Steel is Really Real

Steel is real. This applies to frames obviously, but it applies to racks as well. As people have begun to use their bikes to carry things more and more stuff, the need for sturdy utility racks has grown. Fortunately there are a number of good choices out there nowadays.  Last year we started making the Soma Porteur rack. It’s based on the classic French paperboy racks and allows you to carry lots of things such as pizza boxes, grocery bags, record crates, a pair of panniers, fire wood and just about anything else you can think to put on it. We also sell a removable fence to help you keep your load in place. Adjustable mounts allow you to attach it to braze-ons or directly to your front axle. Available in Black CrMo or Stainless Steel.

Our friends at Gamoh in Japan have begun making a great line steel racks. These are another great option for front or rear loads. Like the Soma Porteur the KCL series have a large open platform for oversized loads and mounting crates or containers. The Cargo Series features an integrated fence and wooden slats to keep your load from slipping out from the bottom. They make a great place to stash your purse or backpack and you can use a bungee strap on top for added security.

If you’re looking for unbeatable value in a simple, versatile rear rack you can’t go wrong with Wald. They’ve been making bike baskets in the USA since forever, but they also make the really excellent 215 rack as well. Recently they’ve begun making it with a woody top as well.

And of course everybody who knows nice racks know Nitto. They make some of the prettiest components around and their racks are no exception. The Campee series is the premier rack for touring and camping bikes, with demountable pannier frames for when you don’t need the extra load carrying capability. The super low placement of the panniers makes them very stable and keeps them out of the way of heels and toes. You can also mount a Wald basket to the top with zip ties for an extra place to stow items that you want to keep within reach. They are made in different sizes to fit 26", 650b and 700c wheeled bikes.

So don't be scared to take your bike on your next grocery run. Maybe even to Costco?

Which levers with which bars

So Soma makes a bunch of different bars, as you probably know. We get a lot of questions about whether this lever will work with that bar, so here's my attempt at breaking it down for y'all.

Bars that work with 23.8mm (Road) Brake Levers

Highway 1

Roundwise

3-Speed Moustache

Junebug

456*

Velodrama*

Major Taylor*

Walker*

*Track bars are not designed around brake levers

Bars that work with 22.2mm (Mountain) Brake Levers

3-Speed Moustache II

Lauterwasser Alloy

Lauterwasser CrMo

Oxford

Sparrow

Claraence

Odin

Condorina

Late Riser

Noah's Arc

Strait

Bars that work with Reverse Brake Levers/Bar End Shifters

Highway 1


Roundwise

3-Speed Moustache

Junebug

456*

Velodrama*

Major Taylor*

Walker*

3-Speed Moustache II

Lauterwasser Alloy

Lauterwasser CrMo

Oxford

Sparrow

Urban Pursuit

El Toro

^^^ These Bars also work with Cross Levers

Do you have any idea how fast you were going?

Here something fun. One of our vendors in Japan found some vintage Sanyo speedometers. What do you think? Should we pick up some of these?

Nice Rubber

Hey Internet! Did you not realize we make these tires? I confess, I didn't until I wrecked my front tire and had to find a replacement. I've been on this one for a little over a month now and it's been great. I love the look of the Terracotta compound and the grip is excellent. Nothing like some nice supple tires to smooth out the ride.

Soma New Xpress Kevlar 700x32c Terracotta

Adorable Seal Trounces Evil Goats

Ever hear of a Goat-head? If you haven't, count yourself lucky. They are the little Sputnik shaped thorns that can be found on mountain bike trails everywhere. Their scientific name is Tribulus terrestris, and they are not originally from North America. They are considered to be an invasive species, and considered by many to be the most evil plant known to man. Anyway, if you've ridden anywhere theses little guys show up then there's a good chance you've had a few flats as a result. We recently got our hands on some new tires sealant called Blue Seal, and we think it's pretty neat stuff. It's completely none toxic, unlike other commonly available sealants. You can use it in inner tubes or in tubeless systems, so it's a good choice for your commuter bike too. Since it's biodegradable you can just wash it off if you break your valve stem or blow your tire off the rim. Most importantly though, it has an adorable blue seal wearing a cycling cap on the bottle. Ask you're local bike shop to order you some.

Lovely Buena Vista

Lovely Bicycle posted some truly Lovely pictures of a Soma Buena Vista built up with an internal gear hub, upright bars and 650b wheels. Check out the full set at lovelybike.blogspot.com.

More pics here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7516215@N03/sets/72157626542404830/

Ride Like A Kid Again

We first started offering the Rush in 2001 when Soma was just born. Back then the whole fixed gear thing was still waiting for the starting gun to go off. In 2004 we started using the Tange Prestige tubing, and in 2010 we switched to the Tange dropouts. Two years ago we added our current head badges featuring the Sutro Tower. It still features the pure track geometry and killer styling that’s made it a favorite with riders for 10 years running.

I think the reason that the Rush has remained such a favorite is that it’s just good clean fun. Sure there are fancier track frames out there.  But when you ride a pure track bike the only thing that matters is what’s in front of you.  You may have only one bike, or you may have 10+ bikes, but when you ride the Rush you’re 10 years old, school is out and you can go wherever you want. It's not about how much your bike weighs. It's not about driving two hours to ride for 45 minutes. It's not about doing bar spins and 360s. It's not about getting sponsored by a soda company. It's about riding as far as you can without stopping. It's about riding all night. It's about pedaling so hard you throw up. It's about riding down the biggest hill you can find. It's about riding in the rain, and the snow. It's about riding in the hot sun with no hands while eating a burrito. It's about practicing track stands because you're friend need to catch up. It's about riding a bike when everybody else thinks your crazy for riding a bike. It's about riding until your tires have holes in them. It's about riding for the sheer unadulterated joy of being on a bike. So let's take back the streets.

Tradesman Pizza Bike

I just got a link to some rad pictures of the Soma Tradesman built up by American Cyclery in San Francisco for Escape from New York Pizza. What a perfect way to green your business! It would be great if more people were this forward thinking.

More pics here: http://www.pushingthepedals.com/2012/02/soma-tradesman-pizza-bike/

And here's another great Tradesman build from FreeRange Cycles in Seattle.

FreeRange Flickr

Alex Singer

A true classic.


Alex Singer Cycles from hanckxlife on Vimeo.

Buena Vista from Carytown Bicycle Co.

Here's a great build from Carytown Bicycle Co. in Richmond VA. Check out the video of the build they posted to their site.

http://carytownbicyclecompany.com/2012/01/sarahs-soma-buena-vista/