Could this be a “do it all” bike? Commuter during the week, then change tyres for for cross country at weekend?

Or any suggestions for something similar?

No. The clearances arent there at the front for the really muddy gloop.

Its a great all rounder, tow paths rather than xc though. I sold mine as I thought it was a x bike for racing, its not.

I won’t hate it though. In fact I’d like one as a winter bike, as I say it has limits.

Geared day one?

Commuter during the week, then change tyres for for cross country at weekend?

Depends what you mean by XC. If XC involves steep climbs and rocks, you’re prob better off with a 29er and a spare set of wheels with road tyres.
For less demanding XC, cross bikes are a blast.

Depends like they say. Drops? cantis? road gearing?

Surely an MTB with lock out and slicks will do more than a cyclo cross bike.

I’ve got a Cotic roadrat which does duty as commuting and light off road use. Don’t do drops me.

Currently fitted with 700×30 schwalbe cx comp tyres which make it pretty competent off road, obviously I’m not taking it round any trail centres but it gets me up the local canal tow path (not your granddads tow path mind; it’s blummin narrow, rutted, muddy and cut up). Guards fit still with those tyres which I like.

Going back to the original question, then yes.
A X functions perfectly well as a road bike to get around on. so no worries getting to work.
I’m running small block 8’s at the moment and the zip along ok on the road whilst being pretty grippy off road, so no swopping tyres.
Off road its a hoot. Over and across country faster than a 26in MTB. slower down hill but a heap of different fun.
as a X cross race bike, well it isn’t the lightest frame out there but is a issue?
I’ve not raced on mine so i’ve not had the full on grass attack, but in real world off road i’ve not had any issues with clearance or clogging, thats riding it pretty much every week since october.

I did an XC race on my Cotic X – wouldn’t do it again!

If you go for a cross type (touring?) frame then make sure there is room for the tyre you want to run and make sure it has disc brakes. The singular peregrine seemed ideeal to me. In the end I decided to get a mtb and put up with the slow commuting (it is not far for me) so went with a Gryphon which should be ready for me soon 🙂

Having used a x bike recently offroad, they really make easy trails a lot of fun. (ashton court etc. in Bristol) Mine had rim brakes and crap bits on it though so I wore out the rims and fron hub bearings in less than a month 🙁

Anyone got any frame (and or fork) weights for the X?

No. The clearances arent there at the front for the really muddy gloop.

Which forks were those? The new full carbon forks have oodles of clearance. More than my Eastons.

Full Carbon >X< forks:

Steel >X< forks:

It’s be worth paying the extra for the carbon fork, if only for the fact that the steel fork is ****-ugly.

Steel ones are easier to fit the awkward combination of disc and mudguard to though, if commuting.

I would make the argument that it’s only difficult to fit mudguards around a disc brake if you have an IQ of 3, and lack opposable thumbs.

So, how would it work as a flat barred, disk brake equipped bike for use as a winter commuter, tourer etc on back roads and tracks?

That must be a revised fork. The crabon fork on mine was silly tight, you couldnt fit your index finger in between the tyre and the bottom of the fork on the first incarnation.
I had to retire on the first lap from a x race (every cloud) because of the lack of clearance at the front.
Shame they didnt come like that on the first production run.

Dammit.

I would make the argument that it’s only difficult to fit mudguards around a disc brake if you have an IQ of 3, and lack opposable thumbs.

I’d make the argument that the carbon one doesn’t have mudguard eyelets on the dropouts or any way of attaching the guards to the crown…. 😀

I’d make the argument that the carbon one doesn’t have mudguard eyelets on the dropouts or any way of attaching the guards to the crown….

I agree- that’s the only thing this bike is missing. I came so close to buying one, but I wanted a steel fork rather than carbon, and I cannot abide that hideous disc mount. It just looks wrong!

This was mine which had both bosses for canti’s and mudguard eyelets and hee haw clearance.

Now it seems they have sorted the clearance issue but dropped the eyelets.

Cheers for info. I’ve emailed Cotic regarding a frame only purchase as I have a carbon fork with ace clearance. But am experimenting with the setup on my currrent 29er to see if I can set it up as a jack of all trades.

Here’s mine with the original carbon forks and mudguards. I haven’t raced it, but I’d say there’s plenty of clearance for casual offroading. It’s not probably the bike for a serious x racer, as its a bit hefty compared to say something like a Crosslight Pro6.

I really wanted one of these but cy said that it wouldn’t fit, that made me sad 🙁

Are you huge Lummox, or tiny? I’m 6’4″ and fit. Just.

So, how would it work as a flat barred, disk brake equipped bike for use as a winter commuter, tourer etc on back roads and tracks?

Surely you’re just describing the Roadrat rather than the X?

And if you are, I will say my road rat in that guise is great fun.

although conversely I fancy trying it with drops.

swapsies? 🙂

Surely you’re just describing the Roadrat rather than the X?

Oh yes, I guess I am 😳 But can you remove the V brake mounts on the RoadRat like you can on the X ?

Oh yes, I guess I am But can you remove the V brake mounts on the RoadRat like you can on the X ?

You certainly can 🙂

Thanks. I might give one of those a go then. If they have any Orange ones in the right size come the New Year that is.

Appologies to the OP for the thread hijack. As you were… 🙂

Cheers

Andy

Just to present the other side of the ownership love…

I really loved the Cotic’s small diameter steel tubes and for me the frame was a beauty to look at from a distance… but (you knew there was a ‘but’, right?) there are some really poor design flaws (IMO) which over a surprisingly brief time got on my tits so much I ended up selling it – which is a shame, as I still really loved the overall look of it.

– Unless you’re running discs the bolt-on canti bosses are an ugly Heath-Robinson abomination that can at best be described as an a’fterthought’. They detract from the visual beauty of the rest of the frame. Horrible.

– The 2 bottle cage mounts on the down tube is just annoying. It looks wrong, feels wrong, the top one makes inserting/removing even short 500ml bottles tricky.. I mean, come on – what was wrong with a bottle on the ST and another on the DT like every other bike??? Cy’s rationale of placing one bottle higher up the DT when actually shouldering the bike in a CX race doesn’t wash – no-one uses bottles in a CX race anyway. The bottle cage placings are just plain naff.

– The steerer tube angle is very slack compared to other CX bikes. OK, it’s only 1 degree – but try riding an X back-2-back versus other CX bikes and there is a very noticeable ponderous nature to the steering.

– Rear spacing at 135mm. OK, for those of you who want disc brakes on a CX machine (and it does seem the market is going that way) you’ll love it. But for traditionalists and those who actually race CX (how many disc-equipped bikes do you see racing??) it limits your choices as to wheel sets. I had my Cotic X just over 1 year ago, and while there has been a noticeable increase in availability of 135mm-hubbed 700c rimmed wheels, it’s still somewhat limiting.

– Finally, it’s heavy as a pig.

I’d love one if it were built out of better quality tubing, had a better fork, a steeper HA giving sharper steering, bottle bosses in the right places and canto bosses befitting a good frame rather than something from Fisher-Price.

I’ve got one and really like it.

Down sides – It’s a tad heavy. The new carbon fork is crazy light but it does lack the mudguard mounts, bit cack.
Up sides – great fun, lots of clearance on the new forks, disc ready.

Horses, courses. It’s a bit pricy for what it is but you can get deals on them. Overall I like mine.

I have an early one with the carbon forks. Plenty of room or 38mm knobblies but the do clog up in mud and leaves. I whinged about the bottles mounts as well. Racing and bottles don’t match so the idea is cobblers. I use side loading botttle cages and they are great and more secure.
Dunno baout the tubes used on the frame but I reckon they are just some modern chrome moly,ie nothing special compared to even 531.
As a bike for revrything its fine but 2 years later I think there is better stuff out there.