Soma Speedster

[xeney]

We did a preliminary fitting today and it's going to be fine. We'll have some minor tweaking to do, but it's a good fit. I'm going to love this bike, I think.

[rij73]

That's great! Can I ask... what component group and wheelset is that? Also... about how much is this bike going to weigh?

It's really gorgeous. Can't get over the color!

[xeney]

The components are mostly Veloce 10-speed with a triple crankset. The wheels are swiped from my 2003 Bianchi Veloce because I was having trouble finding Campy wheels that weren't too racy-looking, so they are Bianchi hubs with Mavic CXP-22 rims. (The Bianchi will get new wheels if I decide to keep it.)

It's not going to be a lightweight -- probably around 20 pounds, or as my husband just said in a snotty tone, 25 if I keep the Brooks saddle. (He is not a member of the cult.)

For those who didn't follow the earlier thread, I wanted this bike for pulling a trailer with my daughter ... more upright and less aggressive than my Bianchi, with the lowest gearing I could manage with Campy. But I will probably keep the Bianchi, too.

[Blueberry]

20 lbs isn't bad....Wonder if building one with Shimano would make a big difference one way or the other (I'm drooling at one, but am not a Campy convert).

CA

[xeney]

I don't know -- Veloce is not a lightweight component group. Probably about like 105? We went with Campy because I'm used to it, I like the feel of the hoods, the levers fit my hands well, and my husband had a hand-me-down set of levers I was able to use. (He developed a metal allergy to the levers ... is that the best or the lamest excuse anyone has ever come up with for upgrading to carbon levers? I'm not sure.)

Elk, come tell me how much you love your Ritchey adjustable stem. As much as I think this bike would be prettiest with a silver stem and bars, I wanted the adjustable stem for several reasons, so my husband bought me one. The bonus is that now I don't feel like I need to swap out my Short and Shallow bars for something prettier, since if I have a black stem I might as well stick with black bars. (And they look like they are going to be a good fit, which is most important.)

[elk]

The adjustable stem is great for finding your way into the fit...or so I've heard...I haven't tried to use it except once on the road and I couldn't undo the bolt...

ask me again...later!!

I DID ask the Bianchi guy for one for Mr elk's new Volpe and he's giving us a Kalloy. I think it'll be a heaven sent for the Mr...who has been riding upright.



Don't worry too much...(said once Cancer to another)
it's all fixable, undoable, changable.

[xeney]

We are working on the fit and it seems pretty good -- very different geometry than my Bianchi (bars and saddle about the same height), but good. We can't quite get KOPS right because my femurs are different lengths, but we can get it close.

Unfortunately my Brooks B17s is not working. I might try a B17 but I am not getting that instant comfort thing I've had with Brooks saddles on other bikes. I tried a Butterfly and it was better but also won't work (I get chafing in the rear because it's too wide for me), so I am going to try my Fisik Vitesse and I might have to buy another one of those. Damn it. The Brooks is prettier.

Here is some child labor in action:





See, if your kids are very bad, you can make them clean your chain and rims with a toothbrush!