Meet the Adventure-Ready Soma Jawbone

Over the years, we at Soma have been truly amazed at how the modern bicycle has allowed all types of folks to travel the across continents and be immersed and mesmerized by the great outdoors even as much of humanity is often living in more and more in urban and suburban sprawl. Whether you enjoy the camaraderie of a weekend bikecamping trip or are hooked on doing week-long solo adventures, we salute you. And your passion encourages us to build better tools for the experience.

While our popular Wolverine monster cross frame and our Juice and Riff hardtails are super-capable for the majority of cyclotourists and bikepackers, we recognize there are many of you - after being out a different trips on different terrain and riding different bikes - find themselves wanting more of one thing and maybe less of another. 

Basic idea: A drop bar bikepacking/touring bike that fits true mountain bike width tires (up to 29 x 2.25" and 27.5 x 2.6" with decent mud clearance -- depending on frame size and drivetrain choice). 

Why would I try this over using a Wolverine, a gravel or CX bike for bikepacking?

- More stability while loaded thanks to a longer wheelbase and slightly stiffer design

- Tackle more rugged conditions with fatter tires 
- More three pack mounts

Why would I try this over a Juice or Riff or other hardtail frame for bikepacking?

- You don't think you need a suspension fork and you want to run drop bars
- Slightly lighter in weight

- More room in the front triangle for gear
- More responsive handling on asphalt 
- More sizes for better fit
- Geometry has higher stack to make it easier to use the drops on drop bars

Why would I try this over a Saga Touring Frame or similar heavy duty touring frame?
- Not super stiff, so still enjoyable to ride off-road unloaded or to commute on.
(We don't tout the Jawbone as a traditional touring frame, but it can do the job, if you can live without a kickstand.)

While it seems the Jawbone might be simply a mash between the Wolverine and the Juice, the geometry is designed from a clean slate. Stack is higher than either to make it easier to build a bike where the riders can more comfortably run drops high enough so the drops are more practical to use. This also creates a large space in the triangle for frame bags and gear. Please look carefully at the geometry chart when selecting a size, even if you have owned a Wolverine or Saga before.

 

The Jawbone is offered in two versions. 

The A-Type is for those who feel a simpler design with less moving parts makes for a more reliable, thus better touring bike. It also adopts more current standards like thru-axles, which offer a stiffer connection to the wheel.

The B-Type is for those who like to tinker and appreciates practical bells and whistles. The Broski thru-axles allow to run the bike with derailleurs or geared hubs like Rohloff and if either fails on a trip, it can be run as a single speed. The sliders on the B-Type allow you shorten the chainstay to 435mm for a sportier ride or 455mm for a more stable ride.
The B-Type maintains compatibility with QR wheels standard. We know there are quite a few of you who find QR wheels quite reliable for long distance touring and gravel. It is the technology you know and it is still easy to find and cheap to replace.

Find out more at www.somafab.com

Optional fork for A-Type:
Steve Potts Type II-R MTB fork. Unique looks. Note: Unlike the frame having flat mount ,
the fork has an IS mount. This makes it easier to run a 180mm rotor, if that is your choice.

Optional fork for B-Type:
Simple efficient unicrown design. Has three-pack mounts angling rear and front.
Plus dedicated pannier rack mount on inside and outside the leg.

Jawbone B-Type Build (Size 54cm)

Soma Wolverine V4 A-Type Reviewed by The Path Less Pedaled!

If you have been curious about the Wolverine, especially the A-Type which has a significant design changes over the previous generations. you should check out The Path Less Pedaled's YouTube video.

We tried hard to equip the frame with the parts we thought he would appreciate. See if we got close.

Soma Double Cross Disc 2016

The multi-duty Double Cross Disc gets a slight makeover this year going from the stealthy gray decals on gloss black paint to something -- that's also black and --- let's just say 50% less stealthy.  As we were taking the location photos on the streets of SF and in the lovely Presidio, we had more than a couple of people coming up to tell us "that's a good looking bike". Hopefully some of you will feel the same. Click on photos for closer viewing.

The Double Cross Disc can handle tires up to 700 x 42c. (38c if you want to run fenders).
The optional fork is compatible with low rider pannier racks.

The Double Cross Disc is sold as a frame set and you or your bike shop can build it to suit your style and
type of riding. This build has SRAM Apex shifters and derailleurs, a Sugino 50-34t crankset, 11-32t cassette, 
Avid BB-7 mechanical disc brakes. and Soma Cazadero tires. An ideal set up if your commute connects with a
few sections of dirt or gravel paths

Copper finished Soma Citoyen Du Monde pedals with MKS stainless clips -- look right at home on this
frame and with the copper railed Cardiff Mercia saddle.

Like the rest of our line, the Double Cross Disc is constructed from Tange Prestige double butted heat-treated CrMo steel.

Like reviews? Here's Max's long term review of his Double Cross Disc. (Disclosure: Max did purchase this frame at a discount, but we did not pay him cash for a positive review.)

Guide to 650B Conversions on Soma Frames

Jason's Double Cross Disc 650b Conversion

[Parts of this article as been updated to reflect model changes] We get a lot of questions whether our 700c (or 26") wheel frames can be converted to 650b/27.5" tire size and what would the maximum tire width they can use, if it is possible. So we thought it would be nice to make a post covering this over our current line.


Model: Double Cross Disc    Convertible?: Yes
The Double Cross Disc (pre-2020) makes a great 650b conversion project. It's bottom bracket height is about the sames as our Grand Randonneur 650b frame, which means you can swap in 650b tires as narrow as 33mm and not worry about pedal strike while road riding. For light off-roading we'd recommend using tires 38mm to 47mm. You won't be gaining much in tire clearance as the Double Cross already fits 700 x 42c; maybe 3 - 5mm more. What you will gain is the ability to run fenders with 650b x 42 tires and more stable handling because of the lower bottom bracket. But a lower bottom bracket also means you need to be more careful about pedal strike on dirt trails.
Maximum tire fit with fenders: 650b x 45mm  
The 2020 Double Cross has a 4mm lower BB drop, so we recommend 650b tire at least 42mm wide. (updated 1/22)

Model: ES, Stanyan, 
Convertible?: Yes
The ES has been a popular bike for 650b road conversions. You would need to switch the brakes from 57mm reach brake to 73mm reach model such as the Tektro R-559. (Some rims may require 76mm reach brakes)
Bottom bracket height will be lower than with the average 700 x 23c tire no matter 650b road tire you choose, so avoid cornering like your doing a crit. We recommend 38mm to 42mm wide tires. Max tire fit with fenders: 650b x 38mm

Model: Wolverine 
Convertible?: Somewhat
Nearly any 700c disc brake bike can be used for a 650b conversion project. The Wolverine is no exception; however in our opinion there is very few compelling reasons to do.
It already fits up to 29 x 1.95" tires. Going 650b will not allow wider tires. Its bottom bracket height is more like a road bike than a cyclo-cross bike, so it's on-road handing is pretty good. Using a 650b x 38/42 will lower the bottom bracket height further where you may gain advantage in stability some desire for on-road loaded touring, but of course you'll also be reducing cornering clearance and off-road capability. Using 650b x 2.0" you get the about the same BB height as 700x32c CX knobbies ( just enough for some off-road fun). We recommend nothing smaller than 650b x 38mm. Best reason to convert is to be able to fit 2.0" tires with fenders. (updated 2/18)

Buena Vista Disc with 650b x 50 Cazadero tires

Model: Fog Cutter, Buena Vista (Disc)
Convertible?: Yes
Nearly any 700c disc brake bike can be used for a 650b conversion project. Using a 650b x 38/42 will lower the bottom bracket height slightly where you may gain advantage in stability that some desire for on-road loaded touring, but of course you'll also be reducing cornering clearance. We recommend nothing smaller than 650b x 38mm (updated 1/22)


Model: Buena Vista (Rim Brake)
Convertible?: Yes
42cm size (designed for 26" wheels): It is doable, but there isn't a compelling reason to do besides trying a larger, narrower, higher pressure tire. You would need to swap to 57mm reach road brakes, if the 73mm reach brakes you already have don't work. Bottom bracket will be raised, but it is a non issue in this case. There may be additional toe overlap with the front wheel. Max. tire size: 650b x  33  (fenders will not fit. This is a limitation of the brakes used; not the frame.)

The larger Buena Vista sizes are designed for 700c wheels: You would need to swap in 73mm reach brake like the Tektro R-559 or Dia-Compe 750's. The frame has a low bottom bracket height to begin width, so stick with 42mm wide tires to avoid pedal strike or just learn to check your pedal position when cornering.

Model: Saga Disc  
Convertible?: Somewhat
We don't recommend converting the 700c models, because it will lower the bottom bracket height too much to ride safely.
For the 26" wheel model, it is quite doable without much consequence. A 26" x 1.95 tire has almost the same diameter as a 650b x 42b. However running a 650b x 1.95" knobby will definitely take away the possibility of using fenders.

Model: Juice    
Convertible?: Somewhat
You can swap in 650b wheels on any disc brake 29er, but there isn't a compelling reason, except maybe you want a lower bottom bracket for road/commuter use. But your center of gravity will still not be as road-optimal as on our our Grand Randonneur frame or CX frames. Pre-2018 Juice does not have clearance for a 27.5+ (i.e. 27.5 x 3.0" tires) conversion. 2018 and later Juices will fit 27.5 x 2.8" tires. (updated 1/22)  

Model: Rush  
Convertible?: No
There isn't enough clearance for 38mm wide tires. You might fit 33mm tires, but in our opinion there isn't compelling reason to convert it. Bottom bracket won't be high enough to run this as a fixed gear after conversion.

Model: Pescadero    
Convertible?: No
The Pescadero already uses long reach road brakes. A 650b tire would require even longer reach rim brakes which don't exist. (updated 2/18)

Model: Soma Saga (Canti)    
Convertible?: No
Most cantilever brakes don't offer enough adjustibility to fit 650b rims. Some have had luck using brakes with long slots. We do not have an official brake recommendation. (updated: 6/16)

Model: Smoothie   
Convertible?: Somewhat
According to one Smoothie owner, there is just enough clearance for 38mm wide tires with 23mm wide rims. We cannot confirm this is so on all sizes of Smoothies though. (updated: 6/16)

Model: Double Cross (Canti)    
Convertible?: No
Most cantilever brakes don't offer enough adjustibility to fit 650b rims. Some have had luck using brakes with long slots. We do not have a brake recommendation. (updated: 6/16)

Welcome Commuter Cycles to the Soma Family

Commuter Cycles in Brunswick, Australia bills itself as a "bike shop with a difference".

"We offer tailored servicing and repairs, reliable accessories and good value replacement parts. We take great pride in our workmanship and think bright lights, panniers and mudguards are cool. At Commuter Cycles, the workshop is the shop, so you deal with the same people who look after your bike.
Better still, Commuter Cycles makes looking after your bike easy by offering courtesy bikes, opening early and closing late, and we’re conveniently located next to the Upfield bikepath and Brunswick station."

Keen shop here....  One of the shop folks rides a Grand Randonneur to work. Plus they had the sense to order multiple Soma Wolverines in September. (We are currently suffering a Wolverine drought)

Only the Hits

Tomorrow is my last day as the ambassador of all things Soma. It's been almost 3 years since I moved back to California and I've loved every minute of it. But now it's time for me to begin something new and time to bring in some new blood at Soma. If you're interested in joining the team, email your resume to mary (at) merrysales.com and let us know a little bit about yourself and your experience in the bike industry. 

Since this will be my last opprtunity, I thought I would take a moment to share some of my favorite Soma products from my time here.

The new Chrome Rush frameset epitomizes everything I love about track bikes. It's clean, simple, versatile and strong. The threaded fork, s-bend chainstays and side tacked seat stay caps allow it to run wider tires, but still gives you a pure keirin style look.

Before I started at Soma I knew I wanted to make a 650b randonneuring frameset. When I learned we were already developing one with Mike Kone from Rene Herse I was ecstatic. We've made a few improvements since the first run, and I think the new framesets look absolutely fantastic. The Grand Randonneur sets a high bar for the industry.

When we redesigned the Soma B-side I knew we needed to make something that could handle the steep, gnarly Norcal singletrack I grew up riding, and this bike does not disappoint.  By going to an hourglass head tube we made it compatible with a wider range of modern forks, and while the B-Side was one of the earliest 650b mountain frames on the market, it's still the best.

Lauching our sister company New Albion Cycles was one of the most exciting projects I've had the pleasure to be a part of. From designing the head badge, to building the first Homebrew, it's been a real education. I think the Privateer is the very best value in a steel frameset on the market today, and I'm incredibly proud to have had a hand in it's development.

The New Albion Starling is quite a looker, isn't it?

The Soma Wolverine is relatively new, but already it's been making waves in the dirt touring community.  What started out as a belt drive version of the Double Cross has evolved into a completely new beast. Call it Monstercross, Gravel Grinder, Adventure Tourist, or Nouveau Audax if you want. We just call it good fun. The first batch is already sold out, but there are more framesets in production.

One of the most exciting aspects of working at Soma is our strong relationships with our Japanese component vendors. Working with Panasonic to develop new Soma tires has been one of the most rewarding jobs I've had in the bike industry. The Cazadero mixed terrain tires started as a sketch on the back of a piece of scratch paper, and now they're hitting the gravel all over the world. That just blows my mind.

One of first brand new tire designs I worked on was a collaboration between Soma and Ocean Air Cycles. I had already ordered the New Xpress 37c tires and Rob was one of the first people to try them. When he came to visit us on his way back from the Seattle Bike Expo he showed me some of his sample bikes and we chatted about what we liked best about Panaracers tires. He loved the light weight and supple chasing the B-Line tires, and he challenged us to offer up a 700c version. Since there wasn't an existing mold for that size we convinced Panaracer to make a new one especially for this tire. Needles to say, it was a big hit.

When the first batch of Grand Randonneur frames was complete, I knew the next step would be to make the perfect tire to pair with it. We asked our people at Panasonic for the lightest, supplest chasing they could make and designed a brand new tread pattern that would be super light, but with minimal rolling resistance. After 6-7 months of discussions we arrived at the design which became the Soma Grand Randonneur tire. We decided to offer 2 versions and 3 color options. The blue lable touring version is super tough with thicker tread and reinforced sidewalls, while the green lable is the lightest 42mm tire ever made. I knew we had hit the nail on the head the moment I held them. Now there are many new randonneur tires on the market, but the Grand Randonneur is still the benchmark for high volume 650b tires.

The biggest project I took on during my time at Soma was speccing out the Soma complete bike line. I'm proud to say they are the very best stock complete bikes available today. We worked with our favorite component makers like Sugino, Tange and Suzue to put together my dream build kit, and offer it at a price that's impossible to beat. I can't wait for the 2015 bikes to arrive. They're even better than before.

In addition to bikes and tires I got to design a number of interesting small parts as well. The Soma Stainless Porteur racks were so popular we decided to expand the line with a number of other models. For the Champs Elysees mini racks we used Japanese standard mounting dimentions so they would work on forks designed to accept Nitto racks. Accordingly, many of the Soma forks now feature mini rack eyelets as well.

After working in bike shops for years, I know exactly how frustrating it is to try to mount racks to bikes without the proper braze ons. That's why I made sure the Champs Elysses racks had adjustable tabs and axle adapters so they could be use with practically any bikes. I think they look really terrific.

One of my favorite Soma products is our super affordable alloy front racks. I used to sell lots of them to people that wanted a front basket, but needed something sturdier. The new version has a longer tombstone to support a Wald basket and mounting points for zip ties to secure it.

Because Soma has such a close relationship with our component makers, we're able to come up with some off the wall product ideas and they'll make them for us. The Tanaka Decaleur was one such item. I wanted something that was sturdy enough for trail riding, but would allow me to attach my Ostrich handlebar bag without lowering my bars. The result was delightfully elegant, and I'm still using my original sample unit on my personal commuter bike. 

The most time consuming project I undertook was the Soma Champs Elysees low trail fork line. We went through many prototype samples before we arrived at a curved shape that lived up to our vision.

I've always been a single speeder at heart, and when IRD decided to introduce a mountain crankset I knew exactly what I wanted. The Mjolnir crankset combines the style of retro square taper mountain cranks with the strength of modern manufacturing techniques, for a result that's both super stiff and beautiful to look at. So far exactly 1 person has picked up on the comic book reference, but don't feel bad if you're not that nerdy. It's Mee-yool-neer. Not Majolner.

So many people asked whether the Mjolnir would work as a double that we went back to the drawing board and designed a 94mm version of the Defiant double as well. So far it's been very popular with randonneurs, tourists and even some roadies.

I'm excited to say there are a lot of really cool new products in the pipeline that will be coming out in the next year, including new compete bike models and the forthcoming Soma fatbike.

If you want to keep up with the stuff that I'm working on you can find it all at www.therubbishbin.net

Wolverine Review from Back Alley Bikes in SEA

"Riding hands free is no problem, such as when grabbing for a snack, removing a riding layer, or taking pictures. Obviously 2.1-inch trail tires won’t feel spry climbing on Seattle’s hills, but they were fun! Especially cutting through alleys and around the Central District’s choppy streets and all over Beacon Hill. The Wolverine reminded me of when I switched from downhill skiing to snowboarding, and how I viewed terrain differently. Whereas obstacles and tree lines were only for flirting with on skis, on a snowboard I’d duck in and out of trees, I’d head straight for the swoopy humps and get some radness. Same thing with the Wolverine. I started popping off of dirt embankments, skidding into loose corners, and rolling obstacles like on-board a 29’er."

Check out the full review!

http://www.backalleybikerepair.com/somatic-tangerine-wolverine/

Soma Wolverine Review: Ride More Care Less

Soma Wolverine Review @ Ride More Care Less
This self described roadie embraces fat tires in a big way by shodding 2.0's on his Wolverine.

Chris P's Wolverine

Here is a picture of another Wolverine build. Might be posting up a quick initial write up of the frame soon. If you wanted that. Think there needs to be more info on this frame because people need to know how awesome it is.  

As someone has said "ya done good kid."

Mahalo

Chris's Soma Wolverine Build

Another killer Wolverine!

Chris's Soma Wolverine Spec:

Roval Control SL Wheelset

Kenda Slant Six Pro tubeless 29x1.80

Deore XT crankset 2 x 10

Deore XT front derailleur

SRAM X9 rear derailleur

SRAM Rival brifters

Avid BB7 SL disc breaks 

Salsa Cowbell 2 handlebar

ESI bar tape

Salsa stem

Cane Creek Forty headset

FSA SL-K seat post

Surly seat post collar

SDG Falcon saddle

SS bottle cages

Grant's Muddy Wolverine

Saw this build on Facebook and had to repost it.

Thanks for sharing Grant! #thislooksright

In stock now! Call your local Soma dealer or >>> store.somafab.com

Robert's Wolverine Single Speed Build

Thought you might like to see the wolverine in it's first experimental build:

What a great ride, fits me like a glove. 

Thank you! 

Wolverines have arrived!

In case you didn't know.

http://www.somafab.com/archives/product/wolverine

See more pictures here >>> http://bit.ly/1nPvVfa