looks great.

What are they like for popping off things/wheels in the air kind of stuff?

I’m thinking Llangegla blacks and BPW reds (as well as natural trails that encourage this kind of behaviour)

Here’s mine from a somewhat drier and warmer September.

Even with a 140mm fork and 2.8 chubbies, I still find it a very poppy bike. It’s as much fun piling through stuff as it is trying to avoid it.

I don’t find the SA an issue. It’s definitely slacker than my RipMo, but since I’m on the wrong size (M, cotic recommend a L) it’s all a bit moot. I just know it’s a blast to ride.

Mine’s been to Wales a few times, Fod, Yat, Quantocks, etc. Seems to get up and down stuff okay. Rider clearly the limiting factor!

@alex – how tall are you on the medium if you don’t mind me asking. I am on the cusp of two sizes @ 5’11″….demoing both later this week!

5Ft11 with short legs. I had a M (MK1) FlareMax as well even tho Cy reckoned I should be just on the L. I like long droppers and could get a 200mm in my SolarisMax. Pic has a 170mm.

I think both would be fine, but I tend to prefer smaller frames. Getting back on my (L) Ripmo feels massive.

Oh i demoing one of these too at the weekend cant wait! 🙂

Solaris Max

Has anyone had theirs on the scales fully built up?

Never weighed mine… But when I’m enjoying a blast down Coire Lair in Torridon or off the Stalker’s Path on Carn a Gheoidh above Feshie, weight is the last thing on my mind.
I’m more concerned with the bike being robust fun than actual numbers.

With its ‘winter chubbies’ on (2.8 MM/2.6 Forekaster) it’s just under 30lbs. With Rekon’s it’s about 28.5.

Same as highlandman, I don’t really care. It doesn’t ride heavy but it does ride brilliantly!

Not weighed it, but can tell you it’s in the high 20s from the use of my highly calibrated hand scale.

Which is about what I’d expect for 29in wheels and reasonably burly bits.

Doesn’t ride light and doesn’t ride heavy, IYKWIM.

Not weighed mine (big burly tyres and Helm fork so not light) but it wasn’t too bad carrying up Grisedale the other day, and Carlside today….

Edit- only had it 2 weeks, the mercury colour is lovely and it rides brilliantly, not had a slack hard tail before and feels like I won’t need to ride my FS except for maybe long pitched descents.

or off the Stalker’s Path on Carn a Gheoidh above Feshie,

Feshie’s a favourite haunt of my Max, but I’m wondering if you’ve confused hills? Isn’t Carn a Gheoidh over Glen Sheered/Cairnwell way? Do you mean Geall Charn?

Brain fade, too many hours at work lately; meant Sgorr Gaoith.
I need less time at work and more on the bike.

I’ve demoed the large and the medium now, and am none the wiser. But thinking of opting for the large. Seemed a hoot in the Surrey Hills. on 140mm forks

Most of my riding is South Downs….and in summer some long days of ups and downs. And maybe the odd welsh marathon.

Any good as an all day bike with 140mm? or do you think it is worth the compromise and dropping to 130mm or 120mm?

Only ridden mine with 140mm fork, but it was fine for a 60km ride this summer.

Shorter fork might make it better for XC racing, just livening it up a bit, but the 140mm suits me as I use it with B-plus wheels as well (lowering the BB height).

I built up a large cosmic black Solaris Max two weeks ago (having bought the frame some months before when then new shipment arrived). So only two rides in at present. I’m 183cm. 6ft in old money.

It feels much bigger than my previous (donor) bike, a Yeti SB4.5. Even with a 35mm stem. I’m currently running an Fox F34 fork at 140mm and it feels fine. Although I’m looking to reduce this to 120mm, maybe compromise at 130mm.

I’ve not weighed it yet. It’s not light, nor is it heavy. My 30mm internal rims are now supporting 2.5 29″ rubber front and rear. The first ride felt harsh so I’ve dropped the psi to 22F/25R.

I’m still getting a feel for the bike. It’s not quite as poppy as previous bikes but this might equate to the longer wheelbase. On the flip side to this it feels stable on the descents.

I’ve done loads of 60km+ rides on mine with 140mm tyres. Not a problem at all.

270 miles done on my Large Solaris Max now, I’m at 5’11”. I built it with an adjustable Pike, so 140mm most of the time which feels super confident, but drops down to 110mm for steep climbs. I wanted it to be an all rounder and it’s working out great so far!

It’s my first 29er and first time on 2.4″ tyres so it feels like a totally different animal to my old 26″ Soul. Didn’t take long to get used to though.

Ok- so it looks like I’ve picked up a second hand one in medium

Looking to move stuff over from The existing mk2. I’ve got a non boosted shimano xt crank.

Am I going to run into trouble running a 32 tooth chainring? Is it new cranks time?

Should be fine. I ran 30t non boost fine anyway.

from the cotic website:

Chainline: 50mm (regular cranks) for up to 32t chainring, 53mm Boost chainline for up to 36t chainring

should be fine.

Took mine out today not ridden it for while, still a joy to ride, is great on the technical bits, the downhill bits, find it a little sluggish on the climbs, so no rushing up hill more relaxed feeling on the way up, overall a very nice bike.

Nobody got a purple one built up yet?

Saw a close-up of the colour on Sam’s Insta stories and found it quite arousing.

(not mine)

Question re stem and bar

I have a 50mm stem and 750@mm bar. Am I going to miss out on the whole longshot by not dropping to a 35mm stem and 780 bar?

It’s coming off an old bike and would save me some cash… but obviously I want to “do it properly”

Why does this thread have to rear it’s head up, making me want one even more now!! Why did I make a new year’s resolution not to buy any new bikes or frames for the whole of 2019? To make it worse they’re out of stock of medium frames in all colours until the spring!!

@mccraque I spoke to them about that exact thing when I ordered my Rocket and the reply back was that they’re designed round 35-50mm stems and bar width of 740mm+ so you should be right in the ballpark. Provided the bars aren’t too far forward for you it’ll be fine.

Keep the bars and buy a (cheap) shorter stem.

So apologies but how do I post photos again… ☹️

Reasonably priced medium frame in the classifieds, I saw the other day.

I’m selling mine too (also in the classifieds). Awesome frame, but the frame I had on order arrived and is also awesome 😀

Just need one in XL please 🎅

View post on imgur.com

Yes finally 🙂
Have had mine 2 years now and has had more use than my full suss! Set up for winter use with 29″ and 2.2 Forekastors. Mile crunching..
Summer use with 2.6 27+ Awesome round the FOD
Defiantly recommended. Toying with the idea of trading in my Whyte Full suss for a Flaremax to use the same wheels. Anyone else done the same?

I ran a mk1 flaremax on chubbies and it was a lot of fun. Although I probably preferred that on 29s.

My hubble purple Solaris frame arrived today.

Any suggestions for a decent 120mm-130mm fork for it for not a silly amount of money? I’ve got a 120mm Reba to  go on it for now but was thinking about getting something a bit nicer.

I just bought a DVO Diamond 27.5+/29 from Bike24. Spoke to DVO first. Really good people there. It’s still about £550 but it’s a heck of a lot of fork for that.

My XL 12.8kg with carbon wheels and chunky tyres (Minions).
I have found 30t is ok on a 50mm chainline.

More photos here:

Longshot SolarisMAX – when?

Anyone else like the00 riding an XL?

I’ll be ordering a new frame to swap the 27.5+ parts from my carbon hardtail.

I’m 6’1” and undecided between the L or XL. The large is comparable to the current bike but I also have an XL BTR Pinner which fits well.

I’m concerned that the XL is quite tall and I don’t want a gate.

I’m 6’3″ and now run a 200mm dropper about 40mm from slammed.

Im riding an XL soda, Im 186cm, long limbs, Merseyside if you want a spin?

XL doesn’t feel tall to me, long is how it feels