Ever idly wonder what bike you'd build as your dream bike? Well, that's pretty much what Cotic's owner and bike designer Cy Turner gets to do. Here's the bike that Cy built.

The frame itself is the final pre-production proving prototype of the Gen2 RocketMAX, built by Five Land Bikes in June 2018. It's been Cy's bike ever since, up until now wearing the Metal Grey paint finish of that generation of bike. Now with the Gen 3 RocketMAX why not just have one of those? Over to Cy....

Despite the changes for the Gen3 bike, I actually did all the suspension development on this very bike, by moving the shock mount up the down tube and only using two bolts (do NOT try this on your own bike!). Using offset bushings and different shock mounts, I could test the 230mm shock and different leverage curves without building a whole new prototype. I knew that I didn't want to change the dynamic geometry, because it's already my favourite bike and I just couldn't come up with any reason to change it in a big way. The slightly steeper seat angle on the new one is simply due to the slightly more linear leverage curve needing a bit of help from the rider position to keep the weight centred on steep climbs. You'll note my saddle is right forward on the rails because I have the older frame.

A couple of months ago we got talking about switching out my frame and running a new one, putting mine in the museum storage where all our significant frames get put. But I didn't like that idea. Partly because in the first couple of months of the production run of any of our UK bikes production volume is always a little bit behind demand, and partly because I felt really strongly that it's still a great frame, with a lot more life left in it. We are focused on sustainability, and a big part of that is building durable products that last. Why ditch a perfectly good frame for a new one?

It's also an emotional attachment too. The month this bike was built was the culmination of a very stressed and hectic few weeks trying to get the geometry right. I got it near where I wanted on the previous prototype using an angleset, and this was the frame delivered to prove out both the final geometry, and the paint finish. It was done so fast it never even got the e-coat corrosion protection! But I remember that first ride like it was yesterday. I was over the moon with how it felt and how it was everything I wanted it to be. I was so excited. It's the OG Rad Bike. It's been my main bike for all my adventures these last 2 years, and I love it, and everything it represents about my journey as a bike designer and a company owner.

SO, it was sent on holiday to Five Land Bikes to get a modified shock mount position (so i can safely run the Gen3 long shocks, not the shonky 2 bolts option i used during development!), stripped, e-coat, and this GORGEOUS paint test orange with the latest Gen3 artwork. I think it looks AMAZING.

The graphics are the silver decals from the Navy Blue Gen3 RocketMAX with the cut through down tube graphics from the Army Green, complete with the new head badge. You'll also notice some random holes in the swingarm. This is the less glamourous side of running a development bike - you get to drill holes in it to test things. These are leftover from an abortive attempt to find good rear mech cable routing via the swingarm. Didn't work, but the holes remain! Also above are a couple of pics Cy took during assembly. Again, partly for sustainability, and partly to prove a point, all those pivot parts removed from the bike were cleaned up and put back in. The only things that were replaced were the bearings, which were due a refresh. All of these parts are two years old with a lot of use, and once cleaned up, it all went back together tight as a drum.

For the build kit, as you might expect for a heavily used bike it features some of the best parts available, and it's broadly based on our Platinum build. As a result it's running a full SRAM X01 Eagle drivetrain, which has been in place for over 2 years, and has just received it's first replacement cassette and jockey wheels. Cy's a big fan of the 10-50 range, as he's a sit-and-spin kind of rider, so the 30/50 bottom gear means he's always got an option to keep on top of a gear. The drivetrain is topped off by the absolutely amazing Cane Creek eeWings titanium cranks with a Unite Components chainring, DMR Vault pedals and Hope BB.

Over to Cy again...

I'm a big fan of the SRAM drivetrain, and the range suits me really well. I've just got the 10-50 cassette, and I have no plans for a new rear mech and 10-52 of the latest verison just now. I'm happy with this as it is. Maybe in another couple of years when this cassette wears out I'll do the change.

eeWings? I can't defend them on any kind of value for money grounds that would make any sense, but they're amazing - tough, light, fit and forget - I love them. To paraphrase an old movie, "they are so choice. If you have the means I highly recommend picking some up."

The suspension is courtesy of the new Cane Creek HELM Mk2 fork at 160mm, and the DB Air CS shock originally used during the Gen3 development, both of which feature on the Platinum build. Brakes are SRAM Guide RSC G2 4 pots (an option on all our bikes), a One Up 180mm dropper post holds up a very well used Cotic saddle.

Wheels are HUNT Trail Wide, tyres are WTB Verdict 2.5 Light High Grip Slashguard front, with a Trail Boss 2.4 Light Fast Rolling rear.

Cockpit is a regular 35mm Cotic stem, WTB Padloc Commander grips on Spank Vibrocore 30mm rise bars cut to 775mm across the ends of the grips. In the centre of the bars is the permanently installed Exposure Lights bracket for a 6 Pack light.

We'll let Cy have the final word....

I'm new to the HELM Mk2, but they feel great so far. We helped Cane Creek during the development of these by trying some of the lighter oils they were proposing, so my previous HELM Mk1 had been running the 2.5wt oil that's stock fitment in these for a while. With all the other changes, these are definitely a step on from that, but I guess it's not quite a big a difference for me because of the damper tweaks I'd already done. The rear shock is just amazing. Plush, controlled, capable. I run the DB Air IL most of my time on this frame, with an OPT remote, and I do miss the remote a bit. However, the new kinematics, big can shock and extra travel over the Gen2 definitely give it a more capable feel when it gets hectic.

I'm quite fussy about brake feel, and I just don't get on with the strong initial bite of Shimano brakes. It's a preference thing. Up until a year ago I was on Hope E4s which were great, but I got these SRAM Guide G2s in to test prior to potentially offering them as a build option, and they never came off again. I really like the feel and power.

Cockpit shape is fairly standard Cotic; the Vibrocore bars are a similar shape to our Calver Bars which I ran before. However, after my Finale trip last year I was suffering a bit with arm pump and sore forearms, so I got some of these to see if they would help. They do a little - they're defintely a soft bar. I find carbon bars too stiff for my liking. I've been running the Padloc grips since they came out. I know it's a faff to cut the angle on your bars for them, but they work so well for how I ride. I've used single collar grips for years because of my tendency to roll my hands over the ends of the bars. The Padloc just put a big, soft comfy bit of rubber right where I do that, which is ace. Bar width is what I settled on a couple of years back after doing a lot of testing during Longshot development. You can read the blog I wrote about it here.

The light bracket stays on there, because just like most of you, I actually do most of my riding out of office hours, so for 8 months of the year in the UK that means evening rides with some level of darkness involved. I like the simplicity of the Exposure lights all-in-one nature. Saddle is just me shaped. I know some people don't get on with them, which is why we have the Fabric saddle option, but this just works for me. I could (and do) sit on it for hours.

I've been running the TrailWides since I got some production samples in summer 2018 and I really like them. They're light for what they are, give the big tyres a nice profile and roll super fast. Freehub bearings needed a refresh for the rebuild of the bike, but they're great.

The Verdict / Trail Boss has become my go-to, year round setup. I found when WTB moved to the Slashguard option on the Light tyres (reinforces the sidewalls, but not the tread area) I could run the lighter tyre on the rear too. I used to run Tough rear tyres before. The stiffness and feel of the new WTB casings is great, and I run 19psi front, and 22psi rear. I experimented with Cushcore and Rimpact, but I'm not a habitual wheel wrecker and I prefer the lower weight without the inserts. After years on the Vigilante, I am a big fan of the Verdict on the front. Grip for days!

So that's it. My RocketMAX. The smile says it all. I got it all back together last week and it's still managed to surprise me with how much fun it is. I am a very fortunate lad.