C456 evo…anyone ridden/riding one

Thinking of building up a hardtail for winter and to use for off road commuting. I had a mark 1 c456 a couple of years ago and like how it rode…interested to know how it compares to evo version. Like the amount of damping I got from Mk1. It crossed my mind that a cotic soul might be the way to go…do you think they have similar damping qualities?. I realise that a steel bike will ride a bit livelier, what do you think. Thanks in advance.

The MK1 C456 I had was pretty stiff, it had hardly any compliance to it.

If you’re after a more compliant ride I’m pretty sure almost anything you get will give you that.

Also don’t go judging a bike by the frame material.

You can just as easily make a steel or carbon frame very stiff or compliant depending on how you design it.

The Cotic Soul is renowned for its ride quality but not all steel frames will give you that same feeling.

I think On One do a more XC based carbon frame I think it might be called Whippet or something similar. That might have some better frame characteristics compared to the C456

Strange, I find my mk1 C456 wonderfully compliant and comfy for long rides. In fact It felt so nice descending at real speed on the Long Mynd 2 weeks ago that I forgot I was riding a HT.

The harder you ride it the better it gets.

I hated the Soul. A very fidgerty ride on anything but smooth trail centre trails.

Mk1 c456 was v.complaint. ignore bikeradar.

Mr slug, my short review

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/carbon-456-evo-short-review

It is better the faster you go. I’ve got a soul too and I think that’s a better “all day” bike but the c456 evo is nonetheless good too

Bloody love mine, only had it a few months but its been great on my local ride, peaks and dalby.

Love my Mk1 456, just goes bloody well. As said, the faster you ride, the better it is. I find it very comfortable and leave the whippet at home, as just not gelling with it at all.

I found the biggest thing was to adjust my riding style having ridden full suss only for years. Once I got my head back into hardtail mode it feels fine. Initially rock solid but all good now and a lot of fun.

OK lets agree to disagree with the ride characteristics. Its not as ridiculously stiff as Bikeradar claim but it is not what I would call a compliant rear end.

I liked my C456 it was a good do it all bike and at a stupidly light weight. But the slack angles meant it only came alive when you were really going for it or riding some technical terrain. On easy flowing woodsy single track it just felt a little numb and boring.

Don’t know what kind of riding the OP wants to do but he mentions off road commuting so I’m guessing nothing too technical?

So for my personal preference I would prefer something a little more lively and less stable.

Mine (1st gen) was pretty compliant. Different in feel to my old Soul but similiar in results. Sometimes wonder if there’s variation in these frames, as there’s so much variation in owner reviews?

The Bikeradar review is just idiocy though, no frame’s stiff enough to have the effect they describe, with a 140mm fork… I reckon the fork must have been knackered, but they were too keen to talk about the frame…

My mk1 c456 feels very “stiff” and “sharp” if i ride it immediately after riding my 160mm AMM (All Mountain Monster).

My mk1 c456 feels very “slack” and “dull” if i ride it immediately after riding my 80mm XC race bike.

Hmm, amazing how the bike must be changing between rides…..

(in reality, the c456 is light, stiff, and yet slack at the front. This means the front tracks well though bumpy stuff, very well actually, so when the unsuspended lightweight rear gets to those same bumps that the front hoovered up, i can see why people would describe it as “skittish” or “stiff”. It’s got nothing to do with the “compliance” or otherwise of the frame, and everything to do with being a generally lightweight long travel hardtail…… 😉

maxtorque – Member

It’s got nothing to do with the “compliance” or otherwise of the frame, and everything to do with being a generally lightweight long travel hardtail…..

I was comparing it with 5 different generally lightweight long travel hardtails 😉

I ride anything from local trails to trail centres to peak district to a reasonably flat off road commute. Got two nice Mtb’s a FS 140mm and a FS ‘race bike 96mm. I’ve been at it long enough and have ridden enough bikes over the years to have an idea what I like. On my C456 I had 150mm forks and it was about 25lb. It was first hardtail I had had for a few years and was really pleasantly surprised by how it rode re compliance. I want to start building up a winter bike and am fancying another but was curious as to how the evo version rode with the different geo etc. Also in interested in the idea of putting 650b wheels on?. Was thinking of building up with 1 x 10 and 120mm front end. Thanks so far. Glad a few of you think same as me re mark 1…was rewarding when pushed hard.