This isn’t a full review of this bike, though I may do one when I put some proper time on it.

Bit of background I’ve had a BMC TF01 160mm front 150mm rear carbon 29er as my main bike for more the last 18 months but I was never super happy with it. Over that period I’ve demoed a few similar bikes the Mega 290, Geometron G13, Marin Wolfridge, Cotic Rocket Max, Santacruz Hightower LT, Trek Fuel EX, EVIL Following and Transition Smuggler.

When I was first look for a replacement for my old bike, a bunch of people suggested a few different bikes such as the Slash, Wreckoning or Enduro and they seemed like sensible suggestions. Then a few came along and suggested trying to Cotic Rocket Max and I honestly dismissed this out of hand, thinking I’m on a full carbon framed bike now why would I want to get a steel framed bike.

Over the summer the opportunity came up to demo one, so I thought I would give it a go but in the back of my mind thought ‘It will be ok but nothing special and weigh a ton’. So I set off on the demo ride and on the climb it felt meh, nothing great but nothing bad and my old bike probably climbs better. Then I pointed it downhill and I was honestly blown away by just how confidence inspiring it was and how much fun it was.

I ended up buying a frame recently, on the basis it was the best bike of this type I had tried. The demo versions I had used were with 140 forks. I’ve setup mine with 160 forks and stuck in a pair of offset bushings and holy shit it’s a monster. I’ve never had bike that grips so well, plows through rocks like they don’t exist and just has the sense of ‘don’t worry I’ve got this’. I ride an XL so yes It’s **** long and has a head angle of approx 64.5 degrees, but i’ve not even noticed this in the corners.

At some point I will try and write about the Rocket Max in some more in depth, because I think it might be one truly special bike.

Not a rocket max but recently got myself a new Soul,

Very impressed, light, agile, fun. Can’t find any faults at all.

Absolutely in love with my Rocket!! I had the same concern regarding weight but never had a problem climbing and it’s a machine on the downs. However my curiosity wishes I’d had a shot of the Max 29er.

Did any of your demo bikes come close?

I also love my 650b rocket (in huge XL size). Never going to be the quickest climber as light it is not, more than makes up for this going the other way. Even more so since a very, very lucky eBay purchase meant it only cost what I sold my 26″ rocket for :).

I did a demo with Sam and some chums a little while ago. I thought the Rocket Max was a really well executed bike with new skool geometry. Weight wise, there was nothing between it and my alu FS that I also brought to the demo.

I was close to buying one, but there was no denying it’s was a single pivot. Very well executed, but single pivot nonetheless. I don’t like single pivots for chain growth and traction reasons on technical climbs, and in the end I bought a Banshee Prime from the numbers on the website. I’m happier with it.

I’m interested to know what you didn’t like about the Hightower LT (to choose the rocket max over it). I’ll be in the market for a new bike before too long and was looking at a hightower LT as I recently sold my nomad.

I test rode the rocket max at Lady Cannings a few months ago and then the test loop at calver a few days later and it is a very capable bike and rides exceptionally well! However, I could probably build a Hightower CC for not too much more than a Rocket max.

Aren’t you gonna show us a pic of it then Frosty?

The RocketMax would probably be my “one bike” if it had a lower seat tube in the large, I suspect I may end up with the next generation one.

Interestingly I demo-ed a few of the same bikes as yourself and ended up with a Mega 290 (got an amazing deal). It is nowhere near as perky as the Cotic but has the same planted feel on descents (thanks to the long reach and massive chainstays).

chakaping – How tall are you? I’m about 5′ 10/11″ and found the large was a very nice fit, maybe depends how you like the bike to feel though.

The Hightower LT does feel like a very well rounded bike. However I’m very much in favour of descending and what gives me confidence to descend fast is stability and good suspension.

The Hightower LT really didn’t give me as much confidence as the Cotic. The suspension worked ok on the descents but not brilliant, on rough rocky stuff it was just a bit lacking. It wasn’t massively harsh like my old BMC but nothing like the Cotic which for some reason you can chuck into a massive pile of rocks at warp speed and it just doesn’t feel harsh at all. The Cotic has long chainstay that give you so much rear stability that give you the confidence to really push the bike in the corners.

I demoed the S model and there were some parts which also let the bike down, I’m not a massive fan of guide brakes but the combination of these brakes 180mm rotors and wet conditions meant this bike really struggled to slow down quickly on steep stuff. I think it would be way better with 203 rotors. The FIT GRIP damper was completely under wheeling, This was not the first time riding this damper and I would compare it to the old Rockshox MoCo stuff, I would definitely say a Marzocchi 350 CR or X-Fusion RL perform better never mind Pikes or Fox FIT 4 dampers.

Positives of the Hightowert LT really well balanced bike, great climber and light.

Negatives, not great spec for almost £5k and did not inspire enough confidence on the descents.

I will try and remember to take a pic when I have a good one!

On sizing I think they have long seat tubes for their reach, I have a XL and I need to slam to the 150mm reverb to make this work, to slam a 150mm reverb into the XL you have to remove the connectamajig and use the barb.

Thanks for the more in depth reply. That’s interesting to hear though, i’ve not had a proper read up on them yet but did hear good things about the hightower and similar about the LT. As I say, I’ve ridden the rocket max and that did feel rather nice but would be interesting to get a recent, not quite back to back, ride of each. I’m similar to yourself in terms of a preference for descending so would prefer something similar to that. I’ve just sold my nomad which was very capable at going downhill, I just won’t be riding for nigh on 6 months (torn my ACL) so thought i’d save it getting covered in dust and also a chance to look into something new. I’ll definitely try test ride the hightower and the rocket max again, I just don’t know when it’ll be.

Like fr0sty125 I think the seat tube is long for the size. I’m using a magura vyron (150mm drop). Its collar is literally 1mm above the seat clamp. At my height (6’2″) I wouldn’t be able to fit a 150mm reverb due to the collar height, unless I switch to a thin carbon razor blade saddle. That is with 175mm cranks though so potentially some wiggle room using shorter cranks (175mm is correct for my leg based on calculation).

Just to add another thumbs up for the Rocket Max vs Hightower, I’ve been threatening a new bike purchase for over a year now and narrowed it down to Rocket Max and Hightower so test rode them.

My experience of the test ride alone was the Rocket was the better bike for me. Not that the Hightower was an obviously inferior bike – it was very very good, but the lower BB made it a PITA for actually riding the thing on trails (huge and regular pedal strikes on the SC vs. zero on the Rocket – same trail, same day). The Hightowewr was probably a better climber (again marginally), but not as good downhill. And then there is the price. At high £2k/early £3k for the frame only I’d expect it to be significantly better for me to part with that amount of cash. It just wasn’t. And factor in the fact it wasn’t that much lighter – in fact real world not any lighter at all that you can detect from the ride or in the climb. So I really cannot see why the hell you’d drop the extra cash on a Hightower unless you’re just a SC fanboy – which is as good a reason as any I guess – ultimately the heart makes these purchase decisions and not necessarily the head.

I test rode the standard Hightower and not the LT, but the standard Hightower is 135mm rear suspension travel so closer to the RocketMax than the LT so probably a better back to back comparison. AND even if I were a good enough rider to find the limits of these bikes down hill I bet the limits would not be due to the additional 10mm of travel that the LT has over the Rocket Max.

Whichever way you cut it the RocketMax is a chuffing brilliant bike. Easily on par with any other bike in its category at any price made from any material.

2018 is the year I’ll push the button after a good 18 months of deliberating. My only concern now is that Cotic seem to be revising their product range with slightly longer, lower and slacker geometry, with the BFe and more recently the Soul, so I expect they might be giving the Flare and the Rocket the same treatment in 2018. I’m not sure if this is true and if a revised bike would be any better or worse for me. My take is the new longer lower slacker geo is really to eek out more DH performance, so that will ultimately be at the expense of the all-round capability of the bike, which for me is the strength of the Rocket. But I’d like the opportunity to find out rather than buying the Rocket now and in 6 months a new version coming out.

I currently ride a 2016 Transition Patrol, but the more I look at these Cotics the more I’m considering change my frame,I’m thinking of going for the 2018 Rocket. I mostly ride uplifts and natural trails with the odd trail center every now and again. Would i be making the right decision moving from a Transition ? its brilliant at what it does I’m just hankering for something new!!

Didn’t see this thread first time round but i agree with the Frosty one. Bought mine blind when they first appeared on here and was blown away by how much better it was at almost everything than my pretty sorted Stumpy Evo. Slightly miffed they are making them longer as at 6’5″ i could do with a bit more reach but as long as i don’t try a longer bike, i think i’ll survive 🙂

Since my post I’ve now pressed the button on a Rocket Max. Only had it for a few months but it is every bit as good as I remembered. It’s taken a bit of setting up as I also changed alot of the components on it…so gone slightly wider bars and shorter stem than I had before so that has taken some getting used to, but the frame and suspension platform is living upto expectations. I did BPW the other week (not sure if you consider that a proper uplift) and handled all the reds I could throw at it and gave me more confidence to tackle the larger features that might have previously had me considering bailing out. For me the difference with my previous bike is the rear suspension, it’s very ‘poppy’ as advertised and as a result feels very lively and much grippier than my previous bike, so that just instills confidence and I find myself pressing on a bit harder than my previous bike.

Couldn’t comment in comparison to a Patrol…I never test rode one of those, (too spendy for me), but by all accounts they are a fantastic bike too,…I came from a 2013 Transition Covert 29, so a completely different suspension design.

I’m just hankering for something new!!

As good a reason to buy a new bike as any! Take a Rocket for a test ride would be my advice, if nothing else it will be a nice day out, the Cotic lads as lasses are a great bunch, dead friendly and helpful so even if you think you won’t be able to get a proper measure of a bike on the strength of one ride (what I think about test rides really), its still a good day out riding a good bike. What’s not to like?