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SOMA
LOVE
> comments from owners
A
Few Comments from Soma Frame Owners
Soma owner comments below have not been edited except for length and are totally unsolicited.
Greg's mudded up Double Cross
DOUBLE
CROSS:
I have had this bike for a while. It has been my do everything bike. I
have used it for commuting, long road rides on varied surfaces and currently
as my only offroad ride. It has never disappointed in any guise. I could
get a bike to do any one of these better. I could not get a bike to do
all of them as well as this one does them. With fenders and racks or 42c
offroad tires, I have never been unhappy with it. Good times and I never
wished it could do more. ---E.B.
I really enjoy riding the Double Cross. I use front panniers while commuting to carry a change of cloth and lunch. I actually enjoy riding it more than my fairly new Litespeed. ---G.S.
I
picked up a Soma cross frame and I have to admit that it has a great ride
quality both on road and off. I've tried a couple of different tires,
some 38 cm cross tires for trail riding and some 25 cm for street and
the Double Cross felt at home either way. As a long term mechanic I was
also impressed how easily the frame went together. Even though I prepped
the bottom bracket and the head tube and the steer tube of the frame and
the fork but I really didn't need to. Nice, very nice. Good going.
-- Satan Space Monkey
I've been riding my new double cross for a little over a month now and I love it more and more every time I take her out. This bike handles really well. I've ridden it a little on hard pack which it loves and the majority of the time it sees street use which it is very well suited for. This bike is strong, light weight and very responsive. I asked you guys to provide a seat post binder bolt and it came very soon after I received my frame. Thank you. You guys even threw in some touch-up paint. Way to go! Great customer service! I own a VooDoo Wazoo which is also built with Reynolds steel and the Double Cross is on par with this bike! I'm seriously considering getting a single speed from you guys. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you guys for the great customer support and great product. Keep up the great work. ---T
I
love it. I commute with it during the week, a route that takes me over
curbs, gravel levee roads, and even a little singletrack. This bike is
perfect for that sort of use.
Saturday I took it out and thrashed it good on some really rugged fire
road in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It handled great on the tight turns.
Being a rigid bike, it didn't exactly float over the roots and potholes,
but it stood up to them, no sweat. --- MD
GROOVE:
Love my Groove--set up for eastern singletrack. A great bike that replaced
a full suspension C'Dale. No regrets. --- DL
i've been riding for 10 years. road. mountain, cyclocross. messenger.
everything. the past few years, i fell out of love with cycling. work,
home and a lack of passion for life began to supercede me. this frame
has brought it back. i hit an old trail i haven't been on since high school
the other day. clicking into the big ring, and giving it a few good cranks,
and i was moving. the wind was whipping my t-shirt. a light touch of the
brakes as i bank left into a turn, coasting around the s bends, i felt
free. it was awesome. i didn't think about money, work, changing the cat
litter, washing the car. nothing . just riding, turning the pedals on
a machine that felt unbelievable. i've had a lot of bikes over the years.
this one is the first with a soul. thankyou. -- DB
I have been riding a Soma Groove for the past 8 months and can't stop
smiling. I've ridden several other hardtails and this is by far my favorite.
Not only is it the best looking bike on the trail, at the races, or in
my garage, but it rides incredibly well and was very reasonably priced.--
BW
Excellent value, after riding a full suspention for the last seven years,
this brings me back to why I originally got into MTB. Simple is better,
and steel is real, only 1/2 lb. heaver than ti. -- LP
I ride the city/trails of Seoul, Korea and ride 150km+ a week rain or
shine. After being jarred to death from every little road bump on a columbus
airplane tubed (light, but very stiff) I was looking for something a little
less rigid. I did not want FS, so I went back to where I orginally started.
STEEL! I could not be happier. The price was right and the setup works
well. There is enough give from the steel to soak up the road chatter,
but strong enough to keep me planted on the nonpaved stuff. Very nice
fit and finish. Super paint job! Light and Strong.
Nice to go back to steel. Love the Blue! --BK
SMOOTHIE ES:
I commute daily on mine and have put about 6000 miles on it so far this
year. The paint is quality and the decals are pure art. The pictures on
the website don't do the color justice. Picture a deep cobalt blue. I
had wanted a carbon fork but none were available. I don't think the steel
fork is a big deal, the bike rides like a cadillac.I love my bike. --BB
Here's a few pics of two [ JP owns a Smoothie ES and Double Cross]of the
most beautiful, solid, & dependable bicycles I've ever owned.
These machines do 'honest' bicycle things on the road. Not just fulfill
someone's vicarious lycra/plastic bike-rider's wet dreams.
Thanks for the great "rides"; cycling compassion & imagination;
& for having a 'real bicycle shop. As it all should be.
--JP
The Smoothie ES is an EXCELLENT road sport frame. I got the 2007 model
with Tange Prestige tubing and I couldn't be more pleased. I just built
it and took it for a 50 mile ride. It handles great without being mushy
or flexy. The chainstays and seatstays are longish but beefy, giving it
a smooth ride. Tire clearance is plenty to support 700x32 tires with fenders.
Has rack mounts in the rear and low placed bottle mounts (lowers center
of gravity). Considering the price, this has got to be the best value
out there for a road sport frame. Great for anyone looking for an all-arounder,
long distance bike, credit card tourer, etc.
I had a Rivendell Rambouillet and I think the Smoothie ES delivers 90%
of the features and ride quality of the Rambo for 1/4 the price! I was
always concerned with paying $1400 for a frame and then taking it out
in bad conditions (rain, dirt, mud, etc.). For the price of the Smoothie
ES, I'm not as concerned about taking it out in bad conditions and enjoying
the ride. -- DG
I've
passed the 2000km mark on the SOMA Smoothie ES...Here's an updated review:
The good:
The bike handles great unloaded and while carrying a large saddlebag.
Stability is excellent and I can easily ride no-hands down to 10-15kmh.
At higher speeds (50+ kmh) the bike remanins shimmy free. Ride quality
is quite nice. The bike does glide over rough asphalt but that has much,
MUCH more to do with 28mm tires at 95psi than anything else. The frame
fits and the handling is such that you can just hop on it and ride without
having to pay attention to the bike.
The bad:
Mounting fenders on this bike isn't as easy as it should be. The bike
is designed around standard (57mm) reach brakes and is sold as having
fender clearance. However the frame/fork only include fender mounts at
the dropouts.
---CL
My husband did, indeed, pick up the Soma Smoothie ES and went with the
carbon fork...
He rode it once for 20 - 30 miles and then it sat for a while. (He had
not yet started commuting since his accident, and was only doing weekend
rides on his other bike.) Then one day he got the itch to ride it and
took it out for about 100 miles and 6,000+ feet of climbing. He loved
it! ... He says it's very comfortable for all day rides... :D I think
it's safe to say that he highly recommends the Soma Smoothie ES, especially
for the price. It's surprisingly light weight, too.
--JJ
I wanted to have the handlebars at the same height as the saddle, room
for fenders and 32mm tires, provisions for rack and fenders, something
suitable for commuting, running errands, centuries, double centuries,
and maybe even PBP!
I’ve had my Smoothie ES on the road for a month now. I knew on the
first ride that I was going to love this bicycle, and after five hundred
miles I couldn’t be happier.
Basic geometry is right in the sweet spot. 73 degree parallel, 43cm chain
stays, 70mm BB drop… throw in extra beefy rear triangle tubes and
you get a solid spirited ride with just the right balance of handling,
stiffness and comfort. Slightly extended head tube allows bars to match
seat height without looking goofy. --EE
SPEEDSTER:
(comments are for a bike the owner converted the bike to 650B wheels and
has been edited for length) The machine handles beautifully. It's quick
to respond, and yet it's easy to ride hands-off at any speed above crawl.
There is no wheel flop, and little
effort is required to change direction. The bike feels sure-footed when
climbing, and descends with predictable, unwavering trajectory. I rode
the machine up few short and very steep hills on a sand covered roadway
on a Coastal Island while seated in the saddle, and I found that there
was a good balance between the front and rear of the machine; it maintained
traction
and did not threaten to loft the front wheel. The bike inspires confidence
while descending rough paved roadways, and it's carves nicely on the downhill
winders.... The Speedster frame feels like a stiff spring. It's not harsh,
but it's not
at all whippy, noodly, or in any way vague...I like this bike. I like
to ride it, and I like to look at it... It's a sport bike, and it's an
excellent 650B sport bike. It's a freakin' 650B Speedster hot rod..--EB
RUSH:
I'm a courier on a major university and bought my
Rush frame back in May ('03). This bike is my first fixed gear and I don't
know how I came this far without it. Initially, the Rush was to be my
'workbike', but she has become my fair lady and I go nowhere without her.
I have taken my rush EVERYWHERE. Delivering on campus, I ride anywhere
from 20-60 miles a shift and sometimes I need to take detours and let
me tell you, this thing has gone downhill on dirt trails, popped off many
curbs, run through potholes along dark streets at 3 a.m., accidently clocked
a few unsuspecting students and even been hit by a car. Since its birth,
my SOMA Rush, this burly-minded ballerina, has never submitted to injury.
It has seen parts come and go through its short, yet labor-filled life.
Thank you for such a worthy bike frame.
---RR
This sleek black bike is beautiful. i bought it from american cyclery
(they were fantastic, by the way). some guy on a davidson ti frame with
ultegra everything stopped me on my commute into work and gushed about
how beautiful and elegant my bike was... never had _that_ happen before.
chalk me up as another happy customer! ---AS
Well, the fit was great from the onset and the "ride feels terrific! A
very lively lightweight steel frame combined with the excellent wheel
package makes the Soma Rush a joy to ride. Fast, responsive and stable,
even the hills take on a surreal effortless experience, (that's the up
as well as the down!). --- MN
Barb with her Rush.
The
steel frame and fork felt stiff and lively on out of the saddle climbs.
The head tube angle and fork rake made the bike both stable and predictable
on the descents even when pedaling a very high cadence. Toe overlap was
noticed a couple times, but was never a nuisense... Riding no handed was
never a problem on the Rush. This bike is alot of fun to ride in town,
in and out of traffic, down back alleys, and so forth. I have never made
a faster Friday afternoon run to the bank to deposit my paycheck. -- MM
I don't usually like red bikes. Too flashy, too pretentiously Italian
perhaps. Maybe I'm not a alpha male, I don't know. When I pulled this
Soma out of the box all that went out the window. This is one great color,
I love it. ... heads turn when they see this bike, this frame just oozes
lust...The steering's quick - too quick for a sixty-year-old? I think
not .... but caution does rule on the brakeless ride across town. In the
drops it feels more stable, I feel more
balanced, and the front hub disappers neatly under the handlebar, a clue
that I've got the cockpit balanced pretty well. ---DBL
4one5:
....but I will tell you that the quality if Soma bikes is pretty darn
nice. I built a Soma 415 SS MTB a couple of months ago and it's been a
blast to ride.
The welds are well done, the paint is reasonable - single color enamel
but neatly executed and the decals are surprising nice too. It was straight
out of the box and the headtube and bottom bracket were ready to go. --TB
JUICE:
it has an awesome paint job, clean welds, and great geometry for fast
open riding or tight singletrack woods action. can be geared on ss, disc
or v-brakes, very low standover and reasonable weight. it also has a higher
quality tubeset than the others, and tons of clearance for big tires.
on top of it all the bike flat out performs, it turns quicker than my
26in bikes (i have 5) and makes quick work of roots, rocks, mud, loose
climbs you name it. --ED
Very impressive rolling over obstacles....The 29er holds a line better,
and with less effort.... Greater traction in sand... In the last month
I’ve cleaned two separate sections of trail for the first time;
obstacles I’ve attempted enough and on enough occasions to be fairly
sure it was technology on my side...The larger wheels (and new bike) managed
to enhance pretty much every aspect of the varied ride I did today. I
am pleased. --DM
I built one up for my girlfriend last fall. It's got a Mary bar and now
sports White Bros. BW.8 forks. She ~loves~ it. By the way, she's 5'-4
1/2" and has plenty of clearance and no toe overlap.
--IS
If
you looking for a value 29er frame that could go single or heaven forbid
geared this is it. This frame has gobs of tire clearance so if we ever
get a 2.5 inch trail tire I'll be ready for it! I was blown away at how
nice the paint looks. Somas website shows it as a red but its actually
a metallic orange that is quite hot. This bike handles both twisty local
trails and tech 5 mountain DHs very well. I have dremeled off my only
nit pick which was all the cable stops that were in the way so I'm pretty
satisfied. --SD
The Soma Juice I've built up rails like no other bike I've ever ridden.
In part it may be the "confidence inspiring" lack-of-over-the-bar
feeling that lets me hang it out in front, or maybe a larger tire patch.
I don't know, but the Soma rails corners. (I'm 6ft tall with a 34.25"
inseam. On a 26" bike it always felt like I was on top of the bike,
ready to go over the bars. On a 29er I'm "in" the bike)-- MJ
I absolutely
love this bike....The Tange Prestige tubing provides a nice compliant
ride, not too stiff and not too flexy. It’s just right. I was worried
going from a 26er FS to a rigid 29er that my body would be beaten to a
pulp but so far those fears are unfounded.
As for the ride, one word – awesome. I am clearing obstacles now
that I never did before (even on the 26er FS) and I’m climbing a
lot faster now too, thanks to the larger wheels. Singletrack is easy,
even in the tight stuff. Toe overlap and manoeuvrability are not an issue.
Fire roads are a no brainer as it's so stable at high speeds. --SY
Ride
is awesome. Bike is nimble and quick handling. I like the center of gravity
and handling charactoristics much better than the Parag_n. The standover
due to the bent tubes is a plus when you're relatively short legged and
long torsoed like me. The tube set is Tange prestige which is light and
very smooth riding steel. My bottom line on the bike is it's a great value.
Looking at comparable frames in steel ...this frame is a great deal, just
because of the quality of construction and the materials used. --DH
As for the ride, well, it's
superb! Fast, light and compliant, it's everything I was hoping for. The
main thing is the geometry, the bent TT just looks and feels right, being
fairly short it suits me really well. The Med Juice is a 29er which suits
shorter people really well. Here are some pics of the finished product.
I am very proud of it and it only weighs 19.5 lbs and climbs like a bloody
rocket! --BV
[Ed:To be fair BV had some issues with his brake line guides and our inclusion
of canti bosses, but this is what he says of his ride]
I was a little apprehensive about going back to a hardtail from a fully,
but I decided to jump on in anyway. Sure it rides a bit rougher, but the
larger wheels and the resilient steel frame make up close to half the
difference between my full and my old 26er aluminum hardtail.
This bike really does ride and handle nicely. The things I heard about
29ers being slow through the corners is completely wrong. This thing rails.
The larger tire contact patch has something to do with it too, since more
knobs are able to dig into the soil.
I also really like the geometry. This bike has a bit shorter top tube
than other 29er frames. For me, that is exactly what I need. Thanks to
heredity, I have inherited my father's messed up spine. I need to sit
more upright, and the Soma allows that. A more upright stance is also
much less critical to climbing than on a 26er. The bigger wheels make
the bike less prone to lifting the front end on a climb. ---ATX
have always been a hardtail guy at heart....my first lasting impression was not of the 29er wheels, but of the quality of the steel frame. It fits and looks great, and the ride is very "solid." It takes on roots and rocks at high speeds, with little feeling of impact. It powers through heavy mud with no swaying and stays on track, even though it is fairly light at 24.75 lbs. It is easy to feel confident and secure at high speeds on rough XC trails. I couldn't be more impressed. --KC
