Soma Smoothie - Thoughts??

[FordTrax]

I am in my mid-50s and have a couple of bikes a Cannondale CX7 Cyclocross bike that I use as a road bike - it has 35mm tires on it. And a Salsa Casseroll that I use on slow rides with my wife. I just cannot bond with the Casseroll or atleast not so far. I love my CX7.

I have been doing 30 mile road rides with the local club at about 12-13 mph using my CX7. I would like a faster dedicated road bike (pavement only) but one that is still going to be comfortable - I generally ride with my saddle and top of the drop bars about even.

I was thinking about a Soma Smoothie (I think the ES will be a lot like my Casseroll so it does not pay to go there) it can take up to 28mm tires and I like it looks awesome for a retro build. I am about 6' 1" - longer in the torso than the legs (33.5 inseam). I was thinking about a 60cm Smoothie - since it has a semi-compact geometry - going with a 60cm would give me a slightly longer wheelbase and it has a taller head tube than the 58cm. The taller head tube might make it easier to get the bars and seat at about the same height. The effective top tube length is pretty reasonable at 58cms and the standover height is 32.5 so I am safe there.

I would like to hear some thoughts on the Soma Smoothie from you folks that have owned/ridden or looked at the frame. I would also like some opinions of going to a 60cm frame on the Smoothie. What are your thoughts??

[eddief]

and you make me wonder what tires you are running on yours. Seems to me the Soma and the Salsa are made from tubes that are similar and the ride via the tubes would not be that much different. And the Salsa has adjusting screws in the rear dropouts, so you can "adjust" the wheel base to be shorter and "faster." My 57 Casseroll is 73 degree square and the Soma does have a slacker seat angle. You don't mention the size of the Casseroll. Casseroll geo is a bit more upright and should handle with a bit more faster steering than the 60 Soma.

What bugs you about the Salsa?

On the other hand, you could build the Soma with a carbon fork and the weight difference along with the geo difference might put a smile on your face.

Try some Conti 4000 ii 28mm tires on your Salsa and see if that does the trick.

[rcnute]

Had both a long time ago and they seemed pretty similar to me. You might try a Gunnar Sport.

Ryan

[FordTrax]

I have only had it for a couple of months - mostly winter here. I believe the Salsa has 32mm on it. Perhaps it will grow on me but right now I take the CX7 first but I don't know why.

[oldpotatoe]

I am in my mid-50s and have a couple of bikes a Cannondale CX7 Cyclocross bike that I use as a road bike - it has 35mm tires on it. And a Salsa Casseroll that I use on slow rides with my wife. I just cannot bond with the Casseroll or atleast not so far. I love my CX7.

I have been doing 30 mile road rides with the local club at about 12-13 mph using my CX7. I would like a faster dedicated road bike (pavement only) but one that is still going to be comfortable - I generally ride with my saddle and top of the drop bars about even.

I was thinking about a Soma Smoothie (I think the ES will be a lot like my Casseroll so it does not pay to go there) it can take up to 28mm tires and I like it looks awesome for a retro build. I am about 6' 1" - longer in the torso than the legs (33.5 inseam). I was thinking about a 60cm Smoothie - since it has a semi-compact geometry - going with a 60cm would give me a slightly longer wheelbase and it has a taller head tube than the 58cm. The taller head tube might make it easier to get the bars and seat at about the same height. The effective top tube length is pretty reasonable at 58cms and the standover height is 32.5 so I am safe there.

I would like to hear some thoughts on the Soma Smoothie from you folks that have owned/ridden or looked at the frame. I would also like some opinions of going to a 60cm frame on the Smoothie. What are your thoughts??

http://www.gunnarbikes.com

http://gunnarbikes.com/site/bikes/sport

[sandyrs]

I just got and love an All-City Mr. Pink. If the geo works I recommend it heartily, though now that it comes with a carbon fork the price point is a bit higher than the soma. Link in my signature.

[AngryScientist]

although i'm a huge fan of steel forks and the way they ride, there is no doubt modern carbon forks ride very well too and are a great place to save some weight. i think for a bike as you describe, get something with a carbon fork that is a little lighter and a little more "lively". the all city Sandy mentions is a nice choice that will take some bigger tires.

edit: speaking of tires - that's the best and easiest change to make to any bike to make it ride better. for road only get yourself some 25c veloflex or vittoria corsa tires and you'll transform the ride of that bike you already have.

[.RJ]

Might be better off building a new set of wheels to keep some 'fast' road tires on for your CX7 than another bike.... not that you shouldnt have a bike for every ride.

[drewellison]

Maybe this guy?
http://blackmtncycles.com/frames/road-frames/

I've got his cross frame in my sights, but his road frame may be just the thing for you.

[nash]

I had a smoothie for a few years. Very cool bike. I had a chrome soma fork on it that looked and rode great. Also had a carbon fork on it that cut some weight, felt sportier. I sold the frame and built up a black mountain cycles road frame. Main advantage being 33mm tire clearance. Both great bikes that I liked a lot. I take the black mountain off road quite a bit. Never did that with the smoothie.

[benb]

These bikes are all fun but like others it's hard for me to see the Smoothie being particularly sportier/more fun than the Casseroll. They're really similar.

If you want something really/actually sporty go get yourself a legitimately sporty/fast bike.. most of them can handle 28s now.

Beware of upsizing unless you really know what you're doing, extending the reach too much can mess you up plenty despite having less saddle to bar drop.

[panache_mode]

I am in my mid-50s and have a couple of bikes a Cannondale CX7 Cyclocross bike that I use as a road bike - it has 35mm tires on it. And a Salsa Casseroll that I use on slow rides with my wife. I just cannot bond with the Casseroll or atleast not so far. I love my CX7.

I have been doing 30 mile road rides with the local club at about 12-13 mph using my CX7. I would like a faster dedicated road bike (pavement only) but one that is still going to be comfortable - I generally ride with my saddle and top of the drop bars about even.

I was thinking about a Soma Smoothie (I think the ES will be a lot like my Casseroll so it does not pay to go there) it can take up to 28mm tires and I like it looks awesome for a retro build. I am about 6' 1" - longer in the torso than the legs (33.5 inseam). I was thinking about a 60cm Smoothie - since it has a semi-compact geometry - going with a 60cm would give me a slightly longer wheelbase and it has a taller head tube than the 58cm. The taller head tube might make it easier to get the bars and seat at about the same height. The effective top tube length is pretty reasonable at 58cms and the standover height is 32.5 so I am safe there.

I would like to hear some thoughts on the Soma Smoothie from you folks that have owned/ridden or looked at the frame. I would also like some opinions of going to a 60cm frame on the Smoothie. What are your thoughts??

I had a smoothie for a few years. Very cool bike. I had a chrome soma fork on it that looked and rode great. Also had a carbon fork on it that cut some weight, felt sportier. I sold the frame and built up a black mountain cycles road frame. Main advantage being 33mm tire clearance. Both great bikes that I liked a lot. I take the black mountain off road quite a bit. Never did that with the smoothie.

I just recently built up a soma smoothie mostly because I wanted a steel road bike that wasnt my single speed cross bike with 28c tires. I got it with an enve fork and I can say it's a fun ride compared to my cross bike on the road. Although the changes are small I can say that it's a better ride for strictly fast road rides. Ive got the road bike set up more aggressively and I'm riding a bike more compact than I normally would but it's just a road bike. :confused:

Things I would consider for your cassarol are could you change a few things on the bike that could change the feel of the bike to suit a faster rides. Tires and rims are a great place to start.

Pros:
Economical and a pretty good value.
Plain old road bike nothing fancy
Fender mounts

Cons:
Weight(if that's of importance to you)
Toe overlap :( I've got a 54 with 170mm cranks)
Tire clearance
Need to apply framesaver
I think I'm stretching it with my cons

[bigbill]

For sizing, I'm a little over 6'1" and I rode a 60cm Smoothie ES. I rode it for almost two years as a commuter in Hawaii with 28mm tires and fenders. One morning it broke at the drive side rear dropout. It took a long time to warranty and in Soma's defense, they were a relatively new company and I might have been their first warranty claim. I needed a commuter so I bought a Gunnar Crosshairs which I still ride almost daily eleven years later. Soma eventually made good on their warranty and sent me a new silver frame (Tange Prestige) and (black IRD unicrown) fork that still sit in the factory box in my garage ten years later. I've put them up on the classifieds a few times with no luck.

[Cicli]

The Smoothie is a good bike for what it is. One of the better values in that price point.
I had one years ago and still say it was one of the best bikes I have had. I wanted one again and bought a Stanyan. I love that bike as well. They ride great.