I’m a fully signed up 29er man and have come into work today with idle thoughts of replacing my 29er hardtail (Ragley Big Wig – fantastic bike but my bike is not tolerating the Peak District descents anymore).

So thoughts turn to FS.  I’ve has half an eye on the Escarpe for some time and just spotted Cotic are knocking out the RocketMAX for just under a grand which brings it more price-aligned with the Escarpe.

They both look like great bikes and tick many boxes – 140ish travel, 29er, long and low etc…

Anybody with either bike any comments? I’m liking that Cotic are just over the hill from here and they aren’t CRC…

Any other thoughts on other frames to consider?  I’ve only just started looking semi-seriously!

Pics and reviews of your own bike always help too 🙂

Bike = back not tolerating descents.

Bird AM9 is available frame only and isn’t too expensive. Getting generally rave reviews and it’s a uk company you’d be supporting. I’ve got the Aeris 145lt and it’s a beast downhill – I imagine the AM9 is similar, but apparently it pedals better / rolls better with the bigger wheels.

Isn’t Cotic preparing to release a new Rocket Max in Longshot guise?

I’ll second the AM9 recommendation

The escarpe is a pretty long frame whereas the current rocketmax isn’t, the AM9 is long too. I own a 27.5 escarpe and I’d go for the AM9 frame over the escarpe frame, it’s not a bad frame, it’s just the AM9 is a really really nice frame.

Good call on the AM9.

I’ll try and arrange some demos – I’m not sure I really want long long so the RocketMAX might be good.

Demos are definitely the way forward. Just to say the wheelbase on the Bird is quite long, but when you are sat on the bike you don’t feel stretched. I’m 5’9 and on an ML size with a reach of 481mm I think it is. But it has a fairly steep seat tube angle so pedalling uphill is reasonably efficient (bearing in mind it’s 170/160mm travel with the LT linkage).

The Whyte s-150 is also meant to be pretty good, but I don’t think us available frame only.

Might be worth mention that the AM9 is quite a bit longer than the Escarpe – 500 vs 465mm for an L.

Actually, AFAIK, you can only go longer than the AM9 with the Pole and Nicolai offerings (FS, size for size)

The Birds all have short seat tubes though – so you can pretty much pick the reach you want regardless of seat tube height being a concern. So I went ML but could have gone M or maybe at stretch the L. You can then pick what length dropper you want to run with it.

I’ve demoed the Cotic Flare and the Bird Aeris 120, similar bikes but the Aeris is a lot longer. The Aeris doesn’t feel as long as the numbers suggest, also the Flare didn’t feel too short either. So I’d demo both bikes and see which you like the feel of, don’t just go on the numbers on the screen. Both Bird and Cotic are fantastic to deal with.

I was looking for a while at the Cotics, but was put off by:

– the Rocket Max was (is) yet to receive the Longshot geo. Saw the light after my Pipedream Moxie, not willing to go back on geo. The Flare was a bit too tame for what I wanted

– not convinced by the shocks. Would prefer RS or Fox, and they tend to spec not so common sizes

– their seat tube angles are very slack. It’s their thing, nothing against that, but I personally prefer a more vertical seat angle on a bike with long geometry. Keeps the front wheel weighted and allows you to put more power down, not to mention keeping the ETT in check. My AM9 has a 76° STA and I still run the saddle all the way forward

The new cotic ricket with the longshot geo has a 75 degree seat angle with a 160 fork, so well up to date.

I had a Ragley Big Wig which I thought was a good fun bike, however I decided I wanted a full suss 29er so changed the frame for a Transition Smuggler which I absolutely love. Everything swapped straight over but have now changed the forks from 130mm on Big Wig to 140mm for Smuggler I had a Large BW & went XL Smuggler both had same seat tube length

Wasn’t Cotic supposed to announce the Longshot Rocket Max somewhere in August?

Kind of remember reading that somewhere