I've noticed that there are one or two other Solaris owners on here.

Just wondered what spec you have yours set up as?

Is it mainly used for bikepacking or is it a general all round use bike?

Mine is 1x10 and 100mm forks. It's my only mtb now (well it will be once my fs Camber has sold) so has a fair few bases to cover and the first time I have has just 1 mtb since 1989!!

My Solaris is my only MTB and is good for more than 95% of the riding that I do, just occasionally if we head to a trail centre then I struggle a bit but that's as much me as the bike.

I run 1x10 - currently a 32T chainring and 11-40 cassette, standard XT 11-36 cassette with 17T removed and a Hope 40Trex added. Forks are set at 120mm, I had the choice when getting the bike built up and went with that, makes the head angle a bit slacker, I like it so don't see the need to try the 100mm setting.

For general trail riding I have a Reverb dropper post but swap this out when bikepacking for a normal seat post - I'd rather not mess up the dropper with potential rubbing and scratching from the seat bag. Handlebar is a standard riser bar normally but I do have an On-One Mary bar that I need to try out for bikepacking (It was in their sale a couple of months ago and for £15 or whatever it was I thought it was worth a shot)

I might try out some 27.5+ wheels in it, Cy has blogged about using them and the Mk2 Solaris has them as a pre-build option.

For me the only downside for bikepacking is that the frame has just one set of cage mounts but then it's aimed at trail riders not tourer/bikepackers. Other than that it's just about perfect. My wife got so jealous that she ended up getting a Soul

Thanks for the reply. I recognise your username from STW.

I couldn't use this one on their as it's taken already but I've kind of used a lot as I mainly ride alone.

I had the choice of 100/120 when mine was built up. I went 100mm as it was enough on my previous 29er bit the Cotic was still slacker than that already.

I'm on XT gears and brakes but Hope N/W chain ring.

I did try 710mm flat bars for a while with bar ends and although I love bar ends I found the bike seemed to suit my 740mm riser better (10mm rise).

A bit of consistency

Originally I had a RaceFace NW 30T chainring but when that wore out I was pressed for time and the only one I could find in the local shops was a Hope 32T retainer (NW) chainring. I was considering moving to 32T anyway but that kind of forced my hand.

I'm off to Chamonix shortly so I'll see how I cope with it out there - could be a lot of squeaky bum time

Good point on the bottle bosses btw. I hadn't really thought too much on that before.

Enjoy Chamonix

Rockshox Sektor forks at 120mm
Thomson carbon bars
Thomson stem 100mm
Esi chunky grips with cane creek bar ends
Hope hubs on stans flow ex
Maxxis tyres, ardent and high roller ii. Set up tubeless
Reverb dropper (last time I was bikepacking I used it with my seat pack)
Madison flux saddle
Front and rear mud guards, CBA to take them off from winter!
1x10
Zee cranks
DMR v12 pedals
Hope 40t expander on a deore cassette, 11t sprocket removed I think
XT derailleur

Mine is a large in duck egg blue

I've some elite bottle cage straps to allow a second bottle when needed.

Love the bike but not getting much chance to ride it properly

Not jumping on a trend or anything but...

https://flic.kr/p/nNR65B
(Sorry, can't get the photo to embed from flickr on my phone)

1x10, 100mm forks, wideish bars. I always want to stick big tyres on it because it makes it great for monster trucking but I find it loses a bit of nimbleness that you don't realise you were missing until you go back to it, so I try and find a balance. Ardent up from in the summer seems about right.

The new one looks quite smart an all....

https://www.cotic.co.uk/product/new_solaris#extras

2 x 10 XT and 120/140mm Revs here. Just having some 650B+ wheels built for 2.8 chubby tyres.
Used for all sorts.

Anyone had any issues getting the saddle angle comfy?

Not sure I'd it's the ST angle or the cotic own brand seat post but I'm now on saddle number 5 (2 of which have been previous go to favourites of mine) but it always seem a tad to nose up or nose down for my liking.

Just to round out my spec btw:
Hope xc tech wheels with mountain king 2.2 tyres. 60mm cotic stem. Currently an SDG falcon
ti-alloy saddle. Thomson seat collar. Spesh xc lock on grips and bottle cage. Nukeproof electron pedals.

It was the complete build spec that was there over a year ago but changed since and with a few tweaks of my own.

Seriously tempted with one of those pdw bird bottle cages though as I think they look cool!

My Solaris built in April (wheels built in May - had to wait for wtb delivery).
Built for long rides/overnights but it's great for 90% of West Yorkshire riding.
Small duck egg blue frame
Salsa firestarter forks (+ anything cages as required)
Hope headset
Renthal fat bar lite
Renthal stem
Renthal Kevlar grips
Slx shifter
Slx brakes (180 rotors f&r)
Hope ceramic BB
Slx10sp 11-36
Slx crankset
Old spds (& fly pedals as required)
Superstars 32t (front)
Hope eternity seatpost
Hope seat clamp
Charge spoon saddle ( soon to change
Tyres n wheels
Wtb traiblazer 27.5+ (f&r)
Wtb KOM i29 (27.5") Rear
Wtb scraper i45 (27.5") front
both wheel set built round hope pro evo 2 hub with dt swisss spokes

I My Solaris

Running 1 x 10 at minute with a 32T absolute black oval front ring c/w DT Swiss forks.

I do the majority of my riding in the Peak so I'll swap over to a rigid single speed in the winter to save my forks from Peak grit paste.

I run flat bars with a Thompson laid back post which took me a while to get used to but I know love it. The biggest change for me though was running 2.4 Ardents tubeless on flow rims, WOW what a difference that extra 5mm on the rim makes. vaguely exciting.

If there was a Ti option I think I'd have my bike for life.

I would really like a ti option. With a second set of bottle mounts. Less weight and more water would basically fix the only things about the bike I have a problem with

My spec is:

X-Fusion Slant forks
Hope XC wheels, Pro 2 hubs, XR4 2.30 on the front, XR3 2.20 on the back both tubeless
Shimano M785 brakes ( might have got the numbering wrong, they're the XT models with finned pads)
Race Face cranks
Hope 32T chainring
Hope stainless steel BB
Shimano 11-36 cassette with Hope 40Trex
Race Face 30mm stem
Race Face handlebars, can't remember the model but 740mm
ODI grips
Rockshox Reverb dropper post
Bontrager Revoke saddle
Hope seat clamp
Hope F20 pedals

The only time I've got anywhere near its limits is on really technical ground trying to keep up with those on FS machines who were going for it. Actually I think those were my limits.

It's late and I'm knackered but it's the closest to having enough time to respond I've been in a week so here goes.....

Frame: 19" (Turquoise)
Fork: RS Reba
Wheels: Hope on Stan's 'Flow' (front reg, rear EX)
Tyres: Maxxis (Ardent front, Crossmark rear)
Chainset: XT (with Middleburn rings)
Shifters/Mechs: SRAM X9
Brakes: XT
BB/Headset/Seat clamp: Hope

Despite the fact that I'm considering selling mine to fund a 29+ project I'd happily say that it's been my favourite bike of the last 10 years!

The lack of rear tyre clearance aside it's pretty much flawless in its performance.

Does everything very very well and looks great to boot.

thanks for taking time out to reply.

While we've got a specific thread, what bikepacking luggage set ups have you gone for?

Just a small update.
pdw bird cage and esi racers edge grips added on mine.

Saved a whopping 37g in the process

benp1 wrote:While we've got a specific thread, what bikepacking luggage set ups have you gone for?

I should add my set up - had to dash to the gym so didn't have time before

Revelate harness on the front, with a pocket
Large Alpkit fuel cell on the top tube
Viscacha on the back
Revelate half frame bag, can't remember the name

The half frame bag definitely works with one bottle. For my next trip, which is going to be a while away realistically, I'm hoping to use some elite bottle cage mounts to make 2 bottles fit as well, I have a large frame

My previous set up was just a 20l Alpkit Airlok XT strapped to the bars. The bottom loops fit perfectly with my forks so I can easily use velcro straps to secure it. I also had a deuter front triangle bag, that works fine with 2 bottles.

Found the bike too short to work with the feed bag, should sell that at some point

Just another question for you all:

From a purely bikepacking point of view, which Solaris would you choose? The mk1 or mk2?

Mk2, because it's the latest and shiniest!

Next question

benp1 wrote:Mk2, because it's the latest and shiniest!

Next question

Any of you under 5ft7? I stopped looking when they didn't go down to a small frame......

No. I'm taller but they still have small mk1 frames @£375 in stock.

el Gato

Re your Cotic build spec.
Is that the carbon or steel fork?
How does it handle as a rigid?