Soma in New Zealand

Soma recently arrived in New Zealand through our cool new distributor there, Wide Open.

For those untravelled and can only equate NZ with the Lord of the Rings movies, let us show you the spankin' new T. Whites/Qubic boutique store. This is not "Little Bike Shop in the Shire".

"We have teamed up with the legendary Qubic clothing boutique to create a store inside a store in the heart of New Market. Located in central New Market Qubic has the most dialed clothing and shoe selection in Auckland offering all the hard to find top shelf clothing you could ever wish for.

Thursday The 9th is the official release date and its going to be a great combination between Qubic and T.Whites bikes in conjunction with All Track.
Check them out at

http://www.qubicstore.com/"

Soma Rush to Go ‘Full Monty’ with Removable Decals

In 2010 the Soma Rush track frame will be upgraded with nicer Tange track dropouts and have fully removable decals. Our graphic vision from the beginning was to go with extremely subtle decals, because we had heard many people didn’t want to be “rolling billboards”, but even with our low key graphics, we’d get requests for decals the owner can peel off. So in 2007, we released frames with removable downtube and top tube decals (with just the headtube and seat tube logos being permanent). The immediate response was positive. But after a few months, we’d started getting e-mails again requesting us to make ALL the decals removable.

At Soma, we always welcome customer input. But we were kind of torn with losing every speck of recognition on our most popular frame. It’s a pride thing.

We were so unsettled about this, we decided to consult a well known sports marketing company for a solution. They interviewed employees from a dozen bike shops they deemed “most influential and which best dimensionalized the fixed gear paradigm”
Their findings? They concluded that the track kids weren’t really after bikes with NO decals. “After taking off the original decals,... the majority of them apply a whole bunch of other stickers back on. These kids just like putting on decals and then peeling them back off. It’s like that bad habit of picking at the scab on your shin.”

Since they charged us a crapload of money,
we knew they were right.
Here is the unofficial reveal of the new graphics scheme for the 2010 Soma Rush. Each Rush frame will have 110 individual, removable, vinyl decals on the frame. (We calculate we can fit 130 on the 59 and 61cm). The kids can peel stickers to their hearts’ content. The marketing company estimates, “21% of the decals will NOT be thrown in the garbage, but actually end up stuck to a lamp post, mailbox or sideview mirror. That should help generate the critical guerilla marketing you’ve been lacking.” Freakin' genius.

Expect the new frames to drop in October.

[Update: Yes this was an attempt at April Foolery. We are happy to report that the 2010 Rush will really have all-removable decals, BUT just a sane & 'environmentally responsible' amount. There will be a new color... not sure what yet. And we are most likely using Tange's new track ends.]

Nitto: Silvery Elegance

Nitto doesn't have much of a presence on the American road racing circuit. And because they're products are made in Japan and not Taiwan or China, they aren't exactly price competitively with mainstream brands. They don't make anything super light or in sexy carbon fiber. But I have to say there aren't many bicycle parts I like holding in my hands more than a smooth-like-satin Nitto bar or stem.

Nitto has released a new road bar. The M179 SSB is neither not classic or vintage, but is totally modern...uses a 31.8mm center (26.0mm available, too), is optimized for STI levers (especially Dura-Ace 7900 STI levers which work best on double-grooved bars), and has a mildly short drop and reach (131/80mm). So if you are a lady or need/like shorter drop bars and are tired of black components, this should be on top of your list.

We carry that and the matching Nitto UI5 Ex stem on the SomaFab Shop.

Buena Vistas Have Arrived

Our mixte frames are in the warehouse and we will be shipping all backorder frames to shops beginning Monday. We apologize for the long wait our customers have had to endure.

Notes:

• The Buena Vista is a true mixte with the double top tube/stays.
  
• This is not just for the ladies. "Mixte" (pronounced "MEExt") is French for "mixed" or "unisex"and fully envisioned for both men and women from the beginning. North Americans have come to pronounce it "mix-ty". Both are acceptable to use.
  
• Ride characteristics/geometry is somewhere between road sport and touring
  
• An oversized butted downtube makes this frame stiffer than the mixtes of the 70's.
• Removable decals make it easier for you to customize your ride
  
• Four sizes to start: 42, 50, 54, 58cm
• Horizontal dropouts w/hanger allows you to run it with a rear derailleur, with internal geared hubs, or single speed
• Downtube shifter bosses
• Rack and fender braze-ons
• Bosses for single bottle cage

Special Notes on Tires and Brakes:

• The 42cm is designed for 26" wheels and 73mm reach brakes(Tektro R-556/Rivendell Silvers) are recommended. They can also use Dia-Compe 750 center pulls if you can find a long enough straddle cable. Recommended tire width: 1.25" - 1.5"(38c)
  

• The 50-58cm sizes are designed for 700c wheels and 57mm reach road brakes are recommended. Recommended tire widths: 26c - 35c (Both frame and fork are drilled for recessed brake bolts, so Dia-Compe MX-806 with old hardware are not compatible) 650b conversions are possible but we recommend speccing tires that will not change the BB drop appreciably.
  (Modular cable stops for the "top tube" bridges allow you to run the rear brake housing a few different ways.)

***Because we only got a small amount in, we are reserving stock for bike shops and we are not putting this on the Soma online shop yet. Please inquire to special order from a local bike shop.