Cotic’s Rocket 29 is set for lift-off in 2015

This big-wheeled version of Cotic’s full-suspension steel Rocket frame may herald
a return to the golden years of British bicycle manufacturing.

At the moment it is firmly in the protoype stage, and being ragged mercilessly by the Sheffield brand’s Steel City enduro team, but Cotic hopes to have it on sale in the next six-months. The 29er frame uses a single-pivot design with aluminium linkage (dubbed Droplink) and custom-tuned X-Fusion O2RCX rear shock to deliver just under 150mm of travel. A RockShox Pike resides within the stubby 44mm head tube to handle front suspension, and although the geometry is yet to be confirmed, Cotic assures us it will be long, low and slack.

In common with Cotic’s 26in Rocket, the front triangle and seatstays use Reynolds 853 steel tubing, mated to 7000 series aluminium chainstays and chromoly seatstays. More significant, though, is the fact that it will be built in Britain. Cotic is looking to bring frame construction home to the UK from Taiwan.

Fifty 26in Rockets are to be made at first and sold for the same retail price as the Far East equivalent, followed shortly after by the new 29er project.

With plans afoot to start working with cutting-edge carbon-fibre as well as venerable old British steel, Cotic could be sparking a resurgence in homegrown bike-building.

• The 29er is designed to be a big bike for big people, hence will only be available in medium and large.
• Cotic is still toying with different offset forks and varying head angles to arrive at its desired steering characteristics.
• Frame and shock should cost around the £1,500 mark, so a little more than the 26in version.
• Stealth dropper post routing will be standard, as will provision for a front mech

Syntace’s neat X12 axle system ties up the back end