Soma Speedster

[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!

[divingbiker]

The color of that bike just makes me swoon!

[uforgot]

Awwww...love the pics. She obviously is going to be a cyclist, she already has great taste in bikes.

[xeney]

Well, I hope the bike looks as pretty with a black Vitesse saddle, because the Brooks is just not working. Not enough adjustability even with a setback seatpost.

[xeney]

(#$#*&$*(*#(!!!!

The whole point of building this bike was for hauling my daughter in her Chariot trailer. It's all built, it's beautiful, it fits ... but it turns out to have odd-size dropouts, and the attachment for the trailer won't work.

So it is going to be for sale and I am back to the drawing board. What an enormous waste of time and money.

ETA: actually I will probably just stick with my Bianchi. I've been pulling the trailer with it and having a blast, anyway.

[Blueberry]

That sucks

Is there not an alternate attachment for the trailer available?

CA

[xeney]

Nope. There is just the one, and it is meant to work with lots of different bikes. Which it does -- we have used it so far with five road bikes and two mountain bikes, covering all age ranges from the early 80s to 2003. I'm not blaming Chariot for this, I am blaming Soma. I have no idea why they made the dropouts such a weird size. I have never heard of anyone having a problem with a Chariot skewer.

My husband thinks he might be able to modify the skewer, but I'm afraid of compromising safety. Also I am pretty mad.

[divingbiker]

So it is going to be for sale and I am back to the drawing board.

What size is it?

[dex]

What size is it?

Heh. I was about to ask the same thing.

[Blueberry]

Heh. I was about to ask the same thing.

I tried to restrain myself from asking too early I'm glad someone else asked....

If it's a 52, I may be in trouble

CA

[xeney]

It is a 52. But I am still in the denial stage of grief, so give me a few days.

[7rider]

I tried to restrain myself from asking too early I'm glad someone else asked....

I see DB waited TEN WHOLE MINUTES!!!

[divingbiker]

I see DB waited TEN WHOLE MINUTES!!!

Excuse me, but I believe it was 27 minutes since she posted that it was going to be for sale. I do know how to show restraint! But lordy that bike is pretty!