[Closed] End of an Era - Soul

Yeah I had a custard yellow one, great bike. I do worry that there is no ‘xc’ bike in range now - Solaris is firmly a trail bike. Or I’m getting old and grumpy!

I had a V1.2 and just got a Gen 5 in the demo fleet sale..... extremely glad I did.
Feel oddly emotional.

I've still got my 26 Soul and used to have the Simple as well. I never had the Soul down as an xc bike though. Mine was 130mm forks and very much in the do it all / trail camp. Its sad to see the Soul go, it does look like 29 is now becoming the most popular wheel size.

I wonder how bad/good a Solaris would be at "XC" type riding with a 120mm fork, low rise bar and light wheels and tyres.

Anyway, sad to see such a big name go, but there was a bit of an overlap with the BFE already, and that's definitely not what a small brand wants

Is it being replaced with something new ?

Sad to see it go, glad I have a Gen 5 one, it'll probably be another bike I'll never get rid of.

Is it being replaced with something new ?

Nope declining sales apparenty, people prefer the Bfe if they want 27.5 or the Solaris if they want 29ers...

I had actually planned to buy a Soul for my son when he's a bit bigger, didn't want to spend the cash on on yet as he'll quickly outgrow it. (yes, I wanted it for myself)

Can understand there not being space for two 27.5 hardtails in their range - just surprising the Soul was the one to go.

Got the same email. End of an era indeed. Still ride my 2013 26" Soul singlespeed with 140mm fork.

Shame - but they continue to offer other great bikes. I’d be in the “rather a Bfe or Solaris” camp

I'm a bit sad too. A gen 3 Soul was the bike that got me back into mountain biking. Although, given that I now own a SolarisMax and a FlareMax I'm probably representative of the reasons why the Soul is going out of production.

I'm tempted to pick up an Orange one for posterity - it will alway be "the" cotic colour for me. But maybe I'll just head ebaywards and see if anyone is selling a Gen3 in large...

although if anyone is feeling really nostalgic:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=411264

I too had the email and felt strangely saddened by this. Been riding Souls in one form or another for the past 11 years, every time I sold one I instantly regretted it, owned the same one twice and sold it twice. It’s the benchmark for me geometry and handling wise and the bike I just kept going back too.

I now have a gen 5 frame and after doubting the longshot geometry before purchase I now get it and love it. I’ll never part with it now.

Just read the email as well and slightly gutted for some weird reason.

I've been mountain biking properly for just over 8 years, which is when I bought my first Soul and I've had one ever since, though 3 different frames. Until last week when I dismantled the 275 and replaced it with a Solaris!

This is the last photo of my Soul. Shortly before it was shipped off to  Poland. It was then stolen after a couple of months but nearly 10 months later it was recovered when the owner saw it outside a local cafe.

and this is the first photo. still mostly boardman at this point, but I had a lot fun upgrading it over the years.

Genuinely sad about this. I went through a lot of steel hard tails looking for "the one". A Soul evaded me for a long time, and I've never looked back. 26" was awesome, 27.5" also awesome. Now I need mine never to break. A mate was just pricing one up on recommendation, too - alas, no stck.

Can understand there not being space for two 27.5 hardtails in their range – just surprising the Soul was the one to go.

Me too.

I wonder if they will rename the next Solaris the Soul?

Shocked but not surprised... or is it the other way round?

Wonder if they've considered re-naming the Solaris to keep the torch burning?

I wonder how bad/good a Solaris would be at “XC” type riding with a 120mm fork, low rise bar and light wheels and tyres.

Get a mk2, great for XC riding...
http://unduro.co.uk/mtb/review-cotic-solaris/

edd

I wonder if they will rename the next Solaris the Soul?

My guess is Cy would be very slow to use the name on anything that wasn't exactly the original brief, a lively springy hardtail- not sure he'd feel completely happy using the name on the Solaris

And I'd imagine making it more affordable and BFE-like just to keep the name in the range was ruled out for the same reason.

Still riding my beloved MK1 😢

My guess is Cy would be very slow to use the name on anything that wasn’t exactly the original brief, a lively springy hardtail- not sure he’d feel completely happy using the name on the Solaris

Good point.

The current Solaris is pretty solid and slack, potential for a more XC-ish 29er HT perhaps.

Not surprised at all but it does feel strange! Just goes to show how things change.

I used mine for all sorts of stuff, XC rides to uplift days. It too started as a frame replacement for the Boardman XC bike I had - and thinking about it, I’m sure anyone doing that now would be replacing the frame on a 29er, so that’s probably part of the reason it’s gone.

It used to be the case that I was always seeing people on Soul’s but nowadays I can only think of one mate on a 27.5 Soul. And almost everyone I know with a hardtail either has a big fork on a 27.5 or a shorter fork on a 29er.

Also, the current BFe geometry means it climbs well and carves singletrack - it’s not all slack of seat angle and high of BB like the older ones were with big forks. And modern 140-160mm forks seem to actually work on hardtails, the damping and air springs mean you can run plenty of sag and still have the mid stroke feel good. So the BFe is more versatile than it used to be.

Of all the bikes I've ever owned, my Mk 1 Soul was the one I felt most connected with. (Mine was one of the very, very few that cracked at the headtube.)

Had a mk2 and I rode it all over the country and my riding improved no end. That orange with the wrap looked brilliant. Lots of good memories but the call of a 29er meant I sold it on. Sad to see Cotic end production but change happens

i would post an image if it was straight forward!

I think it's time for a new standards buzzword/acronym, has been at least a week. Maybe we could have LLsS&S?

I had a MK2 I think:

https://flic.kr/p/LFGxw

I did end up ripping my knee open and spending four days in hospital after crashing spectacularly on it, but I can’t blame the bike. I am big Cotic fan tho: Roadrat, MK1 Solaris, MK1 Rocket, MK2 Solaris, SolarisMAX, FlareMax.

My LS SolarisMax is my fav. 140mm forks. XC bike it isn’t, brilliant bike it is!

Shame about the Soul, but you can see the logic.

Never had a Soul. Always wanted one but at 6'4" I was always too big. Even the Large longshot 'technically' only goes up to 6'2". In truth, for people of my size 29ers make more sense.

Ironically been looking at either a SolarisMAX or FlareMAX. Was booked on for demo at the end of March before the world stopped.

Question is if you could have only one of those two, which would it be? Particularly interested in why Alex feels the Solaris was/is the best of the lot.

Cheers

Mine is my current go-to-bike for the lockdown. With 700c wheels and carbon fork it has been ideal for riding from home and a little light off road . I recently bought a Solaris Max so I don't know whether I will ever put the Soul back to full off-road spec but I can't see me actually selling it, it will always be a handy hack.

I had a 26 inch Soul and a Soda, both lovely frames. The Soda frame is on the wall in the spare room ; )

I don't own a hardtail anymore but if I did it'd be a 29er. It's a shame the Soul is discontinued but understandable. Orange was the best colour!

The small mk3 26" I had was ace. I wonder if the declining sales of the Soul are because it's far too long.

In reality its been many different steel hardtails over the years with one name.

In reality its been many different steel hardtails over the years with one name.

Which is why renaming the Solaris as the Soul with the next update might make sense.

I had mk 1 or 2, upgraded from an Inbred but didnt like the orange so anti-murdered it.

Particularly interested in why Alex feels the Solaris was/is the best of the lot.

The first Solaris was the first 29 I rode while demoing the Mk1 26 rocket. I really liked it so when Cy was selling the demo fleet, I bought it.  From then on I was hooked on the 29er HT and preferred it to the 26 Soul. Maybe that was because I’d hurt myself tho on the Soul.

The SolarisMax V1 I bought was for my daughter. So a bit small for me in a M. But a M Longshot is perfect (even tho Cy and I have a gentlemen’s disagreement that I should get a L, I always get M Cotic frames!). It’s just so much fun everywere - it’s been to Wales, Quantocks, etc plus loads of rides in all seasons here in the FoD.

I don’t really like it much on 29s tho strangely. Been on chubbies 99% of its time with me which is now nearly 2 years. I think all the other Cotics I’ve had, I always had something ‘similar’ or wanted something similar. The SolarisMax tho is different to anything I’ve had before in terms of a HT I’m happy ride anywhere.

Sad.

I've been on Cotic hardtails since they first appeared - I had Soul no.22 of the initial batch of 30, then spent a decade+ on a Soda, bought one of (if not the) first v5 frames early in 2018. I had been tempted by a BFE, but Paul told me to wait and try the Soul and he was right - a much more refined ride and gave away very little in the handling stakes.

I've ridden the snot out of the v5 and it's never put a foot wrong. Mostly peaks trailriding, but plenty of steep and gnadgery stuff, some enduro, some bikepacking. It just gets on with it and still surprises me with what it'll let me get away with. For such a long bike, its incredibly nimble in the tight; non-super low BB in conjunction with the LS geo means you can roll all manner of stupid steps and its the best tech climber I've ridden.

I do think it lost out a bit to not being as marketable as the BFe. The Soul carries a certain amount of "old skool XC" history* around with it, which is a bit unfair to its talents - especially the new ones. I suspect there's plenty of people on newish BFes who would actually be better off on Souls, but were swayed by the bigger rad-factor of the BFe.

Anyways. I'll have to look after mine a bit more if I can't get a new one! Have some pics!

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*years and years ago I did an uplift day with a bunch of guys I vaguely knew from the old Chocolatefoot forum. They assumed that because I mostly rode a Soul I was an XC-lycraweenie with no handling skills and were a bit surprised when I could comfortably keep up with them both in speed and sendiness on pure DH trails, until I pointed out that in a typical 6hr uplift day they got 10 3 minute runs. If I rode for 6hrs, I probably got 1.5-2hrs of descending in...

Was my first 'proper' bike, after starting out on a Trek 800. Bought in 2003 (IIRC mine was no. 49) and I bloody loved it, built it up myself, grey paint, red decals to go with the red bombers and red fire xc tyres.

Cracked at the chainstay hole, Cy gave me a half price replacement, but it just never seemed as beguiling as the mk1 somehow.

Great memories, but as I'll probably never have another hardtail, ho hum.

I'm a Solaris man and I am sad to see the Soul go! But I guess with with the array of tyre widths available you can run a Solaris in plus mode with 2.6/2.8 tyres or the Bfe depending on the nature of your ride. and the Solaris is more versatile because it offers the 29 option - and probably a lot more sales to Cotic because of the number of bases it not only covers, but covers well.

Not sure I agree with the new Solaris not being "XC". Seemed ok with a 43 miler at the weekend with 3000 feet of climbing.

@househusband, yours would have been a mark 2, as you got it after riding my mark 2, up in the Pentlands on a ride with me and TJ. At least I presume it was a mark 2, it was certainly different from the initial models, most notably it didn't have V brake bosses and was not available in orange.

It does feel like the sad end of an era to know that there'll no longer be a Soul being sold by Cotic.

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Finding it sad too... I basically learned to ride on my first one, and it led me to get my Hemlock which was basically my partner in crime for everything, right up to the enduro world series... But I get the reasons. And I suppose, while the Solaris maybe fills the same evolutionary slot now, it's a very different sort of bike.

The whole BFe/Soul conundrum's always been interesting I think, I remember even way back in the day Cy saying that most people who bought a BFe would be better off on a Soul. But if you've got a "hardcore" and "less hardcore" model nobody cares how capable the less hardcore model is, they just go direct to the beefy one.

Had three and loved them all, A sad day indeed 🙁

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and lastly

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🙁

Got the latest model earlier this year. Really great bargain from eBay. Hands down one of the best hardtails I’ve owned and I pretty much only ride them. I’ll be taking extra special care of it from now on.

Think the Bfe is more popular purely because of the price. That’s why I bought one many moons ago. Simply couldn’t afford a Soul. I wonder if the Flare will be dropped next. Seems like the end of an era. I don’t like the new headtube badge and downtube decal on the Rocket either.

Not sure I agree with the new Solaris not being “XC”. Seemed ok with a 43 miler at the weekend with 3000 feet of climbing.

Was that my comment? I owned one and I did similar length rides on it.

Yes it's an XC bike in the broad sense, but not really in the narrower sense like the older version I owned.

@househusband, yours would have been a mark 2, as you got it after riding my mark 2, up in the Pentlands on a ride with me and TJ. At least I presume it was a mark 2, it was certainly different from the initial models, most notably it didn’t have V brake bosses and was not available in orange.

@ChrisL You are of course correct as mine didn't have the brake bosses!

I too felt a bit sad when I read the email, I've had three Souls, and currently ride a Flare. Also had a Solaris!

My first was a black Gen2, bought it second hand and swapped all of the bits off my Genesis Core onto it, I was just getting into riding some proper trails then. The soul was a revelation, a massive improvement, so capable and compliant compared to the Genesis. Rode the Borrowdale Bash on that bike, about 5 or 6 years ago maybe, 27.2 seatpost, 3x9 gearing, though by then I had s****y 120mm dual air reba forks on the front.

Soon after I wanted a dropper, so the Gen2 made way for a used Gen3, everything went over from the Gen2, facilitated by a hope crown race adapter, and an external 100mm dropper was added.

Soon after an On One Scandal MK2 was built, that then made way for a Gen2 Solaris frame, neither of which I really gelled with for more technical riding, just to steep and high for my liking. I sold the Solaris, or parts thereof. I invested in 650b, built a Gen4 Soul, that was ace, dropper, 120mm rebas, 2x10, decent tyres, 26lb.

By now the 26" Soul had become a Lapierre Zesty and the frame sold. Once I'd decided I liked full sus the Zesty went down the road with all my nice 26" bits... Then the Gen4 Soul made way for a Bird Aeris 120, built that, rode it twice and Cy emailed saying they'd knocked £600 off the last Gen1 Flare frames, so I got one. I'd had a demo over 18 months previous and fallen in love. I still have it two years on and will NEVER sell it, it really is just like a Soul but with a bit of cushion and added capability, I love the geometry, it's modern enough for me, it's a brilliant all rounder, I just can't fault it.

So there we are, my mtb autobiography, from my second bike on I've almost always had, or wanted a Cotic Soul. I think a Gen3/4 frame might find its way into my shed if one comes up.

Was that my comment? I owned one and I did similar length rides on it.

Yes it’s an XC bike in the broad sense, but not really in the narrower sense like the older version I owned.

I’m not sure what broad Sense xc and narrow sense xc is tbh! I had a mk2 and now the long shot. I think the new one is a bit more versatile but I did everything on the old one from 70 mile marathon races to techy singletrack.

The mk2 felt like a chubby tyred Soul!

Aaagh noo. Iv been telling myself I'd get a soul for years. Have a longshot BFe which I love. Quite tempted to see if I can find a previous gen soul now to build up as a general xc bike.

Also had a Solaris!

I think I bought your Solaris frame, and sold the full bike I built from it to another STWer.

🙂

I’m not sure what broad Sense xc and narrow sense xc is tbh!

Broad = Bike you can pedal all day.
Narrow = Lightish bike with not-too-slack angles that you could race if you fancied.

I did race the mk2, and did OK on it.

I raced the mk2 as well. Was surprisingly nippy and had Spider-Man traction!

Why did I sell it!!?

I had a mk1. I think the first non second hand frame I'd bought for a long time, and a bit of a punt considering it was £400, and I'd not test ride it!
Built up with 100mm forks, the slightly steeper seat angle allowed me to run a layback carbon post and saddle back a bit to get my preferred seating position.
For xc riding, it was quick and comfortable. My only complaint was that it was slightly heavier than some more xc oriented steel frames of the time.

Owned it for over 18 months, fancied a change to something lighter, but never found that magic that the original soul gave me.

Still haven't years on.

Gah, there was a mercury one with magenta decals that came up on the classified here a few weeks ago, wish I'd bought it now!

Still got mine although it's a couple of years since it's been ridden. I'll give it a once over at the weekend and see if I can get it in use again. Mine is an early - not sure which version though.

I've got a BFe as well and that has been used recently. I like both bikes but prefer the Soul overall.

A bit sad here too!

My 26er Soul was my first "proper" MTB (we don't count the Anthem since I fell off it and smashed my wrist six months into my MTB career...). A 2008-era frame from the classifieds here in custard yellow, built up with a 100mm Reba.

I retired it last year in favour of a LLS NS Eccentric with a more fashionable wheel size. But honestly I missed the Soul. The lockdown has inspired me to bring it back in singlespeed guise and it's joyous!

Great bikes.

Genuinely sad to see them go, add me to the list. Forfeited food to buy my mk3 at uni, some of my best times were riding hemlock stone with NUbike every Wednesday and getting the train up to the peaks every weekend I could. It's hit everything since then bike parks to canal paths. Its duties lessened when I got a job and a full Susser but was still the bike I chose to take with me when I was sent to Gothenburg for 6 months - I progressed so much chasing the locals on their enduro rigs! Still the bike of choice for anything without a full face. I'm running the original 26inch forks from 2013 and I always assumed when the day came that they died and couldn't be replaced it would go on the living room wall in place of a new soul, but I guess now I have to keep it running somehow!

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An ‘07 one.

Loved it, I can still remember my first ride on it and what a joy it felt... but once I got the mk 1 Solaris it got left in the shed more often than not.

Yes, it’s a bit sad, but I personally moved on a fair while ago so I can see why it’s fallen by the wayside...

That is sad news. Got a large Soda and XS Soul (for my 9 year old) in the garage. Ridden every morning for our 5 mile lockdown loop with the dogs. Still puts a smile on my face 🙂

It’ll be back, just as the Orange Clockwork has a few times. Maybe not as the current fans want but it will be back.

Think the Bfe is more popular purely because of the price

Sums it up. There's only so much people are prepared to pay for less capable hardtails.

I never owned one but it has(d) one of the best names ever for a mountain bike.

Sums up a lot of off road biking somehow.

Yeah, even coming up with that name was genius in itself.

a bike i always liked the look of but never got to ride one. always fancied a mk1 'pre-CEN' 26er (still do really) but there never seemed to be one for sale when i was looking for one.

I'm sad to see it go as well. Lusted after one since it first came out and finally managed to get a Mk5 a couple of years ago.

Absolutely blown away by how capable it is, it just wants to go faster as soon as you point it downhill.

Can't envisage me selling it unless getting spares becomes troublesome.

Never owned one but they looked great.

Best bike I've ever had. Surprised they're canning it because it is truly an all rounder.
Maybe something in between the bfe and soul?

Such sweet bikes to ride, I’m surprised it has given way to the BFE, but guess it’s down to price.

I really don’t think it’s a price thing - 29ers have become so dominant for XC/trail hardtails but 27.5 are managing to hang on for big forked silliness.

I keep pondering if there’s a niche that Cotic could fill with a new bike with the Soul name but it’s a difficult one. The Solaris is such a versatile bike, everything from bike packing through XC rides to big fork action, and does plus as well as 29”. And the BFe covers all the thrashier stuff.

Sad news, but if they're not selling it's understandable.

Don't ride all that often any more, but I still love my Gen2. It no longer has the white grips or the Bonty's and has a few more scratches.

Not sure what I'd get now if I ever needed to replace it 🙁

It’ll be back, just as the Orange Clockwork has a few times. Maybe not as the current fans want but it will be back

Was thinking this, too. And yeah, not sure what I'd get to replace it. Orange P7? BFe? Solaris? They're just not a Soul, though.

I’m probably in the minority but I prefer the Soul to the Solaris. Just feels more fun to me. Nothing tangible, just funnerer 😊

I still love my Gen2.

Nice specimen there, I used to love those Blackbox Reba forks.

That's the model Soul I was looking at buying, but I got a bargain Handjob instead (ho ho ho).

Didn't end up getting a Cotic until the mk2 Solaris in the end.

I might be with you funkmasterp. I have just bought a Solaris Max to replace my Soul and I am not feeling the love. I had tried other lls bikes and liked them so thought an lls Solaris would be brilliant but it does feel like a bit of a barge. Admittedly it has only had tame short lockdown rides so far but the Soul felt much nimbler. Hopefully when I can go further and ride more challenging stuff I will warm to it.

Here's my singlespeeded mk3 26" on a 70-odd miler to my mam's and back (waiting for the Shields Ferry) 😎

[img] [/img]

and I did a couple of DH races on it that year too 😁

Frames you shouldn't have sold, number 19 😐 Meh.

Love mine; Mk2 26" Medium.

With the shorm stem and dropper (in place of the layback seatpost it was originally designed for) it's a short feeling wee bike, but it's such an absolute joy to ride that it really doesn't matter.

That's mine at the top of the Burma Road summit near Aviemore.

Running 140mm Rev's on mine, never managed to find a nice set of 120mm forks for that fabled 'sweet spot'

For a serial frame changer my Soul was the longest serving bike I ever owned.

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I had one - never really got on with it - bombed it off after 6 months! 🙂

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Good to hear the Soul love on here.
I demoed one at Glentress last year and loved it.
Since then I have been thinking on and off about ordering a frame .

News of its imminent demise forced matters so I ordered one of the last XS in mercury.

Should arrive next week, all parts are already stripped off my current frame ready for build. Very excited!!

You won’t regret it. Really is a brilliant bike

littledave
Subscriber

Good to hear the Soul love on here.
I demoed one at Glentress last year and loved it.
Since then I have been thinking on and off about ordering a frame .

That's exactly what got me. I did some testrides basically out of curiosity- I had a perfectly sensible Scandal at the time- and the Soul just basically changed everything I thought I knew about bikes. I really didn't have the money for the Soul but I got it anyway because the Scandal was just so disappointing after that...

Loving all these Soul pictures.

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