[Closed] Cotic Soda

I just posted this on another thread. It might help.

If you even start to have the whole 'can I justify the price of a titanium frame versus a steel one' conversation in your head, then IMO, you should just buy a steel one. It's obvious that in this case, you're never going to reach a rational conclusion that the material is worth the premium.

Steel is about 80% as good as Ti (again, just my opinion) in terms of real world use and the new Cotic Soul is blindingly good for the money.

The thing is, titanium, used right, is just such a good material to build hardtails from and it really is better than steel in every respect. If having ridden a well sorted Ti hardtail you can feel that difference, then really it doesn't matter how much more it costs. It just costs what it costs and if you want what it has to offer, you'll pay the premium without even beginning to think about whether you can justify the price. It's a bit like saying, well, the Ferrari is only £150,000 but whereas the Bugatti is almost £1m, so can I justify the cost of Bugatti vs. the Ferrari? Not a hope in hell. But if it's the Bugatti you want then frankly it makes no difference how much it costs.

The ability for Ti to blend the best bits of steel with those of aluminium (lateral stiffness in the BB for fabulous power response with amazing longitudinal compliance for bump/buzz absorption) is what you pay for; that and the fact that you easily get a sub 4lb frame without any compromise in strength.

I’ve owned a Cotic Soul and sold it in favour of the original Ti456, which I got second hand. I’ve also ridden the Ragley Ti and Bluepig and various other hardcore hardtails including the Nicolai Argon FR.

Unquestionably the Ti framed bikes rode discernibly better in terms of their material characteristics. Of all the bikes I’ve tried, for my style of riding (fairly aggressive, front weighted, quite loose, flat pedals etc) the Ragley Ti was the standout bike but it’s not for everyone. The Ti456 comes a close second but mine was half the price of the Ragley because it was second hand.

The Ti Ragley though – **** me what a bike! Insolent like a teenager in puberty and as randy as one on heat. It’s a ‘take me by the scruff of the neck, get right over my front, push my face into the dirt you mother fu**er and absolutely wring seven bells of sh*t out of my scrawny, tight, stiff titanium arse’ kind of bike. It’s a 19 year old with all the soft bits still taught as a drum but smooth when you climb onboard; a slip sliding, sh*t spitting, sideways sha**ing ragger of a bike and it’s ****ing brilliant.

But it costs £1200.

The Cotic Soul is similarly brilliant, but it’s more refined, more mature and sophisticated. It’s as happy at a Michelin star restaurant in elegant black channel number with Jimmy Choos and matching purse, perfect make up and polite conversation but will also happily be wearing the very finest Agent Provocateur beneath the elegant exterior. If the Ragely is Kings Cross’ finest, then the Soul is a high class hooker. The experience is more sophisticated but it’s not down and dirty and ultimately, like a high class hooker, there are some things it won’t do.

The Ragley will happily do anything you want it to. Yes, even ‘that’.

OK I’m off for a cold shower now!

The key difference to bear in mind is that the Cotic Soul can be run up to 140mm fork, which is how I ran it most of the time, whereas the Soda can only take a 120mm fork. I ran the Soul as 120mm from time to time, but it was more the kind of girl you'd take to meet your parents at Christmas than when it was in 140mm mode.

So it really depends on what you want to get from the Ti frame.

Do you want the shag it either in a dirty or high class way, or do you want romantic evenings by the fire with a nice bottle of red and some chocolates discussing world peace?

nice review.

Thanks Robob - I was hoping someone would comment. I was quite pleased with it after I wrote it but I know that people rarely have the patience to read large posts, so thankyou!

As a counter point. I used to ride one of the second batch sodas. I ended up swapping it for a soul of the same geometry, both 100-130mm forks. I really liked the soda, thought it was brilliant.

The two frames have very different personality. The soda was very light and nimble, but at times this became a bit of a liability as I found it became a little sketchy when ridden hard. The soul feels a little slower, but when ridden hard it just wants more.

I miss the buzz of the soda, but enjoy the confidence of the soul more