Cotic BFe26

[HourGlass]

I FINALLY joined the world of modern mountain biking and got myself a dropper post (Brand X Ascent). It's been an item on the "want but not need" list but with a recent sale on these at everyone's favourite online bike store, pricing was brought down into the realm of second hand prices.

The post offers a 150mm drop which, inclusive of the collar, offers the perfect measured height for me.

The BFe has provisions for 'stealth routing' via the seat tube and I've used plastic P-clips to fasten the cable under the bottle cage for a neat install. I've only used it to dump the seat for riding the local pump track but thus far, I get the hype!



Few snaps from recent rides from the last few months, in no particular order.







Thanks for looking!

 

[HourGlass]

Final ride(s) of the BFe in the UK (I'll miss having a pump track opposite our place!)

I'll be moving back to Australia and the Cotic will be joining me, albeit in a few months when the container arrives with our posessions.

Australia has quite strict quarantine rules and as I was trying to shoehorn two bikes into one bike box, I stripped everything down to component form, cleaned everything and finally mummified individual bits in bubble wrap.

Not wanting to tempt fate with customs and wind up on an episode of Boarder Security, I gave the tyres scrub and packed them in with my checked luggage. A brand new set of Schwalbe Nobby Nics were packed and delcared so here is hoping customs don't have to unpack my carefully packed bike box for a peek.

Looking forward to riding this bike on my local trails back on Australian soil!







Thanks for reading!

 

[W7Ford]

Stunning bike and photography! Hope all goes well with the journey.

 

[kyle888]

Very nice bike! Love the pics too.
Good luck with the move back down under!

Kyle

 

[HourGlass]

The Cotic has reached the antipodes!

Naturally, I wasted no time in getting to work.



Rest assured, it didn't stay clean for long.


A few notes:

• I found I had a surplus Thomson 70mm stem in my Australian stash of parts which I've fitted in place of the Easton Haven stem. There is no change in geometry but the Thompson has a much smarter look to it.
• I sourced the rubber grommet for the dropper post from Cotic prior to departing England. A small but necessary detail.
• Despite being somewhat squished in the bike box for the last few months, Nobby Nic tyres went on just fine, In hindsight, I could have opted for the 2.35"...
• I'm not happy with my cable routing so I will likely revert back to my original set up of the cables crossing behind the headtube. I'd originally run a full length gear cable but I don't expect I'll see quite as much liquid sunshine here, so I'll likely make use of the cable stops on the bike.

Overall, I'm super stoked to have this bike back with me again and I'm looking forward to formally introducing this classic 'hardcore hardtail' to some of the local trails here in Melbourne.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Mikey08]

Gorgeous shade of blue, looks amazing with the tan walls.

Great photos too and 4 pot XT's are super cool.

 

[HourGlass]

Gorgeous shade of blue, looks amazing with the tan walls.

Great photos too and 4 pot XT's are super cool.

Thanks dude!

Yeah, the XT's are phemomenal. They were a great brake to begin with but the added benefits of servo wave in the newer levers makes it a formidable combination.

Paint is a lovely colour but it is largely being held in place by clear frame wrap installed by a previous owner. It's come off in a few spots taking the paint with it (see rust prevention efforts below using phosphoric acid).




My intention is to strip and repaint it but I'm undecided on colour. I did source the decal kit from Cotic with the dropper bung so materials are all on hand, I just need to commit!

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[slackboy]

I'm undecided on colour.

The one true colour: orange

Or that Kawasaki green or black black grape colour they did a few years back.

 

[Mikey08]

Yeah that Kawasaki green is a cool colour to be fair.

Decisions decsions

 

[HourGlass]

The one true colour: orange

Or that Kawasaki green or black black grape colour they did a few years back.

Ah, the black grape is a sensational colour.

For players at home:


The colour I was thinking of is actually the Duck Egg Blue which was never an option for the BFe. Looks nice in a satin or gloss. The decal set Cotic sent me is the same "black Cotic on white" too which is the inverse of


Finally, I've always liked the beige / red combon on an earlier incarnation of the Genesis Tour De Fer. Understanded, and it would hide the dust / mud! I'm sure I could use the decals as a stencil and actually paint on the graphics.

Yeah that Kawasaki green is a cool colour to be fair.

Decisions decsions

The orange and the green are the definitive BFe colours, IMO.

For now, I'll keep riding the thing