Full details and pics of the Hemlock can be found on the main Cotic site, but on this site we're going to be matching Hemlock setups to rides.
We want to hear about YOUR ideal ride, email us and we'll do our best to post on this site to explain how the COTIC HEMLOCK can be set up for that ride. We'll offer advice on which rocker to go for, suggest a fork setup or two, and also point out anything we designed into the frame with YOUR ride in mind.
Here's a few rides to start us off... (click on the ride descriptions below)
A super low toptube keep the ride tight and chuckable, and a massively oversized downtube keeps both wheels pointing in the right direction for maximum handling confidence. There is, of course, enormous tyre clearance for up to 2.5" tyres, and a full length seat tube allows full saddle height adjustment. The cable routing is the same mud-repelling semi-outer design as our hardtails.
A super low toptube keep the ride tight and chuckable, and a massively stiff downtube and rear end keeps both wheels pointing in the right direction for maximum handling confidence. The 1.5" head tube allows internal headsets and super low bar height for maximum front end commitment. There is, of course, enormous tyre clearance for up to 2.5" tyres, and a full length seat tube allows full saddle height adjustment. The cable routing is the same mud-repelling semi-outer design as our hardtails.
Rocker: "A bit less"
Fork: Mid Travel, stout - preferably bolt thru
This is where the laid back geometry of a big front fork is required, but without losing the precision you love from your hardtail. 120mm rear travel, maybe with a light ProPedal setting on the Fox RP23 rear shock, gives you traction and a margin for error allied to the sharp responses you want when you need your bike right with you.
Rocker: "A bit less"
Fork: long travel, stout (eg. Magura Wotan, maybe with an external headset for slacker angles)
You need super climbing traction and composed handling at speed. Some 140-160mm forks that you can wind down will keep your weight centred for the climbs, whilst the Cotic Hemlock's long travel suspension will hoover up traction wherever you need, whilst giving you totally intuitive feedback to really feel for the grip. Once you're waiting for your mates at the top gate, wind out your forks and prepare to decimate any rock garden in your path. Totally planted and confident long fork/long travel handling will have you at the bottom a long time before the rest of the group. Better pack a jacket; you'll need to keep warm whilst you're waiting!
It's all about control and comfort, whilst maintaining snappy handling and great climbing. You need the Cotic Hemlock with long travel paired with mid-travel trail forks. The Cotic designed suspension pedals fantastically well, and has traction to spare on the climbs. Mid-travel forks will mean you'll be in a great position on the bike without resorting to travel adjustment and damper fiddling. Just jump on and ride. And ride. And ride
If you've got your riding sorted on a trail hardtail like the Cotic Soul, suspension bikes with the same or more travel rear than front can feel very strangely balanced to you. You want the extra comfort and traction suspension brings without relearning your riding skills every time you switch bikes. You need a Cotic Hemlock! With the short travel rockers and long 130-160mm forks, you'll get that same noise led balance you know and love from your hardtail, without much of the usual drawbacks of suspension where you lose feel and precision.
Many of the set-ups possible with the Hemlock are great fun on
the rollercoaster trails of UK trails centres, but our favourite is the short travel out back with the new generation of lightweight bolt thru forks, which keep the handling sharp for that singletrack carving.
Rocker: "A bit less"
Fork: long travel light (eg. Magura Thor)
We love riding our long travel hardtails on sweet woodland
singletrack, I mean nothing can be as much fun as a Soul in
the woods? Can it? During the development of the Hemlock this
was the one kind of ride that we prefered going back to the Soul
for. But then we tried out the "long travel hardtail plus"
set-up on the Hemlock and fell in love all over again.
Rocker: "A bit less"
Fork: long travel, stout, adjustable (eg. Magura Wotan or Thor)
Make sure you get your Cotic Hemlock with both rocker options, and when you go away, pack the long travel links along with your sticky tyres and body armour. Proper big mountain, rock flattening performance will get you gravity kicks all day long, and if you miss the last lift the positive pedaling suspension will winch your weary bones back for beers. When you get home, chuck on the short links and light tyres, and bish-bosh-wallop, a tough, snappy UK trail bike without all the weight and squish.
Rocker: both "a bit more" and "a bit less" rockers
Fork: long travel, adjustable (eg. Magura Wotan or Thor)
Fast, snappy and eager, the Cotic Hemlock with A Bit Less travel is for you
if you want to keep the pop and trail feedback of your hardtail with the
added traction and control of a properly designed suspension system. Crisp
pedaling without resorting to pedal platform 'cheating', and a rising rate
to keep everything under control, however hard you're pushing it.
Plush, bottomless and hugely capable, the Cotic Hemlock with A Bit More Travel
is your ticket to high speed rock flattening, big mountain thrills and
sit-down-and-pedal comfort for miles and miles. Carefully designed
suspension hands out great gobs of climbing traction in the small and middle
chainrings, whilst retaining enough trail feel to keep you totally informed
of what happening twixt tyre and trail. Heading down the other side, the
linear frame rate works with the shock to give you that classic bottomless
4-bar feel and gives huge confidence and authority to your descending.
