The twin-tempered Cotic Flare MAX gets some key updates this season to make the 125mm steel frame even better. While these changes are not monumental, anyone who’s had their eye on this bike may be stoked to see it improved. Additionally, the UK-made run of these frames is available now starting at £2,099, with the Taiwan-crafted triangles showing up in August with retail pricing from £1,799. Check the Flare MAX page for a massive list of complete build and frameset options.
The updated 29″ steel Flare MAX uses a lower pivot position on the seat tube so that most riders can fit at least a 150mm dropper post in the frame. The seat tube slides 0.5° steeper, and the rest of the bike’s geo remains as dialed as before. The other change of note is a metric 210x50mm shock size that should help to future-proof this little trail ripper a bit.
Adaptability is the game for most Cotic bikes, and the Flare MAX continues that theme by accepting 120, 130, or 140mm forks to suit whatever sort of riding its pilot prefers. Cotic says that the lightest build on offer comes in at 12.7kg (28 lbs).
With the shortest 120mm fork this bike has a gravity-ready 66° head tube that slackens to 65.1° with a 140mm fork. The seat post angle is around 75° depending on saddle height, and the seat tube length ranges from 390 to 495mm between the small and XL sizes. While the reach measurements should suit most rider heights, tall riders will be stoked on the 440 to 515mm span across the size range with the 120mm fork that squeezes down to a range of 436 to 508mm with a 140mm fork.
Check out the video above for a little taste of what this short travel ride machine has to offer.
