The wheels and tyres are also a winning combo, gaining speed with little effort, and maintaining it thanks to a moderately aero profile. The wheelbase is a long 1027mm so the Soma ES tracks exceptionally well without conscious rider attention. Raising the rack bosses another 1-1.5" (as is done with the Soma Smoothie) would be a major improvement as would providing a bit more clearance for the rear fender by redesigning the fender mount on the brake bridge. This lack of bulk is obvious in the way it gets up to speed. This bike is actually a natural for cantilever brakes.Great ride, better quality tubing than Surly Pacer. The Soma Smoothie ES is an awesome bike.
Soma is a small brand based in San Francisco. The Dhb Classic jersey gives you plenty of high end features at a budget price It is comfortable but with a stable bottom bracket. I really liked the finish, it exceeded my expectations for the price point. All rights reserved. The bosses are there but they are placed much too low so that a side pull brakes completely blocks the left rack boss. Its philosophy echoes the area’s hippie values and it claims to make products for everyday cyclists, not just those wanting to ape the pros. Not that we had any particular desire to swap it, but should you wish to, it’s unlikely to be a problem as there’s scope to change components when ordering. There is nothing fancy about it, but neither is it ugly or boring. I like the IRD steel fork. I give it a 100 percent recommendation. Overall, this is a great frame. They were very close but some additional work was a good investment. Not that we are liable to be swayed by something so superficial…With its horizontal, non-compact, geometry and traditional round-tube profiles the Soma looks resolutely retro. Welds are exceptionally clean and uniform and the paint is too, including a nice clear coat over the decals.IRD fork is tight, making fender mount w/ 32c Pasela a challenge. Another problem is that the brake bridge is so low that mounting a fender with a 32mm tire (Compass Stampede) is just about impossible forcing me to go to a much less satisfactory 28mm tire.
It comes in a beautiful Pacific Blue. Been doing some singing reviews here so check these out while you're at it: I purchased this frame late last year. We were keen to find out if practicality and excitement are mutually exclusive or whether a bike can really provide both.
The Soma "ES" frame builds into a very comfortable, mile-eating bike. The bosses are there but they are placed much too low so that a side pull brakes completely blocks the left rack boss. The Soma Smoothie is a bike I'd call "aesthetically neutral." One morning on the way to work, the frame snapped at the drive side rear dropout. However, the back end, which comes into play when pedalling hard, is fairly unbending. Not to threadcrap, but I saw this build and I have a Ritchey fork as well which is a rarity these days as most builds seem to feature Enve. It might not be as quick handling as our Smoothie or other dedicated race frames, but it is still quite fast and you'll actually gain valuable stability on speedy descents along with the ability to fit 28-32mm wide road tires.
No alignment or fit and finish issues – a smooth build. It’s also absolutely, mid-70s Stevie Nicks-level gorgeous. Been doing some singing reviews here so check these out while you're at it: Bought one of these recently and wasn't massively impressed. The weight of the complete bike without pedals came in at 19.7 lbs with a 54 cm frame. A matching steel number is also available – fitting it will boost durability and tyre clearance but also add weight.Complete Shimano 105, so no quibbles here. The head tube is moderately tall, so the default position is more suited to long hours in the saddle than smashing out hot laps. It comes in a beautiful Pacific Blue. I've set it up with a Shimano triple crankarm set. I prefer the Jamis Quest and Soma ES to the Roubaix.I bought an ES in 2005 for a commuter. It comes in 11 sizes. Everything works with regard to the fundamental bike functions.I bought this frame to use for both training and endurance rides. The fork is a boat anchor, but it matches the frame and I am not overly concerned with weight. The frame does a fantastic job of drowning out the chatter, making pockmarked roads feel more like freshly-laid tarmac and is definitely the most comfortable on test. I got the Ritchey Carbon Pro for ~ $200 a couple of years ago at Bicycle Outfitters Indy to replace my stock Allez alloy/carbon boat anchor fork. Their recently updated design now features a modern, wider rim. The Soma Smoothie ES has lots of braze-ons for fenders and racks.The Soma Smoothie ES is an awesome bike. I've set it up with a Shimano triple crankarm set. The build quality is great. The Soma Smoothie that I tested was built up very middle of the road with an ITM Basic carbon fork, Shimano 105 components and a set of hand build wheels with Alex Pro 28 rims. I can ride them both fast, with the Jamis Quest being slightly faster covering 100 miles. Unlike most bikes, there’s no replaceable drop out, which means if you mangle the derailleur hanger you’ll need a frame builder to repair it. Otherwise there’s little to mark this frame out as much different from one coming from the era of old-school quill stems and 14-23 freehubs.
Soma is a small brand based in San Francisco. The Dhb Classic jersey gives you plenty of high end features at a budget price It is comfortable but with a stable bottom bracket. I really liked the finish, it exceeded my expectations for the price point. All rights reserved. The bosses are there but they are placed much too low so that a side pull brakes completely blocks the left rack boss. Its philosophy echoes the area’s hippie values and it claims to make products for everyday cyclists, not just those wanting to ape the pros. Not that we had any particular desire to swap it, but should you wish to, it’s unlikely to be a problem as there’s scope to change components when ordering. There is nothing fancy about it, but neither is it ugly or boring. I like the IRD steel fork. I give it a 100 percent recommendation. Overall, this is a great frame. They were very close but some additional work was a good investment. Not that we are liable to be swayed by something so superficial…With its horizontal, non-compact, geometry and traditional round-tube profiles the Soma looks resolutely retro. Welds are exceptionally clean and uniform and the paint is too, including a nice clear coat over the decals.IRD fork is tight, making fender mount w/ 32c Pasela a challenge. Another problem is that the brake bridge is so low that mounting a fender with a 32mm tire (Compass Stampede) is just about impossible forcing me to go to a much less satisfactory 28mm tire.
It comes in a beautiful Pacific Blue. Been doing some singing reviews here so check these out while you're at it: I purchased this frame late last year. We were keen to find out if practicality and excitement are mutually exclusive or whether a bike can really provide both.
The Soma "ES" frame builds into a very comfortable, mile-eating bike. The bosses are there but they are placed much too low so that a side pull brakes completely blocks the left rack boss. The Soma Smoothie is a bike I'd call "aesthetically neutral." One morning on the way to work, the frame snapped at the drive side rear dropout. However, the back end, which comes into play when pedalling hard, is fairly unbending. Not to threadcrap, but I saw this build and I have a Ritchey fork as well which is a rarity these days as most builds seem to feature Enve. It might not be as quick handling as our Smoothie or other dedicated race frames, but it is still quite fast and you'll actually gain valuable stability on speedy descents along with the ability to fit 28-32mm wide road tires.
No alignment or fit and finish issues – a smooth build. It’s also absolutely, mid-70s Stevie Nicks-level gorgeous. Been doing some singing reviews here so check these out while you're at it: Bought one of these recently and wasn't massively impressed. The weight of the complete bike without pedals came in at 19.7 lbs with a 54 cm frame. A matching steel number is also available – fitting it will boost durability and tyre clearance but also add weight.Complete Shimano 105, so no quibbles here. The head tube is moderately tall, so the default position is more suited to long hours in the saddle than smashing out hot laps. It comes in a beautiful Pacific Blue. I've set it up with a Shimano triple crankarm set. I prefer the Jamis Quest and Soma ES to the Roubaix.I bought an ES in 2005 for a commuter. It comes in 11 sizes. Everything works with regard to the fundamental bike functions.I bought this frame to use for both training and endurance rides. The fork is a boat anchor, but it matches the frame and I am not overly concerned with weight. The frame does a fantastic job of drowning out the chatter, making pockmarked roads feel more like freshly-laid tarmac and is definitely the most comfortable on test. I got the Ritchey Carbon Pro for ~ $200 a couple of years ago at Bicycle Outfitters Indy to replace my stock Allez alloy/carbon boat anchor fork. Their recently updated design now features a modern, wider rim. The Soma Smoothie ES has lots of braze-ons for fenders and racks.The Soma Smoothie ES is an awesome bike. I've set it up with a Shimano triple crankarm set. The build quality is great. The Soma Smoothie that I tested was built up very middle of the road with an ITM Basic carbon fork, Shimano 105 components and a set of hand build wheels with Alex Pro 28 rims. I can ride them both fast, with the Jamis Quest being slightly faster covering 100 miles. Unlike most bikes, there’s no replaceable drop out, which means if you mangle the derailleur hanger you’ll need a frame builder to repair it. Otherwise there’s little to mark this frame out as much different from one coming from the era of old-school quill stems and 14-23 freehubs.