Sorry to bang on about this guys – ive been sweating over a frame change for last few weeks and no matter how many nights I lay awake fretting over the right decision – I cannot make my mind up proper.

I have however narrowed down to two choices, your job is to tell me which one to plump for. Simples.

For reasons of cost savings / easy transfer of current kit im going to sell my Mk2 Soul and buy either:

Camber Comp
http://www.bikescene.co.uk/Specialized-Camber-Comp-26-Frame-5977-92-0.html

or

Soul Mk3
http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/soul

£600 & £500 respectively. Both able to take a Reverb, which was a main reason behind ‘upgrading’. One scratches the FS itch, the other a well tried and tested pattern that I love.
I have a 120mm Reba and the remainder of my kit is pretty decent, which would make a fairly light and well performing build on the Camber. Im propoer worried that ill pine for a hardtail, but my thinking is that if thats the case I can move the Camber frame on next Spring and buy the Mk3 Soul.
I also NEED a Cotic in my life, part of my plan is to hopefully keep the Camber and save for a full Solaris or Simple build next year sometime.
We all go through these chains of thought, right folks?

Thanks for all the advice so far on my other threads – and Northwind – I respect your stance on the Camber but I can barely find a bad word about it elsewhere and my thinking is that with next to zero FS experience (and a 120mm fork begging to be fitted) that it would likely do an admirable job for me.

Keep the hardtail or dabble with FS guys? You decide. Credit card at the ready..

Soul MK3.

I reckon you should get [what I have]

Is check bike scene have stick first. I was all geared up for a stumpy but when you hit order it’s a contact form and there were none left.

+1 COTIC

Camber now, Solaris next year.

Is check bike scene have stock first

I’ve seen a photo of the frame in question (Orange/Black/White) and am trying to negotiate a better price! It’s not working though..

This needs a time frame doesnt it…

4pm.

Frame with most votes gets ordered.

camber

Soul +1

My mate has a camber, that shock is not impressive.

Personally I’d get the Soul if I didn’t already have one.

But it feels like flipping everyone rides a Soul now, so I’m going to vote that you get the Camber. 😉

I’d normally go with the FS, but I’ve ridden a Camber.
Get the Soul.

Camber, but get the evo!

You shouldn’t be allowed a bike until you have learnt not to use the made up word ‘simples’ 😛

Soul. Best 26″ hardtail I ever did ride.

If the zealots took over & banished 29erers I’d get another Soul in a flash.

Soul

In true STW fashion….. Rocket.

Not really, Soul.

If I’ve gotten this wrong then apologies …… But aren’t you a big tall chap?

If so my decision would be guided by fit more than anything else.

At 6’ 2/3’’ I found that I was on the upper end of fit for the Soul (L) I had.

To get a good fit I needed a layback post to accommodate a shortish (70mm) stem and 762mm bars.

For that alone I would plump for the Spesh.

>>>> Sensibly though get a Solaris and save yourself the hassle in 12 months time!

You shouldn’t be allowed a bike until you have learnt not to use the made up word ‘simples’

I was in two minds whether to reply after seeing that.

The shock on the camber is a bit pony but that is easily upgraded on the camber (makes a change for specialized). I would go for the camber as it is something different.

Can you not afford to keep your soul frame for the time being and gradually build it back up to a full bike? Thats what I normally end up doing.

Personally I’d get the Soul if I didn’t already have one.

Didnt I mention that im selling a Soul?.. to fund a..Soul..

If I’ve gotten this wrong then apologies …… But aren’t you a big tall chap?
At 6’ 2/3’’ I found that I was on the upper end of fit for the Soul (L) I had.
To get a good fit I needed a layback post to accommodate a shortish (70mm) stem

Yes pretty much. 6ft 1″. Long torso and shortish legs. As it happens I run my current Mk2 Soul with a layback post (80mm stem)so im glad you reminded me, I need to fit an inline and take it for a spin to be sure ill get on with a Reverb.

Sensibly though get a Solaris and save yourself the hassle in 12 months time!

Very tempted by this. But have costed it at £1500 to do it justice. I dont currently have the spare monies.

Camber. Obvious, innit.

Can you not afford to keep your soul frame for the time being and gradually build it back up to a full bike?

My usual trick too. I really want to run a reverb though, and ideally a tapered fork when funds allow.

Camber, scratch the FS itch.

this is a lot closer than I thought it would be!

Keep your mk 2 soul and fit a 27.2 gravity dropper?

Less hassle than a reverb, and you keep the frame you love…

Well get the camber and put a reverb on that. Then gradually build the soul back up so you can ride that too. Now you have two bikes so you can start saving for a soul Mk3 frame and fit a second reverb to that.

Doesn’t the Camber require a straight steerer?

Going back to the fit of the Soul ….. without a layback post I found I needed to run a 100mm stem.

IMHO this compromised the handling in 120mm mode, it was fine in 100mm mode but that kind of defeated the point for me.

Do you have a dropper yet?

@Jamie, you did reply, but hinted you had a better reply, come on hit us with it you photoshopping god.

I was in two minds whether to reply after seeing that.

I thought my camber (26er Pro) was poor tbh. I thought it’d be a short travel trailbike, it turned out to be a fat xc bike. Pedalled much the same as a stumpjumper, descended less well, and weighed pretty much the same. Was glad to see the back of the pointless thing.

Lovely colour though!

letmetalktomark – Member
Doesn’t the Camber require a straight steerer?

^ I was just logging in to post, that camber doesn’t have tapered ht.

In 26er (not sure about the 29er) versions the M4 frame is like the comp in the link.

The M5 frame got the tapered ht, plus pf bb and 142+ (or whatever Spesh call it) rear end.

Didnt I mention that im selling a Soul?.. to fund a..Soul..

Ah, right. I did the exact same thing, sold my Mk 2 and got a Mk 3, mostly so I could run a Reverb instead of the HiLo I had before. The HiLo was pretty good though, if cash had been particularly tight I would have been perfectly happy on the Mk 2 for years. Get a 27.2 dropper and stop arsing about. 😀

@ Northwind – was yours M4 or M5 frame?

^ I was just logging in to post, that camber doesn’t have tapered ht.

Yes, tapered would be nice but not a priority. My current Reba is straight.
Plus im really not fussed on the PF BB. Rather stick to my Hope BB.

Get a 27.2 dropper and stop arsing about

I hear you. I just cant find enough good comments on anything other than Reverb. Plus I had a go on a Reverb and was all like ”ooohhhh” at its hydraulicness..

Do you have a dropper yet?

No

I thought it’d be a short travel trailbike, it turned out to be a fat xc bike

I confess to being concerned by this

@Normal Man- old M4 model so probably a bit chunkier (but no bloody stupid BB).

Camber… easy. 8)

short travel trailbike… fat xc bike

..aren’t these just different terms for the same thing?

Another good point..

FWIW

I rode a Camber 29er at a demo day a year ago and quite liked it – a capable nippy-ish bike (apart from the silly clown wheels).

I also rode a steel hardtail once.

i used a cable operated hi-lo (27.2) and now have a reverb, there is bugger all difference in use

and you wont use it as much as you should for the money anyway……