Comparable to a Cotic Soul?

it’s the only bike that i own that i’d replace if it broke, everything else would get changed.

Totally.

I think the best way to describe it is that it’s a cheer you up bike. Every time I ride it there’s at least one moment in the ride where I think ‘Blimey, this is good’.

As already said above, nothing is comparable to a Soul other than a Soul.

(TT, HT, seat stays, Seat angle, Head angle)
Soul Med: 23.25″, 110mm, 16.5″, 73*, 70* (from website)
Breath Med: 23.5″, 105mm, 16.5″, 72*, 69*(with Fox F120’s)
Inbred 16″: 23.18″, 105mm, 16.7″, 73*, 70* (from website)

Huge difference there…..

Chameleon.

I have 456 and love it…but I only got it cause I couldn’t afford the Soul. While I will prob never get rid of the 456, I do long for a Soul…sometimes wish I would have saved for one.

When I put together what I would want in a custom hardtail some 10yrs ago it came out to what the Soul is. If I were you I’d just get one, I know I wish I could go back and do the same.

pipedream scion 853 steel very nice ride

This is probably blasphemy but I much prefer the ride of my Inbred than the Cotic Soul. The Soul felt a bit unsure in the corners whilst the Inbred just seems to beg you to slam it into the corners as fast as possible and it rails them. The Soul felt a bit too soft in the back end to me when I tried to corner it hard. One thing I did really like about the Soul was that it had a really springy, spritely feel like it just wants to keep going. The Inbred feels a bit more ‘agricultural’ but I just love the way it handles.

The Soda’s comparable to the Soul. 🙂

I too used to have a Kona – a 1999 Pahoehoe I think; alu frame, but still with the classic geometry. It was only in hindsight that I realised how ‘right’ it was to ride; it was great on everything really, with the highlight being riding it in Moab.
I replaced it with a Ti hardtail that really couldn’t replicate it at all, and sucked a lot of the fun out of riding. And then somehow convinced myself that despite having bought the Ti hardtail as ‘the last bike I need to buy’, I should buy a Soda instead.

It’s put all the fun back in riding; it’s so hard to put my finger on why, but again, it just feels ‘right’ for me.

My advice would be to get a Soul rather than looking for something ‘comparable’.
I was a bit dubious about all the ‘hype’ and um-ed and ah-ed about getting one. Eventually gave in about six weeks ago and I finally get it. There’s just something about the Soul. Riding it makes you smile from ear to ear, it’s just so much fun. Really confidence-inspiring, amazing handling, just a brilliant bike. Get one!

At the risk of being bludgeoned to death the next time I see a someone on a Soul (judging by the almost fanatical love-in), I tried one, then bought a Handjob. I find it slacker, more forgiving and more fun than the Soul.
Paint’s rubbish, though.

GJ, was your Soul one of the ’05-’07 ones with thinner stays?

Love my Soul, had it just over a year. Doing the Enduro 1 race series on it this year, one XC race also planned, ragging it round singletrack and working on bigger air (getting past 4′ drops and dealing with gap jumps of any sort).

More SoulLove here. I have lots of bikes and if they were broken would probably end up changing to something else but now that I have had a Soul for a while I would be surprised to find myself without one. Just such a nice bike to ride around on and so uncomplicated. As someone else said, on every ride there is always a point when you think ‘that was nice’.

it’s my perfect UK trail bike.

I’m in the same position as the OP. Looking for a ‘trail’ HT frame. My shortlist is Ibis Tranny, Pace RC104, C456 or a Soul. One of the best bikkes I ever owned was a 96 Kona Kilauea and after seeing how the Soul compares against the Kona I’m not quite so sure about a Tranny.

I just have to echo most of the comments on this thread. The soul, built tough and light is the best hardail……scrub that, the best mountain bike I’ve every owned. I’ve ridden other 853 frames, 150/140 trail bikes, alu hardtails etc for over 15 yrs but its the soul that keeps me smiling.

No you cannot get a Soul. As you are my brother and we already own a PX Uncle John each and so far have managed to not ride together but if the inevitable happens people will start whistling Rolf Harris 2 little boys at us. 😆 Go for it mines super fantastic and it will give us an idea who really is the fittest. 😉

853 = great feel, spring,

fanboy drivel, internet bullshit* myth.

853 (and all other fancy steels) feel the same as generic steels, even mild steel, as E varies by less than 10%. But if you built an MTB out of mild steel tubes in 853 tube profiles it wouldn’t last very long!

I am not a Soul owner but wish I was. I bought a 456 because it was cheap to use as a second bike to my FS. It was ok and I rode it a lot but then stupidly had a test ride on a Soul. Not a spin round a car park but an hour or so on well known trails which conviced me I should have waited until I had enough dosh for a soul, which is what I am doing now! I dont hate the 456 as much as some posters but it is fairly uninspiring and feels a bit like a tank, nearly as heavy as well.
I know all the things people on here say about weight but when you have been out for 5 hours and there is a final brutal push those few pounds really feel significant.

The Soul is an excellent frame.

I have ran the following steel framed bikes Handjob, Blizzard and P7, the Blizzard came close but still prefer the Soul. I now own a Soda which is amazing but needed a bike for messing around on, got an old Soul frame off here, put 120mm forks on it and love it all over again. My son has a Bfe with 130mm forks and that is also brilliant fun, I prefer the Soul for longer rides though.

I have always found the customer service to be excellent from Cotic which is a bonus.

Thanks, everyone, for your input and offers to throw a leg over. Unfortunately I’d be after a small size and southern UK is a bit of a schlep. Lots of Soul love it seems. I think it’s going to come down to a Cotic Soul or a Pipedream Scion. Anyone here ridden both?

Also attracted by Pipedream’s “bundles” arrangement that sounds like they may be able to put together a good value component package too.

As suggested, the inbred – both std and 456 – are have a burlier feel than the Soul. The Soul is, as siad, springier and livlier than either. The Inbreds need to be ridden hard to be appreciated, especially the 456, which is a brute. I’m a big fan of the 456, the only downside is it’s heavy.

If you want something light, springy and comfy then the Soul is your frame.

If you want something burlier and tougher, that likes to be thrashed then get a 456 or a BFe.

MrSmith, if you’re using an air hardened heat-treated steel then you have totally different options available to you as regards the shape and thickness of the tubing, so there are plenty of non-bullshit reasons why the frame will end up feeling different to one built out of something else, with the same intended purpose.

ex 456 owner here

I wanted a Soul ( I had a simple at the time) but at the time they were £470 and the 456 was £125, twas a case of money talks bullshit walks £345 was a hell of a chunk of money to save.

So a 456 it was

The 456 made me ride well beyond my performance envelope and I crashed alot, it handled superbly but felt harsh and to be honest the back end hurt.

Anyway I got a deal on a CEN Soul and snapped it up sold the 456 for £95 a £30 loss in 2 years cannot be faulted

So the Soul I always ride in a higher gear than on the 456 the handleing is er not safer for me because the ride is smoother and it does not kick me off when I push too hard.

Bang for the Buck 456, but if you want a quality smooth ride with a bike that just winds up and goes everywhere The Soul wins

Go for a Soul

Mr Smith = Never ridden 853. Especially in Soul Flavour.

Mmm, my favourite.

Got a soul – fantastic – but amidst all the lurve I would say that the paint job is more easily damaged than any bike I’ve ever ridden..

Just seems to be sooo much softer and easily scratched and scuffed than I’m used to. For example I’ve got a black ‘un. Washing the mud off using a car body work brush seems to leave deep scratches all over the paint. Not that fussed coz its a great ride but just thought I’d mention it…….

Thanks for all the kind words. Really, properly made up reading this thread.

grittyshaker – We’re in the Peak District ourselves, and if you can get down on 14th April for our demo I’ll put some proper tyres on the my wife’s small Soul for you to have a shot on. Drop me an email if you’re keen.

Got towards the end of my 85km ride yesterday on my 25.5lb, 130mm forked, 1×9 geared soul and it had flown up the 1700m of climbing and when it came to the final descent it carried on flying. Actually thought to myself as I skipped over the roots at 25 mph “yeah this bike really is good and it wasn’t just internet hype”. Handled brilliantly on all xc stuff, and was surprised how stable it felt hammering down the descent. very very happy with it.

I have to admit, I’m hugely tempted by a Soul. But the price tag is more than I paid for my entire bike brand new. And my bike has been nothing short of excellent. Ok you’re liable to loose an eyeball on a fast rocky descent, purely from the vibration, but aside from that it’s faultless.

Is it really worth an extra £470 to soak up a bit of trail buzz? There must be some very good alternatives at least, with a more affordable price tag?

😯

MrSmith, if you’re using an air hardened heat-treated steel then you have totally different options available to you as regards the shape and thickness of the tubing, so there are plenty of non-bullshit reasons why the frame will end up feeling different to one built out of something else, with the same intended purpose.

well aware of that fact but with frames of ‘identical dimensions’
a change in wall thickness but with the same O/D dimensions isn’t going to be felt when riding especially with a 2.3 tyre at 30psi.

Mr Smith = Never ridden 853. Especially in Soul Flavour.

a wrong assumption.

853 is not a wondermaetal in the same way Ti doesn’t equal a ‘bike for life’

Yes MrSmith, all frames feel exactly the same, so just choose one that comes in a colour you like. Ignore the material… just pick a pretty one.

Yes MrSmith, all frames feel exactly the same, so just choose one that comes in a colour you like. Ignore the material… just pick a pretty one.

That’s what I did when I bought my Soul. I still look at it admiringly when I’m not riding it. I think it’s stunning looking bike, I love the wrap decals. So well done you. 🙂 Didn’t hurt that everyone says how great a ride it is…

The headtube badge is the only thing I’d change though, to something ‘cleaner’.

Sorry, that was facetious. I stand by my point though: the choice of steel used gives the frame designer a different set of options. Whether they choose to use that to create a different “feel”, and whether any of us can appreciate the difference, is up for discussion.

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IMGP3282[/url] by jh_buchanan[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Love mine.

My post was genuine, I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it! Once I’d built it and rode it, I was doubly pleased. 🙂

As an engineer I’m extremely sceptical about simplistic hype. However so far I’ve found that when it comes to the details of mountain bikes I can actually feel and appreciate what one might off as insignificant differences: The ‘feel’ of a Soul vs my previous Al alloy hardtail, the stiffness and directness of bolt-thru forks, the improved grip/cushioning/rolling of tubeless, the stiffness of a Renthal stem and carbon bars. Some of the changes have been amazingly large, some more subtle.

Interested in the refs to ‘classic frames like explosif and racelite.

One difference I’m curious about is – soul appears to have what looks like little or no bb drop (judged from pics in this thread)

If I remember right most bikes of that style/vintage run as much as -30mm bb drop..

Personally I (think) I like what some bb drop does for the handling and was slightly put off whyte 19 by what seemed like a bb hike above the axle line (was it just the consequence of slamming a 120 fork in a few yr old frame design or a design choice?)..

Any comments from test pilots riders or owners?

Well, to the OP, I’ve never ridden a Soul but I have ridden a Solaris, it felt flippin great, and so I’m taking my newly built Solaris on its first outing tomorrow and can’t wait!

Have you considered 29er wheels?

I have a Soul and think it is excellent – I wouldn’t be parted from it. It’s been all over the UK and a fair few places in Europe too (and Morocco). As someone said above, I still think whenever I ride it how much I like it.

Scratch – I’ll start a thread instead..