Ewald 257GB Multi-fit Rack

Check out what arrived at Soma HQ today! Wald's new cargo rack.

This thing is sweet! We've talked about Wald stuff before, and this rack is one of the coolest products they've ever put out. We've seen couriers hack off the tops of Wald delivery baskets so we asked Wald if they could make a sturdier option that would fit all our bikes. And this is the result.

The clamp is adjustable to fit 25.4 to 31.8 bars. The stays are adjustable too, so you can get the platform at the right angle.

This thing measures a generous 19" wide by 13" long. The front of the basket is open it can accept large objects like long boxes. You can use bungee straps to keep them in place. The rails on the sides keep your load from slipping off when you make a turn. This rack is great for pizza boxes or if you want to attach a storage container to it. You could even attach a Wald Giant Delivery basket and have an extra sturdy setup.

Wald is one of the oldest companies still in the business, and one of the very few companies making affordable american made products. You can read about Grandpa Ewald and the history of the Wald company on their website here http://waldsports.com/index.cfm/waldheritage.html. We will be getting a big shipment of these racks as soon as they are available, so stay tuned.

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

Soma Tradesman Cargo Bike Built Up

More shots at http://www.flickr.com/photos/somafab/

Build courtesy of American Cyclery.

Shown with "Eagle" bar prototype. We will be adding more real estate
to the area in front of the weld to allow fitting levers there.

UPDATE: Here are pix of it in action delivering pizza.

The Pick Up Artist Makes a Special Appearance at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival

What’s not to like when bikes, beers, and music are combined altogether at Golden Gate Park?

This weekend was the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival and we at Soma came over to show off the Pick Up Artist prototype... and enjoy some beers and music. We rode to the park from the BART station and joined a “peloton” of regular folks heading the same way we were. It was nice to see so many cyclists riding on a surprisingly sunny Sunday afternoon.The organizers of the festival thought ahead and set up a long line of bike racks about two city blocks long on JFK Drive that leads into the entrance of the festival. Then again, the bike racks were so full some folks locked their bikes hanging from the trees by the sidewalk.

The Pick Up Artist never fails to attract attention. As we rolled in, people passing by commented on how cool/unique/handy the bike is. In simple terms, it seems like the weird looking bike always gets attention, like this bike we saw locked up by the racks. A freaking dragon bike, how cool is that.

The venue we wanted to see was the Dark Side Orchestra (DSO), a tribute band to the Grateful Dead from Chicago. DSO recreate Grateful Dead shows by following the setlist of a particular concert. This weekend, the DSO played a show from a concert the Grateful Dead performed at Lindley Meadows in 1975. That’s about 100 yards where DSO played. It was like a quick trip to the past where the same type of music and the same type of intoxicants (organic pastries anyone?) were scattered throughout the park. Young people dressed as hippies dancing along to "Not Fade Away" next to old hippies dressed as regular people with their grand kids was quite a sight.

More Cargo Bike News

The "Pick Up Artist" prototype
working its mojo

Last week we finally announced the imminent release of the Tradesman cargo frameset, but we hinted there would be more cargo news to come.

The last couple of months we have testing a new design that was developed with Tange Design (the tubing maker, but they also design frames now). It would be classified as a “front loader” design if we followed the terms collected by Velo-City.org. It’s got a steering linkage reminiscent of the Baakfeits cargo bikes, but shorter. The steering linkage enables the bike to have stable handling characteristics under load. We discovered a person who rides bikes casually can ride the bike carrying a 150lb load safely without struggling to maintain control.

We brought the bike to UC Berkeley during Caltopia last month and it got a lot of attention. Somehow, college girls seem to flock towards the dorky-looking bike instead of the incredibly handsome guy riding it. I have nick-named this project bike the "Pick Up Artist" for now. Engineering students approached us asking what CAD program we used. Fellow riders rode up and complimented how cool the bike is.
Of course testing the bike with college girls (and boys) sitting on the front isn’t really what we consider adequate testing. We also bolted on a Wald 139 on the rear rack and it enabled us to utilize the back of the bike for hauling more stuff. The basket made wonders for grocery shopping. We can now carry a 24-pack of Corona and get essential food stuff like palettes of Top Ramen. We put about 150 lbs on the front, but a good rider could probably manage 200 lbs.

Final notes: The wheelbase of this is 1350 about 225mm longer than the Tradesman, so its turning radius is a little wide, but it also adds to its stability.  It has a 20” front wheel and a 26” rear wheel. To facilitate fitting in a smaller shipping box, the steering column folds down and the platform is modular. Platform was pretty basic and could use user-friendly attachment points. Sample was built with Avid BB-7 brakes and adequate performing Acera parts and included a rear rack. Estimated retail price for that basic build would be somewhere around $1500.

We think Pick Up Artist is a fun bike to have, but we HAVE NOT made up our minds whether to add a second cargo bike to the line-up. To repeat this is NOT in our 2012 line-up. So we’d love to hear your opinions on this design, price, and cargo bikes in general.

UPDATE: The Pick Up Artist will be available in early 2013. 

So what do you think utility bike fans?

Introducing the Soma Tradesman Cargo Frameset

Prototype #2


We at Soma have been quietly exploring making cargo bikes for a while now. Soma has always first and foremost been about practical transportation and cargo bikes are definitely practical.

Our first attempt is along the traditional English "baker bike" design --- which we are calling the Tradesman.
It is designed for personal hauling rather than industrial use. Should handle well with loads around 40 to 50 lbs. It is made with light but strong Tange Infinity CrMo steel tubing. At 22" inches wide and 68" long, it'll fit through narrow apartment doorways (was developed by a 2nd floor apartment dweller). Features a large high-tensile steel platform mounted to dual horizontal stays that extend to the seat tube (the platform does not turn with the fork/handlebars).

Unlike many cargo options out there, the Tradesman will be available as a frameset only, so all you "project bike people" should to appreciate that.

- Available as frameset only (Tange Infinity butted CrMo, one size only)
- Designed for 26" rear and 20" front wheels. (Wheels may or may not be included)
- Designed for front and rear disc brakes
- Due to it's unique rake trail arrangement, it handles like a normal bike
- It's got an extra long 40mm oversize head tube for maximum cargo capacity
- Modular high-tensile steel rack. Mount wood to it. Mount a Wald 157 to it. Put a massive crate on the front.
- Kickstand plate
- Wheelbase of 1115mm
- Top tube on production models will have curve to it
- First production is only 20 units (Dealer can pre-order with Merry Sales)
- Tentative price: $600 (Update: SRP is $699)
- Tentative release date: Mid November 2011

Stay tuned for MORE cargo bike news from the SOMAfeed next week.


Prototype #1: We didn't get the fork rake right on this one.
Production model will have a curved top tube to add a
little distinctiveness to the look.
Platform will be powdercoated, too.

48 x 15 - New Urban Bike Mag Outta Shanghai

Who would've thought that a city that's been doing the "bicycle as transportation" thing longer and definitely bigger than any city in the U.S. would choose now to come out with a urban cycling magazine; especially with cars taking off as they are there. This is a new China, still Communist, but with where many urbanites have money to spend and the youth have time to develop a love for riding.

Also there are so many expats from Europe and America living there who want to show off the culture they've discovered there and share their Western culture as well. Enter the People's Bike website and their new print/web zine 48x15, the creations of expat Canadian Tyler Bowa. Check it out not just to look at our new "70's boring" handlebar ad, but to see what beer in China doesn't taste like it came from the Yellow River.

Besides the articles on the history of bikes in China and the NuVinci Hub thrash test, I was kind of drawn to this ad for a bamboo pedicab designed by a MGT Engineering. It's got a sleek bamboo cockpit and a TIG-welded 304 stainless steel frame. It is only about a meter wide, so it is legal on bike paths. Looks like a lot of fun to ride. And one can see it adaptable to being a cargo bike, one you can ride comfortably in the rain no less. Here's a video.

Now in the works at Soma: A frame designed for horses

artist: Dan Button

Gotcha!!--although you, fair reader, are probably too intelligent to fall for something this ridiculous. This blog was brought to my attention this afternoon: Horses with Hands Riding a Bike . Its purpose, as far as I can tell, is to make us all aware of how hard it is to draw this scenario. It invites blog visitors to make a go of it and send it in. Hopefully this doesn't become too popular--I can't imagine trying to reenact this in a parlor game!!

Anyhow, happy weekend people-hopefully it brings lots of biking/bizarre drawings/parlor games!!

Mission Block Party 2010:The Taco Bike, San Pancho Art Collective's new home(old morgue), free booze

The Mission Holiday Block Party was last Friday! This meant the merchants of the Mission opened their doors until 10pm, offering free PBR, 2 buck chuck and killer deals. There were gallery openings, djs spinning, and of course bizarre elements of San Francisco bike culture.

Our first stop as we made our way down Valencia Street was the Incline Gallery-new home to the San Pancho Art Collective(the group of artists responsible for the gorgeous mural on back of Mission Pie). Their current show "Something from Nothing" featured works by one of the founders Christo Oropeza and other members. We chatted with Christo for a bit and found out that the Incline Gallery used to be a morgue! If you're into art it's an awesome show...it will also satisfy those with morbid curiosity.

As we continued up Valencia and hit 16th street, we stumbled across what had to be one of the world's strangest street corners at that given moment. A man carving a toy from a giant block of wood while drunken onlookers sifted through his bag sharp tools, a four piece band (one of the pieces being an accordian)playing gypsy music, and this--all within 10 feet of each other:

The Taco Bike. Owned by Mission restaurant Weird Fish, this bike sticks to the Mission-one of the only flat neighborhoods in SF-it certainly ain't going up Nob Hill. The crowds of the Mission Block Party were delighted to see this Mercurio bike peddling squid tacos-amongst other things. There is even a condiment stand on the back wheel with a variety of salsas. Click here to see a diagram of the bike-it's pretty fascinating! Apparently these bikes are all over Mexico--they are pretty practical (in flat lands). I've been seeing/hearing about cargo bikes all over the place! How do you guys feel about them?

Friday=Precious Cargo (Pugs)

Photo c/o Pete @cargobikegallery.com

Bring your precious cargo this weekend (be it pugs, beer, cheese or children, etc.) to Sunday Streets this Sunday ! It's along the Great Highway...ahhh refreshing!

Lots of goings on in the city this weekend--all with valet parking c/o the venerable SF Bike Coalition. SF Street Food Fest, and they are also leading a ride down to the dump to see the art exhibit going on there right now(yes, the SF dump has an artist-in-residence...)

Enjoy your bike this weekend!