A nice video from our friends at Swift Industries. You can check out some of their wares in the Soma Shop, or at your local bike shop.
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Built By Swift
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Dayne's Custom Painted Double Cross DC
A custom painted Double Cross DC build submitted by Dayne. Here's what he had to say about the build.
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"I removed the canti bosses and cable stops, filed them down just so and filled any dips. Painted this by rattle can in my garage and slapped on a custom badge. All Chris King components and a hybrid Shimano 105/XT drivetrain (due to the fact your 132.5mm spaced rear doesn't allow for a 105 crankset and a lot of torque coming from the rider, otherwise the crank arm will knick the chain stay). Had to scour the earth to find that fork, Tange lugged disc fork was dechromed prior to painting."
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"I was drawing inspiration from the Rapha Continental bikes for this one, I just like red better than pink."
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"I removed the canti bosses and cable stops, filed them down just so and filled any dips. Painted this by rattle can in my garage and slapped on a custom badge. All Chris King components and a hybrid Shimano 105/XT drivetrain (due to the fact your 132.5mm spaced rear doesn't allow for a 105 crankset and a lot of torque coming from the rider, otherwise the crank arm will knick the chain stay). Had to scour the earth to find that fork, Tange lugged disc fork was dechromed prior to painting."
"I was drawing inspiration from the Rapha Continental bikes for this one, I just like red better than pink."
Thanks for sharing!
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Review: Bicycle Times Goes Out with the Soma Pick-Up Artist
"The Pick-Up Artist is a great deal at $1,500. The list of compromises for the price is not long.
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Less expensive steel makes a heavier overall bike, but what's a few more pounds when you are carrying 50? ... It's a solid design that has the added benefit of being easy to step over. The bike absolutely did ot wiggle side to side, even with a lot of weight up front.... The [front rack's] slimness is often an asset as the bike can squeeze between cars and other obstacles easily." Read the complete review in Bicycle Times Issue 29 or click here.(Oct. 2013)
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Dave's Tricked Out Rivendell
Dave sent over some pictures of his Rivendell Hunqapillar with a customized Soma Porteur rack.
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The IRD quill stem shifter mount keeps the Rivendell Silver shifters accessible without taking up handlebar real estate. Cork grips plus Newbaums tape allow for multiple hand positions.
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In addition to the Porteur rack, this build features lots of nice Japanese parts. Nitto/Rivendell Bosco Bullmoose bars, Stainless Nitto Bottle cages, Sugino XD Touring Cranks, and a Nitto R26 chrome plated rear rack.
The IRD quill stem shifter mount keeps the Rivendell Silver shifters accessible without taking up handlebar real estate. Cork grips plus Newbaums tape allow for multiple hand positions.
He even added a special mount under the rack platform for a dynamo headlight.
We previously featured his Soma Grand Randonneur build a few weeks ago. I think they'll make a nice pair! Thanks for sharing Dave!
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2014 Frame News: Soma Saga Disc Touring
Our heavy duty touring frame finally gets the disc treatment. It took a little longer than we anticipated, but we didn't want to rush things "just to get it out there." Some folks think that a touring frame should be easier to design since it isn't built for competition, off-road use, or features fancy lugwork, but that just isn't true. Each frame project presents its own design challenges.
Photos are of the second prototype. The fork and chainstays have been redesigned. The dropouts are totally new and they have proved pretty stiff.
We expect the first batch to be ready mid-March 2014. Geometry is same as the current Saga. (The cantilever brake model Saga remains unchanged from 2013.)
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Photos are of the second prototype. The fork and chainstays have been redesigned. The dropouts are totally new and they have proved pretty stiff.
We expect the first batch to be ready mid-March 2014. Geometry is same as the current Saga. (The cantilever brake model Saga remains unchanged from 2013.)
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Another Grand Randonneur from Seattle
Chris @ Rosebud sent us this excellent build he put together.
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It strikes a nice balance between old and new style components. I especially like the Nitto Craft quill stem, Nitto Campee mini rack, fluted Honjo fenders, Green Mercia saddle and Grand Bois Hetre extra leger tires. Should be a sporty and fun little bike!
It strikes a nice balance between old and new style components. I especially like the Nitto Craft quill stem, Nitto Campee mini rack, fluted Honjo fenders, Green Mercia saddle and Grand Bois Hetre extra leger tires. Should be a sporty and fun little bike!
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Jeff's Single Speed Juice Build
Just wanted to drop a quick note and say how much I love riding my new SS Soma Juice. I rode a 29" Camber full squish for about 18 months and started to get bored with the heaviness and laziness of it. I test rode a Specialized Crave SS a couple months back, and while I enjoyed it, I wasn't crazy about it. I knew I wanted to experience a steel frame ride and really admired the thinner tubing and sleek lines of steel frames. I had my local bike shop take some of the parts off my Camber to keep costs reasonable. Attached is a picture of the finished product. Thank you for making a great product. I plan to keep this for many years to come.
Jeff
Baltimore
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Ole's Smoothie Build
Hi Evan,
I went with your advice and got a 52 Soma, got it through Harris Cyclery in Boston. Very happy with the choice and initial rides are very promising. Please find a few pictures of the build enclosed.
Bikes name is TURID
Happy 2014 and thank you for supplying a great frame!
-Ole, Norway & Boston
Thanks for sharing Ole!
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Greg's Double Cross Build
This bike will be raced this fall in Oregon.
-Greg
Digging the scorcher vibe Greg! Thanks for sharing!
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Soma ES Complete Bike
If you follow Soma on Twitter or Facebook you may have heard that we just received our first batch of complete bikes. This is somthing we've been working towards for a long time, so we're very happy to say they're finally in stock and available to order. If you live in the Bay Area, you'll be able to check them out at one of our local dealers such as American Cyclery or A Bicycle Odyssey. If you're somewhere else they'll be available through a few of our distributors via your local bike shop.
We only ordered a small run for this first batch, so if you're interested in getting one for yourself be sure to let your dealer know so they can get one on order before we run out. The next run probably won't come until sometime this summer. So, now that we've got that business out of the way, here's what you really wanted to see.
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We only ordered a small run for this first batch, so if you're interested in getting one for yourself be sure to let your dealer know so they can get one on order before we run out. The next run probably won't come until sometime this summer. So, now that we've got that business out of the way, here's what you really wanted to see.
When we set about designing our complete bike line we really wanted to make the same kind of bikes we would build for ourselves, not a dumbed down, generic, "stock bike", built to hit a price point.
We worked with our suppliers to make sure we could use as many of our favorite parts as possible. That means Soma bars, stem, seatpost, saddles, IRD long reach brakes, Sugino Alpina Cranks, Tange sealed bearing headset and BB, and sealed bearing Suzue wheels.
We like our bikes to look classic, so we went for mostly high polished parts, which provide a nice contrast to the black Sram Apex kit. The IRD B57 dual pivot calipers give you ample clearance for fenders with the 28c Kenda Kwick Tendril tires. Starting this year, the ES fork has an additional 2 eyelets in front of the fork dropouts for mounting a front rack such as the Soma Mini Alloy or the new Champs Elysees stainless racks.
These bikes are set up to provide a good starting point that's not too aggressive until you get a chance to put some miles on the bike and or talk to a bike fitter. For the mechanics out there, the headsets come pre installed, with plenty of spacers so you can get the bikes put together without too much headache. Of course you can always trim the steer tubes later if you want. What you see in the pictures is exactly how the bike looks right out of the box. Just install the bars, front wheel, and seatpost and the bike is ready to go up in the stand for adjustment.
These Suzue wheelsets really bring the builds together. Sealed high flange hubs, with low profile graphics that don't scream "I'm a racer wannabe". High polish, machined rims, without annoying decals for you to peel off. They'll be available aftermarket later this year from what I hear.
Over all, we think these are some of the all around best complete bikes around, and they ride as nice as they look. In addition to the ES, we're also offering the Saga, Double Cross Disc, and the Buena Vista (with 650b wheels!). They're all in stock now, and we should have more pictures as soon as we get them built up.
2014 is shaping up to be a great year for Soma, and we hope you'll take one of these bikes out for a spin at your local Soma dealer. And of course, we'll continue to offer all our models as frames only if you prefer to go with a custom build kit.
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Soma Complete Builds on Flickr
We've been updating our Flickr feed with more pictures of the complete Soma bikes as we build them up. Here are a few of the best ones.
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The Double Cross Disc comes standard with Avid BB7 Road disc calipers. New for 2014, matching lugged Soma disc forks!
The Kenda Kwick-Trax is a surprisingly supple mixed terrain tire. 32c on the DCD, 38c on the Saga.
Sugino XD 500 Triple cranks offer a wide range to tackle those long gravel grades. Rivendell Silver bar end shifters + Roundwise bars.
Similar drive train to the Saga builds, but using IRD XC-Pro thumb shifters instead of Rivendells.
Soma Moustache II bars can be run upright or drop for a customizable riding position.
650x40b tires with ample room for fenders.
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Soma Stanyan: Bicycle SPACE's Bike of the Week
We are dang proud to be Bicycle SPACE's Bike of the Week. Bicycle Space is a bike shop in Washington D.C. Though they are not even 5 years old, they are one of the biggest Brooks dealers in the country.
Erik, the co-owner, built up the Stanyan for himself (our lugged road sport frame set) with a smattering of modern, but mostly 80's era parts off bikes he's owned in the past. Check out the whole interesting story on their blog.
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Andrews Single Speed B-Side
Hey there, I work at the Bicycle Wheel in Chico CA and I just finished building up a Soma B-side. Figured I would send some pics.
Some specs:
Soma B-side 18.5 frame
Rockshox SID 120mm Fork
Paul rear single speed hub
White industries freewheel
Avid Elixer 5 brakes
Race Face crank and stem
Sun Inferno rims
Kenda Navegal tires
Stans tubeless system
WTB Titanium railed saddle
Weighs in at 27 lbs, without a drop of carbon. I love this bike.
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Soma Champs Elysees Mini Racks
Many of you probably haven't seen these yet. It's a smaller version of the classic stainless front rack we introduced last year, designed to support a handlebar bag or small basket.
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They mount to standard Nitto style eyelets, which come on a number of models from Rivendell, Rawland, Soma and many Japanese bicycles. P-clamps are also included for forks without braze-ons.
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The platform angle is adjustable so you can keep it level on bikes with different head tube angles. There are various mounting points for a flashlight or dynamo headlight.
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With many Dynamo lights it is necessary to orient the light upright so that the beam pattern is not distorted. For optimal positioning the light should be mounted in front of the bag/tire to avoid casting a shadow on the road.
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This can be achieved a number of different ways, either by attaching the light bracket to the forward fender mount, with a M.A.P. fender bracket, or a Soma Wingmann mounted to either side. A disc brake spacer can be used to keep the fender blade in line with the tire when mounting directly to the forward tip.
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If your fork only has eyelets at the dropouts, or you want to carry heavier loads, the full size Champs Elysees racks are another good option.
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For those of you who've been waiting for news about the 65mm offset forks, they are now in production. We expect to receive the first batch in the next couple months.
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They mount to standard Nitto style eyelets, which come on a number of models from Rivendell, Rawland, Soma and many Japanese bicycles. P-clamps are also included for forks without braze-ons.
The platform angle is adjustable so you can keep it level on bikes with different head tube angles. There are various mounting points for a flashlight or dynamo headlight.
With many Dynamo lights it is necessary to orient the light upright so that the beam pattern is not distorted. For optimal positioning the light should be mounted in front of the bag/tire to avoid casting a shadow on the road.
This can be achieved a number of different ways, either by attaching the light bracket to the forward fender mount, with a M.A.P. fender bracket, or a Soma Wingmann mounted to either side. A disc brake spacer can be used to keep the fender blade in line with the tire when mounting directly to the forward tip.
If your fork only has eyelets at the dropouts, or you want to carry heavier loads, the full size Champs Elysees racks are another good option.
For those of you who've been waiting for news about the 65mm offset forks, they are now in production. We expect to receive the first batch in the next couple months.
(the production forks have a slightly larger bend radius)
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Grant's Somas
Grant sent in some great shots of his Soma collection.
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Another Gorgeous Saga
When it rains it pours! But that's cool, we've got fenders. Here's another awesome Sage build sent in by Steve.
Hope your wife is stoked dude! That build is wicked!
A better picture of Steve's Smoothie.
And here he is with his ES. Gotta love those fenders!
You can check out his blog here >>> http://singularitas.org
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Tanaka Decaleur and Ostrich F-104N Handlebar Bag
As a followup to our recent post about the Champs Elysees mini racks, I though I would make a post to show how it can actually be used.
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Here you see the Saga complete bike equipped with the Ostrich F-104N handlebar bag, a smaller version of their best selling randonneur bag. These are slightly narrower which is ideal for bikes with higher trail geometry.
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The bag can either be attached directly to the bars using the included leather straps or to a decaleur as pictured.
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When mounting the bag directly to the bars or to a stem mounted decaleur you need to make sure the bars are set at the proper height so that the bag sits low enough to be supported by the rack platform. For larger bikes you'll need a taller bag to make this work.
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The Tanaka Decaleur pictured here allows for vertical adjustment to fit different size head tubes and bags. By rotating the cylinder back as pictured, you can increase the tension on the bracket pins to keep the bag from jumping up when riding over unpaved or poorly maintained roads. When the bag is lifted off the rack the tension is released and the bracket slides smoothly free of the cylinder.
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For more technical offroad riding it's wise to strap the bag to the decaleur and the rack.
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The Ostrich bags include a nylon quick release strap and an additional leather strap like the ones for the handlebars. I recommend using the quick release around the bracket and the leather around the rack tombstone. The bag can also be mounted on the bottom, but mounting it to the tombstone works better to prevent the bag from bouncing when the bag is empty or lightly loaded.
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An issue I've encounter with some steer tube mounted decaleurs is that they have a tenancy to get pulled to the side by the weight of the bag. The Tanaka Decaleur addresses this by using a locking headset spacer to clamp it in place. The design is based on a seatpost clamp, so it's very secure.
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They can also be mounted to bikes with 1" thread less steer tubes or quill stems using the appropriate width shims.
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The 104N comes pre drilled for a decaleur bracket, but the Tanaka Decaleurs also allow the bag to be attached to the bracket with the handlebar straps for added security. The Ostrich bags have an internal metal brace which the straps loop around.
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We've tried these decaleurs with a few different bags including the Swift Industries Randonneur bags, and we've been very satisfied with their performance. As with all racks, it's important to check that all mounting hardware is tight before every ride. Installing the mounting screws using blue thread locker is a good policy. Also remember not to over load your handlebar bag to avoid wheel flop at slow speeds. Handlebar bags should always be secured either to the handlebars or a decaleur in addition to the rack. For heavy loads a Pourteur style rack such as the Soma or Gamoh models will be more stable, and distribute the weight across a larger platform. Another excellent option is the Wald 257GB basket rack which can be mounted to the handlebars and axles of most bikes.
Here you see the Saga complete bike equipped with the Ostrich F-104N handlebar bag, a smaller version of their best selling randonneur bag. These are slightly narrower which is ideal for bikes with higher trail geometry.
The bag can either be attached directly to the bars using the included leather straps or to a decaleur as pictured.
The Tanaka Decaleur pictured here allows for vertical adjustment to fit different size head tubes and bags. By rotating the cylinder back as pictured, you can increase the tension on the bracket pins to keep the bag from jumping up when riding over unpaved or poorly maintained roads. When the bag is lifted off the rack the tension is released and the bracket slides smoothly free of the cylinder.
For more technical offroad riding it's wise to strap the bag to the decaleur and the rack.
The Ostrich bags include a nylon quick release strap and an additional leather strap like the ones for the handlebars. I recommend using the quick release around the bracket and the leather around the rack tombstone. The bag can also be mounted on the bottom, but mounting it to the tombstone works better to prevent the bag from bouncing when the bag is empty or lightly loaded.
An issue I've encounter with some steer tube mounted decaleurs is that they have a tenancy to get pulled to the side by the weight of the bag. The Tanaka Decaleur addresses this by using a locking headset spacer to clamp it in place. The design is based on a seatpost clamp, so it's very secure.
They can also be mounted to bikes with 1" thread less steer tubes or quill stems using the appropriate width shims.
The 104N comes pre drilled for a decaleur bracket, but the Tanaka Decaleurs also allow the bag to be attached to the bracket with the handlebar straps for added security. The Ostrich bags have an internal metal brace which the straps loop around.
We've tried these decaleurs with a few different bags including the Swift Industries Randonneur bags, and we've been very satisfied with their performance. As with all racks, it's important to check that all mounting hardware is tight before every ride. Installing the mounting screws using blue thread locker is a good policy. Also remember not to over load your handlebar bag to avoid wheel flop at slow speeds. Handlebar bags should always be secured either to the handlebars or a decaleur in addition to the rack. For heavy loads a Pourteur style rack such as the Soma or Gamoh models will be more stable, and distribute the weight across a larger platform. Another excellent option is the Wald 257GB basket rack which can be mounted to the handlebars and axles of most bikes.
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Buena Vista 650b and new Grand Randonneur Tires!
It's been a pretty exciting day at Soma HQ. First off, the Grand Randonneurs are back in stock. We got a decent number, but they may sell out pretty quickly.
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I liked how it came out but it was missing a set of fenders. Luckily, we just got in the first run of Tanaka 650b fenders for the Grand Randonneurs. They're powder coated to match the GR, but I think they look really nice with the cream Soma tires.
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Plenty of clearance for 50mm fenders on the Buena Vista. The new Tanakas come pre drilled, and use 2 bolt stay clamps to make them easier to install and simple to adjust. One benefit of this style clamp is that it allows the stay to be in direct contact with the fender blade, so there's no risk of cracking at the bolt hole.
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Just as I was finishing off this post Adrian came in from the warehouse and told me that another shipment arrived from Japan. Obviously I had to investigate, and to my delight I learned that our long awaited 650b tires had arrived.
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The Grand Randonneur tire is the lightest 42mm tire on the market at just 300g. They use Panracer's lightest casing and the same supple rubber compound found in our other tires.
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The tread pattern is minimal, featuring a slick center contact area and recessed radial ribs on the sides.
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These tire are so light you'll think you're holding a road tire, but they're a true 42mm wide.
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As we know, a low pressure tire will have better grip the more rubber is in contact with the pavement. The Grand Randonneur tires has no diagonal ridges to increase grip and reduce drag.
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The sidewalls feature a special coating to prevent sun damage.
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We realized that the extra light tires weren't going to be appropriate for some of the riding we like to do, so a heavier duty option is also available.
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It's safe to say 650b is here to stay, and we're really pleased we're able to offer the state of the art in this category. We think these really raise the bar for what a high volume tire is capable of.
If you haven't seen them already, Soma is now offering the Buena Vista Mixte as a 650b complete bike. I built this one up with a few special parts that don't come on the standard build.
I swapped the stock black tires for some cream Soma New Xpress 650Bs and traded the Moustache II bars for a set of the Ahearne x M.A.P. bars.
I liked how it came out but it was missing a set of fenders. Luckily, we just got in the first run of Tanaka 650b fenders for the Grand Randonneurs. They're powder coated to match the GR, but I think they look really nice with the cream Soma tires.
Plenty of clearance for 50mm fenders on the Buena Vista. The new Tanakas come pre drilled, and use 2 bolt stay clamps to make them easier to install and simple to adjust. One benefit of this style clamp is that it allows the stay to be in direct contact with the fender blade, so there's no risk of cracking at the bolt hole.
Just as I was finishing off this post Adrian came in from the warehouse and told me that another shipment arrived from Japan. Obviously I had to investigate, and to my delight I learned that our long awaited 650b tires had arrived.
The Grand Randonneur tire is the lightest 42mm tire on the market at just 300g. They use Panracer's lightest casing and the same supple rubber compound found in our other tires.
The tread pattern is minimal, featuring a slick center contact area and recessed radial ribs on the sides.
These tire are so light you'll think you're holding a road tire, but they're a true 42mm wide.
As we know, a low pressure tire will have better grip the more rubber is in contact with the pavement. The Grand Randonneur tires has no diagonal ridges to increase grip and reduce drag.
The sidewalls feature a special coating to prevent sun damage.
We realized that the extra light tires weren't going to be appropriate for some of the riding we like to do, so a heavier duty option is also available.
These feature a thicker tread and reinforced sidewalls to prevent cuts and tears.
The rolling resistance these tires offer is really unparalleled by anything on the market.
It's safe to say 650b is here to stay, and we're really pleased we're able to offer the state of the art in this category. We think these really raise the bar for what a high volume tire is capable of.
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More 650b Tire Pictures
Ok, just to reiterate, yes the Grand Randonneurs are in stock. No, they're not available through the Soma Store yet. They will be soon, but our dealers have first crack at them. So if you want one and you don't already have one on back order, get in touch with your favorite bike shop and ask them to place an order on your behalf. Boulder Bicycle can also help you out if you don't have a dealer in your area.
www.somafab.com/dealers
If you are a dealer and you can't find your shop on the list, shoot us an email and we'll get you added.
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Some folks have asked us to post pictures of the new tires set up on a bike, so I have don't just that. Came out looking really good.
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www.somafab.com/dealers
If you are a dealer and you can't find your shop on the list, shoot us an email and we'll get you added.
Some folks have asked us to post pictures of the new tires set up on a bike, so I have don't just that. Came out looking really good.
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Grand Randonneur Porteur Build
Dave rebuilt his GR with some upright bars and sent in some snaps. Looks pretty nice!
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