2010 Cotic Soul .... Yet another orange one

[CarrotCake]

I've felt teased over the last few months seeing 'Thorpie's' and 'letmetalktomark' Soul build threads on here. I've had the frame since January and have been slowly gathering parts for the build.

It is a modern build with a couple of retro traits such as the Flite and thumb shifters, which are statutory items on any bike I have. This should be my Retro bike of the future considering the last 'new' bike purchase was my Pace, 13 years ago.

I took it out for the first time today around the singletrack of last year’s Brighton Big Dog course. It is a proper blast to ride, takes me back to my teens when I rode my Orange P7 for the first time. I'd go as far to say that it exceeds my expectations.

I need to trim the brake hoses a little when I pick some fluid up this week, but barring that I'm not going to change anything.

Modern build complete to save riding my retro steeds into the grave and save the retro bikes riding my back into the grave... I think it is time for another Retro build.

Spec list:

Frame: Cotic Soul 2010 Medium

Fork: Fox Talas RLC 09
Headset: Chris King Classic
Stem: Thomson
Handlebar: Easton Monkey Bar EC70 CNT
Grips: Oury
Brakes: 2010 Hope X2 Race
Shifters: 9sp Dura Ace shifters on Pauls Component bar con mounts
Rear Derailleur: XTR
Cassette: XTR 11-32
Crankset: XTR
Chain: Sram PC991 Hollow Pin
Crank Bolts: Middleburn
Bottom Bracket: Shimano XTR
Pedals: Crank Bros eggbeater 4xTi
Hub Skewers: Salsa / Fox QR15
Rims: Mavic 717 Disc
Hubs: Chris King with QR15 conversion
Tyres: Continental Mountain King 2.2
Saddle: Flite Ti TT
Seatpost: Moots Titanium
Seatpost Binder: Hope QR
Weight: ??

 

[kanerdog1x1]

oooh, pauls thumbies. i like. got them on my oreas. how do they marry up with the hopes now, i have got them with the older mope mini levers and they are ok. but only ok. looks good, but i need you to say they are great. please say they are great.

 

[Neil G]

That's a very nice build

 

[otherself]

Wide bars, massively wide bars.

 

[CarrotCake]

oooh, pauls thumbies. i like. got them on my oreas. how do they marry up with the hopes now, i have got them with the older mope mini levers and they are ok. but only ok. looks good, but i need you to say they are great. please say they are great.

The mounts are really well designed and finished. They mate up ok with the newer style levers, but the master cylinders do interfere with the mounts if you want to alter the position of the levers in relation to the mounts. This is nota problem though as they end up in the position I desire them to be just before they would interfere. I run the same mounts on another bike with the old Hope C2 brakes and they mate up better with the older lever clamps better allowing for a greater window of adjustment. The mounts and dura-ace shifter are a superb lite, trouble free reliable set up.

 

[tintin40]

Please weigh soon just have to know

 

[letmetalktomark]

Just shortened the stem on mine from 100mm to 80mm and am trying a laid back post - makes a huge difference to the ride....in a positive way

Lovely build.

What travel is that fork?

 

[Anthony]

I know you say you're not going to change anything, but the stem/stackers/veeery-low-rise bar look a bit out of keeping with the rest of the bike to me. If it was mine, as I wish, it would definitely have a riser bar. Even if you don't think you would like one on it (which is what I used to think myself), how are you going to know for sure unless you try one?

 

[CarrotCake]

I know you say you're not going to change anything, but the stem/stackers/veeery-low-rise bar look a bit out of keeping with the rest of the bike to me. If it was mine, as I wish, it would definitely have a riser bar. Even if you don't think you would like one on it (which is what I used to think myself), how are you going to know for sure unless you try one?

I should rephrased it 'I'm not going to change anything that costs me money, but happy to adjust things'. The spacers are a temporary fit that are on loan from another bike, hence the out of place colour. I could not bring myself to chop the fork steerer stack height without first riding the bike. I've swapped a couple of the spacers from below the stem to the top and will chop the tube accordingly and replace the couple of red spacers left with black ones.

The fork is a adjustable travel 100-120-140mm. I've only tried the 100-120 setting so far. I'm going to let them bed in for a few hours before I play with settings/pressure.

 

[Augustus]

Looks really nice IMO. Good shape and not too burley etc.