Soma Wolverine

[mtb_frk]

Anyone have one? There isn't a whole lot out there on the interwebs about it. I am sort of thinking it might work out pretty good for what I am looking for. I guess for anyone that has a soma how does it ride? I don't know too much about Tange tubing they use either. I just have to keep reminding myself that not all my bikes have to be fully custom, light weight race machines.

[Marburg]

This doesn't answer your question at all, but I've been going back and forth between a Wolverine and a Bens Cycles Fugitive:



https://www.benscycle.com/images/Pro...ilder-5488.jpg

Something else for your list.

[bcgav]

The Tange/IRD split sliding dropouts with Gates belt drive compatibility give the Wolverine incredible versatility. I'm considering one for a Gates belt drive with either Alfine Di2 11sp or a Rohloff.

[cash05458]

the only experience I have with Tange is on a Serotta Colorado LT I own...and I LOVE the ride...not sure if that is just the tange or Ben's design with the flared chainstays...or both...but I love the feel of the tange steel on that bike...I have heard very good things from Peter Vecchio i.e. old potato as well when we spoke about tange and I was thinking of buying a soma tange frame a few years ago (never did) and Pete knows his stuff!

[Birddog]

I think the Wolverine with belt and an internally geared hub would be perfect for the dirt road/gravel rides we have around here. The Oklahoma red dirt in any form ( powder, mud or reg.) wears the crap out of exposed drivetrain components and this would solve that.

[mtb_frk]

I have looked at the bens cycle/Milwaukee bikes. Seemed like they couldn't take as much tire with with fenders. The other option is of course a straggler. But with the somewhat goofy geometry and the semi vertical drop outs I just can't bring myself to pull the trigger on one.

[GScot]

May not be relevant but I have Panasonic made from tange prestige with lug construction. Wonderful riding bike.

[cash05458]

Originally Posted by GScot

May not be relevant but I have Panasonic made from tange prestige with lug construction. Wonderful riding bike.

yeah, I believe Tange is fairly underrated or not talked about much compared to columbus ect... but it has some real qualities I think....

[jtakeda]

No input on the soma but I have input on tange prestige tubing.

I've had 3 prestige tubed bikes.
1 is prestige OS.

Honestly some of the best riding 80s steel I've ever ridden.

Rode 1 prestige landshark till it cracked probably about 15,000 miles in a year. Cracked it after getting hit on it.

I'm on my 2nd prestige landshark (OS) this time. Wonderful riding bike I'm sold on the tube set.

[buldogge]

PR-6000? Amazing bike…very direct feel…just the right stiffness.

Mine's a '91 Panasonic-Sportlife teambike.

-Mark in St. Louis

Originally Posted by GScot

May not be relevant but I have Panasonic made from tange prestige with lug construction. Wonderful riding bike.

[mtb_frk]

I've seen a few posts saying this new tange isn't the same as the old tange. I don't know though if that true or not.

[eddief]

it comes in variety decent dimensions as can be seen when you open this pdf:

http://www.tange-design.com/tubing_list.php?type_sn=3

Originally Posted by mtb_frk

I've seen a few posts saying this new tange isn't the same as the old tange. I don't know though if that true or not.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by eddief

it comes in variety decent dimensions as can be seen when you open this pdf:

http://www.tange-design.com/tubing_list.php?type_sn=3

Japanese Columbus or maybe Deda tubing. Like 3Rensho, some Panasonics, even some Waterfords/Schwinns. That era, and Tange tubing today, is very well made stuff. Can ya tell the difference between a Soma with Tange and Surly with 4130 C-M tubes? Probably not but I'd give the nod to the Tange frame..just 'cuz.

[mtb_frk]

Its funny how things work out sometimes, I had decided to move on from the wolverine and just cram the biggest tires I could into my dirt road/cross bike. I was able to get a 38 in the back, and a 40 in the front. I rode it all spring/summer/fall. Along the way I picked up Trek Crocket as I am switching my race bikes over to disc. It seemed like it would work good, bigger tires, disc, fender mounts etc. The thought was to switch it over to my dirt road bike after the cross season. On the local mtb forum, someone posted a new, never built wolverine in my size, so of course I can't resist emailing the guy about it just because. Well turns out, I ended up buying it how could I not? I have just about all the parts laying around to put it together. Last night I was fitting the fork and just had a mtb front wheel handy with a specialized ground control 2.3 on it, figured no way this will fit. To my surprise it fit with some extra clearance, I was very surprised. Hopefully I can get it built up this weekend.

[jmal]

Unless something has changed, Soma frames are not entirely Tange. The Double Cross I had was Tange in the front triangle only. Regardless, I would challenge anyone to be able to identify what type of tubing a frame is made of, excluding obvious tubesets like Max. The ride is determined by the design and build quality. Dave Kirk could make a better riding frame from just about any tubeset than Surly could with the fanciest tubes.

FWIW, my Soma broke right in the area of the butting of the top and down tubes. It was a JRA situation on a dirt walking path with a tiny dip about the size of an inverse speed bump. Probably moving about 10mph. Soma refused any warranty service and the frame was only about two months old. I've ridden the path on road bikes, rigid mtbs with narrow slicks, and have seen kids riding big box store bikes on the path often. I never had any problems except with the Soma. I was certainly not exceeding the expected capacity of the frame.