MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Defo one of them. Riding mainly Bristol but also Afan, Cwmcarn and BPW.
Soul cost more, would require Yari’s I have to be shortened (150 to 140), and hope hub to be converted to boost, but is lighter.
BFE, straight swap of kit and cheaper.
help!!!
BPW makes me think BFE.
There's a recent thread on this very thing, but for - erm - some reason I can't find it right now.
Agree with kelvin though - depending on which trails at BPW then BFe seems the logical choice. Soul would still take that abuse easily, but BFe might be more at home on the rougher stuff.
(BFe 26 owner)
BFe. It's not an overbuilt tank and will do XC days if you want it to as well as laughing at your feeble attempts to break it 😀
(old shape BFe 650B on 26" here)
edit- FFS, how do you stick a vid in on this stupid new format?
edited again- ah, that's how.
From what you say, I would say the BFe.
BFe, I love mine!
I don't find its draggy on XC bits and downhill its making me question why I need a FS bike. I
It works well with a 150mm fork and no boost conversions needed.....
If you're riding is more XC and trail centres, I'd say Soul. Even though it's lighter than the BFe, it's still tougher than a very tough thing and with the new longer and slacker geometry, I'd have no problem taking it to BPW occasionally.
Would you be defending your 'old' 26" wheels to yourself and perhaps others or would you not care?
There doesn't sound like a huge weight difference between the 2 frames - less than a lb - it sounds like the bfe is more built for the burly stuff and a 140mm fork is right in the middle of what they suggest is ok for fork travel. 150mm also quoted as ok - whereas 140mm is right at the top of the Soul recommendation.
I think if it were me I'd lean towards the BFE, although at the end of the day they're both steel hardtails with similar weight / build material / geometry so both would probably do a similar thing.
I don't know how they compare in cost but I think the Stanton switchback and slackline offer a similar sort of ride?
I have a soul set up with 140mm, it is a tough bike. and coupe with Afan CwmCarn etc no issues.
If you trail centres, with the odd trip to BPW then I go Soul. Just be a bit more comfy IMO.
If you heading to BPW often, hitting big jumps and drops go Bfe
Ordered a Bfe 26 frame this week. April can't come soon enough. Very excited.
Normally when people aren’t sure if they want a Soul or a BFe, the answer is ‘Soul’, but this time I reckon you’re in Team BFe.
Soul *isn’t* an XC bike, it’s a proper Trail bike, but if you’re planning big sendy stuff like BPW then the BFe might be a better bet. It can still hold its own for all day but it’s built more simply and stronger- less fancy steel so less frame springiness and cheaper without being an anchor. BFe is rated to 160mm so you could even lengthen your Yaris a bit if you wanted (exactly same air shaft swap as Pikes).
I reckon you probably wouldn’t kill a Soul giving it the BPW treatment but you’d probably enjoy yourself more with a BFe if this is the sort of thing you want to do
We just did a thread, for that poster it was Soul
Back in 2012 I decdied to buy a Soul but the BFe was discounted as a change was due. (Tapered steerer and more dropper post friendly). Anyway I bougt the BFe and love it, its now ridden 90% of fhe time with FS for holidays only. Cy has just updated the BFe 26 and I am seriously thinking of swapping my parts into one
On the other thread one thought was 120mm forks go Soul, 140mm go BFe. So given your Yari’s its BFe