Glad you decided to join the Rocketman gang Chief, you won’t be disappointed, a truely awesome bike to ride.

Buying frame only or complete bike? Still plenty of options if buying a frame only but it’s getting increasingly difficult to buy a complete bike in 26″ wheels.

Thought about the Cotic Rocket?

Lyriks to avoid are the older 2 step air versions (pretty unreliable). Also the Lyrik R which is found as OEM on some bikes has more basic damping.

A few of us did the All Mountain course last year with Andy Barlow. All of us consider ourselves fairly experienced riders in xc and dh. The course was excellent, a really great day out and all of us took something from the course that has made us better riders. Andy is a great teacher. Even if you’ve been riding for years and think you know it all I guarantee you’ll get something out of a Dirtschool course. Recommended.

@Fluff66 My mate continued to ride the bike after finding the initial crack a few weeks ago as he wanted to finish the Enduro season. However, after Dyfi last weekend he decided to strip the bike down and send it back to Germany as the crack was getting bigger. Only a small niggle really 😉

Here’s a pair

A mate has one (Wicked 26″ wheels) and loves it. He rates it very highly. The BOS is very composed. Only niggle he has is that the frame is cracked. It’s currently in transit on it’s way back to Germany. This is not the first one I’ve seen crack either. Another frame I know of cracked in exactly the same place.

Buy one. They are a riot to ride. Most fun full sus I’ve owned.

If you are considering a Minion DHF then don’t rule out the Specialized Butcher Control. Very similar but slightly bigger and grippier(2.3 Butcher is more like the 2.5 Minion). Tubeless ready and well priced at £30.

Move along now, nothing to see here 😉

Got some uturn coil Pikes on a Santa Cruz Nickel and while they are old, not sophisticated and a bit battered they still do a mighty fine job for XC and playing in the woods duties. No where near as good as the Lyriks on my Rocket but still great forks all the same despite the weight and the age. They are way stiffer than Rev’s or Sektors but no where near as stuff as Lyriks. Agree that the damping gets erratic if pushed hard but if you can pick a set up for less than £100 like I did (paid £60 on here) then they are still a great fork.

I just you regular chainring bolts. Got some of these to space them out.

Ison chainring spacers

Which is why I run Coil Lyrik U-turns up front Cy 🙂

1×10 is great for most of my riding (ragging around the local woods, trail centres etc) and I wouldn’t go back to 2×10/2×9/3×9 etc. As peterfile mentions though, if you do a lot of big country riding with long drawn out technical climbs then I reckon you will miss the lower gears. You can still get up these climbs but you have to attack a lot more which really tires you at.

As for set up. I use 32t and 11-36 cassette with a chain guide. The new breed of wide/narrow tooth chainrings designed to run without a chainguide really do work though if you want a cleaner/lighter look to the bike. Several friends run these chainrings without issue.

I like them. Durable (so far), comfy and grippy. Granted if the palms of your gloves get covered in mud then they can be slippy. Would I pay £24.99…Er no but as I get mine at ‘bike shope staff price’ then happy to use them.

chiefgrooveguru – The CTD Kashima shock performs very well indeed. All the settings make a noticable difference to how the shock feels. To be honest I mainly just leave mine in Trail setting, usually on number 2. This gives a great pedalling platform with just enough small bump sensitivity. Only getting full travel on the bigger hits. Have mine pumped up to 190psi (12 stone rider). The shock is noticably plusher in descend mode but I find I get more pedal strikes when coming out of corners as it’s very eager to use all of it’s travel. I never use the climb option as the bike pedals so well anyway. I guess on tarmac sections/smooth fire road climbs then the climb option could be of use.

Reckon BOS front and rear would really suit the frame. I’m currently running mine with Fox kashima CTD rear and Lyrik coil up front. A great combo. Also tried a RS Rev up front on a demo bike, better for XC duties than the Lyrik but the Lyrik is better for rougher terrain. Interested to hear views on the x-fusion slant. The new Pike looks like a match made in heaven.

I used to own a Nomad MkII set up with an ISCG05 Stinger, XT triple chainset (set up as a double and bash). Ran the bike 2×9 and the above set up worked flawlessly.

Don’t know much about the Spitfire as I’ve not ridden one. I do own a Rocket though and it’s an absolute riot of a bike. Ok, the suspension design is not the most sophisticated I’ve ever ridden but I can honestly say that in 15 years of mountain biking its the best bike I’ve ever had the pleasure to ride in terms of fun. It’s fast, agile, pedals great, flies out of corners, did I mention that its fun?!, stiff, chuckable, very poppy, fun, fun and more fun. Getting the idea? Not as composed in slow, techy rocky stuff as say a vpp bike but its a blast once you crank it up.

Get the Rocket with either CTD or BOS option.

There is a very interesting article and interview with an ex-bike thief in the latest issue of the BMX mag The Albion.

Best bike I’ve owned and I’ve had quite a few. Not the lightest but it’s so much fun. No idea what it weighs but it goes up and down just fine.

Edinburgh bike coop have a 15% promotion weekend this weekend. Last time I looked we had one stumpy evo in large left. After that they are sold out.

Kashima boost valve cdt here on a Cotic Rocket. I leave it in trail mode most of the time on the second setting. Seems to strike a nice balance between pedal friendly firmness and plushness, full travel is achieved on the bigger hits or drops. I’ve tried the climb mode but to be honest I never use it. The bike pedals well enough without needing to use the climb option, so cannot comment on whether or not full travel is achieved in climb mode. The descend mode is super plush but generally agree with the comments that it’s a little eager to use all of the travel to quickly. A very good shock, have been impressed with it.

I’ll be there along with another 6 from Newcastle, we’ll have a little VW village set up at the GT Forest lodges site if anyone wants to say hello. Just treating it as a ride. Pretty sure none of us will be winning anything on 150mm travel bikes. Just doing it for a laugh.

Live crime reporting comes to STW!

Hope the twunt is caught.

mudsoul – frame issues. Haven’t seen any 2013 models with the same issues as previous models, that is cracks around the BB or downtube. The support strut seems to have stiffened them up. Have seen current models with seatclamp area issues though. Have seen the bonding fail on the alu sleeve used in the seatclamp area. We don’t get many Carbon frames back for warranty but when we do it’s more than likely a 146.

Seen a few of these back for warranty at work. Don’t think I would buy one myself although they do ride very well.

Not heard or seen anything on the 2014 Croix de fer yet. I am however looking forward to the Fugio being released.

Genesis Fugio

The Slackline is a thing of beauty, lovely bit of kit.

P20 – I reckon a Soul would suit you very well but doubt it will give you anything your 456c doesn’t already provide apart from the aesthetics of course. How about a Solaris or similar?

Got coil Lyriks on my Rocket. They are a really good match to the frame (running Fox CDT Kashima shock).

Upgrade have stock of X-Fusion Slant now. Another possible option. They also have limited stock of last years 160mm Vengeance, both forks can be had for less than £500.

Rose tinted glasses has to be a 1997 Kona Explosif. Best bike I own and have ridden is my Cotic Rocket.

Running a Gusset tribal 32t ring. Tough, reasobably light and not too expensive. Looks pretty good as well. On a XT crank.

5ft 11 on a 54 Planet X Uncle John. 100mm stem, layback post. Perfect for off road and commuting. 548mm top tube (I think), check the specs.

Amelia Taylor in pic 6 with a purple helmet (snigger) 😉

I know several people who did this and they all gave really good positive feedback. Would have raced myself had it not been for work.

Where you based Gaz? Welcome to a try of mine if you are in the NE of England and would be after a medium (I’m 5ft 11).

I’m biased as I own a Rocket but seriously get one! All the hype about them being infectious, fun, eager, fast, agile is so true. They pedal really well for a 150mm travel bike as well. Best bike I’ve owned (I know everyone says that about a new bike but seriously it is!). So much better than the Nomad I was riding previously. Don’t worry about the stay bolts, its not an issue.

As for the shock, I demo’d the bike with a float rl but purchased a frame with the cdt. Definitely a better shock but the bike still rides great with the rl. In hindsight I would probably get the BOS if I was buying again.

Had this a good few years but still enjoy riding it.

Minion DHF 2.35 SP Supertacky is my preferred front tyre. Sometimes a 2.5 for DH days.

A couple of rigid bikes out in the hills. Love the simplicity of the rigid. Still ride suspension as well though.