noobinsf 

Good sale on these. I have a set that I have yet to install in 32mm, so I can't offer an opinion yet, but I hear good things, and this is the cheapest I have seen. Only the 23mm gumwalls are on sale.

EDIT: There is also a Labor Day sale going on this weekend, so be sure to apply the "Labor" code at checkout for 10% off. Add some stuff to get to $100 for free shipping. (They have good prices for rolls of Newbaums tape, btw, so you can load up to meet the threshold.)

https://www.somafabshop.com/shop/pro...?category=2790

due ruote 

Great deal. Too bad about the width. Not sure I could get into 23mm tires anymore.
I have the 33mm EX on one bike and 38mm EX on our tandem. Very nice tires.
Have not tried the lighter weight SL variety. It looks like they have both versions for sale but only 23 in each.

canklecat

Thanks, I ordered some in 700x23. I like the Conti Grand Prix Classic skinwalls, but those are 700x25 only and a tight fit on my Ironman -- the rear tire rubs the brake bridge. The Soma tires should clear easily and, hopefully, offer as good a ride.

guy1138

Anybody in the Austin area want some? I want a pair, but the $15 shipping is a real tough pill

RiddleOfSteel

$15 shipping on a pair of tires that cost $30 total instead of $100-120 total (like they normally would) is too much?

RiddleOfSteel

FYI the 33mm size are excellent in both weight and size. And ride quality. I run the EX for longer tire life, and have them in both 33 and (just now) 38mm size. They mount easily (depending on rim...and certainly after getting 'broken in' and stretching a touch), and...unlike a number of Compass and Grand Bois tires, dead straight. No Wobbly Hotdog-on-a-Rim issue.

noobinsf 

Also a quick note about Soma's website, which I was reminded of today. There is a sale right now for 10% off, and if you apply the code, try to make sure it persists through the close of the sale showing the full 10% off. If not, contact Merry Sales using the email address on your order confirmation and let them know the discount was not fully applied. Their e-commerce site is annoying, but the people are responsive and nice.

canklecat

I bought four tires so the $15 shipping cost didn't seem excessive. If I'd been awake before submitting the order I'd have added another $22 of items and gotten free shipping ($100 minimum).

Last time I ordered heavily discounted tires that I liked (Schwalbe One V-Guards, also $15 each) and got only one pair I regretted not buying more.

due ruote 

Does anyone have experience with the 23mm size? I am wondering if they are true to size. (The sizes I have seem to be fairly spot on.)

Bikerider007

Thanks, ordered 4. Was looking for tanwall 23 sales last night. $66 shipped with labor discount.

repechage

i have recently mounted a pair of the 26c, which do not seem to be offered anymore- it was a while ago.
they are so far so good, they are TIGHT. But many kevlar tires are. I had to stretch them one side at a time for a bit, there was no way they were going to go at first.

RandolphCarter

Thanks for the heads up.

23mm tires aren't for me, but it's nice to find another option for online bike stuff.

They even have 650B tires, but the prices are a bit steep:

Lascauxcaveman 

"If you have the means, I highly recommend them."

canklecat

Yup. I just finished a 22 mile ride on these 700x23 Soma Supple Vitesse SL (super light, not the EX extended wear, some of which are also discounted at the moment) gumwalls, right after receiving them this morning.

Short version -- they're good. A bargain at $15.

I'm not sure where my dial gauge caliper is, and it's in inches anyway, so I'm just guessing that the tire size is true to spec. Just eyeballing the fit in the frame, they appear to be comparable to the other 700x23 tires I've run on this Ironman: Schwalbe One V-Guard, Continental Ultra Sport II, Vittoria Zaffiro, a few others.

The rim fit was fine on my Araya ADX-1W rims. I expected to need my bead jack but was able to mount the new tires with my hands. The tacky rubber around the bead was the only difficult bit, and that will ease with time and use. I'd rate the rim fit comparable to the Continental Grand Prix Classic, which I also really like.

Removing the tire wasn't difficult either -- I needed only a single lever (I use the wide, rounded edge Bontrager plastic levers).

I had a flat tire only 8 miles from home, but it turned out to be on the inside-facing surface of the tube, indicating a puncture or cut from a burr along a spoke hole. I need to replace the old rubber rim strip with Velox or comparable cloth tape,which I've never had problems with. Definitely not a puncture through the tire tread, just a bit of bad luck unrelated to the new tire.

I had hoped to use my Silca latex tubes with the new Soma tires -- not so much for speed as for comfort. An old C1-C2 neck injury still causes some discomfort and I've found a combination of supple tires and latex tubes really helps tame the chatter on our worsening roads. I've noticed this year, as the economy suffers, road maintenance has become very crude. It's all rough chipseal now, whatever they can do as quickly as possible. Brutal for skinny bike tires.

But the combination of 700x25 Conti GP Classics and latex tubes really helped. I was hoping to get that level of comfort with the Soma tires. However the Silca latex tubes are rated 700x24-30, and would not fit in the 700x23 Soma tires without risking folding or pinching.

So I used butyl tubes, Continental Race 28 Light, their very thin tubes, front at rear. At least for 8 miles. After the front wheel flat I switched to a standard Conti Race 28 medium duty tube since I had it in the saddle bag. I didn't feel much difference between the Conti Race 28 Light and regular Race 28. Both are okay, but not as nice as latex tubes. I'll probably order some thinner latex tubes to go with the Soma tires.

Even with butyl tubes the Soma Supple Vitesse tires felt fine on my usual rural route, which included a freshly torn up and chipsealed 5 mile long segment this morning.

Soma (Panaracer?) claims the Supple Vitesse use the same casing as their comparable tubular tires, and from examining the tires I'd say that's accurate. They're very well made, very light, very minimalist within practical limits.

As with the Conti GP Classic skinwalls, I'd avoid gravel on these Soma tires. A sharp bit of gravel could easily nick the thin sidewall. But the tread feels appropriate, a fair compromise between durability and light weight.

If Soma was hoping to lure cheapskates like me who'd never pay full price to try a frou-frou fancypants "supple" tire, well... they got me. I would definitely bite the bullet and pony up full price for another set in 700x28 for the Diamondback Podium frame I'm building up. This is one occasion when the deep discount trick worked. I'm impressed.

But we'll see how durable they turn out to be after another month. I'll be reasonable and won't blame the tires for our terrible roads.