Bike at bedtime: Cotic Escapade

Although designed, developed, engineered and tested by Cotic at their hub in the Peak District near Sheffield, the Escapade is amongst a range of Cotic’s frame that are handmade in Taiwan. All complete bikes are built to order back in the UK, to the exact spec of your choice. Does this count as being British?

This is the issue Cotic has been hit with thanks to the recent Brexit trade deal between the UK and the EU, as products need to be more than 70% of “UK origin” or UK “value added” to be classified as British for zero duty. With this, the brand is uncertain as to whether EU customers would be charged import duty on delivery and have halted deliveries until clarified… But enough on Brexit, let’s get back to this bike.

2021’s Escapade is the fourth iteration of Cotic’s do-it-all drop bar bike, to “take you to the office, to the shops, on holiday, to the hills, on adventures, or just to that quiet place where you get some headspace”.

This skinny steel tubed biked is said to be a “road bike without limitations” and was way ahead of the current trend towards gravel riding.

“Agile, sweet-handling, comfortable bike on multiple terrains” is how reviewer

Stu Kerton described the ride feel of the previous Escapade in 2019—his full review can be found here.

The new experience should live up to these expectations, as the geometry remains the same in the latest design and it keeps the quality butted chromoly steel frame, with a ovalized top tube and full carbon fork fitted at the front end.

It's cable routing has been revised for 2021. If you're running a 1x setup, it's now possible to hide the cable away entirely for a cleaner look. Removable external guides are included to allow you to run a 2x setup, or 1x with a dropper seat post.

There has also been a switch to the 142x12 thru axle standard for the rear wheel, while the front is 100x12mm.

Tyre clearance is plentiful with the Escapade, with the rear of the frame able to swallow 700C x 42mm or 650B x 47mm tyres, and the front fork can take even larger, 700C x 47mm and 650B x 50mm.

Frames are available for £699 in a supernova orange or the stealthier dark grey. Complete bikes start from £1200 with a basic Shimano Sora 2x9 setup and reach the heights of £2574 for gravel specific GRX 800 1x11 spec, with Hope’s Fortus 23W wheels wrapped in WTB Byway tyres.

A custom fitted frame bags can be added to your order, giving you the option to make this versatile bike ready straight away for longer adventures, on or off road.

www.cotic.co.uk