After last winter I vowed to build up a hardtail. A little bit about saving excessive wear and tear on my Santa Cruz 5010, but more about wanting something simple with minimal moving parts (stoping short of single speed) to get mucky and keep that way over the winter, and ploughing through mud on a full suspension bike doesn't make sense vs the more direct feel of a hardtail.
Fortunately I picked up the last of the old Solaris Max frames earlier in the year. Having scoured the deals over the past 6 months or so I have ended up with a serviceable build for not too much money. I heli-taped it and bled the brakes last night so tonight was the first ride, and what a perfect evening. The kind of life affirming ride that is few and far between. Perfect weather, perfect trails, not a soul in sight and a beautiful sunset. Just me and my new toy. Try as I may, it didn't get very dirty this evening, but that will change!
It's kind of old school in some ways, but I like it just that way. It feels like a modern, better version of my bikes from back in the day (Kona Explosif, DeKerf Team).
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A few observations:
1) 29 inch wheels feel properly fast. They roll so well and whether it is just a feeling more than reality they do feel faster than 27.5, albeit both have their place.
2) Cy and the chaps at Cotic deserve the praise that they receive around here. The frame retains the feel of steel and rides much lighter than it actually is. I have not ridden on of the Long Shot bikes, but this feel very planted indeed. I am sure it won't be my last Cotic.
3) There is such a thing as too stiff when it comes to bars. the 35mm Renthal bars and stem are super stiff. I have never ridden anything like it and whilst I usually can't tell one component from another, in this case the difference is perceivable (and maybe not in an altogether good way)
4) The Fox Rhythm forks are amazing, full stop. For the money they are astounding, but against any competition they are a really good fork.
5) A sorted hardtail still has its place in the world, and tonight's trails are that place (South Downs from Dorking to Newlands Corner). Fast, undulating, not too technical. It just felt perfect and a full suspension bike would have felt like overkill. A horse for a course, but I wouldn't pretend it could hold a candle to the 5010 on more challenging terrain (but maybe that's more the limit of my skill and ageing bones!).
6) GX Eagle is also amazing. I have XX1 Eagle on my Santa Cruz and there is absolutely no functional difference. OK, weight, maybe longevity and certainly bling factor set to the 2 apart, but none of that matters bombing down the trail. It just works.
I am really pleased with how it turned out. Bring on the winter (well, maybe wait a few months for that wish....).
Full build went something like this:
Frame - Cotic Solaris Max (XL)
Fork - Fox F34 Rhythm
Headset - Hope (black)
Chainset - SRAM GX Eagle (175mm, 30t)
Bottom Bracket - Hope
Pedals - Shimano XTR
Rear Derailleur - SRAM GX Eagle
Shifters - SRAM GX Eagle
Brakes - SRAM Guide RS
Chain - SRAM GX Eagle
Cassette - SRAM GX Eagle (10 / 50)
Wheels - DT Swiss E 1700 SPLINE 25
Tyres - Maxxis High Roller II 3C/EXO/TR
Stem - Renthal Apex 35 (60mm)
Bars - Renthal Fat Bar Lite 35
Seatpost - Thomson Elite
Saddle - Fizik Gobi M5 VS
Bottle Cages - King Titanium
Grip - Renthal Kevlar
Bell - Spurcycle
That's a great looking bike!
Man, not another Cotic.... 🤣
I do love the orange decnals, why did I go aqua?
you sure you got enough seat post? Just noticed, it’s an XL, wow, thought it was a medium....
oh, I found similar issues with 35mm dia bars. Gave me shoulder/backache after a couple hours on the Sherpa.
very nice, very stealth (well, apart from the graphics). Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine.
Yup, as big as Cotic make. The new frames are even shorter in the seat tube so imagine that!
The seatpost also looks long because we are so used to seeing droppers these days rather than one uninterrupted run of tube.
The advantage to such a big bike is that it makes wagon wheels look quite normal!
I've got a set of the 34 Rhythms on a budget hardtail I've recently built up (the €200 ones from Germany?), and like you I've been very impressed full stop, let alone for the price.
Super impressed with 35 Rhythm as well. Hoping those new Marz that are basically a 36 Rhythm end up available cheap from somewhere.
I have some super comfy carbon 35 bars… but my alu Fat Bar Lites are 31.8… for reasons you've found out the hard way. Get a 2.6" tyre in there to compensate… they rock anyway.
That’s where I got mine too. In fact those forks are to blame for the whole build, so a cheap fork as a starting point ended up costing quite a bit in the end!!!!
Part of the fun of the build has been trying to beat the Cotic price for the whole bike. Mission accomplished by quite a bit, but it has taken a while and required patience as Cy already does a decent spec for a decent price.
Mind you, the summer has been so amazing that I haven’t felt the urgency to finish it, but there’s definitely a different feel in the air these evenings. Autumn is coming......
Er, the new frames are longer, quite a bit longer (comparing my large frames side by side)... I’ve a 60mm stem on the old and 35mm on the new (and I think that’s still longer).
no, that is a lot of seat post... but you’ve not much option. It’d be worse on the new frame as they shortened the seat tubes.
yeah, my new one looks like a normal bike too (despite the wagon wheels).
Sorry metalheart, meant in the seat tube (the lower bit of longer, lower, slacker).
Yeah, I did wonder if that’s what you meant 😃
love a good cotic, why did i sell my cotic soul mk2 earlier this year..
it seems we have similiar tastes in bikes, the 5010 is all i've ridden this summer, and i was planning on the 29er cotic for winter, but earlier this year i couldnt pass up on a chameleon off a spanish dealer on ebay for £1150, i switched the fork for the german 189 euro one and as per everyone else and their dogs opinion its spot on, a great fork..
got some sixth element 29er wheels on order and I'm expecting it to be rapid, just like the cotic..
i'm also looking forward to bubblewrapping the 5010 and getting out and muddy on the hardtail
Ha, we really do have similar taste - the Chameleon was my other option but the large felt small and the extra large felt like a gate. Just couldn’t find the right fit.
I wouldn't say I am looking forward to the mud, but at least I won’t have to squish up and down through it and have a fairly timeless bike to last a few years.
I bought a Soul earlier this year for the exact same winter reasons...
I've ridden my full suss about 2-3 times since...