Dreamin'....Soma San Marcos

Jan 2011 Rivendell HQ

Back in 2008 when I had my "Steel awakening" one of the first places I stumbled across on the Web was the Rivendell cycles website.  And while I was in love with their frames my pocketbook wasn't very willing which is why I bought and built up the more affordable Handsome Devil in 2009.  The fact that I am still riding and loving the Devil 7 years later is a testament to how great that bike has been but the lust for lugs has never really left.

lovely lugs

In January of 2011 I was fortunate to find myself with some time on my hands at the end of a business trip to San Francisco, so I hopped the Bart to Walnut creek and got to see and ride a San Marcos prototype, I recall having a big goofy grin on my face when I got back from the test ride.  And ever since that bike has been in the back of my mind.  Note: although sold by Soma the bike was designed by Grant Peterson of Rivendell cycles- a joint venture.

Then not too long ago when I was visiting the Soma blog I read that although they loved the bike they just didn't sell enough to keep making them.  The version two with the different blue and the "Frenchier" fork with rack braze-ons would be the last of the line.  I had a flashback to when I was thinking of buying my first Steel frame and really liked the Rivendell Bleriot, I hemmed an hawed over the, at that time, odd 650b tire/wheel size and should I spend that much? and by the time I got serious they really weren't available anymore.  Eight years later its happening again with the San Marcos.  I just happened to peek online and there is an ebay reseller, a brick and mortar bike shop, that has a few in stock in my size (54cm) with a single top tube (not a fan of the double) and sized for 650b wheels.

very cool down tube decal

I don't know that I can really justify the cost of the frame let alone the build but its got me thinking.  I have about six bike projects in the queue that I think I can make incremental money on and while not covering the cost of frame the haul would put a dent in the purchase price.  I also have a collection of parts; derailleurs, shifters, saddle,  crankset etc. that would look good on this bike but a new 650b wheel-set and all the other stuff would cost as much as the frame set.  In other words allot of ifs and buts, allot of money to build a bike for a guy who isn't riding much and already has two bikes and yet..

Like a siren calling me onto the rocks- damn its gorgeous! Until next time Ride.Smile.Repeat and dream of lugs.

Addendum:  From the Somafab blog my build if I ever do pull the trigger would look something like this..

Heretic....?

What I probably should have been working on and writing about is the oh-so-nearly-done Raleigh project.

I have all the pieces and its really just a focused effort from being done but instead I have been putting my time into this little project.....

No that isn't a bike boom bike, nor is it a refurbished or rebuilt bike, its all brand spanking new parts that I built up based on a Soma Smoothie frame-set .  And its caused some internal dialog hence the title of this post.  Now unlike my friend Tim Joe over at the trailer park cyclist I do not profess to hear a voice, not one I will admit to anyway, but that doesn't mean I don't have a lot internal dialog going on.  And for this build it went something like this:

You love working on bike boom bikes how can you go out and buy a modern new bike!

Well it is steel, Tange Prestige to be precise just like the 30 year-old Miyata 912 I recently sold, and the fork is lugged and curved and the seat tube is lugged.  And it has fender and rack eyelets so I would say it’s not exactly modern- you see any carbon bikes with fender eyelets?

But you have 10 speed brifters!

Well yes they aren’t down tube shifters but Campy came out with 10 speeds in 2000, almost 14 years ago so these aren’t exactly cutting edge.

Do I see a compact crank-set on that thing?

Well yes, but that is more a matter of what my legs, and knees, can take than trying to be modern and it’s a NOS 2006 model compact that takes a…wait for it…square taper bottom bracket. 

Ok what about the aero wheel set?

Those aero wheels are 36 spoke HD (heavy duty) hoops to support my Clydesdale ass.  And the tires are 28c rather than super narrow 23c.  I think I might even be able to squeeze 32s in there.

All the silly internal angst aside I do believe if what you are riding makes you smile then its the right bike.  And the Smoothie as its set up certainly does that.   I really do like resurrecting an old, seemingly, junky 10 speed and making it functional and even beautiful again but I did enjoy working with all new parts as it sure makes the build go faster.

After getting the initial build set up, minus bar tape, I took it for an alley shake down ride and discovered a few minor issues that needed dealing with.

Then the next day I got those sorted and the bars wrapped and out for a longer shake down cruise

It certainly lives up to the Smoothie moniker and I think I will be enjoying it on road rides for a long time to come.

Ride.Smile.Repeat