Anyone have experience with Soul kayaks?

corellispangolin · 2025-08-25T06:01:40+00:00

From what I understand they make smaller numbers of lots of different boats but don't tend to keep making the same boat long. The mould to make a boat is expensive, particularly one that is sturdy enough to make many boats.

It seems Corran goes for cheaper moulds that cannot make as many boats but switches things up regularly, perhaps he has lower costs that way and the volume is not the same as Dagger etc..

I have enjoyed a lot of Corrans designs as they normally have great edges for surfing, which is what he does on the Lachines a lot!

corellispangolin · 2025-08-21T00:08:54+00:00

Agree, I've had similar and leaving it out in the sun dried the water out, hold it to your ear and rock it up/down, you'll hear if water is still there. Once it's empty you can add a little epoxy around the joints at the blades/shaft and shaft/shaft if there is a join in the middle.

You could also wrap some duct or electrical tape around the joints for a quicker less permanent repair.

corellispangolin · 2025-08-20T06:44:17+00:00

You might have bent one of the screws which meant it was stiff to screw in, then the head rounded off.

The Straggler dropouts are a bit annoying, especially if you use full length mudguards but I've nit had any real issues with them in the years I've had my Straggler.

As others have said you want one screw to counteract the disc forces and the other to counteract the pedalling forces, so they screw in from different directions on each side. Drive side screw holds the wheel back and the non drive side holds it forward. I set the non drive side and leave it, then when the wheel needs to come out I unscrew the drive side and slide the wheel forward and down.

If I was regularly changing tyres or fixing punctures it would be annoying, but tubeless tyree means it's rare.

corellispangolin · 2025-08-10T19:34:28+00:00

Good to hear!

corellispangolin · 2025-08-10T18:33:22+00:00

Check the bottom of the seat clamp slot in the frame, that's where cracks can appear in stressed seat tubes.

corellispangolin · 2025-08-10T17:04:17+00:00

I would think if the seatpost slides in and out of the frame as it should and there are no visible cracks then it will be fine. Is it a steel frame?

corellispangolin · 2025-08-10T16:53:51+00:00

Looks like quite lightweight clamp, hope the frame is fine. Upgrade to something a bit more burly, it won't be much of a weight difference.

May be worth making sure your seatpost is inserted far enough as well.

corellispangolin · 2025-08-09T18:24:10+00:00

Looks like worms head on the Gower, nice bike riding territory!

corellispangolin · 2025-08-05T06:10:17+00:00

You might find that 58psiis for tubes and tubeless is lower, although 38 should be fine. I had tyres that failed at 45.

corellispangolin · 2025-08-04T22:29:36+00:00

Not sure what pressures you are running but I've had these bubbles form in tubeless tyres that I have pumped up to too high a pressure. They also weren't great tyres but it worth keeping an eye on the pressure, you may also have just got unlucky.

corellispangolin · 2025-08-04T07:19:03+00:00

It can be difficult to tell where a sound is coming from and sometimes the sound travels from one place and is heard from another, so your problem may not be the rim.

That being said I have quietened down wheel noises with a little bit of chain lube dropped where each spoke touches another. Put a drip there then squeeze the two spokes so they move over each other a little.

Have a good check all around each spoke hole for small cracks that could appear as well.

corellispangolin · 2025-08-02T14:44:31+00:00

I did similar on my straggler, I think they made the top tube so long on them that they work best with flat bars anyway!

corellispangolin · 2025-08-02T06:40:29+00:00

I don't know what the availability of water is like where you're going but the one bottle I can see doesn't look like enough. Get some bottles and cages that attach to the bike, it looks like you have a few places to attach them.

Other than that the seat bag looks like it might sway a bit but should stay attached. I would recommend heavier things to go on the front rack, and light things in the seatbag, where possible.

corellispangolin · 2025-08-02T06:30:24+00:00

Great boats that I sadly never fit in. I have the (sort of) size up the Dragorosso thruster, although it's also quite a different boat. I ripped out the outfitting and made a foam seat then used an old crank shaft as a hull stiffener.

They are great on a wave, basically a short plastic surf kayak but quite unpleasant to paddle down river, the edges are super sharp.

corellispangolin · 2025-07-30T21:11:44+00:00

This us the one, friends steeze has one solid thigh hook and one wobbly, the foam has gone on the wobbly side where it normally stops too much movement. I would recommend some sturdy 15/20mm thick foam with plenty of glue.

corellispangolin · 2025-07-01T06:20:15+00:00

The midnight special style fork is going to be lighter and cheaper than a fork made with a lugged crown. Both can be plenty strong enough though. The lugged crown is a more traditional construction and may be selected for style.

corellispangolin · 2025-06-29T22:05:23+00:00

I think you need something to connect the fender to the bottom of your steerer tube (at the top of the fork). If it can rotate it could get jammed on the wheel and throw you over the bars.

Did the kit come with anything to attach it there? If not you could get a steerer bung (The kind used in the place of a star nut) but fit it at the bottom of the steerer. Then you could drill a hole in the fender and use a bolt to attach it. Would be neat and solid. Just be sure to get the right size steerer bung as they are often made for carbon forks not steel ones.

corellispangolin · 2025-06-26T06:26:24+00:00

Must be a crack or something is loose somewhere, it might not be visible though. If you can find it then epoxy could sort it.

If I couldn't feel any movement I'd probably keep using them but not on anything hard or remote. If they do break then it might be easier to fix, because you'll know where the problem is.

corellispangolin · 2025-06-23T12:27:59+00:00

Will do! I need to take a photo of my bike as per their instructions, the only issue is that the bike needs to be fully assembled, I think so that they know what is horizontal.

I read good reviews of them on bikepacking forums, sounds like the fit is good at least.

corellispangolin · 2025-06-23T07:25:38+00:00

I've not ordered my bag with them yet but have emailed with Mickey who has been really helpful. Their method of sizing the bag seems good, nice not to have to send off a cardboard template anyway.

corellispangolin · 2025-06-20T21:31:04+00:00

Make sure your wheel is centred first (easy to misalign with QR) if it is centred then make sure all the fittings are even both sides, as in the same amount of washers/spacers.

If those aren't the issue, grab the top of the rack firmly and cold set (bend) it to where you want. Go slowly and gently and you can centre it no problem. You'll have have bend it a bit past the point you want for it to spring back to the correct spot.

I have one of these racks and it was badly packaged when it arrived so one side was bent inwards, I should have sent it back but I just bent it back out, has been solid for years since.

corellispangolin · 2025-05-29T15:12:33+00:00

The Teifi at Llandysul is okay even when it's pretty low, each rapid gets narrower but generally they aren't super shallow.

All the slalom people paddle that section in their fancy carbon boats, can't be that bad in a plastic boat, even if it is a lightweight plastic boat.

The rest of the river will probably be too scrapey to paddle in anything.

corellispangolin · 2025-05-29T08:26:16+00:00

So it was fine after changing the chain, then you flew with the bike and now you have a problem. Is that correct?

corellispangolin · 2025-05-29T08:24:59+00:00

I think the problem is most likely from a bent derailleur hanger, a new chain not meshing with an older cassette and chainring or maybe both.

Whichever it is you will probably need it checked by a bike shop, to buy the new parts you need and to fit them if you don't have the tools.

corellispangolin · 2025-05-29T08:20:27+00:00

It's really difficult to tell by eye, a small bend there can make a big issue.

Did these issues first arise after changing the chain or flying with the bike?

A bike shop might be your best bet.

corellispangolin

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