Archive: Flare Gen2

Years of production: 2019-2021

Preceded by the Flare Gen1. See the current Flare.

The second generation Flare was our 27.5" wheel, light and lively steel full suspension trail bike. It combined the DNA of our Rocket enduro bike with the light, agile, subtle feel of our legendary Soul for a fun, fast, endlessly addictive ride, with a UK-made Reynolds 853 front triangle.

At heart it was a technical trail tearaway: lighter and easier to move around than our MAX 29ers, more compact than the enduro-focused Rocket, and with droplink suspension bringing more capability than our hardtails. It ducked and weaved, popped and wheelied, and scrabbled in and out of the tightest spaces. Optimised around 140mm forks with Longshot geometry, it flowed down singletrack, climbed beautifully, and gave confidence and pin-sharp accuracy in bigger, steeper terrain.

Finishes: Gloss Black (with silver painted graphics) and Gloss Green.
Sizes: Small, Medium and Large. Wheels: 27.5". Rear travel: 125mm, or 135mm from 2020.

What changed from Gen1

• Longshot geometry designed for 30-45mm stems, replacing OFI geometry
• UK-made Reynolds 853 front triangle
• Optimised around 140mm forks
• Dedicated 1x design with forged swingarm heads and an integrated Cotic x OneUp top guide
• 6066-T6 aluminium swingarm with Boost 148 x 12mm rear axle (Gen1 used 142 x 12mm)
• Clearance for 27.5 x 2.6" tyres
• 190 x 45mm metric shock, with internal stealth dropper routing only
• New for 2020: a 135mm travel option using a longer stroke Cane Creek DB Air IL shock, for a little more big-hit capability while keeping the lively feel

Longshot geometry, steel and droplink

Longshot geometry keeps the bike stable through the rough stuff, planted in the corners and pinpoint accurate in the steep tech. Couple a super short 35mm stem to the optimised head angle and the bike pushes you on, looking for every stump to boost off, rock to gap and berm to rail, with incredible poise and composure.

Reynolds 853 builds a light, lively and robust front end, including our ride-tuned Ovalform top tube for that signature Cotic feel: lively and fun, yet stable and controlled. Steel construction is compliant and ground-moulding, extracting grip and feedback from the trail.

The Flare was designed around 27.5 x 2.6" trail tyres. 27.5" wheels are lighter, livelier and easier to accelerate than 29" or 27.5 Plus, with a more interactive feel, at the cost of a little stability on rocky, bumpy terrain. They also package into a smaller frame, so the proportions suit shorter riders. Cotic droplink suspension is supportive and progressive, keeping the 125mm or 135mm of travel lively and interactive, with grip on the descents and support and traction on the climbs.

Frame details

• Longshot geometry designed for 30-45mm stems
• Reynolds 853 Ovalform and DZB tubed front end, made in the UK, with an exclusive Cotic 35mm seat tube for mid-chassis stiffness
• 44mm head tube with external bottom cup for taper steerers and zero stack top cup
• 31.6mm seatpost, internal stealth dropper routing
• Threaded bottom bracket
• Rear mech cable routed internally through the steel seatstay
• Dedicated 1x design: maximum-width swingarm pivot, low drop, forged swingarm heads with integrated OneUp top guide, plus ISCG05 lower tabs
• 6066-T6 aluminium swingarm with Syntace X-12 Boost 148 x 12mm rear axle
• 15mm main and seat tube pivots and a thru-axle-style droplink linkage clamp
• One bottle mount
• Tyre clearance: 27.5 x 2.6"
• Optimised around 140mm forks
• 125mm droplink rear travel (135mm option from 2020)
• Weight: Gold spec bike 29.7lbs without pedals

Geometry

Longshot geometry means low, long frames with plenty of standover. We recommend the size for your height with a short 30-35mm stem. If you upsize, check your dropper will fit: the collar can hit the seat tube top, or the post can bottom out on the droplink pivot. Email size@cotic.co.uk for help.

140mm travel forks

Frame size	Small	Medium	Large
Seat tube (centre-top)	390mm	425mm	460mm
Top tube (effective)	604mm	629mm	656mm
Head angle	66°	66°	66°
Seat angle	74.5°	74.5°	74.5°
Chainstay length	437mm	437mm	437mm
BB drop	-18mm	-18mm	-18mm
Head tube length	100mm	110mm	120mm
Reach	444mm	467mm	490mm
Stack	579.8mm	588.8mm	597.8mm
Wheelbase	1182mm	1208mm	1236mm
Usual height range	165-172cm	169-180cm	178-188cm
Stem length	30-50mm	30-50mm	30-50mm
Frame wheel travel	125mm (135mm option)	125mm (135mm option)	125mm (135mm option)
Maximum tyre size	27.5 x 2.6"	27.5 x 2.6"	27.5 x 2.6"
Maximum seatpost insertion (incl. actuator)	178mm	213mm	248mm

All measurements static, based on a 140mm travel fork. Maximum seatpost insertion leaves 25mm clear below the actuator for hose or cable routing; an externally routed dropper won’t need this margin.

Component sizes

• Seatpost diameter: 31.6mm (380mm long minimum)
• Front mech: not applicable, 1x drivetrains only
• Fork: 140mm travel, 533mm axle to crown (without sag)
• Bottom bracket: 73mm width, conventional English/BSA thread
• Chainring: single only, Boost chainline
• Chainguide mounting: ISCG05 bottom two tabs; integrated Cotic x OneUp top guide included with frame or bike
• Headset: 44mm for taper steerer forks (Hope 2H, Cane Creek ZS44 top / EC44 bottom, Chris King InSet i7)
• Rear hub: Boost 148 x 12mm bolt-through
• Rear axle: Syntace X-12
• Rear mech hanger: Syntace X-12 Type 1 (conventional or Shimano direct mount)
• Shock: 190 x 45mm, air shock only (longer stroke Cane Creek DB Air IL for the 135mm option)
• Shock fittings: 15.75 x M8 down tube end, 24.0 x M8 seatstay end
• Dropper routing: stealth via the down tube
• Rear brake mount: IS, compatible with rotors up to 203mm

Setup guide

Cotic droplink suspension works best with 25-30% sag, and we prefer starting at 30%. With the 45mm stroke shock (125mm travel) or 50mm stroke (135mm) that means 11-15mm at the shock; we suggest starting around 13mm whichever travel you run. For the 140mm fork, aim for 28-35mm sag, starting around 32mm.

To set shock sag, start with 170psi, turn off any lockout or climb switch, and put on your riding kit (including a full pack or bottles). With the saddle at full height, bounce on the saddle while riding, stop, slide the o-ring down to the seal, sit on the bike with your feet off the pedals, then get off carefully and measure. Adjust the air pressure to suit. For the fork, start a new fork at 60psi with compression at minimum, measure sag in a balanced standing position, then recheck the rear. Set up by sag, not by a generic pressure, because weight distribution differs between bikes.

Cane Creek DB Air IL (as delivered, counted from fully open): 1 large volume spacer, HSC fully open, LSC 6 clicks, HSR 1.0 turns, LSR 4 clicks

Our base settings run on the lively, fast-rebound side. Give them a couple of rides before changing anything. For other shocks, start with rebound 3 clicks from open and compression or platform switched off, as droplink doesn't need a compression circuit to pedal well. On the fork, start with high-speed compression fully open and low-speed in the middle of its range, and add a volume reducer rather than more damping if you're using full travel too easily. Don't set rebound by bouncing the bike in the street; adjust on the trail, change one thing at a time, and keep notes of a base setup you can go back to.

Download the droplink owner's manual (PDF)

Origin

Designed, developed and tested by us in the Peak District, with Cy Turner as lead designer and engineer. The Reynolds 853 front triangles were made in the UK, with the rear ends from our Taiwan suppliers, and complete bikes were built to order in the Peak District. Read the Singletrack feature on the UK-made Flare.

Reviews

Singletrack (ridden and rated): found it very hard to fault, with Longshot geometry, droplink suspension and the steel front triangle combining into an energetic, almost hyperactive character. Read the Singletrack review.

The Loam Wolf: called it a fun bike that's great for all-day adventures in the hills across a wide variety of terrain. Read the Loam Wolf review.

Guy Kes TV ("Knife to a Gunfight" live ride review):

Photo gallery