Fitted and ridden. The MM is massive but it’s not that draggy in the SpeedGrip compound. The Forekaster feels like a pretty quick tyre, not as quick as the Rekon+ it replaced,

Conditions were a bit greasy after some rain yesterday and some more while we were riding. The MM is immense. I’m sure it’s slowing the rotation of the earth! So much grip, so much confidence. The FK is surprisingly grippy as well. I  wasn’t sure it’d have the chops in loose conditions but it held a line on some off camber nastiness thats had me sliding down the hill on Rekons.

We’ll see how they go in the proper slop. First ride out tho, very impressed.

Still need to put the longer fork on.

Well, that’s my one moved on…

one in one out rule… 😉

Fitted some Surly Krampus forks for the winter. Long rigid forks like this looks a bit goofy, but the bike rides very nicely.

I chose these over carbon forks for the fit and forget reliability, and they are covered in bosses for bike backing etc.

These forks have a bit more offset than my Pikes, and they’re a fair bit shorter too. The handling is very natural and nice.

So finally extended my X-Fusion McQueens to 140mm.  Are they better than the Fox Float 130s? No idea it was so filthy

<span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”>[url=https://flic.kr/p/P4B6be]Solaris Max[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr</span>

The 2.8 MM is brilliant tho. Grippiest tyre ever. Means I feel confident I can run chubby all winter. ForeKaster on the rear isn’t as good but it rolls fast and slips about in an amusing manner.

I stuck the 130s on my daughters Mk1. This is not my garage I hasten to add! Had a quick blast up and down the road and it felt so much fun. I need to ride that bike again. Maybe not on those tyres tho unless it dries up.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2bHKeKU]Solaris Max[/url] by Alex Leigh, on Flickr

Thanks to this thread I’ve got a lovely dark metal frame on the way!

Need to find a set of forks and decide on what size wheels to use first. What is everyone running? Are you preferring 27.5+ or 29 so far?

29er Pike RCT3 with Hope Tech Enduro Hoops. Front none boost & rear boost.
Not had a chance to try 27.5+ but as a 29er it is so competent that I can’t think what 27.5+ would add.

Good to hear, was thinking of using 29 first. I’ve got a pair of boost hub wheels coming so just need a fork now.

Would love another Mattoc in 29 flavour if I can find a pair for reasonable money.

I’ve had mine since Xmas and been running the 29er wheels from my full suss in it with 2.5WT shorty/DHF combo.
Not the fastest rolling tyres but comfy with 20psi and a huck norris in the rear.
I too planned on 27.5+ set up, got a hope 35w rear wheel but don’t have the front yet, but I’ve been in no rush as its been riding well in 29.
The slack front end and long wheelbase makes it super confident for steep off piste riding.
I’m serially tempted to demo a rocket max as I’m so impressed with the feel of the longshot geo.

Are you preferring 27.5+ or 29 so far?

I wouldn’t like to say which I prefer, both are great, but I’ll probably ride 29in more – especially in the wetter months.

Would love another Mattoc in 29 flavour if I can find a pair for reasonable money.

I actually have one BNIB that I was going to return to CRC, send me a message on here if you’re interested.

Thanks for the advice, 29 it is!

The full sus is 27.5 so it will be nice to have a change.

Mine is still in the build phase but already thinking it’s going to be worth the wait, 140 x- fusion maclaren, Carbon hoops on hope hubs (29er), 800m bars, Michelin wild enduro F&R, 170 x fusion dropper, sram gx dub boost and sram guide rs. Big summer days in the Alps beckon ! 😁

I’ve not ridden my 29 yet. I love it 27.5 with ^^ those tyres. Ridden in loads of slop and it’s absolutely fine. I like 29er bikes a lot, but the Solaris is so much fun on chubbies and I reckon they cushion my aged and decrepit spine a bit…

Now have a 170mm dropper on it. Back out in the mud tomorrow…

27+ on mine and I love it, no idea on when or if I will try 29.

29er for me. I’ve been 29er only for a long time, and this bike can take big 29er tyres so I really don’t feel that plus has much to offer. I would be interested to compare one day, but not to buy some wheels.

My bike’s first trip to BPW today, and it was indomitable.

There’s a nice SolarisMAX LS in the classifieds 😉

If people want to try a medium on 29” to compare to the 27.5+, feel free to have a go on mine.
Based near Didcot with the Ridgeway close by.

I just sent that advert link to my mate who rode mine yesterday (he has a Mk1) and he loved it.

It was pretty sloppy yesterday and having a HT, with brilliant tyres and no suspension bearings to worry about, was absolutely perfect.

Oh and @bungalastic that’s a lovely build. Nice moody photo as well.

Alex- no problem with the 27.5+ in the mud? I had a set on an old bike and found they floated too much in mud, wheres as 29er cut through it. I guess it’s pressure, tyre and mud type sensitive though.

I thought the same. My Rekon’s were as sketchy as anything. I was skeptical but the MM 2.8 dispelled that worry. Three of us are running ‘winter chubs’, all on MM On the front and we’re all really happy with them.

The Forest does get properly slippy so they aren’t going to stop you sliding about, but they seem to be as good as other mates running 2.3 DHFs, MMs etc.

I run mine at 13R/12F. It seems made they grip but they really do!

More importantly though Alex, what mudguard are you using on the front?

My 2.8in HR is contacting my Rockguardz one under compression.

Some folk find the 27.5+ is just a little too low when compared with the 29er; depends very much on where you ride but if there are big rocks about, be prepared for crank/pedal strikes. It’s a marginal difference on the SolarisMax but is noticeably worse on the Flare. Both are probably better built up with 170mm cranks, rather than 175.

I’m running DHF/DHR combo in 2.8 flavour and I don’t think they’re any worse than the same tyres in 29×2.5. Not exactly a boggy mess in The Lakes but places like Ae forest and Dent can get pretty muddy this time of year and they’ve been fine. Took a while to get used to though.

@chakaping: it’s a Mudhugger – the Enduro (long) one I think. There’s loads of room in that X-Fusion fork. I have a similar issue to you on my Pikes on another bike.

@highlandman Agree on 170mm cranks, mine are 175mm as they are what I had. Not really had too many strikes but not much rock in the Forest. I do keep hitting stumps tho but that’s just incompetence 🙂

@bungalistic – I’m surprised how well they roll. And I do like the cushioning. I know some people hate that soft/is it going to roll off the rim feeling, but one of the blokes I ride with is pretty aggressive and seems to get on fine. It is strange going back to non chubby.

Interesting – 27.5 plus working in the mud .. I went 29 for versatility having had a winter on laughably inappropriate plus tyres on a Charge Cooker (and knowing I could only afford 1 wheelset) and with wide rims & 2.3 tyres I’d kind of solved the comfy ride and grip of Plus question…

Seems either works pretty damn well. Will go Plus one day for the hell of it as it was so much fun in summer.

@chakaping: it’s a Mudhugger – the Enduro (long) one I think. There’s loads of room in that X-Fusion fork. I have a similar issue to you on my Pikes on another bike.

Cheers, mine is on a boost Fox 34. I reckon I’ll just have to revert to the Enduro Guard and wear glasses more.

I’ve probably said this already on this thread, but I’m really pleased with the “two bikes in one” thing – there’s a genuine and useful difference between the 29in and B-plus set-ups IMO.

So finally got my SolarisMAX built, went out for ride Thursday, crashed and managed to snap the derailleur hanger bolt….typical!

Emailed Cotic but they’re away for the weekend and looks like they’re out of stock of the hangers at the moment. Does anyone what the spec of the bolt is as there seems to be a few x12 options out there?

I’ll ask…

Thanks kelvin!

In 29er form down south the other weekend…

View this post on Instagram

The @coticbikes #solarismax enjoying a beautiful #misty morning in the #woods earlier. #steelisrealmtb #hardtailmtb #29er #mtblife #cyclingshots #lightbro #nofilter #bikelife #hertfordshire #broxbournewoods

A post shared by unduro (@unduro) on Feb 17, 2019 at 8:53am PST

I’ve had my eye on a dark metal frame for a bit, but just discovered they’re sold out/discontinued in Large which has thrown me a bit. Like the black but was keen for a change as all my other bikes are black. Anyone got pics of a red one built up?

I had the same dilemma as you, I’ve ordered a Black one in the end.

Not my bike but this is a red one built up:

some pictures of red ones here:
https://www.mexinsta.com/hashtag/coticsolarismax

Edge85 – that’s bad luck, but sounds like the bolt worked as designed and saved the frame and the mech. Hopefully the hanger is ok too. It’s a Syntace X-12 hanger, and the bolt you need is type 1. Like this:

https://r2-bike.com/SYNTACE-X-12-Derailleur-Hanger-Screw

Thanks slackboy… also pics of the Dark Metal on there.. So much nicer than the red.

Cotic tell me there’s a new colour in the pipeline, so I think I’ll bide my time a bit.

Got to say none of the colours really did it for me, dark metal was the safe option.

Looks classy and all that but I would have preferred something a bit more cheerful.

Can’t see the red sticking around. Bit too far the other way!

Thanks the00. I might just order a couple of those but was unsure if the whole bolt was threaded as there isn’t any threads on the frame, just on the hanger. I managed to loose the top half of the screw in the crash so no idea what it looks like!

I also think its a very good design as in theory you should only ever have to carry a spare bolt instead of the whole hanger.

Paul says 28mm bolt.

Thanks kelvin! I’ve ordered a couple of those bolts the00 linked which should fit and will order a spare hanger when Cotic are back in stock.

Still not ridden mine on 29er wheels

We did one night ride when it ‘drying mud’ and three of us with plus bikes really struggled (even with Magic Mary’s up front). But apart from that, they’ve been fine. I still think this is the best colour, but I am biased…

Loving mine on the 29ners in the winter. Have a set of 2.8 chubby Nobby NICs also but found them very slow. Good in the woods on dry trails but that’s about it.
Anyone tried a set of 27.5 2.6s tyres. Have a set of Wtb so interested to see how they fair.