatclamp for £150 - Portsmouth area. Email in profile
makecoldplayhistory - Member
Thanks all.Looks like a med will be a bit big.
PSA. A med Soul with King headset and Hope seat clamp. £150 on Pinkbike.
Any idea if this is still available. I know I can register and ask but I've never bothered with Pinkbike before.
5ft 8. 31 inside leg. Had a small soul and bfe with 55mm stem. Perfect for messing around in the woods and going down hill but a little cramped for long xc days. Also found my reverb could not extend enough to give me my perfect xc riding position at minimum insertion ie the medium would have more seat tube length I think.
5' 7" and another small, it's perfect 🙂
I'm 5ft 7 and a half inches. I have a small. With a 65mm stem. Occasionally it does feel a touch cramped for flat out pedalling, but unless you are slightly bizarrely proportioned in terms of arm length, I think it's the right size for you.
I'm 5'10, had a medium soul and a small bfe. The Soul fitted me like a glove, the Bfe was a bit small. I reckon you'll fit on it but I don't think it'll fit.
Small will fit you. Bear in mind if you read Cotics spec the higher up the height range the longer the stem i.e. Cotic say a 50-90mm stem for 5'5" - 5'8" height with layback seatpost, therefore a 60 or 70mm stem will most likely be best for your height.
Not sure but remember the Soul/BFe geo was originally optimised for 120mm travel!! Many are comfortable with 140mm maximum static travel, anything over is going to be DH orientated with front wheel lift on steep ups, which might not matter to you.