|That Cotic might be the rarest of unicorns - a good looking eBike. The battery is unavoidable, but it's not that bad at all.
People will still criticise it for "looking old fashioned" or whatever, and will likely think that the internal batteries are better sealed for weather, but I think they've done a fine job .
I bought a mini inflator as it was recommended by Sam Pilgrim and cheap. I've had it two months now and it'd still working. It'll pump up a 2.4 tyre from flat a couple of times and seem to work fine for road pressures too. I'm not sure what paying 5 times the price gets you.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008201168679.html?
Not even a mother could love that Cotic - and I think the full-suss Cotics are good lookers - it's a total eyesore I'm afraid.
People will still criticise it for “looking old fashioned" or whatever, and will likely think that the internal batteries are better sealed for weather, but I think they’ve done a fine job
I believe the general consensus was “cheap like Carrera from Halfords” rather than old fashioned. Not sure if it’s the paint job on that one, or if my eyes are just getting used to it, but it’s slowly growing on me… until I get back to the price
The Cotic looks better second time around. I can’t, however, get over how spindly those seat stays look. What size bearings are at each end of those? And is the photo of the seat stay bridge/brace intended to look like there is zero clearance to the tyre?
Also, for any e-bike, the actual weighed weight should be given.
Now I have got used to the Cotic ebike's looks I quite like it.
What I am curious about is the different suspension lay out & the differences in ride betweem their usual layout. I guess they had to do it that way to fit the battery in.
I like the Cotic. I get the logic and I like what they've done with it.
Unfortunately I just checked the price and it's £6099 for the frameset and an extra 300 if you want the paint fade.
That's a whole thousand quid more than I just paid for a brand new Levo SL.
Praise Taiwan.
I wonder if they will be dusting off that zealous design for 32ers?
I’m still in the cotic looks hideous camp. But that’s purely because of the motor. If they did a to version it would look much better x the skinny tube and bottle cage” battery style would look quite neat.
Now if they did a version with a dual downtube with the battery slung in the middle… I reckon that’d look really good (kinda like the recent Yamaha?)
The Cotic looks like a skinnier version of my 2017 Trek Powerfly ebike which was outdated back then. Add the Shimano motor to the equation and it's a resounding "No!" from me.
The Atherton looks bloody lovely though.
I generally like the look of Cotics but the ebike is truly awful, and terrible value with it
The zealous was cool, always wanted to try one.
Personally still like quite short chainstays on a hardtail.
I flip flip on the cotic, although external battery must surely make charging easier? At 43 not looking at eebs and hoping by the time that changes they’re significantly more reliable than they are at the moment!
Ebikes for me can look like ebikes - and I love ebikes. If I want a nice looking (skinny tubed) bike it won't have a battery attached
The zealous was cool, always wanted to try one.
I’m not sure many survived that long. No bracing and quite a severe angle where the seat stay joined the seat tube, things got a bit cracky
|That Cotic might be the rarest of unicorns - a good looking eBike. The battery is unavoidable, but it's not that bad at all.
People will still criticise it for "looking old fashioned" or whatever, and will likely think that the internal batteries are better sealed for weather, but I think they've done a fine job .
Thank you. That's what we think too. Obviously others disagree, but there are plenty of fat tubed internal battery bikes for them. The battery being there also means it's super easy to take off for washing the bike, charging it away from the bike, hot swapping mid-ride, easily having different capacity options. Lot's of good things even before you get to the ride feel and the low weight. Really appreciate you popping the comment up. With other people hating it so much, I know it can take a bit of courage to be positive about things. Cheers, Cy
Not even a mother could love that Cotic - and I think the full-suss Cotics are good lookers - it's a total eyesore I'm afraid.
Incorrect. I'm it's father I suppose and I think it's brilliant. Personally I think big bellied ebikes are ugly, so it's all opinion. It's also possibly the best bike I've ever designed in terms of ride dynamics. I'm glad you like the droplink bikes though.
The Cotic looks better second time around. I can’t, however, get over how spindly those seat stays look. What size bearings are at each end of those? And is the photo of the seat stay bridge/brace intended to look like there is zero clearance to the tyre?
Also, for any e-bike, the actual weighed weight should be given.
You're just not used to steel being used correctly in certain places. They're 16mm stays, which is same as our hardtails, but it's a pinned beam, so they are in pure bending which is very easy for a tube to withstand. Bearings are the same shock bushing at the seatstay end we have used on every Cotic suspension bike since the Rocket in 2012. Super compact, super reliable, super cheap to replace when they wear. The other end are double row, full compliment Enduro MAX bearings. Higher static load rating than the main pivot bearing.
Weight of that bike (it's actually my bike/the demo bike) is 21.7kg without pedals with the 504Wh battery. Add 0.7kg for the 630Wh battery.
I like the Cotic. I get the logic and I like what they've done with it.
Unfortunately I just checked the price and it's £6099 for the frameset and an extra 300 if you want the paint fade.
That's a whole thousand quid more than I just paid for a brand new Levo SL.
Praise Taiwan.
Frame hand built to order in the UK out of really expensive material in much expensive than mass produced bike from Far East shocker.
Now if they did a version with a dual downtube with the battery slung in the middle… I reckon that’d look really good (kinda like the recent Yamaha?)
We did look at that idea, but you lose the easy swap ability of the external battery because it swings out sideways. Then you get into the complexity of making, and how to mount the batteries and it all gets a bit out of hand. Plus it's much heavier than the single down tube, and weight saving is one of the big advantages of the external battery solution.
The Cotic has grown on me as well. I actually think it'd look pretty good with a smaller motor - though a more bottle shaped battery pack would help too.
As a direct replacement for my current mountain bikes, the Cotic & Atherton would be spot on.
Thank you. We're lobbying Shimano hard on the battery shape, but as you can imagine we don't have much sway there!
I generally like the look of Cotics but the ebike is truly awful, and terrible value with it
Looks are subjective, but although the Rocket isn't cheap, I would challenge you on value. For similar price to a Vala you get a bike with similar or better spec, more configurable in terms of battery/range, lighter, hand build to order with custom paint of your choice. We're never going to be competing with Specialized on price, but then we never have with any of our bikes. The Rocket's about the same as some of the more bougie brands. However, whilst I'm sure none of us sell many of these, if we're talking Specialized or Cannondale et all, their top of the range mad spec bikes are all are way over £12k, and a Rocket Platinum Build with all the toys with easily equivalent or better spec is a couple of grand cheaper.
We build the best, high quality, highest performance bike we could that was true to our brand.
The zealous was cool, always wanted to try one.
Personally still like quite short chainstays on a hardtail.
I flip flip on the cotic, although external battery must surely make charging easier? At 43 not looking at eebs and hoping by the time that changes they’re significantly more reliable than they are at the moment!
That's one of the big wins of the external battery; the charge port is on the battery, so you can charge it away from the bike. Makes storing the bike safely and charging safely super easy. Plus you can carry an extra battery in your pack for really huge rides and swap in mid-ride in about 10 seconds. It's mint.
Now I have got used to the Cotic ebike's looks I quite like it.
What I am curious about is the different suspension lay out & the differences in ride betweem their usual layout. I guess they had to do it that way to fit the battery in.
There is very little difference between Rocklink and droplink in terms of kinematics, and most of the pivot hardware is the same. It's looks way more different than the reality of the ride feel is. Even if it has a battery a Cotic has to ride like a Cotic. And you're right, it's a direct result of the battery choice/placement. I did an earlier geometry mule with the battery on the underside of the down tube and droplink suspension, but Shimano mad it clear than under no circumstances was I to build a production bike with the battery there. Which is fair enough.
I love those Smartwool socks. Since ST are too lazy to actually find out what they are and how much they cost, £25 btw:
https://www.smartwool.co.uk/uk/hike-light-cushion-soaring-mid-crew-socks-1-18266.html
I like the Cotic. I get the logic and I like what they've done with it.
Unfortunately I just checked the price and it's £6099 for the frameset and an extra 300 if you want the paint fade.
That's a whole thousand quid more than I just paid for a brand new Levo SL.
Praise Taiwan.
Frame hand built to order in the UK out of really expensive material in much expensive than mass produced bike from Far East shocker.
No one is shocked by the cost of UK manufacturing but it doesn't make my salary any higher. I always need to buy the bike I can afford to ride and this isn't it by a long shot.
Luckily my mass produced bike is awesome and I've been having loads of fun on it.
Sorry Cy, to shame your child.
I genuinely think that the droplink bikes are very elegant and my pink BFEmax (Magenta) is a real looker, I always get compliments on her.
But no, I'm still of the view that this is above averagely yuck.
I'm not against an industrial look - Nicolai makes a gorgeous bike and the Marin Attack Quadlink bikes (Even the Quake!) had a fierce, purposeful look to them.
But if you are going to ride something that costs close to 10 grand, it isn't too much to ask for it to look nice.
I suppose we'll see. If they sell like hot cakes, you'll be laughing and mine will be a niche opinion.
Good luck. My next full sus likely to be a FlareMax
Alex