Soma's Fab in 650B! A Test Ride of the Buena Vista Mixte

Last week I had the pleasure to extensively test ride a Soma Buena Vista mixte that our fellow bicycle-obsessionist Somervillain has just built up for his wife. This test ride was a rare opportunity that I gladly seized. First off, Soma only sells frames and not complete bikes, so finding a way to test ride their models is difficult. Moreover, this mixte is an especially rare specimen, as it is built up with 650B wheels. And finally, I was allowed to borrow the bicycle for an entire day - which, of course, was much more informative than a brief test ride. I hope this will be of use to those considering this bicycle.





Soma Fabrications is a small manufacturer of bicycle frames and components based in San Francisco. Their Taiwanese-built frames are steel and more or less classic, with modern elements. The Buena Vista model is a TIG-welded mixte with twin lateral stays, available in four sizes from XS (42cm) to XL (58cm). It is a versatile frame with "sports touring" geometry that can be built up either as a roadbike or as a city bike, either with a derailleur or with an internally geared hub, and either with 700C or with 650B wheels.





Though a 700C build is by far the more typical, Somervillain fitted this bicycle with 650B wheels. The 650B size allows for wider tires - specifically the fantastically cushy Grand Bois Hetres, which make for a very comfortable ride. Soma specifies a maximum 38mm tire width for 650B wheels on the Buena Vista, but their estimate is overly conservative: The 42mm Hetres fit fine, including fenders. That is a useful piece of information for those who like wide tires and are choosing between, say, the Soma Buena Vista and the Rivendell Betty Foy. These two frames allow for the same tire width.





An additional benefit of using 650B wheels on the Soma, is that it is a useful trick to eliminate toe overlap - at least on the 58cm frame. Keep in mind also that when you put 650B wheels on a frame, you can go with a larger size than what you normally ride. While a 58cm frame is usually too big for me, I was able to fit this one because of the 650B wheels.





The Buena Vista is available in white or graphite, and this bicycle is obviously the latter. The graphite is a dark silver colour with some depth to it, not unlike a Tahitian pearl. The Soma headbadge and decals are embellished with splashes of red, which I think complements the frame nicely.





Gray and silver frames can be tricky to accessorise, and personally I prefer them paired with warm tones. This bicycle is fitted with all black accessories, which gives it a sporty/stealthy look. Ultimately, these choices are a matter of personal taste.





The Buena Vista frame is mostly welded, with the exception of the lugged fork crown and a few lugwork-like details - such as the connector between the stays and the seat tube.





The welding is relatively clean, though not quite as clean as on the Surly frames we recently examined. I think that welding marks are more noticeable on a mixte than on a diamond frame, simply because there are more joints to connect.





The horizontal dropouts are what makes the Buena Vista frame compatible with both derailleur and hub gearing. There are braze-ons for both racks and fenders.





The wheelset is from Velo Orange, built around a Shimano Nexus 8-speed hub.





This particular twist shifter is unobtrusive and easy to use.





The Nitto Albatross handlebars are set high with the help of spacers - the stem being threadless. Vintage Shimano levers activate the long-reach caliper brakes.





Close-up of the Velo Orange threadless stem with spacers.





Brooks B17 saddle.





Battery-operated CatEye headlight, attached to the fork blade via a DIY mount.





Spanniga Pixeo tail light, attached to the rear fender.





Brass bell mounted on the unused downtube shifter boss.





Vintage Takagi crankset, chosen for its ability to accommodate a Porteur-style chaincase that this mixte may be fitted with at a later stage.





Pletscher double-legged kickstand.





Burley Moosehead rear rack, necessary for attaching a "trailercycle."





And a set of Axiom panniers, mounted permanently to the rack. Velo Orange fenders and Planet Bike mudflaps finish off the build.The total weight of the bicycle with this build is 28lb not including the rack and panniers, and 35lb including them. The significant difference is due to the hefty nature of the proprietary Burley rack, which was a must as Mrs. Somervillain will often commute with one of the children.





This particular Buena Vista was built up as predominantly a transportation/ utility bicycle, to be ridden mainly within greater Boston - while at the same time offering sufficient versatility to handle longer, recreational rides. Hub gearing was chosen for ease of maintenance and an upright posture was chosen for comfort - with the mixte's roadish geometry still offering sufficient speed and maneuverability.





I was in possession of this bicycle from 8:30am until 5:30pm on a weekday. During this time I rode it for transportation to various destinations, then took it on a 12 mile ride along the Charles River Trail towards West Newton and back. All together, I probably rode the Buena Vista for a total of 17 miles.



Based on Soma's online description, I expected the handling to be aggressive - but it was not. It did not handle like a "converted roadbike" as some mixtes do, but like an actual upright city bike. Given that I had the saddle lower than Mrs. Somervillain, the handlebars were too high for my taste and the front end felt lighter than I like. Still, I felt safe and confident riding this bicycle in traffic right away. The Buena Vista was maneuverable and responsive - but easy to control, and predictable. The frame felt stiff-ish, but the wide Grand Bois Hetre tires took the edge off, making for a comfortable ride on and off road. It must also be noted that this bicycle was put together impeccably - which greatly contributed to my feeling of safety and comfort on it.





As far as speed and hill-climbing go, I must say that I felt somewhat limited by the overly upright posture and the hub gearing. On flat terrain, I had trouble finding a "perfect" gear on the 8-speed hub and kept shifting back and forth. On hills, I thought the bicycle lost its momentum quicker than is typical for a bike with roadish geometry, and I had to downshift sooner and more frequently than I expected. Perhaps I am simply accustomed to mixtes that are set up more aggressively, or perhaps there is something about these multi-speed hubs that I find inefficient in comparison to derailleurs. But given how tamely this bicycle handled, I found myself wishing it were a loop frame - so that it would be more comfortable to mount and dismount. At the same time, given its mixte construction, I found myself wishing it were more aggressive, so that I could cycle faster long distance. In a way, I felt like I was neither here nor there - though I imagine others might describe this very same feeling as "the best of both worlds." Of course, it is entirely possible to fit the Buena Vista frame with a derailleur and to opt for an aggressive handlebar set-up, if that is what the owner prefers.



I have test ridden only two other modern-production mixte bicycles besides theSoma: the RivendellBetty Foy and the TrekBelleville WSD. The Trek is not even in the same universe, and on just about every level I can think of the Soma is a better bike. TheRivendell, on the other hand, is a more comparable bicycle, and I even test rode the Betty Foy in the same frame size and with the same wheel size as the Buena Vista. Though over all, the Betty Foy is a more comfortable ride, the difference is not as great as I had anticipated. The Buena Vista is a bit harsher on bumps, and the stepover height of the mixte stays is a good inch or two higher than on the Betty Foy of the same size. But otherwise, they did not feel like radically different bicycles.





All in all, I found the Soma Buena Vista to be a solidly constructed, versatile frame with comfortable geometry and all the accommodations necessary to turn it into almost any sort of bike you wish. I like the proportions of the 58cm frame with the 650B wheels, though cannot speak for the other sizes. I like the multitude of braze-ons and the wide clearances that allow for my favourite tires. I like the rich graphite frame colour. On a mixte with such classic lines, I dislike the welding and the threadless stem, and for me personally this is a dealbreaker - but I recognise that this is a matter of taste.The Soma Buena Vista frame can be found starting at $400, and a complete bike with a build equivalent to the one shown here could cost as little as $1,200 (see here for the complete build). While everyone's idea of what constitutes "good value" differs, this could certainly fit the bill. More than anything, I recommend this bicycle for those seeking an economical way to build up a bike with 650B x 42mm tires. In that sense, the Buena Vista is a rare and excellent find.

When Your Shoes Give You the Slip

A few weeks ago I tried to wear these shoes while riding Marianne. After getting half way down the block I had to return home and change, because they kept slipping off the pedals. Yesterday, I tried the same shoes on Eustacia Vye, and was delighted at the lack of slippage. The Pashley's platform pedals must be grippier than the Motobecane's, though the Pashley has rejected shoes in the past as well.

This brings me to the general issues of footwear on bicycles. I don't like to pretend that something is easy for me when it is not, just for the sake of making cycling seem super-easy and convenient. And finding shoes to wear while cycling is not always easy for me. In my pre-velo days, I wore mostly dressy high heeled shoes, and occasionally flat dressy shoes like the exquisite Italian green ankleboots in these photos. However, I must confess that I find 75% of my footwear problematic to wear while cycling.

The problem is not the heels, but the soles: they tend to slide off the pedals. To me it seems downright hazardous to cycle like that, especially when standing up. An additional issue is when soles are thin and/or flexible: I find it uncomfortable to push on the pedals in shoes like that. As a result, I wear only a small portion of the footwear I own when cycling. And since I cycle pretty much every day, this means that I have basically stopped wearing all those other shoes, some of which I greatly miss.

So ladies, what do you do? Do you get grippier pedals? Textured soles installed on all of your shoes? Or do you honestly not experience this problem when wearing your dressy shoes, like the magical women of Denmark? I want to battle the "shoe slip", but I need a plan.

The Flying Tigers and The Tampa Rays

In our attempt to find interesting things to do while staying in one location for a year, we have been visiting the stadium where the Detroit Tigers do their spring training. During the summer, the farm league named The Flying Tigers plays here. The prices can't be beat for a game and food combo. One night a week they offer tickets for $1.00 and you can buy hot dogs, peanuts, and a drink for $1 each. Another night they do a ticket and all you can eat food combo price. Both nights make for a cheap date night and we get to mingle with the locals. Well, the somewhat locals since Lakeland is not exactly local to Wauchula. We've had a lot of fun listening in on the conversations of those who obviously are devoted fans to the team, and their ease in sharing the rest of their lives too. Since we have not lived in "only one place" for some time now, it is a fascinating thing to us to remember how the rest of our society lives!



We were also lucky enough to see a Tampa Rays game thanks to Nick and Tonyia. We were spoiled at this game, getting to sit in the section down near the field, with tons of great food and drinks. We owe them something special after this nice treat!



Living the life in HOT FL!

A Guilty Farewell to Vintage Roadbikes

Earlier this month, I parted with my remaining vintage roadbikes: a 1982 Bianchi and a 1978Francesco Moser. Both bicycles ended up going to people I know, and their futures look promising. The Moser will be built up as a geared roadbike again and ridden by a long-time local cyclist.TheBianchiwill get a make-over and may end up riding in theEroica. The bikes moved on to greener pastures, leaving me with only my Rivendell to contemplate lessons learned and a direction for the future.

I've been experimenting with vintage roadbikes since last summer, which has included riding other people's bikes and also buying a few for the express purpose of playing around with them. The bicycles I've tried in this manner have included examples of American, French, Japanese, English and Italian bikes from the late 1970s and early '80s. Not an enormous sample, but a nice beginner's crash course. Somewhat to my surprise, I found that I liked every Italian bicycle I tried, whereas the mid-tier French bicycles felt the worst. The Japanese bikes were comfortable, and I could see the roots of Rivendell's philosophy in their geometry and handling. It was very interesting - but ultimately unsustainable.

For one thing, even if a vintage bike is in good condition, it takes me a great deal of resources to set it up in a way I find ridable: Usually I have to change the brake levers, the handlebars, and - if I want to comfortably switch gears - the shifters. Not only does this require time and money, but it also ultimately changes the bike's character.



However, the bigger issue is that trying a modern roadbike this summer - and enjoying the benefits of its light, easy-to use components - has made me realise just how far I'd have to go to get the same level of performance out of a vintage bike. Assuming that I can find one in the correct size for me and with a sufficiently light, good quality racing frame, I would have to then put a modern wheelset and component group on it, as well as structurally alter the frame in order to make that possible - all just to determine whether the complete bike will be up to par. It does not seem like a practical endevour to me.

Considering the kind of cycling I have been gravitating toward, I would ultimately like to have three roadbikes: a fully equipped touring bike that is capable of going off road, a fixed gear bike,and a "racy" bike that is suitable for competitive cycling. The first I already have. The second I am finally working onafter a year of riding a conversion. And the third will be my next priority. I feel guilty that I don't see vintage in the equation, but practical needs trump aesthetic and historical interest. When I am older and have more time and money, I would love to collect gorgeous, historically significant vintage frames. But for now I would like to ride more, tinker less.

Gravestones don't lie? When did Bela die?

The gravestone for Bela Goodrich, my 5th Great Grandfather, is located in Adams Cemetery, Troy Township, Whitley County, Indiana and has the inscription "1776-1845" and "War of 1812". Neither the year of his birth nor the year of his death is correct!



This is not the original marker. Another researcher, a descendant of Price Goodrich, Bela's son, says she was told by an uncle that the original marker was illegible and in bad condition when some family members decided to erect a new marker. Apparently they didn't know his year of death or, perhaps, that is how they interpreted the remaining transcription on the original marker. At any rate, a new stone was set with the incorrect dates. So when was Bela born and when did he die? Stick with me, and we'll see, maybe.





Wethersfield, Connecticut Vital Records 1634 - 1868, from the Barbour Collection online at Rays' Place (and elsewhere) show that Bela Goodrich, son of John 3rd & Abigail, was born February 4, 1777. Those records also show that his parents John Goodrich and Abigail Price were married on October 1, 1776, just four months prior to Bela's birth! John and Bela moved with their families to Franklin County, Ohio about 1807 and 31 years later, in 1838, Bela along with some of his grown children came to Whitley County, Indiana. Bela is not listed in the 1840 census for Whitley County but his son Price and son-in-law, James Joslin, are both listed.



On May 6, 1852, Bela, aged 75, applied for Bounty Land based on his service in the War of 1812 while living in Franklin County, Ohio. He also applied again on May 31, 1855. This time he was 78 years old.

Bela is enumerated in both the 1850 and 1860 Whitley County, Indiana census records. In 1850 he is age 74, in the household with his daughter Abigail and her husband Jonas Joslin (my 4th Great Grandparents). In 1860, Bela is listed as being age 83 and is living with his grandson, Silas Goodrich.

So, we know he was still living in 1860 because he's listed in the census, right? Well, I have found instances where deceased people were listed in the census records, but another clue was found in the Columbia City News. The item below first appeared March 25, 1862 and ran almost weekly, with the last "testimonials" for the Scandinavian Remedies being June 2, 1863.

"Home Testimony. Huntsville. Whitley Co., Ind.

"Dr. C. W. Robeck: Sir. This is to certify that I was very much reduced in strength, and was confined to bed rom [sic] general debility and disease and being advised to try your Scandinavian Remedies, I did so with the most satisfactory result. I have since had several attacks of the sam [sic] character, which have always been removed by these remedies and can conscientiously recommend them to the afflicted. Yours truly, BELLA [sic] GOODRICH."

We're getting a little closer... chances are, if he was giving a testimony for a "remedy" he'd still be alive. I think we would be safe in assuming he was living in June of 1863.



An article that was published in the Columbia City Post on February 24, 1892 gave bits of information regarding early settlers and current residents. Of particular interest was this one-liner... "Bela Goodrich was a soldier and died at the age of 87 years. He was the father of Price Goodrich and grandfather to Fletcher Goodrich of Richland township."



We have no way of knowing if this article is accurate, but if it is, and if he was born in 1777 and died when he was 87 years old, that puts his year of death at 1864 or possibly early 1865.



There would not be any "official" record of Bela’s death since Whitley County didn't start recording deaths until about 1882, and that is hit-or-miss until about 1900 when the state required them.






So, when did Bela die? What say you?

Live curious

I am not a TV or movie person and the only reason why I watch TV is because of Discovery Channel, National Geographic and all travel, documentary and news-related programs. This poem aired by National Geographic caught me this week, which I believe is one of their recycled advertisements, totally reflects what I live for.



If you are, you breathe.

If you breathe, you talk.

If you talk, you ask.

If you ask, you think.

If you think, you search.

If you search, you experience.

If you experience, you learn.

If you learn, you grow.

If you grow, you wish.

If you wish, you find.

If you find, you doubt.

If you doubt, you question.

If you question, you understand.

If you understand, you know.

If you know, you want to know more.

If you want to know more, you are alive.



To see the video, go here: IF – Live Curious by National Geographic



Of course a foto must go with the poem above and I choose this one taken in Bantayan Island, Cebu, Philippines last year, August . I snapped this couple on their scooter with their proud dog looking like an experienced scooter rider as we overtook them, me strapped behind Dutchman on a (rental) scooter as well.



After my Spanish holiday entries, I will start posting our Bantayan Island holiday stories and beautiful fotos in Cebu, Philippines last year, a long overdue post due to fotos being lost in the camera-laptop-USB stick-laptop transfer process.



Bantayan! (which means in Tagalog—Abangan, and in English—Stay tuned)

Plate Ice Sunrise, Whitecaps Point

As promised, here is another shot from this morning's sunrise over Lake Superior. Whitecaps Point (not an official name, just a name I came up with to reference this area) was lined with beautiful plate ice this morning. Soft swells were rolling in off the lake, and the plates of ice were rubbing against each other in the swells, making a magical "shooshing" sound. It was a gentle sound, not loud and abrasive like the sound made when the plates are piling up against the shore. I sure do love this time of year and wish it lasted longer. Spring is on its way, though, and soon I will be heading to the canyonlands of the southwest for a 3-week camping/hiking/biking adventure honeymoon with the love of my life!