Soma Saga Disc frame purchase
 

I just impulse-bought a Soma Saga disc frame and fork, as they were having a 20% off sale ($500), and I have enough spare parts at this point to build it up. Based on my custom-fit frame, the geometry was closest to a size 52, but size 54 is the smallest that permits 700C rather than 26" wheels. The following summarizes a subset of measurements for comparison.

Briefly, the 54 reach is a bit (maybe 10 mm) too long, but has about the right stack, and allows me to use my extra 700C wheelset. Since my custom bike has such a long stem, I assume going a wee bit shorter would allow me to keep the same saddle center to bar length. I also remember that my 1990 Trek 520 (a size 54) fit really well and had similar proportions. (I gave it away to one of my grad students about 12 years ago.)

There is probably time to change my order if this is a bad idea. Since the frame costs less than the White Industries crank I am going to put on it, and I am mainly going to use this for tours and hauling large amounts of stuff locally, it isn't the end of the world if it isn't absolutely perfect. Also I have 2 kids who are slightly taller than me now, so I could always give it to one of them.

What say you?

Also, since the reach is slightly longer, it has me thinking of non-conventional bars. I have trekking bars, Jones bars, and various mountain bike bars sitting around unused at the moment...

What length is the stem on your custom and what length are you wanting to use on the soma?

I would probably decrease it to 100mm or 95mm (starting with 100mm, as that is what I have in a box).

A 100mm stem isnt short. I wouldnt think twice about offsetting the overall reach with a 100mm stem.

agree, I don't get concerned that I've selected too large a frame unless I have to go less than 90mm. Interestingly, that is a longer than normal effective top tube length for that frame designation. Btw, I always found that if I made use of trekking bars, invariably I would have to put a much longer stem on than I would otherwise if using drop bars because of the way the design comes back towards you (if that makes sense) so maybe you won't even need a shorter stem if you go that route.

It just arrived. The fork has a crimp in it where the disk brake mount is attached. Is that normal? (There was no obvious sign of damage to the boxes and the finish appears perfect.)

Damaged. Return for a new one.

I wouldn’t ride a bike with a fork like that. The disc brake mounting point is a high stress area.

I was just hoping someone would say that was there by design. I've sent a couple of pictures to them, so hopefully they will provide instructions on what to do next.

So much for my great $500 deal...

Well, it turns out it is there by design:


@ksryder

With that issue "resolved", I put some wheels on to see how they fit. It looks like there is indeed clearance for 55mm tires, even with fenders.

Some 700C x 55 Antelope Hill TC Compass (Rene Herse) tires may be in my future.

It's normal. I've seen a lot.

who would have thunk, it really does look like a significant "crimp" doesnt it to my uneducated eye.

can take 55 plus fenders, neat.
Ive never ridden those tires, but have certainly become a fan of the similar 50mm Supremes over the years. Ive ridden those, which measure on my rims at 45mm, on all kinds of surfaces, unloaded to fairly heavily loaded, and a wider more "floaty" tire works great on loose surfaces, within reason of course-but only you know what amount of tread or no tread you need for what you'll ride on, as with different pressures which also make a real difference in ride feel for a given situation.

Odd to design it that way, but Soma is a good brand, so I guess they know what they are doing. Glad to hear it’s not an issue. Looking forward to seeing the build.

I hope it is not an issue.

I was originally going to get a Spork for my other bike so I could attach low-riders, but this whole frame was less expensive than the Spork 2.0. It would be a bitter irony if the fork collapsed.

I think the next step is to get the head tube and BB faced.

This hasn't been necessary on decent quality frames for several years.

Get the LBS to press in headset. You can DIY with wood blocks, padding materials, another set of hands and preferably a dead-blow hammer. The tricky part is properly aligning headset cup graphics to the front. I always use a Chris King split crown race with my headsets, it works well and is simple to install/uninstall.

You can install BB yourself too with correct tool. BB is usually easier than headset, because sometimes the head tube is a bit too small or slightly non-round, which makes it more difficult to start cup into tube or seat it completely.

A bike workstand and sunny daylight is nice to have when building a bike.

Thanks. My main concern is that it came with a piece of paper that says to do that stuff. I've never put in a headset before, but the BB is threaded and trivial to install (assuming no facing or thread-chasing is needed; I'm going to make it slightly harder on myself by installing my White Industries square taper). The frame looks fine to my untrained eyes. CK now has a lifetime warranty that includes their headsets...

re the whole facing thing. When I bought my Troll used, I stripped it down to the frame, partly to learn about the new to me hollowtech2 bb type, and also to go over everytihng myself to know what shape it was in, and to regrease everything.(and I put framesaver in the frame too)
I didnt get it faced, bb or headset area, and so far its been fine, so I guess it was nice and parallel everywhere.

maybe with a new, painted frame, its worth it, but probably worth asking a trusted mechanic about that, probably worth the small fee to get it done if not sure.

Finally put enough parts on it to take it for a test-ride on/off road.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...92e46ff7f8.jpg
Thank you for not laughing at my handlebar tape.

TRP hydraulic brakes, 11-speed (mtn) Microshift bar-end shifter/castration device, White Industries 46/30T crank, 11-36T Sram cassette, wheels borrowed from my gravel bike (this one takes tires up to 55mm). XT rd, GRX front derailleur, Redshift stem and suspension seatpost. Borrowed wheels are White Industries hubs and HED Belgium + rims. The rear is 32 spoke. (Is that enough for a loaded touring bike? -- I worry it is not). Tires are 38mm treaded Compass. I think I am going to get Tubus low-riders for the front.

looks terrific!

My only thing would be figure out stem or seatpost. Having two things going in opposing directions is not good for fit and comfort. Both can be good things but you just have to pick which one you really want and which one you want to skip. Me I would probably stick with the Redshift stem and do a titanium seatpost.

My touring bike is 32h Paul RHUB (cassette that they stopped making because the bastardos at i9 stopped making the free hub he was using) laced to WTB Frequency CX and Sapim Strong spokes and the front is almost the same but with a SON hub so far no real issues but also I haven't had a good chance to do a lot of touring but have ridden it quite a bit loaded (usually groceries or commuting with way too much crap) and no issues.

I am about to put a similar wheelset on a new adventure/gravel bike I am building and intend on doing some bike packing and have no worries about those wheels. Most of my bikes use some variation of a 32h wheel because as a bigger person I just don't want failures and so far no issues on any of my bikes.

I am curious how the GRX front derailleur is working with the WI cranks as I am trying to figure out a derailleur for similar front gearing on the same cranks and haven't settled on anything yet?

I've got an un-used carbon seat-post pulled from the bike behind it (kid insists on a dropper post).

The stem and seatpost were designed to be used together, but I see your point. The movement is pretty much non-noticeable unless I bounce up and down on the saddle.

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I have two copies of this wheel-set, the only difference is the other is Chris King (hubs, and made by them) and 28 spokes front and rear. They are both about 5 years old now, and have been very solid. In fact, the 28 spoke rear wheel stays more true than the 32 spoke one (which isn't a totally controlled experiment, as I use that one off road more). I weigh 200 lbs clothed, btw.

It works great. I've also used that crankset on another bike with Ultegra Di2. I had to get a wider square taper bottom bracket than the WI one I was using on the other bike. I got a much less expensive Shimano BB. I like it better. I probably could have used a 105 or Ultegra front derailleur, but since I increased the chain-line with the new BB, I opted for the GRX one. So now I am using a GRX front derailleur with a White Industries crank on one bike, and a GRX 46/30T crankset with an Ultegra Di2 front derailleur on another. (I may move stuff around again in the future.) But I guess the main point is that these things are more interchangeable than we are told.

My fitter hates when people do the double suspension in opposite directions. Our owner and one of his other employees love to push people to it and he just goes into the "it doesn't work" rant which luckily is based in his many years as a fitter and studying bicycle fit. The Carbon post isn't a bad idea for comfort but I like metal things when touring.

HED makes excellent rims that is why I went with them in the first place. I probably would have done them on more wheels if they did a hard ano grey version or a polished silver version and maybe if the price came down a touch but they are super nice quality and look great.

Ahh Square taper, that changes things, I am going G30 cranks so no square taper. However if I am going square taper the QB-95 Defiant from IRD would be my top choice. Super smooth and really nice. I will say if the frame wasn't a Phil Wood frame I would have used that BB instead of a Phil Wood one, that thing is a bit of faff and I don't like faff. It works just fine now but setting up was a pain and I think the QB-95 seems a touch smoother.

I couldn't use the 30mm spindle in my (BSA) BB because there wasn't enough room for the Di2 wire. So now I have this square taper crankset that cost more than my Soma frame and fork. (I justified buying the frame to hang all these extra parts on.) Check out the GRX 50/34T crankset. $150 and it works better than my White Industries boutique crankset.