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"Burly Iron" Flagship Is a Steel Hardtail Mountain Goat for Your Summer Adventures

"I swear man, I ain't ever seen anyone do that on a hardtail before." "Yeah dude, I know. But then again, this ain't your average hardtail." "What do you mean?" "What if I told you that it's made from steel?"
BFe Hardtail MTB 7 photos
Photo: Cotic Bikes
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By now, you may have picked up that the two characters above are talking about a hardtail MTB. While that's true, a few other aspects of the conversation are also factual; that the BFe is made from steel and that it can do things few hardtails would dare dream of.

Folks, Cotic is a bicycle manufacturer from the U.K. that's been around since 2002. Now, that may not seem like a big deal, but entering an industry already dominated by crews with cycling histories nearly three times larger, and to thrive in the process, really says a lot about what this team can achieve.

Now, BFe does stand for something, "Burly Iron." That should already give you some indication of what to expect, and since this bike has been in the Cotic arsenal since 2005, you can anticipate it to be one of the most fine-tuned of their machines. One way to see what you can expect is to take note of some of BFe's geometry.

BFe Hardtail MTB Frame
Photo: Cotic Bikes
Before I go on, I need to point out that Cotic does offer an array of builds tuned for budgets and riding styles. Since components also differ on these builds, the geometry of each frame will also shift to ensure an optimized ride. In particular, the more travel your fork will have, the slacker will head tube and seat tube angles be. Not to mention a longer wheelbase. 120 mm (4.72 in) forks yield 66-degree head tubes and 75.5-degree seat tubes, while frames with 160 mm (6.3 in) forks boast 64.1-degree head tubes and 73.6-degree seat tubes.

As for the sort of gear that you may find on the BFe, let's take a look at the two complete builds available. The least expensive setup is the Bronze which comes in with a price of 2,570 GBP (3,357 USD at current exchange rates). For this sort of cash, microShift makes its appearance with a 10-speed cassette that sports 11-48T and a pair of Shimano Deore brakes with 180 mm (7.1 in) rotors. The crankset is also a Deore with 30T chainring.

Since BFe is tuned for 27.5 in tires, the fork is a Helm Black from Cane Creek with 140 mm (5.5 in) of travel, and WTB also makes their appearance with a pair of Vigilante Tough Fast with 2.5 in cross-section. While this setup doesn't feature a dropper post, the BFe does have this capability.

BFe Hardtail MTB
Photo: Cotic Bikes
Speaking of dropper post as standard, you'll receive this component in the second setup, Gold. Here, you'll be asked to dish out 3,450 GBP (4,507 USD) but will receive an optimized bike with Sram as the drivetrain provider. An Eagle GX Lunar cassette with 10-52T is tuned to 12 speeds, while Shimano somehow managed to wriggle their way onto BFe in the shape of brakes with 180 mm (7.1 in) rotors.

The same Cane Creek fork is used as standard, and so are the wheels. If you want to mix and match gear, the manufacturer's website includes a configurator to build your dream steel machine. Give it a try and comment on how much you'll have to pay.

Most people do expect a steel bike to be quite heavy, and while 6.1 lbs (2.76 kg) for a small-size frame may be a lot compared to aluminum or carbon fiber cycles on the market, it should help you stick to terrain a bit better and haul butt downhill. What more do you want?

At the end of the day, the bike looks solid, has a geometry I can't wait to feel and is sure to get a few looks and questions. Something to consider if you're looking for a new MTB this year.
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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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