COTIC ROCKETMAX GEN3 SILVER SLX
Cotic have upped the RocketMAX’s rear wheel travel to 160mm and tweaked its leverage ratio and progression rate to offer a plusher suspension feel, delivered via their linkage-actuated single-pivot system. The frame pairs a Reynolds 853 steel front triangle with a 6066-T6 alloy rear end, designed around Cotic’s Longshot geometry. Our medium bike had a reach of 470mm, a 64-degree head angle and a 450mm rear centre, making the wheelbase 1,260mm.
Our customised build came with a top-spec RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork and Deluxe Ultimate shock, but you get lower-tier Select+ versions as standard. Shimano’s 12-speed SLX gearing performs impeccably, while the two-piston Deore brakes lack tool-free reach adjustment but deliver loads of punch. The WTB rubber is grippy and dependable, but while the Trail Boss rear tyre rolls nicely and bites well through turns, it can feel a bit skittish under braking on steep or wet trails.
Uphill, the RocketMAX offers a comfortable seated position and climbs with relative ease. There’s little suspension bob, so we never needed to firm up the shock. The Cotic has a great, lively ride. Well-balanced suspension combines with a frame that’s taut and stiff enough to feel responsive, but gives zing and pop as you load the bike from turn to turn. The lengthy geometry means you need to position your weight further forward to keep the front wheel gripping, but the benefits at high speeds and on steeper trails are immediately obvious.
Popping a manual takes a little more effort than on the shorter bikes here, and when we were fatigued, maintaining that attack position was harder, which meant transitions from high-speed straights into low-speed turns weren’t as seamless. In rougher terrain where the bumps come thick and fast, the RocketMAX feels more composed than its precessor, thanks to that extra travel and the tweaks to how it’s delivered, plus the easy-totune RockShox damper. We stuck with the two volume spacers that came pre-installed inside the Deluxe shock, but toggled the blue lowspeed compression damping dial to its more open setting.
The changes made to the RocketMAX definitely boost its performance, especially in rougher terrain. It’s an engaging, feedbackrich ride, though, and doesn’t isolate the rider from the terrain as well as some of the best bikes here. It’s also the most expensive on test.