# Soma Double Croos Disk commuter just finished



## dndbenson (Aug 20, 2010)

*Soma Double Cross Disk commuter just finished*

I just finished my Soma Double Cross Disk commuter rig. I was just looking to build something that I could easily throw a couple of bags on an jam to work. Its a 1x10 because I never use the small gear to and from work so it seemed like a waste to have on there.

Soma Double Cross Disc frame
Nashbar carbon fork
Shimano 105 Cranks
Shimano 105 Rear DR
Shimano Dura Ace bar end shifter
Cole CX wheels
Origin 8 bullhorn bars
Crane cross levers
PDW rear rack
Vittoria Randornneur Cross Pro City 35's
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## tihsepa (Nov 27, 2008)

Looks great. I love my Soma. Been thinking about building one of these up.


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## lgh (Feb 21, 2006)

I just picked up one of those myself. It will be a 650b build. 

Larry


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## dndbenson (Aug 20, 2010)

Rode it to work the first time today, its a great bike. I am sure you will enjoy it.
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## skinewmexico (Apr 19, 2010)

Awesome


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## lgh (Feb 21, 2006)

dndbenson said:


> Rode it to work the first time today, its a great bike. I am sure you will enjoy it.
> View attachment 277699


My current commuter is a canti double cross and it has been great. The disc version gives lots of wheel option and so I get to experiment without swapping frames. 

Larry


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## GRAVELBIKE (Sep 16, 2011)

Nice. I absolutely love that color.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

Great bike. Nice build.


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## dndbenson (Aug 20, 2010)

Thanks, I have been riding it that past week and it is a blast. I took it out this weekend for 16 miles of mixed riding. We had street, dirt fire roads, mountain trails and the bike did great. The only thing that I am going to change is the bars, I like the bullhorn bars but I need to try to find ones with a shorter reach, sometimes concept and reality don't match up. I thought the bullhorns would simulate the reach to the hoods on drop bars but it is a bit further. But all in all if that's the only thing that needs change I am doing OK.
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## rebeccaC (Mar 21, 2013)

dndbenson said:


> Rode it to work the first time today, its a great bike. I am sure you will enjoy it.
> View attachment 277699


what a beautiful and practical ride!!!


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

i was been looking at the somas lately. what is the weight like? i know it wont be a carbon wunder frame, but is it a pig? i lifted a surly crosscheck a few months back and was surprised at how heavy it was. i know build has a lot to do with it, but it was heeeeaaaaavvvvvvy.


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## dndbenson (Aug 20, 2010)

I have a few bikes and I would say that the Double Cross is mid weight, I think the frame is about 4 lbs and it would depend on what forks you put on as to the finished weight of the completed frame group. This is my first steel frame build and I was actually expecting it to be heavier but when I took it out of the box I was actually surprised.


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## alpinist1 (Jul 19, 2006)

I have the double cross DC in 52cm (similar to a road bike size 55cm) complete build as a CX bike with disc brakes and 35mm CX tires comes in exactly at 22lbs. With road tires it comes down to about 21.5lbs. Carbon fork but aluminum everywhere else.


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## alpinist1 (Jul 19, 2006)

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Here is a picture of my build in light touring mode.


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## dndbenson (Aug 20, 2010)

Very nice, I like the white. How do you like it so far?


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## alpinist1 (Jul 19, 2006)

I like it very much so far. The gold is elegant with silver and white, wasn't sure if I'd like it, but seem very classy. It rides well. Using shimano new cx75 brake calipers with avid hs1 rotor combo works extremely well. I took a chance there and am pleased with the lightweight stopping power and compatibility. Chainstay clearance on my 50t front ring is as tight as I'd like to see. Only minor gripe is soma should have gone with 135mm spacing on the rear with a disc only frame. A minor nuisance.


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## ArcticCat500 (Feb 22, 2012)

alpinist1 said:


> Only minor gripe is soma should have gone with 135mm spacing on the rear with a disc only frame. A minor nuisance.


Ive been seriously considering building a Soma DC in disc but the rear spacing has me second guessing it, I want to go 135 in the way of Stans new Iron Cross Disc wheel.
Was planning on 1x10 also because my commute too is short and flat and never leave the 39T on my mountain bike now. Builds like this cant shave a few grams and keep costs down also, only one shifter, no frt der, cable. I know this bike can be built under 20lbs, and really considering it.


Great looking bikes guys.


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## alpinist1 (Jul 19, 2006)

Thanks. The 132.5mm rear spacing shouldn't hold you back. I used DT240 centerlock hubs at 135mm and you have to tug on the dropouts lightly to fit the wheel in, but it would not hold me back from getting it again. In fact I just swapped this frame in to replace an original DC frame I've had for several years (mainly for the new color, I'll prob sell my old midnight silver one). I searched and couldn't find a better alternative for the price so I bought it again. Sub 20# sounds doable but prob 19.5 be a reasonable floor. Disc brakes and steel frame I estimate is a 2.5-3# penalty relative to lighter road bikes. I say go for it.


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## GeoKrpan (Feb 3, 2008)

I built a bike with a similar concept. It's a Gravity Zilla. The rear spacing is 135mm and I used 29er MTB wheels. At the moment I'm running 700x40 tires with ample space for the fenders. I started out with a Salsa Woodchipper dirt drop but am now running a Wald #8095, similar to a Nitto North Road but $13.65 instead of the Nitto price. I mounted it upside down so that it has a drop rather than a rise. It is a giant improvement. It's 22.2mm in the grip area so it's compatible with MTB brake levers and shifters but the integrated road levers that I'm using snug right down on them too. I'm thinking of changing to Shimano Deore hydraulic discs and MTB shifters. The newest Deore discs put the Avid road discs that I'm now using, to shame.


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## acckids (Jan 2, 2003)

How is the fit/finish of the Soma? I am thinking about switching out my Giant Defy 1 frameset for the Soma ES because the Giant has too much of a saddle to handlebar drop. The new ES has the downtube panel like your Double Cross which I like. 

Thumbs up on build.


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## alpinist1 (Jul 19, 2006)

The Fit and finish are excellent. Main triangle welds are uniform and clean. Quite nice even coin stack welds like you see on good Ti frames, not up to the same level as high end, thicker stack steps rather than an almost smooth bead you find from artisans, but well done. The welds on the rear stays are decent, not as pretty but functionally adequate. Its obvious that very proficient folks work the front welds while the rear dropouts are finished by less skilled. The decals/panels are well aligned, but hair off perfect under a careful eye. The paint (powerdercoat) is durable, generally even, and near perfect. Threads and tube bores were very smooth and clean. Only exception was a slight protrusion of a tack weld in head tube at the down tube junction that needed reaming for the lower bearing cup to fit perfectly. The dropouts are thick and crisply made. Overall, I would say the fit and finish are excellent for a mass produced type frame made in Taiwan. Well worth the money. Put it next to a Gunnar on the showroom, and it still looks nice. This is my second Soma and the first was similar. I am not sure what their consistency is really like over a larger number of frames.


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## alpinist1 (Jul 19, 2006)

Here is what my midnight silver looks like:
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## apemn88 (Apr 19, 2013)

alpinist1 said:


> Here is what my midnight silver looks like:


Found this thread (and site) looking for Soma DC builds. All of them here look great!

alpinist1, looks like you used two forks for each bike. Which ones and do you notice one being better than the other? I hope to get my build started in a month or two...excited


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## alpinist1 (Jul 19, 2006)

Yes, I did use two forks. The curved is the nashbar carbon cx fork. It has carbon blades, aluminum crown, steerer, dropouts, and disk mount. The straight is a generic Asian fork from eBay, with semi aero carbon blades, dropouts, disk mount, and aluminum crown and steerer. The nashbar fork has eyelets at the dropouts, and a bolt hole through he crown. The generic has braze on bolts in the blades, and a hole only on the front side of the crown. Both are well made, both fit and finish. The nashbar less expensive. The nashbar seem slightly better damped though stiffer in a good way. The generic is super light and stiff enough for my fast trail rides, but prob would nit trust it for severe duty as a precaution quite yet. Handling is similar as specs are the same. Overall I lean towards the weight and looks of the straight one but maybe a bit soft for anyone over 165lb or so


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## ArcticCat500 (Feb 22, 2012)

whats the latest on your Soma DC? the build was done back in April and here it is mid July, would like to know how things are rolling.

BTW, Just started a Soma DC Black 50c frame & fork build. By the geo's on Soma's site these frames run big


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## dndbenson (Aug 20, 2010)

The bike is great, I have been riding the heck out it. I probably have about 1500 miles on it and I did my first century with it about 6 weeks ago. The only thing on the build I am not crazy about are the Nashbar disk brakes, the rotors were not all that true and they squeak on and off. I am also probably going to add the inner chainring to the cranks because I am going to build a single speed bike and I find that I am taking the Soma on more rides than I thought.

The bike is a little on the big side but I has not been an issue for me on this build. I 
actually prefer it over a shorter frame just because of the type of riding I do with it.

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## ArcticCat500 (Feb 22, 2012)

Thanks for the update, I just swung by the shop today and ordered up the rest of the parts, everything should be here by the end of next week, Im in no real hurry due to hand surgery on the 31st.
Going Soma frame & fork for now, but I have a feeling the fork will be the first to give way to an upgrade, possibly the Spot Carbon fork. 
Avid BB7 Road S Discs rolling on Stans Iron Cross wheels for light weight and stopping power.
Full Sram Rival running gear but the build is going flatbar so for now Apex flatbar shifters & BL700 brake levers, and Jagwire Racer Pro XL cables for smooth braking and shifting transition.
A complete Thomson cockpit will add the right touch and also keep weight down.
Really up in the air for tires, looking for durability but dont want to sacrifice and load up a bulky heavy tire. Conti's, Kenda's and the Vitts like you're running are on my short list. Most likely a Specialized Phenom Saddle, super comfy and super light.
Hope to post her soon and get back in the saddle after surgery.


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## josephr (Jun 17, 2010)

Nice build...inspiring as well!

Question for you DC-disc owners....the frame itself says it has 132.5mm rear dropouts and they recommend jamming in a 135mm or putting the squeeze on a 130mm. I've done both on other bikes before, but the OCD part of me says have it cold-set.

OCD or legit?
Joe


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## headloss (Mar 3, 2013)

josephr said:


> Nice build...inspiring as well!
> 
> Question for you DC-disc owners....the frame itself says it has 132.5mm rear dropouts and they recommend jamming in a 135mm or putting the squeeze on a 130mm. I've done both on other bikes before, but the OCD part of me says have it cold-set.
> 
> ...


Hardly a Soma specific question. The vast majority of bicycle producers are doing this for similar frames... We're talking 1.25mm on either side. You've absolutely being obsessive.


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