[Closed] End of an Era - Soul

Sad times. I’ve run a Soul prototype of some form since 2002… but hard to argue against the current SolarisMAX… so, so good… it made me pass my last Soul onto a friend new to mountain biking. I wonder how many people have done the same… got friends and family riding with their old Soul? They run and run… and all versions, right back to the very first, still make fantastic gateway to mountain biking bikes. I’ve not ridden the latest one by the way.

My 11 year old is now riding my Soul - it’s really weird seeing him out on it and thinking “I really like that bike”!

Glad it’s still being used though.

I still have a soft spot for my mk1 Soul but what I could kill with bombers are the bloomin’ closed brake hose guides...argggh! Swapping brakes over should be a 5 minute job not a rebuild job.
I have a Solaris and it’s great but it just doesn’t feel as special. Perhaps it’s just a nostalgia thing..anyway, once my son is a little taller it will be moving on to him (but it will be keeping the same brakes!).

Cotic must have listened! My MK3 didn’t have those closed brake guides - it really was a 5 minute job to steal the E4’s off my Soul to stick on the Solaris - and to refit the ancient but still excellent Mono Minis back on for my son, (he’s used to v-brakes and is finding the disc brakes a massive improvement).

Still waiting for my Soul frame to arrive 🙁. TNT say it should be with me tomorrow. 😀
All the parts to be fitted have been cleaned and lined up.....

I’ve not ridden the latest one by the way.

It’s ace! I actually prefer it to the Solaris too. I will look after it more now as it’s the last of its kind 😀

what is soul? I don't know

Loved my black mk1 so much, then a mk 2
https://imgur.com/a/KEjAjxE
Still ride it on the odd occasion but everyday ride is a Solaris.

the-muffin-man: I had one – never really got on with it – bombed it off after 6 months!

I'm pretty sure I bought it the frame off you and still have it now.

If anyone has a reasonably priced* Solaris, Solaris Max or Soul frame only in size Small. Let me know, as I am looking for a new frame for my son.

*By reasonably priced, I mean not at RRP or within a whisker of it - had a look at a few online and 3-5 year old frames at new retail prices didn’t appeal.

That's a shame - rather fond of my Soul.

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One of the last XS Souls built and ready to ride, just some cables to tidy up.
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49968020776_5bcf29451d_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49968020776_5bcf29451d_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2j8vaHA ]20200603_195050[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/164739786@N06/ ]David Jones[/url], on Flickr

Had a quick spin on my Soul last night. Didn't go well because after only having been ridden once (in 2016) since 2011 the brakes were binding. On the initial climb up into the Pentlands I'd just assumed it was me being even more feeble than usual! Wierd build as well - must have chucked whatever was lying around when I last built it (as I think I'd borrowed lots of bits for an Enduro build) - Pikes and an odd mix of Deore, LX, XT and Hope brakes.

It deserves better so think I'll rebuild it back to what it used to be - XT and Fox Floats etc.

[url= https://i.postimg.cc/44vQFN4W/27324622076-a9f2bbe8e4-o-1.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.postimg.cc/44vQFN4W/27324622076-a9f2bbe8e4-o-1.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

As a serial frame swapper my old Soul did the longest stint I have had with any bike, we got on very well. I've been banging the dollar in since Covid and a new Soul was going to be my treat so I'm certainly a bit gutted as I have nmissed out. Oddly opted for the orange clockwork evo as I'm not that gnar, and just like my old lime green clockwork I'm loving the new one also. All things for a reason I guess 🙂

Still riding mine nearly every week... Mk1 or 2, big cowled dropouts. Old school square taper cranks and 1 1/8 steerer, dropper and 1x10 drivetrain... it's on its third wheelset, no idea how many different set-ups it's had!
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49977253878_86760255a8_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49977253878_86760255a8_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2j9jup1 ]DSC_0642[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/188848305@N08/ ]Richard Burt[/url], on Flickr

I took my new Soul for its maiden ride in the sunny Pentland hills today.
Loving it so far 😎
[url= https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49977870696_5491f473b8_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49977870696_5491f473b8_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/2j9nDKN ]Soul pentlands[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/164739786@N06/ ]David Jones[/url], on Flickr

I miss my gen2 soul. Had it for ages but it wasn't getting used much so in a flourish of tidying the shed i sold it to make some room, gah!

I've been idly musing this thought though, when the new Solaris Max hits is there going to be a Solaris as well? Solaris with 27.5" wheels, Max with 29". would tie in nicely with the other Max/non Max variants of each model they have currently.

just a thought....

I had wished they'd been more warning on the discontinuing of the Soul, maybe a "next batch is the last" rather than discontinuing with a mostly sold batch... certainly would have helped to focus my mind. Oh well, it is what it is.

Its only now i realise how unique the Soul had become in many ways as all the nice steel 27.5 ht frames currently seem to be pitched as hardcore and not xc/trail

After languishing almost unused for nearly a decade I put my Soul back into a more useful XC spec (really just faster tyres and replacing the Pike forks with the Fox Talas that it had on before) and it much nicer to ride like that, so should be back to seeing some decent use.

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