Cotic droplink Rocket Gen4 User manual

2021 DROPLINK OWNERS MANUAL
WARNING
Cotic droplink models are bicycle frames designed for general off road XC, Trail, All Mountain and Enduro use only.
They are not Freeride or Downhill bikes. Performing large drops and jumps may cause damage to or failure of the
frame which could result in injury to the rider. Cotic Ltd does not take responsibility for any of these events. The frames
exceed the requirements of BS ISO4210.
Whilst Cotic endeavours to ensure that all items assembled at the factory are correctly and safely installed, it is the
responsibility of the owner to check all fasteners and components to satisfy themselves that the bicycle is safe to use.
If you do not feel qualified to make these assessments, you must ensure they are carried out prior to use of the bicycle
by a qualified bicycle shop mechanic.
All fasteners, component installations and components should be checked and maintained regularly to ensure the
continued safe operation of your bicycle. It is particularly recommended to check pivot bolts for tightness before and
after the first two rides to ensure safe operation.
Your Cotic droplink Bike
Your Cotic is a full suspension mountain bike for technical trail use. It uses the best materials for maximum strength
and durability in hard riding situations. Its carefully developed geometry ensures confident handling and fun.
Your Cotic is equipped with Cotic droplink suspension. This is a linkage driven design which combines the strength
and stiffness of a single swingarm with a finely controlled progressive shock rate. This keeps the back of your bike tied
firmly to the front and the shock rate gives you a positive platform to work from.
Overall Parameters
The Cotic droplinkbikes are designed to work optimally within certain limits of component size, shape and
performance. The frames handle better within these parameters. It's more fun as well as safer. The frame is not
designed to perform safely outside these limits. Using components which do not conform to the below requirements
voids the warranty and could result in unsafe handling traits or frame damage or failure, which could result in rider
injury.
Cotic Ltd does not take responsibility for any damage or injuries caused as a result of fitting an incorrect component
outside of the boundaries specified below.

Forks
Cotic droplink bikes should always be used with suspension forks, as follows:
droplink bikes are NOT approved for use with dual crown forks.
Shock
The rear shock droplink bikes are as follows:
The above droplink bikes use the following shock fittings (including UK made Jeht and FlareMAX frames):
Piggyback shocks may be used, usually with the piggyback reservoir installed at the down tube end, on the top of the
main barrel of the shock, with the exception of small size RocketMAX which must be fitted with the reservoir
underneath the shock at the seatstay end.
WARNING: If installed with the reservoir underneath, it could hit the frame before full travel is achieved if you are not
using a shock supplied by Cotic. If mounting the shock with the reservoir on the underside, let all the air out and fully
compress the shock to check clearance to the down tube. If fitting a brand of shock not supplied by Cotic then always
check clearance throughout the travel range to both top and down tubes and bottle cage if used, especially on size
Small and Medium frames. Whilst we have endeavoured to check clearances for shocks, we can't check all products,
or products which come to market after the designs are completed, therefore it is the responsibility of the owner of
the bicycle to check safe clearances are maintained through the travel.
droplink Model Wheel Minimum Fork Maximum Fork
(production date) Size Length/Travel (mm) Length/Travel (mm)
Rocket Gen4 539mm Static Length/ 563mm Static Length/
(March 2020) 27.5” / 650B 150mm Travel 170mm Travel
RocketMAX Gen3 561mm Static Length/ 573mm Static Length/
(March 2020) 29” 150mm Travel 160mm Travel
Jeht Gen1 541mm Static Length/ 563mm Static Length/
(Oct 2020) 29” 140mm Travel 150mm Travel
Flare Gen2 531mm Static Length/ 543mm Static Length/
(April 2019) 27.5” / 650B 130mm Travel 140mm Travel
FlareMAX Gen4 526mm Static Length/ 553mm Static Length/
29” 120mm Travel 140mm Travel
droplink Model Shock eye-to-eye Length (mm) Shock Stroke (mm)
Rocket Gen4 215 63
RocketMAX Gen3 230 60 or 62.5
Jeht Gen1 210
210
55
Flare Gen2 190 45 or 50
FlareMAX Gen4 50
(April 2021)
Top Shock Mounting M8 x 15.75mm wide
Bottom Shock Mounting M8 x 24.0mm wide
Jeht Gen1 and FlareMAX Gen4 Taiwan Series Production use different shock fittings:
Top Shock Mounting M8 x 20.0mm wide
Bottom Shock Mounting M8 x 24.0mm wide

Coil Shocks
Coil shocks may also be used if desired, but please seek advice from Cotic for spring rate. Our bikes are progressive in
nature and require stiffer springs than usually suggested by 3rd party suppliers and online spring calculators. If using
a spring without the advice of Cotic it will void your warranty. Too soft a spring leads to frame damage.
When using a coil shock, preload applied to the spring should be minimum 1 turn (to prevent the spring rattling loose),
and REGARDLESS OF THE SHOCK MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS no more the 3 turns of preload should be applied
to achieve the Cotic recommended sag for your model. If you require more than 3 turns of preload, you need a stiffer
spring. If you use more than 3 turns of preload, your warranty is void. Using more than 3 turns of preload can result
in coil binding before bottom out which will overload and damage your frame. Cotic is not responsible for this.
Brakes
Cotic droplink frames are equipped with International Standard
(IS) rear disc mountings. In order to maximise suspension
performance under braking the disc mount is positioned forward
of the top centre of the disc rotor. The placement distributes the
forces in a neutral direction. In order to achieve the best position
for the brake caliper the top bolt of the disc mount also forms
the shaft of the left side seatstay/swingarm pivot. The bike must
therefore never be ridden without a brake installed as the
seatstay pivot will not be fastened.
Minimum rear rotor size: 160mm.
Maximum rear rotor size: 203mm.
Front brake rotor size should be no larger than the maximum
recommended by the fork manufacturer and should not exceed
203mm diameter.
Tyres
Tyres larger than stated above could contact the frame whilst the bicycle is in use causing frame and/or tyre damage
which could lead to rider injury.
droplink Wheel ISO Maximum Maximum
Model Size Rim Size Tyre Width Wheel Diameter
Rocket 27.5”/650B 584 2.6” / 66mm 28.34” / 720mm
RocketMAX 29” 622 2.5” / 64mm 29.53” / 750mm
Jeht 29” 622 2.5” / 64mm 29.53” / 750mm
Flare 27.5”/650B 584 2.6” / 66mm 28.34” / 720mm
FlareMAX 29” 622 2.5” / 64mm 29.53” / 750mm

Headset
Droplink bikes are designed to use an external type bottom cup (regardless of steerer size) to maintain the geometry
of the bike. It is possible to install a 1 1/8” steerer fork using a crown race adaptor. Installing a 1 1/8” fork using a zero
stack bottom cup will steepen the geometry and drop the BB height. It will also result in fork crown adjusters not
having sufficient clearance from the down tube, thus allowing potential damage the frame and fork if the bars are
over-rotated. ZS44 lower cups are therefore not approved.
Specifically it is not safe to install a longer travel than recommended fork (eg 180mm travel or more on a Rocket) with
a 1 1/8” steerer and ZS44 bottom cup thinking that because the overall length of the system is similar to the approved
EC44 bottom cup/max fork length set up it will be safe. It won't. No matter what the headset-steerer combination,
forks longer than the maximum stated in the table above are not approved.
Use of offset bushings in the shock to alter the geometry is prohibited and invalidates the warranty. The tyre clearance
at full travel is not sufficient to allow the use of offset bushes and presents a danger to the rider and the safety of the
frame if used and invalidates the warranty.
Seatpost
The seatpost size is 31.6mm, using a 34.9mm clamp. Hose routing is provided along the down tube and through a
hole in the seat tube for internal or 'stealth' routed seatposts.
For internal 'Stealth' routed seatposts, the routing hole is on the front of the seat tube above the bottom bracket, but
below the droplink. Feed your remote cable/hose through by anchoring it to the outer cable pre-installed in the frame
and install as per the seatpost manufacturer instructions. Once installed, wrap the supplied Jagwire routing grommet
over the cable/hose and push into the seat tube hole until firmly in position. This will prevent water ingress at this
point.
To prevent frame damage, the seatpost should have a minimum of 100mm of insertion into the frame below the top
of the seat tube with the saddle set at the maximum height required by the rider, regardless of any minimum insertion
marker on the seatpost.
Failure to observe this minimum insertion of 100mm will result in premature frame failure and invalidation of your
warranty.
It is important to check and ensure that you can insert your dropper seatpost far enough into the frame to get your
correct pedalling height.
For maximum insertion measurements for your frame to check dropper post compatibility, please check the latest data
on the geometry chart on the product page of the website at www.cotic.co.uk.
droplink Model Top Cup Bottom Cup
All models April 2019 /
Flare Gen 2 onwards ZS44 / 28.6 (1 1/8”) EC44 / 40 (1.5”)
It is possible to fit various brands of angle adjust headset to the Cotic Droplink frame. Whilst this does not invalidate
any warranty, it does move the handling away from the layout we spent a great deal of time researching and
perfecting. We accept some people have different preferences to the handling of the bike, and all we ask is that you
proceed with care if fitting an angle adjust headset and take time to learn how the bike handles differently.

Rear Axle
The rear axle is a screw-through Syntace X-12 Boost148 type. The axle is supplied with the frame and requires a 5mm
Allen key to install and remove. The derailleur hanger is also Syntace X-12 Type1. Both regular and Shimano Direct
Mount versions of this hanger are available, but the frame is supplied with a regular version.
Pivot Bearings
All the pivots on the Cotic droplink bikes use standard 'deep groove' ball bearing cartridges or standard shock size
bushings. If noticeable rattle or play develops in the suspension system, yet all the pivot axle fasteners are tightened
correctly, then it is highly probable that the bearings require replacement.
The pivot bearings are as follows:
It is important to quote the ‘2RS’ addendum as this specifies the seal type. To ensure your Cotic Rocket performs at
its best we recommended that you buy the highest quality bearings from a reputable manufacturer (eg. Enduro, SKF,
NSK, etc).
The Seatstay/Swingarm pivot uses a 1/2” internal diameter bushing. This is identical in size to a regular shock bushing.
We install a high specification IGUS plain bearing, but if you are stuck without spares, any 1/2” shock bushing will fit
and be safe to use.
The bearings and bushings are press fitted into the frame housings. Old bearings should be knocked out carefully
using a drift and a hammer. New bearings should be pressed in square using a large vice with soft jaws into the
housings to prevent frame damage and ensure accurate alignment.
If you do not have the equipment to press the bearings in DO NOT attempt to install them using a hammer or similar
as you run the risk of damaging the frame.
When re-installing the pivot axles after changing the bearings, it is imperative that all the spacers and axles are installed
again correctly. When disassembling take note of the order in which assemblies came apart. Make sure they go back
together the same wa
All spares are available directly from us on our website:
https://www.cotic.co.uk/order/spares/
There is a full installation video for bearing replacement on our Youtube channel:
https://youtu.be/97XZBvnztl4
y. Use high quality grease on all surfaces.
droplink Model Rear Axle Width / Size
Rocket Boost148 x 12
RocketMAX Boost148 x 12
Jeht Boost148 x 12
Flare Boost148 x 12
FlareMAX Boost148 x 12
Pivot Bearing Quantity Axle Housing
Number per Frame Size Size
Main Pivot 6902-2RS 2 15mm 28mm
Droplink Seat Tube 6902-2RS 2 15mm 28mm
Droplink Seatstay End 608-2RS 2 8mm 22mm
Seatstay IGUS
Swingarm WSI-0809-08 2 1/2” 19/32”
Seatstay Swingarm
Fitting Size - 2 sets M6 15.8mm

DROPLINK PIVOT
ASSEMBLY

MAIN PIVOT
ASSEMBLY

SEATSTAY PIVOT
ASSEMBLY

PARTS LIST
608-2RS

Pivot Torque Head Sizes
Main Pivot Axle 17Nm 8mm allen key/17mm spanner
Main Pivot Pinch Clamps 6Nm 4mm allen key
Droplink Seat Tube End N/A* 8mm allen key/6mm allen key
Seatstay/Droplink Pivot 7Nm 4mm allen key/T25 Torx
Droplink Pinch Clamps 7Nm 4mm allen key
Seatstay Pivot 11Nm 5mm allen key
Shock Mountings 7Nm 2 x 4mm allen key
All the pivots and pinch clamps are designed to be done up with the following torque settings:
*There is no specified torque for the droplink Seat Tube Pivot Axle (15mm diameter). This is because for maximum
bearing life, the pivot should be assembled loosely, with threadlock on the large screw and the droplink pinch clamps
undone. The 15mm axle should then be tightened until there is just enough preload to remove any slack in the pivot,
but still allows free turning. Just like pre-loading a headset. Once at this point, tighten the droplink pinch clamps to
the recommended torque to hold the assembly together.
This ensures safe operation of the frame. Failure to install the spacers and pivots correctly, or to tighten the bolts
sufficiently will lead to premature frame failure. If you're at all unsure, get your Independent Mountain Bike Specialist
to do the job for you.
Feel free to contact Cotic for answers to any specific questions or to return the frame to us for service.
Other General Specifications
Seat Clamp (supplied) 34.9mm
Front Derailleur N/A – The frames are 1x drivetrain only
Bottom Bracket Shell BSA 73mm threaded
Chainguide Mounting ISCG05 lower 2 tabs. Integrated
Cotic / One Up Components top
guide supplied with frame/bike
Cable/Hose Routing Down tube routed full outer for gears,
internal dropper post and rear brake.

Warranty
The warranty terms for your Cotic frame are detailed on your invoice.
This applies regardless of any subsequent changes to the warranty terms.
Setup Suggestions
The suspension on your Cotic droplink bike is designed to work at it’s best when the suspension ‘sags’ with the rider
on board the bike. 'Sag' is the amount the shock compresses with a rider on board. The suspension works at its best
when set with between 25% and 30% of the available travel as sag.
You should be looking to set up your bike between the following amounts of sag, measured on the shaft of the shock:
droplink Model 25% Sag 30% Sag
Rocket Gen4 16mm 19mm
RocketMAX Gen3 16mm 19mm
Jeht Gen1 14mm 16mm
Flare Gen2 (45 stroke shock) 11mm 14mm
Flare Gen2 (50 stroke shock) 12.5mm 15mm
FlareMAX 12.5mm 15mm

How To Set Your Sag - Air Shock
Using a shock pump, put 170psi in the rear shock. Leave your forks as they are (if you've already set them up) or put
the recommended pressure for your weight in them according to the fork manufacturer's manual.
Check the shock and turn off any lockout or Climb Switch. This allows the shock to compress unhindered and ensures
a more accurate sag measurement.
Put your riding kit on. Or at least a fully loaded backpack if you usually ride with one. Make particular note of the
amount of water in your pack on your bottles. It's probably the heaviest thing you strap to your bike after yourself,
and it makes a difference to the suspension setup.
Set the saddle to your correct full pedalling height.
Mount the bike and go for a quick ride in a suitably quiet area. Whilst riding, bounce on the saddle a couple of times
to get the rear shock compressing as much as you can.
Pull in somewhere safe, stop, get off the bike and slide the o-ring on the shock down against the seal. Now get back
on the bike and with saddle at full height sit down and let your legs dangle off the pedals and make sure the o-ring
on the shock is still up against the seal. Now, gently get off the bike without moving the shock (using a kerb or
something as step helps).
Once off the bike, measure the distance between the o-ring and the shock body. Adjust the air pressure in the shock
accordingly to get the desired amount of sag.
How To Set Your Sag - Coil Shock
If using a coil shock, go through the process above, but get someone to measure the eye to eye length of the shock
with you on board to estimate the loaded length, then take this away from the unloaded length to get sag.
For example:
RocketMAX: The rider sits on board and measures 209mm eye to eye length. 230 – 209 = 21mm sag. At
this point the rider needs to add some preload to get the desired sag of 19mm.
You must not use more than 3 full turns (3mm) of preload on the spring measured from when you just take up the
slack and stop the spring rattling loosely on the shock. If your shock manufacturer recommends less than this, use
that guidance. If your shock manufacturer approves more than 3 turns of preload, you must still only use 3 turns of
preload. Your Cotic frame warranty is void if you use more than the manufacturer suggested preload, or the 3mm
limit specified here, whichever is the smaller. If you need more than 3 turns of preload, you need a stiffer spring anyway.
For example, 3mm of preload on a 500lb/in spring is 59lb of preload. At that point you would need the 550lb spring.
The progressive nature of the droplink rear suspension means running 30% sag gives lots of grip and fluidity whilst
still having great support when moving the bike around.
It’s worth noting that as the weight distribution of all bikes is different, being dependent on saddle position, stem
length and bar width amongst many other things. It’s quite possible that with the correct sag at the rear of the bike,
your forks may end up with too much or too little sag because there’s more or less weight on them compared to your
previous bike. This is why we don't recommend any particular pressures, because even quite subtle differences in your
saddle/cockpit set up compared to anything we measure will result in different pressures being required for a given
level of sag. We always recommend setting up using sag measurement as your guide, not a generic shock pressure.
Once you’ve set the rear sag, check the front fork sag. For forks, we recommend running a fairly firmly sprung setup
with 20-25% sag coupled with 30% sag at the rear for general riding. The firmer forks keep your weight centred on
downhill sections. Setting your fork sag is easiest if you get someone to help. Again, with your riding gear on, mount
the bike and then ask a friend to hold the bars and clamp the front wheel between their legs. Once steady, stand up
on the pedals as if about to descend a trail. Bounce the forks once or twice to free them up, then stand up over the
bars in an 'attack' riding position. Get your friend to slide the o-ring on the fork to the seal. Now, without moving the
fork any more, move yourself rearward and then step off the bike. Measure the distance from the o-ring to the fork
seal. That is your sag. For a 160mm fork, you should be aiming for around 32-40mm sag (20-25%).
If the fork sag requires alteration, alter it, then check the rear sag again. Keep doing this procedure until both front
and rear sag is set as desired by the rider, within the manufacturer recommendations for the frame and fork.

How To Set Damping
Once the front and rear sags are set, adjust the rebound and compression damping to your preference. If you have
specified the Cane Creek shock, then our base setup is on the shock already. Follow the excellent instructions in the
Cane Creek manual for fine tuning.
For other shocks:
Rebound
It is recommended to start with the rebound halfway across its range. If you feel like you’re being bounced out of the
saddle on big compressions, or springing back too hard off drops, or the bike feels like it’s bouncing back at you at
high speed on rocky sections, then add more rebound damping until this sensation is eliminated.
One thing to avoid is setting the rebound based on the 'bounce in the street' test. This usually results in setting the
rebound too slow for good grip in trail riding conditions, because doing the 'bounce test' with rebound set fast enough
for good performance usually feels too fast in this unhelpful scenario. Use the Cotic base settings (which you will find
quite open), run your fork rebound in the middle to start with, and go ride. Only start adjusting once you have a feel
on the trail.
Compression / Pedal Platform
It is recommended to start with the compression damping/pedal platform switched off (or set to minimum). The Cotic
droplink suspension is designed not to require the assistance of a compression damping circuit to give good pedalling
performance. Using the minimum setting allows the suspension to move under bump forces more easily and track the
ground better.
Try It Out – The Only Way You'll Know Is By Going For A Ride
We recommend starting at 30% shock sag and going for a couple of rides to see how this feels. This is a good middle
ground for tackling the trails with an active, plush feel combined with a low bottom bracket height for confident
handling.
If you feel that you’re catching your pedals too often, or the steering isn’t as fast as you’d like, or you're not getting
the climbing position you want, then add more air to the shock and reduce the sag to 25% shock sag, or maybe drop
the sag on your fork a few extra millimetres to move your weight forward.
Take Some Notes Before Tweaking
With all the adjustments available on modern suspension it’s quite possible to get lost chasing a set up and ending up
with a bike that doesn’t handle too well. So, if you’ve twiddled and tweaked and the handling just seems to be getting
worse, go back to your base setup. We've provided a section over the page for you to fill in with your basic settings
and experiments.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with your suspension settings and general bike setup (stem length, bar height, etc), but
always have a base set up written down that you can go back to. This should include a fork travel (if the fork is
adjustable) with air pressures for front suspension units. Note down how many clicks of rebound you're running. Same
goes for compression damping if its adjustable on your fork.
As your experience grows, you’ll begin to know what certain adjustments do and how to undo them, but it’s a learning
curve so keep your head and don’t be afraid to start from scratch.
We really think you could get more out of your bike by playing around with things a little. We're always happy to help
if you want advice. Just drop us a line at [email protected]
Our service doesn't stop when you order a frame. We want to help you enjoy your new bike to its full potential.

We really think you could get more out of your bike
by playing around with things a little.
We're always happy to help if you want advice.
Just drop us a line at [email protected]
Our service doesn't stop when you order a frame.
We want to help you enjoy your new bike to its full potential.

Cotic Limited
10 Everard Avenue, Sheffield S17 4LZ
Tel: [phone]
[email protected] www.cotic.co.uk
SET UP NOTES
Shock Shock Shock Fork Fork Fork Fork Bar/Stem
Pressure (psi) Sag (mm) Rebound (clicks) Pressure (psi) Sag (mm) Travel (mm) Rebound (clicks) Width/Length
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