I spotted this at work last week and had to have it. It was on the way to Facebook Marketplace and I swooped in to acquire it.

The things is, I’m not exactly sure what I’ve got. How many versions of the Soul were there? How old is it?

It’s got a skinny, straight head tube, 27.2 seatpost and it measures a whopping 19 inches from BB to top of seat tube with a lofty, testicle tickling top tube.

I love the way it looks but I’m not sure what to do with it. I really wanted to build a trials bike or pumptrack ripper, or maybe a boring commuter. Now that I’ve had a few days to calm down and scour the classifieds for parts I’m not so sure!

Should I build it or hang it on the wall?

Here’s a picture with some Bombers just for kicks. I can’t build it like this because the forks are wrecked.

Replacable dropout makes it post-CEN I think? Some time after 2009 and I think before 2013

Yes as. Northwind says, pretty sure it’s post CEN, you can see the extra gusset welded at junction of head tube and down /top. I got in black but I’m wishing I’d had that vibrant orange now!
Is it mk2?

I believe if you’re considering hanging it on a wall rather than riding it, you have the kind of cotic soul you need to consider selling to someone with a pile of obsolete 26″ bits and a broken frame 🤔. This may or may not be a stealth wanted ad depending on what you paid for it 🤣

Yes, that’s just like the one I had but a large rather than a medium. Here’s all the info:

https://www.cotic.co.uk/product/classic_soul

Isn’t it incredibly light?!!

It’s either a mk1 or mk2 me thinks…
I had a mk3 which had a tapered headtube.
Lovely bikes

A very modern one looking at the head tube badge.

*shuffles out to garage to stroke Soul frame #165*

Yes, that’s just like the one I had but a large rather than a medium. Here’s all the info:

Thanks for that, I didn’t even think to look on the Cotic website for info about old bikes.

I believe if you’re considering hanging it on a wall rather than riding it, you have the kind of cotic soul you need to consider selling to someone with a pile of obsolete 26″ bits and a broken frame

I was determined to build it. I thought the market would be full of cheap 26″ parts that I could snap up and that doesn’t appear to be the case. I used to be able to just throw bikes together but these days, honestly the only thing I have in the garage which would fit this bike is a Renthal Fatbar and some ODI grips.

I’m not going to throw in the towel just yet but it might be a lot more expensive than I thought it would.

What’s wrong with the bombers?

What’s wrong with the bombers?

Everything. They were a skip find. Both stanchions are hammered, they were covered in oil when I found them so I’m guessing the seals are gone. The lowers and the graphics are in pretty bad condition. Strictly a garage ornament from now on I think.

Want to resurrect them? I’ve a complete set apart from lowers and brace (I ripped the disc mount off). You’d need to find seals and maybe bushings (drop in to fit).

Thanks for the offer but I can’t see myself ever using them. I haven’t ridden a Z1 since they were on the front of a Spooky Bandwagon and I was throwing myself off stair sets.

I’m just happy to have them as a glittery orange memento.

It’s either a mk1 or mk2 me thinks…

its not mk1, that was the only one without the headtube gusset i believe. i spent ages looking for one, thats how i know 😀

I had a mk3 which had a tapered headtube.

so….by process of elimination……

Mk 2

Same one i used to have.

Nice

mk2.5 (my mk2 doesn’t have a replaceable mech hanger)

I’m about to strip down my Soul and hang it on the wall, to make space for my Sherpa. No joke. But that is because it has sentimental value as p20 gave it to me on our wedding day. Therefore a full suite of 26” bits going on eBay which you can have first dibs if you want. Including a retro 3×9 drive chain! Unfortunately though mine is a mk3 with tapered headtube so not going to help the fork issue.

We got a stupid price on a 14 year old pair of straight steerer Rebas on eBay last year!

Should I build it or hang it on the wall?

Build it for defs.

I have a (slightly earlier?) Soul which is now a single-speed XC/pootle machine and it’s brilliant. I’m keeping an eye out for some rigid forks for it.

Looks identical to mine, mk2 Soul.

Lovely frames – I miss mine and I’ve only swapped the bits over to a Large frame of the same so I can fit my wee daughter’s Shotgun seat in comfortably.

I’ve been looking at bits to rebuild my old Medium back up again with but it’s pretty pricy out there just now.

Looks exactly like my Mk2 – still used for off road commute. Mine has the replaceable mech hanger – wasn’t aware there was a Mk2 without this. Can’t see myself getting rid of it – even added a Pro 70 dropper recently to make it a bit more fun!

I thought the market would be full of cheap 26″ parts that I could snap up

Any bits which still work have long since passed the ‘old and obsolete’ phase and moved into ‘rare and valuable ‘

Toptube decal is different to my mk2, but I’m guessing they’ve all been replaced at some point, as they look in better nick than the frame.

not a Mk 1, the Mk 1 had a seatstay brace, not the gussets.

So the one which was stolen from my garage in December was a Mk2, then..
Build it! If I could fine a replacement for mine I would snap it up.. I have a pair of talas waiting…

I hate to admit defeat on what could be an awesome retro-ish build, but I might have to move this frame on. I just had some large unexpected bills. My bloody van just cost me another £800. I’m wiped out of party funds.

I paid £150 for it. If anyone wants it for the same price and can collect from Sheffield, it’s yours.

If this isn’t allowed I’ll stick a proper advert in the classifieds after work.

You have the orange one. HTH

A brief history of the Cotic Soul, from 2017

From the above it sounds like yours is a Gen2 Soul. I’m not sure about what mark it is though, there were definitely variations amongst the Gen1 Souls and I think that at the time they were given individual marks. The initial Gen1 Souls for example had V brake bosses and possibly a brace at the BB between the chainstays. By the time I got my Soul they’d lost the bosses and the brace had been replaced by a couple of small gussets.

You know when people just read the first post and then hit Reply?

I have repeatedly tried and failed to advertise this bike on the classifieds. The preview button takes me to a blank page and when I refresh it’s empty.

I’m sick of trying so it’s on Pinkbike if anyone is interested.

Link

EDIT- It’s up! Clicky

Finally managed on my phone, painstakingly uploading one picture at a time.