15 Years of Mixte Bikes

 

The mixte bicycle has a history that isn't too well documented. As far as we can gleen from our internet research, it first made its debut in the Peugeot bicycle line-up in the 1940's. And they had mixte-type frames built up as city or light touring bicycles for decades (along with Gitane and few other French brands). They were sold only in France for the most part. Mixte style bicycles didn't become a hit in the USA until the 1970's when a gas shortage created a bike boom. Peugeot stopped making their mixtes around 1986, but not before its popularity in the USA led a lot of other bike manufacturers to produce their own mixte style bikes.

In the mid 2000's, Bradley Woehl of American Cyclery in SF (and Soma brand co-founder) mentioned to us there was renewed interest among young urban cyclists for the unusual twin top tube design. People were scouring garage sales and joyfully pulling them out of dumpsters. Custom frame builders were experimenting with mixtes, too. The old design was striking a chord with a new generation. Was it something about those truss-like intersecting the seat tube and converging with the chainstays and seatstay at the rear axle or just its perception as something vintage? Who is to say? Sensing an opportunity, we got down to designing our own Buena Vista mixte updated for modern 130/135mm spaced hubs and  threadless forks. We released it in 2009. 

With our use of oversized chromoly alloy steel  tubes, the frame set has proven to be not only a great foundation for a breezy stylish ride to cruise around town on, but a capable machine for long distance touring. Hope you can have the joy of your own professionally built, custom accessorized Buena Vista mixte. 

To celebrate 15 years of producing our Buena Vista frame set, we want to share 15 memorable images – mostly from the owners who ride them or the bike shops who have built them.

1) Lifestyle shoot from February 2009.
This was the first build we did of a production frame,
a fixed gear with Velocity Deep V wood-look rims.

2) This is what we thought folks would be doing with this type of bike.
Putting baskets on it and visiting the Broadripple Farmer's Market to get
flowers and organic kale. Being just dudes, there was some concern whether 
cycling enthusiasts would take the time and extra money to custom build a bike
– not to race or to tour hundreds of miles – but to just commute or do errands.
Photo: @adventureswithdarby

3) We were wrong. People did enjoy building these up.
Vintage beauties with shiny fenders and leather saddles.
Fast, simple athletic bikes, too.
It brought out rider's desire to express themselves.
This gentleman even painted the straps on his saddle bag to match the mint green panel on the frame. Photo: Manoske Aramaki @masnoko123

4) Blue Lug, a group of bike shops in Japan has built many fun and classy
Soma frames over the years. This one has aero levers on our Soma Sparrow
handle and running 1x drivetrain with a bar end shifter. 
The balanced use of earth tone colors with the graphite frame
has a particular Japanese aesthetic. Photo: @bluelug 

4) Another Japanese bike shop build, this one with drop bars.
Above Bike Store. @abovebike
The Buena Vista geometry is very close to our Double Cross and
endurance road frames. If you want to bring out the sportiness
of the Buena Vista, consider a drop bar build.

5) This was memorable build by American Cyclery. To commemorate the
75th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge, a customer wanted
their Buena Vista custom painted "International Orange", the official paint color
of the beloved landmark. Porteur Rack and fenders were also painted.

6) Soma Bicycle Belles: Two sisters and their mom touring in the UK.
All three riding Soma mixtes. The low top tubes offers
an alternative way to mount/dismount so you don't have to 
swing a leg over a bag and rack.

7) So the Buena Vista can make a good light touring
frame, especially if you are older or have
limited hip mobility. So that's what folks will gather
about what looks like a "ladies" bike. A lot of people
tour with cheaper bikes - just ride what you got.
But Nicole B. who has toured up and down the West Coast more
than a couple of times, made it clear to us that the
Buena Vista is a practical touring bike period...no need to
qualify it with "ifs" or "caveats". 

8) @wayamaeba1 inspires us. She has captured
her experiences of a beginning bike traveller
to now showing others the best places to go in Japan and how to do it.
Her ride is a small 42cm BV with 26" wheels and swaps
it to studded tires when the weather gets snowy.


 

9) The view from the saddle. Jakarta, Indonesia
Photo: @hotrodqueen

fff 

10) "I was explaining to my daughter the beautiful symmetry of the split top tubes
and the seattube bisecting the rear brake center pull cable,
when my son taught me a new word - nerdgasm" - downtube42 on Bike Forums
Photo: Blue Lug Kamiuma

11) The time we got into Bicycling Magazine and didn't have to 
schmooze or pester any editor. Hazy on how it happened. I think Bicycling
asked Constance of the Lovely Bicycle blog to do a feature on equipment
for every day city cycling. She borrowed her friend, @bikeyface 's bicycle
for the photo spread. Photos: Bicycling Magazine

12) Forget about the bike. Can we just talk about her look? 
Photo: @sweet.spoken
 

13) In late 2017 we introduced the first production mixte that ran disc brakes
(first that we know of). This was not a just a modernization, but
opened up where you could ride because you were no longer limited to 700x32c tires.
You could go off the beaten path. Gravel grinding. Gravel touring. Bikepacking.
Photo: @naimbag_nga_aldaw Frame bag: Oveja Negra

14) Handsome build but super capable build by Gold Finch Cyclery
of our latest disc mixte. 38mm tires with fenders, no problem.
With the black components and our wide Dream Riser bars, it hardly 
looks vintage anymore. Photo: @goldfinchcyclery Bags: Swift Industries

15) A second image from Ade Putri Paramadita (@hotrodqueen) Even though her
talent as a culinary storyteller has won her notoriety in Indonesia, she is also 
part of the rich Jakarta bike community. More than one artist has been
inspired to draw her with her mixte... Built fixed gear.

The Soma Buena Vista Honored with "Most Supple Bike of 2021" Title

 

The Path Less Pedaled is a YouTube channel and blog that has been showcasing the non-competitive side of cycling for over 5 years now. The channel focuses on gravel riding, bikepacking, bicycle tourism and just riding #partypace.

In the strange year that was 2021, TPLP looked for unusual and unexpected bikes that could excel in gravel. And we were very happy that he asked to try one of our disc mixte frames. Since we launched the disc version of our Buena Vista, one of the most appreciated benefits has been enhanced tire clearance, enough to fit our 700c x 42 or 650b x 50 Cazadero tires. The rim brake version (still available) is limited to 700c x 32 or 650b x 42.

When the video hit YouTube in July, we were ecstatic. This was possibly the first gravel bike review on a mixte frame ever. The greater bike industry and most bike enthusiasts don't see the mixte bike as anything more than a nice casual city bike and a "women's bike" at that. We were quite satisfied to get this overdue validation that this bike is a lot more than that.

So you can imagine how we felt when earlier this month, Russ e-mailed us.

"Just a heads up.  The Buena Vista is our co-Most Supple Bike of the year this year." 

Thank you Path Less Pedaled for the honor and for what you've provided to the cycling community these past few years.

PLP Buena Vista Video Review 

The Most Supple Bike of 2021 Award Video

Bringing Back the Mini Velo and the rim-brake Buena Vista

The original Soma Mini Velo complete bike.
It was a challenge back then to find a rear rack to fit it.
But it is 2018, so can you imagine
how big a frame bag could fit on this?

The Mini Velo project we embarked on almost 8 years ago was not a smashing success in terms of sales. The majority of American bike enthusiasts just didn't see the logic or inspiration for a bike with smaller wheels.

Is America ready now? We don't know. Based on our embrace for huge cell phones, large pick up trucks, and fat bikes, probably not. BUT we do know that even after retiring it, our original post about it still continued to get a significant number of visits. And we will get a desperate e-mail every blue moon from someone telling us we need to bring it back.

So we have decided to produce a few framesets -- not complete bikes as before -- and will be marketing it under our sister brand -  New Albion Cycles. So you crazy kids can build it up with drop bars, pursuit bars or townie/riser bars.

No photos for you yet, but it will be matte red and have the same component needs of the Soma Mini Velo ---- cantilever brakes, recumbent type 20" wheels (not BMX), and quill stem. Same Tange tubing. Almost the same geometry.
Probably ready to sell before December.    UPDATE: Check out the New Albion Microbrew now.
#newalbionmicrobrew

What is a Mini Velo?
The Mini Velo for the uninitiated is a small wheel (usually 20") bike with a rigid non-folding frame. It has been a common category of bike in Japan for years now. Mainly they are specced as affordable city cruisers.  Some big brands that have released urban style mini velos in the US include Cannodale and Orbea. Respect is a small company that sells fixed gear mini velos.
But mini velos have only reached critical mass in Japan and Southeast Asia, where they can take a number of forms -- upright urban bikes, fixies, light touring, mini-cargo, and even straight-up road race bikes.

Why would you need a Mini Velo?
Mini velos are super compact which makes a whole lot of sense if you live in a small apartment or one of those cute tiny houses. They are also easier to maneuver onto the subway or elevators if you are a bike commuter.


Why would you want a Mini Velo?
Most of us aren't that hard up on space. And some of us could care less if a co-worker doesn't like us dragging our full sized bike into as elevator with them.

So what else would attract someone into getting one?

1) Quicker acceleration off the line: 20" wheels spin up faster and easier. A semi-racey mini velo will get a jump on a 700c carbon wonder bike every time.
So with a mini velo might have you not minding slowing down at intersections -- you know -- because you don't want to lose your momentum.

2) For the thrills: Short wheelbase and small tires mean most are more responsive than criterium track bike. Perfect for dodging potholes that are always a threat at ruining your day on a 20" wheel bike whether it is a mini-velo, folding bike or BMX. They have a smaller tire patch too.

If you are riding one at speed, you will want to be extra alert and that might make you a better rider.

3) Show off that big ring: With small wheels you need a full size crank to give you the right gearing.
So you can be in 53t big ring all the time, even when your buddies shift down to their 34t a couple of miles ago.

4) All bicycles have their charm and you believe in the n + 1 Rule.


Other News:

We added disc brake compatibility and sliding drop-outs to our mixte frame and we thinks it hella dope. And most of you did, too. But we also started fielding calls asking "Is the rim brake one really gone?" So we are considering bringing the rim brake version back in a limited sizes and quantities.