Eh is putting this on ok Mods? I do like these emails the only marketing type stuff I read rather than bin! Would like a Solaris really like the look of those! 8)
Morning!
Hope you’re well and getting out despite the weather. It’s really not been good to us this year, has it?
What I’m hoping for with this letter is some help and some insight. I’m going to let you in on a couple of frames we’re working on to expand the droplink suspension platform and I’d like some feedback from you on what you’d prefer – if anything – out of the options we’re looking at, and if we’re not going the way you’re interested in, what would you like?
The Rocket has been going brilliantly for us and it’s been great to successfully get into a part of the market that Cotic hasn’t traditionally found itself in. However, this new area of the market is part of the issue I’d like some help with. Whilst the Rocket is absolutely the bike I wanted for blasting around my home trails of the Peak District, a lot of people we’ve spoken to seem to think it will be “too much bike” for them. This surprised me a little bit, as I’ve quite happily put some zippy tyres on mine and shot about on singletrack trails without wishing I was on something else. People really seem to be interested in the idea of the Rocket, with it’s steel construction and clean lines, but some feel it’s more than they want/need.
Realistically our usual customers (your good self) are hardtail fans, and there is definitely a body of opinion out there that people would rather be ragging a shorter travel bike towards it’s limits than going off in search of the lofty limits of a 150mm bike. This being the case, we have had a couple of options on test for a couple of months now and both are getting to the point of being sorted. However, I can’t see us doing both of them – not initially anyway – so I’d like some feedback from you. Here are our current development bikes, both 26″ wheel before you ask!
1) 125mm travel, 120-140mm forks, very much related to the Rocket with a steel front end and Rocket swingarm with the X-12 axle. 67.5/73 angles with 140 forks, 68.5/74 with 120’s. Frame weight in the high 6lbs range. With 120mm forks it’s proper nippy at trail centres, with 140mm forks it’ll handle the Peak in very much mini Rocket style. Obviously carries the steel front end and aesthetic of the Rocket into something shorter and a little less intimidating.
2) 100mm travel, 100-120mm forks, aluminium throughout, basically Soul geometry. For those with a long memory for Cotic facts, the geometry on this frame is based on the KP24 prototype we did a few years back for Kate Potter to race one. Frame weight is around 6lbs depending on size. 100mm FS frames these days all seem to be either crazy light carbon or jumpy slopestyle. Nobody really makes
a 100mm travel trail FS frame. That could be either an opportunity to fill a niche or a sales disaster waiting to happen!!
Personally, I prefer the 125mm bike. It’s something very much like the Rocket experience in a lighter and nippier package, and particularly at trail centres and the like you do feel much less ‘overbiked’ than riding the Rocket. On the 100mm frame, for me I’d rather ride my Solaris 29er hardtail as I think it does mostly the same things but lighter. On the flipside, Paul (who’s 5ft 8in and doesn’t really get on with 29ers) thinks it’s basically a faster version of his Soul, which therefore makes it brilliant. It’s clearly a good bike though, and despite my feelings towards it, I know plenty of people who don’t want to go 29″.
Be interested to know your thoughts. Looking forward to hearing from you.
Cheers,
Cy
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