I rehomed a Solaris Max. and want to set it free.

On a mission of mercy I rescued a Cotic Solaris max from the flatlands of Essex last week and brought it home to South Wales where today it had it's first exercise. I'm almost exactly 12 months post hip replacement and have been riding electric FS and very occasionally road up until now. And Oh my goodness I've porked out so much, so a real bike seemed to be in order- it will let me do bothy trips too; no charging required, river crossings much more manageable, easier to carry kit on the bike although I do have a BoB trailer too. 

It was only a brief ride this evening but I must say that the Cotic is just lovely. It climbs and descends like a dream and the geometry is spot-on on the local singletrack. It seems to laugh in the face of flights of steps but I've not done any drops as such yet. There's a section of trail where the path was originally constrained with narrow upright gravel boards set along the path edges. Over the years everything has shifted and moved around so its a bit hit and miss where the best line should be on this very fast section. Me on a bike with gravel, mud and plank edges make for uneasy bedfellows but the Cotic kept its line criss crossing the slippy wooden edges where my Rail would normally have really jittered. Maybe it's 'new bike' syndrome, maybe it's the tyres (WTB Verdict vs. Conti Kryptotals) but it was very reassuring behaviour on a fast, wet and loose bit of trail.

All in all I'm very impressed (except with my fitness- but that will return).

Finally; the bike has Cane Creek Helm II air fork, I've been an RS rider for decades so would welcome any tips plus does anyone have any suggestions for an acceptable rear mudguard?