I talked to Evan Baird from Soma Fabrications last week about Soma’s new steel prototype pictured above. Soma’s been making steel bikes for years. My amigo Julio has a Soma twenty-six inch singlespeed lurking in the rafters of his garage…..or maybe it’s bolted to the extra-cycle I sold him. The new Soma frame will feature Tange Infinity tubing and have a symmetrical, 170mm rear end, made to rock the new Rohloff/170, internally geared hub and the Gates Carbon Belt Drive.
Evan told me that he wanted a front suspension fat bike that could handle the steep rocky trails of NorCal, so look for a slack head tube and a long top tube, made to run wide bars and a stumpy stem. Soma is designing their fat-bike to be more of an all around (new school) big-hit trail bike. Imagine a fat-bike designed to rock Downieville. It should be interesting to see what their spin on fat bike geometry will ride like, but we have to wait a little while to find out. This new Soma fat bike doesn’t even have a name yet, but you can rest assured, that we’ll have all of the details, when they become available.
Soma is going to sell their fatty as a frame only. That way, the rider can embrace the fork of their choosing. The production frame will be set up to run the Bluto. The fork in the pictures is the Carver version of the fork of many names. Soma also makes a nice sus. corrected steel fork called the Battleaxe. All of that…. in addition….. to the growing choices for carbon fat-bike forks…….. and what the hell….I’d like to see one built with a custom steel truss fork, or a Jones Ti Fork. Evan was good enough to share the laid back, fat mountain, big hit, geometry with us! (that’s a lot of adjectives!) Check out the numbers in the link below.
Evan wanted to thank Cycle Monkey for providing the skittles and Rohloff drive train for their prototype. Those dudes over there at monkeys riding bikes are pretty cool cats. You basically have to be, to work with…bikes……and monkeys. FAT! Soma Steel!
So what do you think they should call their bike? If it were up to me, I’d call it the Super-Chunk. Post your suggestion, and if they use your name, we’ll send you a kick ass bike black ribbon hoodie!*
For more information about Soma Fabrications visit – www.somafab.com
* – You must reply right here on www.fat-bike.com to qualify for the hoodie. One entry per person. Three name suggestions per entry. You must be a human being of earth origin to win the kick ass BBR hoodie. + ROCK!
It’s in the rafters. Big dent in the TT. Plus, it’s all skinny 26er and stuff.
Interesting although I’ve heard that some have issues with fat bikes and the double top tube thing because of the width.
As far as naming goes, I’m thinking Bigfoot, Chunky Butt, Wide Glide…. I’m sure I could come up with more.
Norco has the Bigfoot already, so do I.
I think that 2nd “tube” is the Rohloff cables.
I’d call it the Blitzkrieg
looks sweet, i’ll call it the Hurdy Gurdy !
This bike is on my watch list. How about calling it the Big Worm! The Ridge Runner.
I don’t care what they call it, I just want to know when it goes into production.
El swanko
So they have the wolverine so why not continue that theme with “The Grizz”, Sasquatch, or just go with Chunky Foot.
Panzer – German for tank or armored vehicle
Mamma Cass
or
Taft
I bought a Soma Fab ES in the summer of 2013 soon after I turned 65. My riding partner is 83 and rides on steel. He and I ride 100 miles a week around Nashville, Tennessee, year round. My Soma Fab bike now has over 12,000 miles on it and is just like new. I am on my 3rd set of tires (Conti 700 X 28) and I fell like I can take this bike anywhere.
I have been reading about the “fat bike” invasion, and was happy to see Soma Fab considering entering this marketplace.
If I get one, it will be called “FATASS”, so to inspire me to get up off of mine.
Any update on when this will be released?
Direct from Soma –
Yeah, I saw their last email newsletter and it is supposed to be released in about three weeks from now. It will be available in two colors: Kingsford Black Matte and Melange Blue.