Hi mccraque – they’re 750 mm easton havoc with a 50mm stem.

Gives me plenty of room still despite being a short legs and long body type of person!

Another pic of mine ?

[url=https://flic.kr/p/ASkHnB]2015-11-24_04-57-04[/url] by Simon Read, on Flickr

wicki – Member
Interesting comment that Cotic is a cut above Onone/PX in the quality is that the consensus here?

Definitely, in the case of the Soul/Solaris – the cheaper frames like the Roadrat probably have less to distinguish them from OO in terms of tubing, so you might be able to argue there’s not so much difference there,

Lovely looking bikes.

Am just undecided as to whether to run 27.5+ or 29!

Metalheart- I’ve emailed Cotic twice now. The first one over a week with no reply. I’ll try the blower….

I had a 456 before the Soul which was definitely cruder, heavier and less responsive than the Cotic. It was still fun but tended to crash through things rather than skip over them. I first rode the Soul when out in the Peak on the 456 and noticed 18 had a Cotic test day . I was impressed enough to make it a priority to get a Soul!

Size – I am 5’11.5ish and went for medium, 80mm stem 720 bars.

5’11” (and a half) on a medium mk1.

60mm* stem with 740mm bars.

*For longer xc sections I could do with a 70mm stem I reckon but I like the way it handles as it is so have left well alone.

I’m 6ft 2″ & demoed a medium as that’s all the shop had & for looning about in the woods it was great. A long seatpost (dropper) meant pedalling was ok but, longer distances on it highlighted I’d deffo need a large as it started to feel a little cramped. Great bike though as long as it’s green

Is 5ft 10″ too big for a small? Fancy the MK1 on offer. Don’t want to feel cramped or have loads of post showing.

I’ve emailed Cotic twice now. The first one over a week with no reply. I’ll try the blower….

Strange. Maybe try cy@ address (always found it gets a response). Mate said it took him a couple tries to get an answer on the phone (and he was ordering a complete bike…).

Is 5ft 10″ too big for a small? Fancy the MK1 on offer. Don’t want to feel cramped or have loads of post showing.

Cotic website has max height for a small at 5’8″. At 5’10” you’re firmly in the middle of a medium. I’m right at the end of a medium and I struggle with a 350mm post to keep enough in the frame (100mm min). And I tend to run a low saddle, been meaning to get a 400mm long pin for 3 years!

Personally I think it’d be horrible. See r/dogs post above, reckon you’d be the same (on a small).

You people should read the Cotic sizing guide, I think they put it there for a reason… 😀

as demoed (so don’t blame me for the build)

metalheart – Member
Is 5ft 10″ too big for a small? Fancy the MK1 on offer. Don’t want to feel cramped or have loads of post showing.
Cotic website has max height for a small at 5’8″. At 5’10” you’re firmly in the middle of a medium. I’m right at the end of a medium and I struggle with a 350mm post to keep enough in the frame (100mm min). And I tend to run a low saddle, been meaning to get a 400mm long pin for 3 years!

Personally I think it’d be horrible. See r/dogs post above, reckon you’d be the same (on a small).

You people should read the Cotic sizing guide, I think they put it there for a reason…

I know I know….love a bargain. 🙂

I’m 5’10 1/2″ (as measured by the hospital) and am on a Large. Originally I had a 70mm stem but have swapped it for a 35mm to just pull things in a bit as I’m on the boundary between Medium and Large, could have gone for either really. Cotic’s sizing chart puts me smack in the middle of Medium.

Whitestone, difference in ETT between M&L is only 17mm.

A medium and a 50/55mm stem would give you pretty much the same position… Hell a 60mm stem would be longer let alone L + 70!

Solaris or Sherpa? Anyone ridden both?

Here’s my XL

Letmetalktomark had both and gave me lots of really good advice and recommended a Sherpa over a Solaris, but this XL came up 2nd hand so I went for it.

Thanks. Looks good even in XL.

Well took mine on it’s shakedown ride last night. It’s a bit different to the 26″ Soul I’ll tell ya. 🙄

Seems to steam roller over rocks no probs, I’m still not sure about it feeling a lot less ‘dynamic’ (not sure how to explain it) than the Soul. It seems very planted but a little dead in comparison.

A bit of back to back testing is called for I think, it’s certainly not a 29″ version of the Soul that’s for sure.

Vortex, iirc there was internal debate about the small. It was prototyped then shelved as it rode ‘differently’. Then resurrected so I’d expect it to be different… even from a medium. FWIW the Solaris is my bike of choice (other than when it’s really shitty and I’ll take the Soul as it’s got HR’s v Ardents….)

OP: you any joy with Cotic yet?

What’s tyre clearance like out back?

Would you fit a 2.4″ Ardent on a something like an Arch EX which gave it its full width?

Also, anyone know when the next XLs are coming in and if they’ll be green? First batch of XLs sold out very quick. I know I could e-mail Cotic and ask them myself but that’s a step down the path of committment which I’m not ready to take just yet!

Cheers.

OP: you any joy with Cotic yet?

Yes! Managed to get through, had a chat with Paul who was amazingly helpful. Then sat on it for a month, being a ponderous old fart (although the research time was very useful with all these new fandangled standards).

Had another chat with Paul to discuss the finer points, and then clicked “Buy”.

I’ve gone for a medium green frame. Ordered a Boost Fork to go with it and am going to custom build the wheels around Hope Pro4 Hubs.

Originally I was going to be clever, thinking that if I ordered the non boost hubs, if I didn’t like + size, I could flog the wheels. But seemingly the Boost spacer kit is only on one side, and wheels would need to be redished before they would work with a “standard” axle kit. So Boost front wheel it is.

Due to budget, I am going to try a rockshox Yari. This isn’t going to be a lightweight bike by any stretch – more of a beefcake.

I’ll provide further updates as and when I manage to add more components. The wife is operating a one in one out policy now….so am partly funding this one with the sale of an old ride to work steed that’s laying in the garage…

I love my Solaris

Spent Friday at Bike Park Wales doing an uplift. Then spent Saturday and Sunday bikepacking round Wales.

Makes a good all rounder for my uses

SimonR – I want your bike.

Interesting to see most of the Solarii (correct plural for Solaris?) in this thread with black forks, they’ve traditionally been more common with white forks, like the blue one on Page 1 – guess the frame decal change has prompted that?

I’m currently running a 26″ Soul & a 29″ Scandal – they get used for quite different rides. But the full sus itch keeps on coming back. I keep debating getting a 2nd hand 26″ full susser frame to replace the Soul and scratch that itch, and a Solaris to replace the Scandal frame.

As the Scandal is used for XC rides/marathon events etc and feels very light and fast, I’m not sure how the Solaris would compare, might feel a bit dead/heavy?

We love an update 🙂

A per many of us by the time you’ve built it up itbwill be a Spring thrash bike not a winter hack !

To buck the trend a little, I ran a L 19″ Mk1 for a while and we didn’t get on.

With the benefit of hindsight I wonder if a M would have been better (I’m a gnat’s tickler under 6ft) as I felt very much ‘perched’ on top of the bike as opposed to ‘in’ it.

I also ran a 120mm fork which may not have been ideal – I know Cy designed it around 100mm.

The Hope/Stans wheels were also awful. I had to rebuild the rear using straight spokes which was a horrible job; the combination of the spokes and super-flexy rim has put me off Stan’s rims for the foreseeable future, and I wouldn’t touch straight spokes with yours.

So realistically it may have been a combination of elements, but the fact I don’t miss it in the slightest tells me that passing on was the best thing to do.

What’s tyre clearance like out back?

Tight on earlier frames. You may struggle with a 2.4. I ran a 2.2 Spesh Purg.

A necessary hack if running a front mech:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/hcgT7a]Modded. #cotic #nofilter #bikebuild #29er[/url] by Neil Cain, on Flickr

To buck the trend a little, I ran a L 19″ Mk1 for a while and we didn’t get on.

With the benefit of hindsight I wonder if a M would have been better (I’m a gnat’s tickler under 6ft) as I felt very much ‘perched’ on top of the bike as opposed to ‘in’ it.

I also ran a 120mm fork which may not have been ideal – I know Cy designed it around 100mm.

I struggled with my Mk1 a bit in 29er guise too. It was too steep (for me) at 100mm but the BB was too high at 120mm. However, B+ wheels with the 120mm forks seems to be working pretty well. Drops the BB by around 7mm while still keeping the angles the same.

Do the 650b+ tyres fit the Mk1 OK Roverpig?

Yes, no problem with WTB Trailblazer 2.8 tyres, but I’m using the wheels supplied by Cotic (which they developed using the Mk1 frame) so I’d expect them to work. The rear rim is 29mm internal diameter (front is 35mm). I think they mentioned on the blog that Scraper rims (45mm) worked on the Mk1 too, but I suspect they’d be a bit too tight for my comfort.

So, short answer is that the Mk1 seems to work fine with the Trailblazer tyres and rims that aren’t crazy wide.

Thanks Core. It does look pretty special (IMHO!) 🙂

I’ve got in a few more miles on it now and still loving it. The short stem and wide bar set up seems to work really well. It’s taken a while to work out tyre pressures (full suspension is way more forgiving) – needs to be just right to get the grip.

Long term I might be tempted by 1×11 but for the range of stuff it gets used for then the triple does the job well enough.

Seems pretty responsive to me particularly compared with the Inbred it replaced. It is also much less harsh without being flexible – I guess that’s what comes from a good steel frame.

Not ridden an Aluminium hardtail recently enough to compare it with that though.

I’m hoping the above links to the photos work. My first ever bike build has been a bit of a slow burner but I got there in the end!!!

*Cotic Solaris M – Lime Green
*Rockshox Yari 120 Fork
*Shimano XT M8000 Groupset
*WTB Asym I35 on Hope Pro Evo4
*Schwalbe NN 3.0 / WTB Trailblazer 2.8 (r)
*Syntace 740mm Carbon Bar
*Syntace 50mm Megaforce Stem
*On One Saddle and Post
*Avid Elixir 5 (poached from old bike!)

Can’t wait for the maiden voyage now!!

28lbs 3oz – but was built for comfort rather than speed!

Managed to get out twice this week on it and thought I would report back with first impressions.

In terms of fit. I went medium on Paul @Cotic’s advice. I’ve fitted a 50mm stem and 740mm bar. I’m 5’11” of average proportion and it feels spot on.

There’s no getting away from it….the fatter tyres drag a bit on tarmac. However, the 2.8 trailblazer is definitely more sprightly feeling than I would have imagined. I cycled with a friend and he didn’t think I was any more ponderous than usual!

Climbing – did a wet mud, chalk and grass track climb on the north face of the south downs. Relatively steep and slippery. Well…very slippery today. My friend couldn’t get enough traction to clean it. The 27.5+ however, did slip a little, but not enough to stop it winching me up. I was also quite impressed at, despite the beefcake build, the way it winched me up. Not in record breaking time, but in a surefooted fashion.

Descending. Nothing too technical as yet, but a very loose stone, grass/mud single/double track. Grip wasn’t insane – it slid a bit more than I thought it would (I think Doug @ Basquemtb mentioned this on his Orbea the other week too). Wet mud is still wet mud and I nearly ended up in a bush. But – I didn’t. It pulled me back from an “oh sh1t – I’m off” moment and I set a Strava PR in the process (and this is a hill I ride weekly). The beefy wheel out in front and the relatively slack geo felt perfect. and the cushioning from below was a novel but calming experience. I can’t explain it…but it really felt composed.

All in all….first impressions are very good. I know there’s an element of new bike syndrome in there, but will aim to provide a little more balance and detail when I’ve spent a few more weeks on it. Not sure it will be a fast bike but certainly a great fun bike on what I have seen thus far!

and here she is this morning…

core – Member

SimonR – I want your bike.

Interesting to see most of the Solarii (correct plural for Solaris?) in this thread with black forks, they’ve traditionally been more common with white forks, like the blue one on Page 1 – guess the frame decal change has prompted that?

I’m currently running a 26″ Soul & a 29″ Scandal – they get used for quite different rides. But the full sus itch keeps on coming back. I keep debating getting a 2nd hand 26″ full susser frame to replace the Soul and scratch that itch, and a Solaris to replace the Scandal frame.

As the Scandal is used for XC rides/marathon events etc and feels very light and fast, I’m not sure how the Solaris would compare, might feel a bit dead/heavy?

I totally forgot about this thread, but one year on it’s all happened, I sold my Soul frame, the Scandal too, and now have an Zesty 314 and an orange mk2 Solaris living in the shed. Might try and get a little bit of weight out of the Solaris build as it is heavier than the Scandal, but not by a huge amount.

I prefer the Solaris so much over the Scandal on the techier stuff that the Zesty isn’t getting a look in at the moment. Would like a better fork for it, but can’t make my mind up, I like it at 100mm for XC, but know 120mm would make it a bit of a hooligan and all the bike I ever need with the dropper plugged in, whilst also contemplating a rigid fork for bikepacking trips…….