Archive: FlareMAX Gen3
Years of production: 2019-2021
The third generation FlareMAX was our 29" wheel, fast and fun downcountry bike: a punchy, 125mm travel bike that excelled at downcountry and XC-style riding, and the only bike you needed for ripping through the woods and conquering the hills. Reynolds 853 kept the frame responsive, while Longshot geometry made it fiercely capable. Big wheels and short travel, for all-day epics or evening blasts.
Finishes: Dark Grey, Red Dwarf and Supernova Orange.
Sizes: Small, Medium, Large and XL.
What changed from Gen2
- Rear travel up to 125mm (from 120mm), with a longer stroke 200 x 50mm shock and a refined droplink progression rate to broaden the range of tuning
- Seat angle over 2 degrees steeper, keeping you better centred for technical climbs
- Longer reach and adjusted sizing steps for a more confident feel over the front
- Designed around 130mm or 140mm forks
- Head angle (65.6° with a 130mm fork), BB drop (-32mm) and 447.5mm chainstay carried over unchanged
- 29" wheels only (no 27.5 Plus option)
The changes took their cues directly from our RocketMAX 29er enduro bike and the award-winning Flare 27.5" trail bike. We introduced our first Longshot geometry bike in August 2017 and got most of the geometry right first time on the first Longshot FlareMAX, so Gen3 was about adding some seasoning to a great recipe.
Longshot geometry
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, while keeping incredible poise and composure.
Steel, MAX wheels and droplink
Reynolds 853 builds a light, lively and robust front end, including our custom ride-tuned Ovalform top tube. The steel construction is compliant, warm feeling and traction rich, extracting grip and feedback from the trail where you thought there was none.
Cotic MAX frames use 29" wheels for maximum speed and rollover. Big wheels roll easily and give stability, confidence and speed in rough terrain, at the expense of being a little heavier and less playful than 27.5". The MAX frame proportions (longer rear end and wheelbase, taller front end) suit taller riders especially well.
Cotic droplink suspension is supportive and progressive, keeping the 125mm of travel lively and interactive, with grip to spare on the descents and support and traction on the climbs.
Frame details
- Longshot geometry designed for 30-40mm stems: responsive steering combined with confidence at speed
- Reynolds 853 Ovalform and DZB tubed front end
- 44mm head tube with external bottom cup for taper steerers and zero stack top cup
- Custom Cotic 35mm heat-treated cromoly seat tube supports the main suspension pivots
- 31.6mm seatpost, internal stealth dropper routing
- ISCG05 mounts on a 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 top chain guide
- 6066-T6 aluminium swingarm with Syntace X-12 Boost 148 x 12mm rear axle
- 15mm pivots at the BB and a thru-axle-style droplink linkage clamp
- One bottle mount
- Tyre clearance: 29 x 2.5"
- Optimised around 130mm forks, or 140mm for bigger hits
- 125mm droplink rear travel
- Weight: Gold spec bike 30.3lbs without pedals
Geometry
130mm travel forks
| Frame size | Small | Medium | Large | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube (centre-top) | 390mm | 425mm | 460mm | 495mm |
| Top tube (effective) | 596mm | 623mm | 648mm | 676mm |
| Head angle | 65.6° | 65.6° | 65.6° | 65.6° |
| Effective seat angle | 75.3° | 75.3° | 75.3° | 75.3° |
| Chainstay length | 447.5mm | 447.5mm | 447.5mm | 447.5mm |
| BB drop | -32mm | -32mm | -32mm | -32mm |
| Head tube length | 100mm | 110mm | 120mm | 130mm |
| Reach | 444.0mm | 467.5mm | 490.0mm | 515.0mm |
| Stack | 609.2mm | 618.3mm | 627.4mm | 636.6mm |
| Wheelbase | 1200.9mm | 1228.5mm | 1255.2mm | 1284.3mm |
| Usual height range | 165-172cm | 169-180cm | 178-188cm | 186-195cm |
| Stem length | 30-40mm | 30-40mm | 30-40mm | 30-40mm |
| Frame wheel travel | 125mm | 125mm | 125mm | 125mm |
| Wheel size | 29" | 29" | 29" | 29" |
| Maximum tyre size | 29 x 2.5" | 29 x 2.5" | 29 x 2.5" | 29 x 2.5" |
| Maximum seatpost insertion (incl. actuator) | 160mm | 197mm | 232mm | 267mm |
All measurements static, based on a 130mm 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.
140mm travel forks
| Frame size | Small | Medium | Large | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top tube (effective) | 599mm | 626mm | 651mm | 680mm |
| Head angle | 65.1° | 65.1° | 65.1° | 65.1° |
| Effective seat angle | 74.8° | 74.8° | 74.8° | 74.8° |
| BB drop | -27mm | -27mm | -27mm | -27mm |
| Reach | 436.0mm | 458.0mm | 481.5mm | 508.0mm |
| Stack | 612.2mm | 621.3mm | 630.4mm | 639.6mm |
| Wheelbase | 1205.7mm | 1232.5mm | 1260.5mm | 1289.8mm |
| Stem length | 30-45mm | 30-45mm | 30-45mm | 30-45mm |
All measurements static, based on a 140mm travel fork. Seat tube, chainstay, head tube, sizing, travel, tyre and seatpost details as for the 130mm fork.
With Longshot sizing, we recommend the size for your height on the chart 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.
Component sizes
- Seatpost diameter: 31.6mm (380mm long minimum)
- Front mech: not applicable, 1x drivetrains only
- Fork: minimum 130mm, maximum 140mm travel, 551mm axle to crown (without sag)
- Bottom bracket: 73mm width, conventional English/BSA thread
- Chainline: 52mm Shimano / 53mm Boost for up to 32t round or 30t oval chainring; 55mm Shimano for up to 36t round or 34t oval
- 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: 200 x 50mm, air shock only
- 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 50mm stroke shock that means 13-15mm at the shock; we suggest starting around 14mm. For the fork, aim for 20-25% sag: about 26-32mm on a 130mm fork and 28-35mm on 140mm.
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 0.5 turns, 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 user manual (PDF)
Reviews
Singletrack Magazine (first ride, December 2019): despite being longer in reach and wheelbase and lower in stack than other bikes the tester had ridden recently, the FlareMAX felt like a smaller, more agile bike, and they really liked how it rode. Read the Singletrack review.
Bike Perfect (4.5/5): found the revised, shorter-travel shock layout more controlled while keeping the bike dynamic, and reported it consistently dropped riders on carbon and longer-travel bikes on technical descents while still feeling warm and alive. Read the Bike Perfect review.
BikeRadar (4/5 first ride, Eagle Gold build): credited the geometry for letting the FlareMAX punch above its weight on descents, and said the suspension and geometry make the bike more than the frame material. Read the BikeRadar review.
Guy Kes TV: live ride video including a back-to-back comparison with the previous FlareMAX 132, highlighting the grip, the steel charisma and the more attacking feel of the revised Longshot geometry.
Photo gallery
