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May 23, 2012, 03:53:24 AM

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Total Voters: 287

[Steve P]

After much deliberation and scouring of eBay I finally got rid of my old Scott Genius frame and puchased a small Cotic Soul frame.  It's mostly built it up with all the bits that came off the Genius 


Bare nakid

Headset & BB

Getting there




I think it's turned out pretty well.    The frame is mint.

Spec is
2005 XT dual control groupset, XTR rear mech
New XT front mech
2005 Fox TALAS 32 130mm recently serviced.
Hope headset
Race Face Deus stem (temporarily borrowed from the Meta)
Scott Pilot bars
Thomson post from eBay
Charge Spoon saddle
Wheels are Sun DS2-XC with XT hubs.
Crap Scott Cougar tyres

Still got to sort a stem and will be changing the tyres for my 2.2 Conti MK Pro's tubeless...
Weight currently between 25 & 26lbs.

I've had one short local ride on it last weekend for fettling.
It has a nice feel to it but tbh it was so cold I wasn't thinking about the ride, just getting back to the house.

We'll be going out again later 

[Crag]

looks nice and decent build as well.

Be interested to know how the Cotic compares to other hardtails you've had. 

I'm toying with the idea of going down the steel route myself and the Cotic is one of the frames I'm liking the look of.

Whilst I don't subscribe to that beard donning 'steel is real' bollox myself its supposedly a much more compliant ride.

BTW, have you seen the Hemlock 2.  Nice looking frame.

[ianandangie]

COOL looking nike,

hows the forks working out and what travel have you set them at.

my question is cos i have an old ht kona caldera and was thinking of sticking my float 140mm on the front from my mets 55. i hope to upgrade to talas for my meta.

i have checked the frame geometry and my caldera has a headtube at 68.5 a set tube at 70.5 and a bbh of 317mm.

this geometry seems somewhere in the middle of 4 bikes tested by mbuk mag  like the cove stiffeee and marin rocky ridge - all hts with long travel fork around 140mm.

my reckoning is that the geometry will work out ok. in fact i think it will be ace. 1 lad suggested drop the floats down to 120mm if it is a bit rubbish so im not that worried if it dont work very well at 140?

just wondering what you thought as you are riding a bike with the option of long travel.

cheers

ian

[Steve P]

looks nice and decent build as well.

Thank you, though most of the bits were 'hand me downs' they do suit it well.
I've only had one other hardtail - my 1995 GT Tequesta.  Still got it and still use it occasionally as a commuting hack.  It's a Cro-Mo frame but the angles are more severe and it has a crappy Indy C elastomer fork so it doesn't compare.  Last time I rode it off road it broke my collar bone.  Still enjoy riding it as a hack tho.

I went out this afternoon on the Soul and while conditions were difficult (semi frozen mud) I really enjoyed it & the back end never felt harsh.  Climbs & descends well. 

COOL looking nike,

hows the forks working out and what travel have you set them at.

Hi Ian & thanks.
The forks are set at their max of 130mm.   The frame is corrected / designed to take up to 130mm forks and feels good with them set up that high.  Can't see me dropping them at all.

With 130mm forks the geo should be Head 69, Seat 72, BB 12.25" though I've not measured it.

I'm not familiar with the Caldera but looking at Kona's site it probably came with 100mm forks?
If it already has a head angle of 68.5 then IMO the 140mm floats would affect the handling adversly.  You would lose some of the fun element in the tight & tech stuff.  Not only that but going 40% over what the frame was designed for could well put too great a load on the headtube.  If you're intent on doing it then I would look at getting the 140's reduced. Maybe 120 max?

Or you could stick with the Floats on the Meta.  They do everything you could want, no?  And you would be saving £00's.

[ianandangie]

hi again steve p

ta for earlier advice, i think u would be right about my kona and the 120mm float idea. i also asked the techies at konaworld and they thought i would probably mess up geometry or even damage forks and frame. so a bit of a pointless exercise or at best risky. as for my meta and its floats - they are fine too?

I then thought about some new revelation 426 at low travel like 110mm for the kona but the point is that i want to try an ht with long travel fork ? kinda defeats object at 100mm or 110? whic h is what the bike is now allbeit with duff forks.

i looked into your cotic - i liked the look of the geometry and all that - its a nice bike and would work with some revelation forks perfect along with a few others like your floats.

i would be really tempted myself - i looked at the commie flame ti like iain1775  nice bike his aswell but ££££  i thought about the flame vip normal one but again its the travel issue - i really am only thinking of doing this so i can have a lighter version do all bike - bar getting an ibis mojo sl or something i reckon hardtail is the only option to get even close to 25lb -  the titanium bikes are  mostly easily under that but you get what you pay for.

 i will be jealous now as i want to get a new ht bike to compliment my meta 55 and give some variety and more speed. (i am a bit slow on the meta unless its downwards) i was thinking maybe cannabalise old bits off my kona and i have wheelset off my meta already and some bars and stem and seat,

so new frame, forks, new brakes, bb, headset,  - could muster up a new bike from that i think - some bits may be a bit ropey but they would do for time being?

i believe seatpost and clamp for a cotic will match both meta and kona - so thats good (27.2) (31.8?) small matter if they dont.

- come on santa - you twat.
wishful thinking i reckon lumps of coal for me mate!!!

cheers

[Crag]

Brant from On-One has his own take on the long travel hardtail.

Kinda makes a bit of sense...........

http://www.on-one-shop.co.uk/acatalog/456_Summer_Season.html

[Steve P]

If your Meta is a medium then the seatpost will be 27.2 - same as a Soul.
There are lots of frames for sale on eBay that will take 130mm forks.
Handjobs & Stiffee's appear regularly. If you're extra large CRC have 2005 Handjob frames for £250.

Do your research and be patient.  I was watching for weeks before I saw something that I wanted.
Weight is obviously an important criteria for you.  To end up with a 25-26lb bike you need to start with a frame under 4.5lbs

New On-One 456 frames are very very cheap and take long forks.
Always seem to be short on stock but 456's & Scandals always appearing on eBay.
Even the occasional Ti model...

Or you could spend the money making the Meta lighter. ( So could I but I wanted the hardtail  )

edit: - That's spooky - just as I was typing the words On-One, Crag also mentions them. Perhaps it's a sign...

[ianandangie]

HI GUYS,

Thanks for that advice, all good stuff. the ebay route will deinately get a look in - loads of forks for sale as i have seen already. as for frames then patience is the key. after crimbo may be a good time as people off load old kit after santa brought them new shiney bits.

NOW seems a good time to pick up new bits i might need - merlin are doing some good deals on shimano xt kit like brakes and gears and all. 20% off in most cases (that means like 10% cheaper than the next cheapest place?)

I have another option in the pipeline as of this morning which is so tempting (possibly) and a dream come true - so i wont tell you til next week as it will be wicked if it comes off and the price is sorted. If i do it i will be a happy man and you will all be pretty jealous. if it does not work out then i will eat humble pie and cry a bit.

see how it goes.

Ian

[Steve P]

I have another option in the pipeline as of this morning which is so tempting (possibly) and a dream come true - so i wont tell you til next week...

Don't tell me,  You've bought a lottery ticket 

[ianandangie]

[Don't tell me,  You've bought a lottery ticket   ][/quote]

DAMN, how did you guess?

it could be me?

[Toasty]

I'd love a Flame frame, such a shame they've stopped doing them The Skin really doesn't appeal.

It's also a shame the only one remaining are Real Cycles are small or I'd be very tempted!

[Steve P]

Flame wasn't an option for me - I wanted something a bit tougher that would suit the 130mm forks I had.  Looks like Real cycles have the Ti version in all sizes though if you're interested and Bikeactive seem to have all sizes in the standard Flame...

[Toasty]

Oh, woah you're right they do, not sure how I missed that one! Thanks!

[Steve P]

Damn.  Should have asked for a finders fee.

[Toasty]

I'd ask for a refund on my finders fee anyway! Their website was out of date, they don't have any left

Oddly they offered me a deal on a 2009 frame, I didn't think there was a 2009 alloy Flame? It's not on the official webby.