[Closed] Cotic sizing (FS - Flaremax or Jeht)

Standover won't be an issue, so it's personal preference as to whether you want to be a bit more stretched or slightly more compact. Getting in touch with the team at Cotic is your best bet - they are a top crew and will talk you through this. I've got three Cotics and they've been right about sizing every time.

I'm 187cm & ride an xl Flaremax with a 45mm stem. I would say go large with a 35mm stem. The thing that i notice the most from my previous bike is the lowness at the front, so i would say that extra bit of stack on a large would be beneficial.

Hi,

I'm 178cm with relatively long arms for my height and have owned a large FlareMax and now a large mk2 RocketMax. Both were great with a 35mm stem. I think a medium would have been okay too, but think this is the best compromise for me (I get scared when it gets fast so longer bikes help). Cheers,

John

Based on my medium BFe 275 and small Gen 5 BFe, I would say if you have short legs go medium, in proportion/ long legs go large.

Edit: Paul advised for me to size down.

I’m 182cm with the previous version large FlareMAX. I ‘had’ to go with a 45mm stem as (on demo) it felt short (it being ~10mm shorter reach than the equivalent RocketMAX or SolarisMAX).

I think that the updated version ‘corrected’ this (along with steepening the seat angle).

I believe the long shot geo is optimised on a 35mm stem so on that basis, personally, I’d be looking at the large and short stem.

But, as already stated, contact Cotic and chat it through. That’s what I did (and why I went with the 45mm stem). Unsurprisingly Paul knows his stuff and is more than happy to talk stuff through. I’ve been happy with his advice to date.

Thanks folks - email sent and hope to hear back when they get back to work next week.

Everything I've read of Cotic as a company is very positive.

So far as the choice between them goes, a mate of mine has ridden both and his take was that the Jeht was more mainstream and very capable, while the FlareMAX had more of a playful, disruptor sort of vibe. As I haven't ridden either yet, I don't know how accurate that is, but I'm currently building up a FlareMAX and long covid / Hermes / Wiggle permitting, I may even ride it one day 🙂

And yes, great company to deal with. Super helpful and friendly.

BDW - that's really helpful, thanks.

It'll be my everything mtb. Highlands based with a preference for natural but also not trail centre phobic. It'll have to munch miles of pretty placid tracks and trails in lovely places but will also tackle the usual bouldery lumpy natural path ups and downs we get here too. I suspect either would do me fine. Currently slightly minded to the jeht with a very marginally higher bb for better pedal strikeproofness in natural stuff but it's very very marginal difference so probably not worth the consideration. The Flaremax does come in orange (when in stock) which is arguably more important!

“Based on my medium BFe 275 and small Gen 5 BFe, I would say if you have short legs go medium, in proportion/ long legs go large.”

I’d say this is the opposite of what you should be doing. For a given height and arm length, if you have short legs then your back is longer so you need longer reach (but lower stack). And vice versa. Long arms and short arms definitely go smaller, short legs and long arms definitely go bigger.

The Flaremax does come in orange (when in stock) which is arguably more important!

Next batch is unlikely to be in the same colours. That’s all I can say right now. Don’t wait for an orange FlareMAX.

“Based on my medium BFe 275 and small Gen 5 BFe, I would say if you have short legs go medium, in proportion/ long legs go large.”

I’d say this is the opposite of what you should be doing. For a given height and arm length, if you have short legs then your back is longer so you need longer reach (but lower stack). And vice versa. Long arms and short arms definitely go smaller, short legs and long arms definitely go bigger.

In theory and logically you are most likely correct, however most importantly my bollocks disagree with you. 😉

I find my medium is fine with my longer torso but I have no stand over room to spare on anyth8ng but a smooth surface. My small is longer and which I can stand over but is long enough to not make me feel hunched up.

Give Cotic a call - they will give great advice based on your size and type of riding etc.

The Flaremax does come in orange (when in stock) which is arguably more important!

The supernova orange colour is stunning in a glitterflakey, almost Klein-like way. The first bike I've ever bothered to stick frame protection on. The missus has an orange Soul, which is nice, but the FlareMAX orange is so much nicer 🙂

Same dilemma as you when I demoed. At the time I think my take on it was large for the FS, medium for the hardtails. That based on what felt like a slight difference in the way the sizing worked (I.e. the fs felt very slightly smaller) and differences in use. I’d probably go large for either if downhilling was my priority, medium if more of an all rounder.

Geometry has changed a little since then I think, steeper seat tubes might make the large bikes feel a little less stretched.

As another data point on 180cm on a large MK2 SolarisMax (pre ST angle being steepened by a degree) and it fits nicely, not that I've tried a medium. I've got a 35mm stem and plenty of space to run a long dropper. I think if I was an inch or so shorter I'd be tempted by a medium though. It's my only mtb at the moment so it's used for everything from DH tracks to bikepacking.

I’m tempted to go large with the shortest stem possible and maybe the longest fork possible which also reduces the reach a little.

I'm 190cm but with long, long legs.

I've a Gen2 Flaremax and when I bought it I demo'd both L & XL (and lots of changing bits/pieces (thanks Sam). I bought the large and run it with a 45mm stem & 140mm fork.

Just before lockdown I demo'd the Gen3 plus the new Rocketmax, both in XL. I think the slightly steeper seat tube in the latest bikes mean that the XL (with 35mm stem) fits me better.

I didn't swap but have added a -2 headset (this also reduces the reach a smidge) and had the rear taken out to 132mm. Utterly confidence inspiring 🙂

For the OP, I think a Large would be right.

I got a Flare Max a few weeks ago and was in between Small and Medium, at 173cm.

Went small after speaking to Cotic and really glad I did, would have been too stretched on a medium. Plus on the small I could run a long enough dropper to still get the post well out of the way. Still feels pretty long with a 35mm stem and cut down bars.

The Orange is ace too, last minute switch from red, but love the sparkly finish!

I'm around your height and ride a medium gen 2 flaremax. I demo'd a large but just felt a little too stretched on it. Can't remember what length stem it had so it's possible a shorter stem would have made it more manageable. It's an absolutely brilliant bike, you won't regret buying one.

Actually, just realised I'm slightly shorter than 179cm, so you would probably be fine on the large.