do i want a handjob or a bit of soul...

ddraver
ddraver Posts: 26,384
edited January 2008 in MTB general
(yes, i'm keeping this pun going if it kills me, and i mean it metaphorically, bike wise and life wise....anyway)

i am still wangling over the soul/soda problems but i sat on a cove handjob today and it was pretty awesome, i even noticed it around the car park, it just felt a little heavy, but then it had some low end gear on (manitou blacks, LX gear etc) wheras i ll be putting opn some more decent stuff (rebas, sram x.9 etc)

do you think the cove will be OK in the rebas at 115mm guise and is it really heavy if you build it up with some decent gear

or should i carry on and get the soul, especially seeing as i could get the cove sooner rather than later......

Any Help guys (Fozz)
We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver

Comments

  • Chaka Ping
    Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    Hi there Fozz, I got myself a HJ this year and can probably answer a couple of your questions. Although you're on your own with the dodgy puns.

    1. The frame is not heavy. I didn't weigh mine, but was surprised how close in weight it was to the Rock Lobster 853 XC frame I was using as a donor.

    2. I've built mine with Revelations, full XT and 717s - and although it's still heavier than my Giant Anthem, it's by no means a heavy bike. I'd estimate 26lb. There's even room to lose more weight when I replace the steel beaded tyres and get some lighter pedals.

    3. I usually ride with my Revs fully extended to 130mm travel - winding down to 115mm for a more XC feel now and then. You'd certainly be OK with your Rebas, but IMO the bike is at it's best at longer travel, so you might want to think about swapping the forks later.

    Can't comment on the Soul, but hope that helps.
  • clanton
    clanton Posts: 1,289
    I have the Cotic Soul whcih I am very happy with, my mate rides a (pink!) Handjob and loves that! I think they are fairly similar in character, both "hardcore hardtails" with a springy and lively feel.
    I built mine around XT kit and Rockshox Revelations to a total weight of 11.9kg (26.1lb) - this is with fairly heavy tyres on though - Maxxi's high rollers in the 2.35 version.
  • Amos
    Amos Posts: 438
    The handjob frame is 4.6lbs, how heavy is the Soul?
  • clanton
    clanton Posts: 1,289
    The Cotic website lists the 17.5" Soul as 4.2lbs
  • monstadog
    monstadog Posts: 80
    Aaahhh Soul :wink:
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,384
    hmmm, its the new fork question thats bugging me a bit, I was looking at having a (at this moment complelety imaginary) bike garage of a XC hardtail with 100mm travel and a 5 in full suss for the complete MTBer....


    OH god i don't know......
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Chaka Ping
    Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    If I was after a 100mm travel XC bike I'd probably give both the Cove and the Cotic a miss. Since they're specifically designed for longer forks.

    With the forks on my Handjob wound down to between 100-115mm it just feels like a nice but slightly sluggish steering steel hardtail.

    When I wind it out to 130mm however, the bike sort of "comes alive" and is more satisfying to ride.
  • marcus Farley
    marcus Farley Posts: 96
    the next issue of What MTB will have a test of 10 steel frames...should help with the deiciding...
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,384
    well how about that...perfectamundo
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • Amos
    Amos Posts: 438
    Chaka isn't the Cove designed for a 100mm fork?
  • ianpinder
    ianpinder Posts: 266
    no it was redesigned for a 130mm fork, saying that the angles on there website are for a 125mm fork (i think)
    Cycling the Tour D'Afrique in 2012

    www.tda2012.com
  • Chaka Ping
    Chaka Ping Posts: 1,451
    Yeah, I think the change came in '06 - though it might have been '05.

    My '06 is definitely far happier above 115mm anyway.

    :D
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,384
    thats what i though when i rode it with a 120mm, any lower would be too steep, it was already quite quick handling with the short stem it had

    cotic it is then......
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    DD - have you considered the Cotic Bfe?

    Or are you specifically after a steel frame?
  • clanton
    clanton Posts: 1,289
    The Bfe is a steel frame - its simply the burlier brother to the Soul. The name is a play on words - B for burly, Fe being the chemical symbol for Iron giveing "Beefy".
  • The Big Cheese
    The Big Cheese Posts: 8,651
    clanton wrote:
    The Bfe is a steel frame - its simply the burlier brother to the Soul. The name is a play on words - B for burly, Fe being the chemical symbol for Iron giveing "Beefy".

    My mistake - always assumed it was allu :oops:

    Nice frame though! :wink:
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,384
    I think the BFe is too much for me, t be honest i'll use it mainly for trail centre riding and cross country

    I'm a big weedy pigeon when it come to jumping and the like

    i think a rock lobster is too XC, a BFe and the Stiffe are too freeride so the HJ and the soul are a great mix of the two
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    have you considered the on-one bikes? the 456 or possibly the inred sound like they'll fit the bill.
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred

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