Soma's Oxford handlebar featured on NAHBS Best Lugged Frame!!

picture c/o the NAHBS website

My boss Jim and Bradley of American Cyclery went on a little trip to the NAHBS this weekend (lucky bastards). They came back with a tales of revelry, in awe of all the great work they saw. Most exciting was the amount of Soma products they spotted!!(pics to come..promise!)

This gorgeous bike built by Bilenky Cycle Works won Best Lugged Frame. Here's the skinny:

"Brett and Shelly Horton commissioned Bilenky Cycle Works to build this “constructeur” (most pieces are handmade or hand finished) city bicycle." This bike pays homage to Art Deco movement everywhere from the script on the downtube to the lugs.

Most importantly take a close look at the cockpit...check out the mirror polished SOMA OXFORD HANDLEBARS on it!! They looks very classy with the modified Cardiff Julian grips. We at Soma are honored to be part of such a beautiful build.

We're working on a more extensive post about the show, no worries. We were pretty stoked about this though, so we wanted to get it out asap!! Stay tuned...

IRD Defiant Cranks (Triples/Doubles) In The House

Interloc Racing Design (IRD) is company that started out in the mid-80's doing the mountain bike components, however recently they are better known for their 11-34 road cassettes, quality freewheels and other knick-knacks that larger manufacturers don't care to make anymore.

When we visited American Cyclery back in November, they had a test sample of one of these Defiant "Touring Triples" on a black Double Cross frame. It definitely caught our eye. Thought it was their track crank at first. We now have a few of these ourselves to sell on the Soma Shop. The arms are cold forged before the fluting details are added. The retro design does come with some old school eccentricities: These cranks need a wider BB than usual. For most bikes, it would be 115mm spindles for the doubles (53-39t or 50-36t) and 122mm for the triple. Not a huge issue. IRD makes those, too.
The chainrings are CNC'd, ramped and pinned for modern 9/10-speed shifting and buff-polished to match the crank arms.

Soma Love + Back in Stock = Happy Tuesday

We receive lots of emails from Soma customers, we revel in all of the praise Soma gets (its MOSTLY praise). And while we love you all equally, occasionally we get love so exceptional that we feel compelled to share it. This is one of those instances (duh!). We received this email from Tyson last week:
"Dear Soma,
I just recently put to rest on of your hemp messenger bags. It had been plastered to my back for over four years. I have always been very happy with and just wanted to say thank you. I have attached what the bag looks like just to show you. Thanks again. -Tyson"


A much-loved Folsom messenger bag

Thanks Tyson, we thoroughly enjoyed your picture and story! So yes, please send us your stories/pictures of worn-to-shreds Soma stuffs.. they keep us happy.

As one Soma product is laid to rest, another is born.. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, we recently worked with photographer Matt Washburn to get some sexy shots for the new Soma website (in-the-works!!). He was so taken with our beauties that in lieu of getting cash-money, he opted for a new Soma ES! He kindly sent us a picture of it all built up (build c/o the folks at American Cyclery):


This brings me to our BACK IN STOCKS, cause ES's are back in stock baby!

ALL THESE ARE BACK IN STOCK!!
Soma ES's in ALL sizes!
Soma Smoothies in ALL sizes w/matching pearl white forks!
18" Soma Juices!
AND MORE MINI VELOS!!

Soma Frame Prize Finally Gets Claimed

Over a year ago in the winter of 2009, Patrick Wilson won a raffle put on by two guys who needed money for their bike tour (wekeepgoing.com). He made known he wanted a Soma Stanyan lugged frame(guys got good taste). But he never gave them an address where to send them and subsequent e-mails went unanswered.
Who wins a big raffle prize, but doesn't claim it?
Here's the "perfectly good explanation":

Patrick was an army specialist serving in Tal Afar, Iraq. At the time he was a medic with the MP's who were training the Iraqi police and army. Not too many places stocking bike parts out there.
He has been a back in States for awhile, but it was only a recently Patrick hit up the We Keep Going guys about the raffle. So Patrick will be finally able to build his new bike real soon.


"I won a So-ma! I won a So-ma!"


Army Specialist Patrick Wilson shows how Iraq looks
a little like Mars after a sandstorm.