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Cotic launch the Roadrat

First look at new steel road/cyclo-cross/everything else frame


Posted: 1 June 2006
by David Arthur

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Cotic is a small company that have been turning out their own high quality frames for a while. It all started with the SOUL, when the man behind Cotic, Cy Turner, didn’t think there was anything on the market that suited his riding, so he set about designing his own. Fast forward a couple of years and Cotic have the titanium version of the SOUL, the SODA, and more recently the Roadrat.

The Roadrat is an interesting frame. Cy Turner doesn’t much like road bikes, but he still wanted something fast for the streets. It’s versatile too, able to take on some cyclocross, commuting, gentle tow path bashing, touring (with rack and mudguard mounts) and everything else in between.

The frame, based around an Ultra Compact Geometry is designed primarily with flat bars in mind, with a long and low stance. With versatility in mind, Cotics own Dogsbody dropouts giving the choice of geared, singlespeed, fixed. It’ll take either 26” or 700c wheels, with disc brake and canti mounts. The skinny seat stays give handful’s of mud clearance, even with some 1.9” tyres in there. There’s a gusset underneath the downtube at the head tube junction to handle the beating this frame will undoubtedly take.

The frame is intended for a flat bar setup, but will work equally well with a drop bar configuration. Cotic have even designed their own rigid fork, with front mounted disc mounts and rack/mud guard mounts.

Price is £255, for the frame, mech hanger and fork. Watch out for a test as we’ve got one winging its way over to us soon.

Check out www.cotic.co.uk for more info.


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Discuss this story

Interesting and unusual bit of kit that. I'd quite fancy a play with one, if only to see how it feels with different build up options. I'd imagine that for zipping in and out of traffic a'la bike courier stylee it would be ace.

Why put the fork disc mount on the front though? Didn't some early Pace/Hope combos do that? Surely it puts the braking forces on the wrong side, i.e trying to rip the mount off rather than pushing it against the fork leg?
Posted: 01/06/2006 14:01

It's mostly to push the wheel into the fork dropouts rather than pulling the wheel out like most disk brake setups. If the designers weren't more interested in copying motorbike layouts than in designing sensible brake mounts that's where disk calipers on QR wheels would have been put day one.
Posted: 01/06/2006 14:31

It's on the front right for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it puts the disc brake forces into the dropout, rather than out of it so you won't get any axle movement with heavy disc braking. Secondly, it means that regardless of what caliper you're using you can always get to the mudguard eyes on the back of the dropouts. There are just too many possible caliper configurations to say 'everything works with mudguards' so we put the mount properly out of the way.
Posted: 01/06/2006 14:38

I knew there'd be a reason!
Posted: 01/06/2006 16:14

it looks pretty rad doesn't it - we've got a frame+fork on its way to BM HQ for a test, we'll let you know how we build it up and how it ride
Posted: 01/06/2006 16:38

I really like the look of this - it'd do everything I need, addressing minor niggles with my audax bike. If you want to send one to me here in China for a thorough test ride over the summer, drop me a line...
Posted: 02/06/2006 02:03

If you want to send one to me here in China for a thorough test ride over the summer, drop me a line...

Makes my offer of a 20mile commute test seem a little underwhelming...

It's make a nice fixie!
Posted: 02/06/2006 09:27

mmmm i like that. would replace my commuter, and give me more options.......

What was the price again? :)
Posted: 02/06/2006 19:33

It'd be nice in blue :)
Posted: 02/06/2006 21:52

Couple of questions for Cy:

How long is the uncut steerer tube on the forks?

How does the mech hanger attach to the frame? Is it a simple bolt-on job, or does the hanger engage in the dropout slots - or something? It's not clear from the site - a pic would be handy.

Ta.
Posted: 04/06/2006 01:53

Uncut steerer is 250mm.

The mech hanger engages in the track end like a chaintug. We've not got pics yet because they've not arrived. We're expecting them anyday, then we can start sending out framesets.
Posted: 05/06/2006 09:22

Thanks - I'll keep an eye on the site.
Posted: 05/06/2006 10:37

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