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Cotic update Roadrat

Super-versatile bike gets new tubeset and design features

Cotic have launched a new version of their mega-versatile Roadrat with an updated cromoly tubeset and geometry.

According to Cy Turner from Cotic, “The frameset was born from a desire for something swift and rugged to take on everything from the rapidly crumbling tarmac of the urban jungle to disappearing into the hills for a few days with nothing but your sleeping bag and mat for company. Faster that a mountain bike on the road, way more fun and versatile than a road bike, it's your perfect 'other' bike.”

The new version has a lower bottom bracket than before to increase the stability, a longer head tube for a slightly more upright ride position, and lightened chainstays. The dropouts have been simplified and now come with an integrated mech hanger, and the disc brake mounts have been moved to the chainstay making mudguard and rack mounting easier.

The new Roadrat still has removable V-brake bosses; you can’t fit either caliper or cantilever brakes. The taper-legged RB2 fork is taken from Cotic’s latest >X< frame. You can choose either a disc-only option or a disc/V-brake model, colour-matched to the frame.

Speaking of colours, the Roadrat is available in this duck egg blue or in Gritstone with silver reflective graphics. Prices start at £299 for the steel fork frameset, with complete bike options starting at £799. Versions with a Shimano Alfine 8-speed internal hub cost from £849.

We reviewed a drop bar version of the Roadrat ages ago and called it, “Possibly the ultimate ‘do it all’ bike”. Our man Tony has one too and loves it. One of the big benefits is that you can fit a wide variety of different wheels and tyres and use it for pretty much anything other than mountain biking. 

Here’s Cy himself to tell you all about the new design tweaks…

Cotic Roadrat from Cotic on Vimeo.

For more info go to www.cotic.co.uk/product/roadrat.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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6 comments

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dodgy | 11 years ago
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Looks great, can this be supplied with drop bars I wonder?

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John_the_Monkey replied to dodgy | 11 years ago
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dodgy wrote:

Looks great, can this be supplied with drop bars I wonder?

IIRC the drop bar version was discontinued a bit ago - if you could make the geometry work for you, you could always go frame & fork only though & build one up.

Or you could look at the >X<...

http://www.cotic.co.uk/product/x

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SpeshRider7287 | 11 years ago
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Why is the fork fitted backwards???

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John_the_Monkey replied to SpeshRider7287 | 11 years ago
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SpeshRider7287 wrote:

Why is the fork fitted backwards???

Assuming it's the same Roadhog fork, the disc mounts are on the right front, not left rear - Cotic explain why here;

http://www.cotic.co.uk/geek/

Avatar
SpeshRider7287 replied to John_the_Monkey | 11 years ago
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John_the_Monkey wrote:
SpeshRider7287 wrote:

Why is the fork fitted backwards???

Assuming it's the same Roadhog fork, the disc mounts are on the right front, not left rear - Cotic explain why here;

http://www.cotic.co.uk/geek/

Ahhh. Makes perfect sense now.

Avatar
Lungsofa74yearold | 11 years ago
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Lovely looking with some really sensible improvements. Best thing is the colour though - I am an absolute sucker for anything in duck egg blue  4

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