Starting to dream up the next build…. I have 26″ stuff on an oh so unfashionable XC On One Scandal. Fancy changing over to something a bit more all round and longer travel. Cotic soul might just fit the bill but even in 26″ flavour are fairly pricey – but might be worth the extra. Like the idea of steel if lightweight but ultimately not that fussed by frame material

What else should I be considering?

Second hand Soul ? I was close to buying a new one when they discounted the BFe so thats what I have (in 26 of course)

Seeing as you can’t buy 26″ Souls new anymore, the answer is clearly to buy my bargainous vintage one! 😉

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cotic-Soul-26-Medium-Orange-/131787793118

I am toying with c2w on a Pinnacle Iroko. Gets a great couple of reviews, silly good value at RRP, 27.2 post and fat rubber should mean a comfy ride (one of the main reasons I have like steel frames was skinny post for comfort)….

Already keeping a very close eye on your frame, cgg!

🙂 I’m pleased to confirm I found the Hope seat post QR earlier this afternoon, had a momentary panic that it could have vanished into the place where critical small components go midst service… I’ve also got a Superstar 10mm QR axle that I used to use on it and matching end caps for Pro 2 hubs, if that’s any use!

Stanton slackline?

Used Slackline Ti circa £550-£600 used?

@cgg watched 🙂 hope headset and no bb I think

456 Evo Carbon.

Pipedream sirion or a Genesis Altitude/Latitude?

No suggestions but if the scandal is a 16 inch frame drop me a mail at martinvarey@yahoo.com. if u want to sell it

steel 456.
i have one.
and im looking for a scandal.

853 Voodoo Bizango if you can find it.

I had a frame for a short while whilst thinking of doing it up, sold it in the end to someone who had been dissappointed with the ride of the Soul, but he loved the Bizango.

Neither a steel or carbon 456 is much like a Soul. Stanton comes pretty close in feel IMO but the intent’s a wee bit different.

Not a BFe either.

Sanderson Life or Breath?

I have a BNIB steel Voodoo Wanga in size med if you are interested. Never built. If you drop me your email i can send pics if its of interest

chief GG… just a quick warning… I bought a Cotic Soul EXACTLY like yours a few weeks ago… the seller was offering to buy it back off me before I’d even finished building it up!

chief GG… just a quick warning… I bought a Cotic Soul EXACTLY like yours a few weeks ago… the seller was offering to buy it back off me before I’d even finished building it up!

It was great, we had a lot of fun together – did everything on that one bike from XC races to uplift days!

I had an early Ragley Piglet which I broke and replaced with a Soul. Found the Soul quite dull to ride so picked up another Piglet frame for 80 quid off ebay. Absolutely love it and haven’t managed to kill it yet.

Alternative??
just buy the soul, you won’t regret it.

@kja my view would be the BFe is closer to a Piglet – that was the comparison I was making when I bought mine

I bought a BFe on the back of all the positive comments about the Soul and on the basis that the geometry is exactly the same. It’s a great bike and I don’t (yet) see a time when I’d swap it 🙂

I wasn’t aware that there were any alternatives to a Soul?

Surely a 456 isn’t a good comparison to a Soul purely down to the difference in fork length. I’ve always felt, having ridden both, that a Soul was a slightly fancier Inbred.

No one mentioned a Dialled Prince Albert yet? Fab frames and it’s burlier stablemate Alpine should you want it.

456 was designed for 100-160mm forks, Soul Mk1 for 100-130mm, Soul Mk2 onwards for 100-140mm. The Soul is very light for a steel frame that can handle 140mm forks.

Also now keeping an eye on that Soul frame 😀 Wished I’d never sold mine.

My other frame is a Slackline 631 – completely different to the Soul, but still great.

makecoldplayhistory – Member

Surely a 456 isn’t a good comparison to a Soul purely down to the difference in fork length

Nah, it’s not a good comparison because it rides like a donkey and weighs as much as a baby.

Bought a 456 just recently and transferred all my 26″ stuff over – Fox Talas 110-150mm forks – I love it. Takes a dropper post too.

Love my 456. Every time I ride it I’m surprised how comfy it is.

The EVO 2 is a great frame and an utter bargain for the money.

Love mine

I was looking for a MK1 soul frame the other month. According to the reviews I read the Pipedream is similar. I ended up buying a Kinesis Virsa from the classifieds.

I’m interested in this, I have a mk3 soul, 120mm reba’s – but fancy a longer fork, however most seem to think they’re best at 120mm and 140mm spoils them somewhat.

So what alternative to a soul to take a 140mm fork, 26″ wheels? Something a bit more downhill orientated, but able to pedal uphill ok with the longer fork.

core – Member

So what alternative to a soul to take a 140mm fork, 26″ wheels? Something a bit more downhill orientated, but able to pedal uphill ok with the longer fork.

Genesis Alpitude

core – Member

So what alternative to a soul to take a 140mm fork, 26″ wheels? Something a bit more downhill orientated, but able to pedal uphill ok with the longer fork.

Ragley Ti. Only HT I’ve ever ridden that was as good as my old Soul, and exactly what you describe. The Pig X might feel as nice, never ridden one but I gather it’s also built with **** steel- the standard cromo Pig and Mmmbop don’t though imo

I’m interested in this, I have a mk3 soul, 120mm reba’s – but fancy a longer fork, however most seem to think they’re best at 120mm and 140mm spoils them somewhat.

So what alternative to a soul to take a 140mm fork, 26″ wheels? Something a bit more downhill orientated, but able to pedal uphill ok with the longer fork.

Can you get a Works headset to slacken a Mk3? I did consider than with my Mk2 but I like really really slack bikes, so it wouldn’t have gone far enough for me (current hardtail has a 64 deg head angle…)

core – Member
I’m interested in this, I have a mk3 soul, 120mm reba’s – but fancy a longer fork, however most seem to think they’re best at 120mm and 140mm spoils them somewhat.

So what alternative to a soul to take a 140mm fork, 26″ wheels? Something a bit more downhill orientated, but able to pedal uphill ok with the longer fork.

Loved my Soul at 140. It handled brilliantly, nothing was spoiled.

@Stirlingcrispin cracked his soul recently (for those that know him that’s more than just a euphemism) he bought a pipedream to replace it and then went and got his soul fixed, pipedream is now on the wall iirc.

I recently acquired a BluePig X, it’s amazeballs

I’ve not found anything better than my Soul. Will most likely replace it with a 27.5 Soul when money allows. But Cotic seemed to find the magic geometrey. A bit like Charge did with the Spoon saddle (only the saddle is cheap and a Soul is expensive whichever way you look at it).