Silly question about mixtes

[_kim_]

I'm thinking of getting a soma buena vista as an around-town bike. I already have a soma saga which seems to be working out fine, and the buena vista geometry looks very similar, so I think it would probably be fine too. (Would plan on using upright bars on the buena vista, though, among other things.) But I've never had a mixte before--does it feel much different from riding a regular diamond-frame bike? Like if someone could somehow lower you blindfolded onto a mixte and you rode it around, would you be able to tell it's not a diamond-frame bike?
They look so different from diamond-frame bikes that i tend to think they'll feel different too, but maybe this isn't the case.

[Tri Girl]

I never noticed a difference on mine, but I was only riding it around town on errands and commuting. Maybe if I rode it for 20+ miles I would have noticed a difference, but I kinda doubt it. Other than it being heavier and more sturdy than my diamond frame bike, I thought it rode the same.

I *love* the Soma mixte- soooo pretty!!

[BodhiTree]

I had my Buena Vista built with mostly the same parts as on my steel cyclocross bike. These were parts that I liked and was very familiar with. The BV was noticeably stiffer and a lot faster than my Double Cross bike.

Other than being faster, I don't notice anything different about the mixte.

IMHO everything Soma makes is good.

[_kim_]

Thanks all for your feedback.

BodhiTree, that's interesting, re: the BV feeling "faster" than the DC. I guess I would have assumed the opposite.

Muirenn, I'm actually not compact at all. :-) (well, i guess my hands sort of are...) I'm 5'10". I have noticed that it seems like a lot of the posts by people on the forums puzzling over frame sizing seem to be contemplating smaller frames, which I guess makes sense since I think there are more short and average-height women out there than tall women. So I have the 58 in the saga. this is only the third bike I've spent much quality time riding, though, so my palate is probably still a bit unrefined (in terms of judging the handling, etc. Although I can say with certainty that the last bike I was riding was too small). The top tube seems on the long side, but we kept the fork full-length (pretty long!) and I have a short stem (can't remember the size off the top of my head--maybe 80mm?), plus drop bars with a very short drop & reach (FSA pro wing compact--I really like them), so all that helps.

[Biciclista]

the difference i notice is the mixte is easier to get on and off.

[_kim_]

the difference i notice is the mixte is easier to get on and off.

ha, yes, i'm looking forward to that :-) (not that i have a huge amount of difficulty as it is, just that i plan on using it for shorter distances)

[Catrin]

the difference i notice is the mixte is easier to get on and off.

Would you use a mixte frame for commuting? Somehow I have it in my mind that they are for shorter trips...just curious. If I like commuting this summer then NEXT spring will consider a dedicated commuter...

[Susan]

I think this depends on the overall geometry of the mixte frame. Mixtes are often shorter and meant to be ridden more upright than diamond frames. They have a "comfort"-bike type geometry.
The Soma mixte is longer and "sportier" than most mixte frames I know. It feels like a regular road bike, quite stretched out. Especially if you cut the stem to a regular height and use flat or road bars.
Using a swept back bar and leaving the stem as long as it is would feel more comfortable and "slower" I guess, but still the geometry is different from most old mixte frames.

I'd say how the bike feels and handles depends on how long the top tube/wheel base is and the angles and length of fork and seat stay, not if this geometry is achieved by a mixte frame or a regular diamond frame.

You could ask Soma if the geometries of the Saga and the Buena Vista are comparable?