Here's why the second generation Cotic Jeht 2 is a steel framed MTB trail charger

Jeht is the latest addition to Cotic’s Droplink suspension family but has rapidly become their most popular model. The 150/140mm travel balance with signature sweet riding, sustainable, and Sheffield-designed semi-steel front end carry over to the 2nd generation bike. There’s enough subtle on paper, and significant on-trail change to make it noticeably more dynamic yet planted and all front ends are built in Scotland from custom recycled Reynolds steel. You can read my a Jeht 2 first-ride review of the Hope upgraded ‘Gold’ Jeht 2 build, and here is all the news you need to know...

McConstruction

Cotic has been building steel bikes using custom Reynolds 853 tubes for 20 years. The main news structurally is that Jeht switches to a bottom bracket strut braced single gauge downtube as seen on the RocketMAX 160mm Enduro bike and FlareMAX 125mm XC/trail bike. The distinctive flattened center ‘OvalForm’ top tube remains a signature feature too, complete with an unconventional-looking but perfectly practical bottle mount underneath. Top quality Enduro Max bearings, 29 x 2.5in tire clearance, and mostly external cable routing for simple servicing carry over too. There are two Five Land paint options too, matt sage green and gloss crimson red.

Like its two ‘DropLink’ suspension siblings all Jeht 2 mainframes are now built and painted by Scottish company Five Lands too. Alloy linkages, shock mount, and other CNC details are manufactured by RideWorks in England. That makes the Jeht 2 a primarily UK-built bike with only the alloy swingarm coming from Asia and Cotic is working on relocating the manufacture of that closer to home too. The bike I tested was loaded with brakes, wheels, and other components from Lancashire legends Hope Technology and frame bags will be manufactured by Restrap in Yorkshire.

That’s not just a patriotic win either. Because the tubes are made in Birmingham (UK) there are no shipping tubes halfway around the world in one direction, then built frames back the other way. So while there is a small premium to pay for UK manufacture, frame value is excellent considering the sublime quality of work you’re getting. You can also ride your Cotic around knowing you’ve significantly reduced the ecological cost to the planet not only in terms of shipping but because all Reynolds steel tubes are 100 percent recycled and recyclable. Cotic’s reputation for customer service, community creation, and advocacy support is second to none too.

Longshot Geometry 

The 64.5-degree head angle and 448mm chain stay length are carried over from the original Jeht and are consistent from the smallest to the largest bikes. Cotic has now adopted a C1 - C5 sizing spread with much more even jumps between the 444mm reach of the C1 and the 520mm reach of C5. Seat tube angles are steepened up to around 76 degrees depending on size and critically the BB height has dropped by 5mm. There’s a different set of links available if you want to go Mullet and Cotic list geometry for both the default 150mm forks and 140mm for front and rear syncing. 

Droplink Suspension

While the seat stay pivot, down tube mounted, linkage driven shock ‘DropLink’ layout is carried over the Jeht gets a more progressive shock rate. This ramps up more on larger sizes to give better support for bigger riders. Stock shocks and forks will either be RockShox Pike and Deluxe or custom-tuned Cane Creek Helm and DB IL Air but other options from those brands as well as Fox are available.

Jeht settings

Cotic also offers a very flexible build structure from frames (£1775 with shock) through rolling chassis (from £2895) to complete builds from ‘Bronze’ Deore/SLX/RockShox Revelation build at £4225 up to £6999 for Platinum with XTR, Hope and Cane Creek eeWings titanium cranks. I rode a Gold XT build with Hope upgrades (which are always popular on Cotic frames) but the Silver looks to be a real sweet spot build. This is based on the most popular ‘custom build’ Cotic gets asked for and includes SLX transmission, Deore brakes, Hunt wheels, Cane Creek shock, and RockShox Pike Ultimate fork for £5,075. 

Alternatively, the lovely folks in Chesterfield will help you build your own custom bike from whatever parts you want or already have to transfer across, increasing the value they offer even more. 

Jeht test

As much as it’s great to see a brand pushing a different - and very wholesome - agenda the other great news is that the Jeht 2 is an equally distinctive but very dialed and seriously compelling bike on the trail too. If you want to know more about that then check out the Jeht 2 first ride review on site, but at the risk of dropping a spoiler, I’m already working out how to book myself onto a Jeht frame for a long-haul test.