[Closed] Racing on a Cotic Soul - Advice please 🙂

Just have fun.If you've a uber light race bike then you've got to live up to it.
So just have a blast.

I'd have thought that 100mm might be more appropriate for racing on a Soul. Light kit and light wheelset, should be good.

Have fun!

I race on my PA set up with dual + bash & 140mm fox forks - I'm not exactly competitive, but I probably wouldn't be competitive if I had one of them £7000 Merida carbon fibre jobs.

You see some folk racing on all sorts in the novice type stuff, so just head on and have a blast 🙂

If you ave an urge to change something tyres won't break the bank and will make the bike racier. Err asuming you fit racier tyres

ampthill - Member

If you ave an urge to change something tyres won't break the bank and will make the bike racier. Err asuming you fit racier tyres

Definitely.

Have a 2.5 dual ply super tacky maxxis on the front at the moment 😳

Thank you for all the comments. Sounds like this could be a goer....

Don't call your bike "She". That's all.

I'll be taking mine racing, my race prep looks like it'll be winding the u-turn down to 100mm, possibly fitting a slightly longer stem, and replacing the gravity dropper with my standard post. Instant race bike! No it won't be as light as some people's race bikes but then I'm not exactly looking for podiums- but it'll be fun to ride, and fast enough.

BigJohn - Member

Don't call your bike "She". That's all.

😳 😳 😳

That's all good advice up there. If you have the option, drop the forks to 100mm, and definitely put some fast, narrower tyres on. Some 2" Maxxis Larson TT's or CrossMarks if you like Maxxis, or some Bontrager XR1 or XR2 are good and fast as well. You'll be amazed at what you can ride on what look like virtually treadless tyres!

Don't call your bike "She". That's all.

Why not? It's the correct way to refer to a vehicle cf. ships, planes etc

What about doing marathons and such like on a Soul? Is it good for those long, long days in the saddle?

Unless you're realistically in with a chance of winning, does it matter?

Go with the lighter tyres, and get rid of all the "just-in-case" crap you probably have in your Camelbak.

What about doing marathons and such like on a Soul? Is it good for those long, long days in the saddle?

it's not about the bike.

1x9 might be a bit lacking for racing? -says a singlespeed xc racer 😕

seriously though just go along and enjoy yourself and ride fast. seen plenty of less able machines than that at most gorrick races.

I've ridden my charge duster (prob a similar weight) at the last couple of gorricks (started racing this year) can't say I felt it was the bike that was holding me back, just fitness 🙂

I have my eye on some hope proIII/355's as an upgrade

I'm also going to try out 1x9 as last race I didn't use my granny (well twice and got chainsuck twice)

I noticed a few souls at the evil sheriff duathlon last year. Just go and have fun.

Thank you again for all of the comments.

I have a set of Intense System 2 tyres (2.0) which I plan to try on the Cotic, by my reckoning it should drop about a kilo from the build given the current tyres.

Going to see how I get on with the fork at 115mm as only just adjusted the spacing for this build.

Apart from that I think I will try my hand at some novice stuff......eek!

So if you start getting good, and the bike (rather than fitness) is holding you back, get a "proper" race bike.

Does anyone know of anyone who did the Kielder 100 on a Soul?

Your Soul will be fine. Unless you're really quite quick and serious already, it will barely be any slower than a 'proper' XC race bike and frankly the difference in speed will just be that between a midpack finish and about five places faster than midpack finish. A quick rider will be quick irrespective of the bike (within the sort of parameters we're talking about).

Once you're pushing the top 10 then maybe start wondering about it.

Or just do what most people do and spend loads of money on a light bike because that's much easier than actually getting fit/fast and will make you feel like a proper XC racer even if it actually makes next to no difference 😉

Sorry about this hijack post - but was considering doing some of the Brownbacks races at Lee Quarry this year, and I only have one bike which is the blue pig (and its not light, 31b's!). Only gonna compete in the 'have a go hero' class, but will it just be a bit silly? 😀

As everyone says just go for it Sadie and yes it was a she my old Soul did many, many races without any issue from NPS where as an old git i managed to get a 4th at the CYB round couple of years ago to 24 hr races team and solo. We also did Trans Wales in the rain in '09 as a couple and never a fault. I've got an Ali race bike but the Soul was always a way better ride so did everything on that.

Setup wise she had Hope hoop EX5.1 with a reasonable set of tyres and a set of 115 Rebas and that was good for everything, when not racing she hooned in the Peaks and the Alps in the same guise without any problems so as is said GFI!! :O)

I own 3 bikes (well 4 if you count the hack) and they are all Shes

I own a cotic that spends most of its life built burlyish for trail riding. and then light wheels, longer stem and forks wound down for XC/Enduro racing.. I go with 110 to 115mm travel mostly as it feels the best to me..

go for it and enjoy (oh prepare to hurt really badly cos you will push harder than on any ride you have done before)
Good Luck

Oi - stop pining after Sadie and make yourself useful around the house ... now - you have been told. 😉

What about doing marathons and such like on a Soul? Is it good for those long, long days in the saddle

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Yup, they're fine. I switched to my Soul to do long days, as it was more comfortable, allowed the odd daft line choice and went as fast as my lighter ali xc bike. As a few others have said, unless you are seriously heading for a podium finish, then don't waste your cash on something too race-oriented. I just left the forks on my (old) Soul at 130, as I rode it the rest of the time around the Peak, and couldn't be bothered faffing around just for one 24hr race.