Only a few blog posts ago, I told you about this amazing steel framed mountain bike I really, really wanted.

Well, one way, and another, I have managed to become the rather proud owner of a Hot Yellow Gloss Soul 275, via the super friendly and helpful Bike Workshop in Bristol.

Its actually been quite a long process to get here, and well, there have been a few compromises on the way, but what is important now is that I have a rather hot bike, that is oh so much fun to ride.

While a XT or XTR 1×11 setup, dropper post, super fancy forks, hope wheels and joystick controls would have been awesome, its also a combination that would have doubled the cost of the bike! And somebody thinks there is already too much bike in the shed!

So, I have a size small frame, which is perfect for my 168cm height, a Deore 2×10 setup and some Rockshox Sector Gold Air solo forks, with 140mm of travel (the upper limit of the Soul). For the wheels, we specified a shimano MT15 wheel set, however, they were out of stock, so I ended up with the MT35. I have no idea what the difference is.

For Tyres, I opted for some Continental Trail King (protection & black chilli variant) – continental make some of the best tyres I have ever used. I think these will not be an exception to that rule, and will suit a lot of the riding I am going to do – I just need to keep tweaking the pressure to get the ride right.

For the time being, I have an old pair of SPD pedals, but I have to say, I have seen some pretty neat platform clipless pedals (a pedal type I prefer most) out there – those X1s by HT Components look great.

I had a fun first ride on it last weekend, with a friend and fellow mtb-er of the 80s/90s. Si decided to ride his cross bike around the red run at Haldon, which he did with almost no issues at all!

Although I thinks his arms ached at the end.

Me on the other hand, well, that is a different story; but I am sure when I’ve figured out wide handle bars and sorted the tyre pressure, I’ll be flying!

So, I have lots of plans to upgrade things over the coming years, as and when the current ones wear out, but most of all, I am just keen to get out and ride it, re-master some old skills, hook up with a few local riders, and perhaps head out and enjoy some of the open moors for some slightly longer rides, and perhaps I’ll share some of that journey here.

Oh, and Cotic have some demo days in the South West coming up, there may still be spaces.