The SOMA SMOOTHIE has arrived

wow
that's the best way to express my initial impression of this frameset...

it's 61cm of steel, but it doesn't feel like it. i have had a BUNCH of bikes over the last few years, but this frame is really amazing. it's the replacement for my surly pacer which at 58cm (really 56 c to c) was regrettably too small. it was a VERY SOLID and reliable frameset. the steel feeling was very confident and responsive with no wiggles or "softness" whatsoever.

i imagine that surly's track bikes (steamroller) are probably one of the best because of the "un-natural" forces a fixie puts on the bottom bracket and rear triangle- that solid feeling is absolutely necessary to keep your chain from jumping right off of a flexxxy frame...

anyway back to the soma-
it's metallic forest green which is just ab fab to begin with, but it also came with this top-shelf Salsa carbon fork (even the steer tube is carbon so it weighs like .000000135 pounds) and a bontrager little stubby stem with a big "B" on the front. that now stands for Baker of course.

some surprisingly nice tidbits-

• TALL headtube- sticks up above the top tube by about 2cm. they claim that it keeps you from having to use "too many spacers". well, i still have about 2 inches of spacers anyway, but it's a nice consideration...

• VERY narrow / tight wheel clearance- translates to small tires and short reach brakes- well i like to go fast, so no problem here. i'll probably buy their soma double-cross with cantilevers for a fatter tire turng setup.
• ALL TUBES ARE ROUND- there are no ovals, no squares, nothing of the sort.
• ALL TUBES ARE STRAIGHT- there are no "anatomic" "ergo" bends, no s-shaped rear chainstays.
• Built-in rack eyelets, top and bottom on rear triangle. surprising since they provide so little clearance.
  
• SIMPLE- integrated seatpost collar. one single hex bolt and locknut. like the rivendell and surly bikes, this should not be a complicated mechanism, but on aluminum and carbon bikes, it has to be.
• SUBTLE - attractive decals including the reynolds 631. all simple white lettering. I would prefer a really ornate headbadge, but I'll get over it.

I'm going to take my time building this up. I don't want anything on this bike that will make me second-guess or regret the build. I don't need it to be Gucci and Expensive, but I want aesthetic balance and integrity, not a frankenstein assembly from the scrap pile...

CAN'T WAIT TO RIDE IT!!!!

About that Soma Smoothie

What's green, steel, and comes with a free Salsa fork, stem and headset?



Why it's my new Soma Fabrications Smoothie. Frame info liked here:
http://www.somafab.com/smoothie.html
I still have the Litespeed Tuscany hanging in the porch, but believe it or not, it's just so damn squirelly. I wish I could transfer the build kit to the Smoothie with a snap of my fingers...

I will be assembling the green machine with:
OLD 105 8-speed STI shifters
NEW 105 cranks, double chainring
OLD 105 derailers (or a Shim Ultegra 600 front)
Mavic Open Pro wheels, 8 speed cassette
? seatpost
? seat
ITM handlebar
? pedals

Hey, here's a site where Soma owners post their photos to FLICKR:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/somafab

and here's my picture collection of bike projects past and present on FLICKR:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21317743@N05/sets/72157603328715425/

Can't wait to get it in the mail!

Bye Bye Surly!

She had to go! Too small is just too small!
I bought a 56cm Surly Pacer frame and fork set on eBay two years ago for my birthday. It cost me about $250 I believe. It had many incarnations including bar end shifters, single-speed setup, fat tire commuter and the finally as a club racer (pictured). It was the most confident, sturdy, reliable and aesthetic bike I ever owned, BUT about 6cm short in standover height. Also she suffered from the usual torment of being a Frankenstein bike assembled over many months from sometimes whatever was available rather than what was the best component.

She was sold for $799. She is being replaced by a 60cm Soma Smoothie with a really bad-ass Salsa carbon fork.

Out with the old, in with the new!!!