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Soma Saga

Make
Soma
Model
Saga
Year
2012
Miles
25,592
Purchased from
Cyclotopia

First custom build. Insurance settlement allowed me to build the touring bike I really wanted. Built in August, touring in September. Currently my main commuter bike as well.

Original Build

  • SRAM 2x10 drive train with 42/28 front and 11-36 rear
  • SRAM Apex shifters
  • Schmidt SON 28 front dynohub
  • LumotedIQ Fly head light
  • Old Man Mountain rear rack
  • Jand Extreme front rack (later changed to Tubus low rider)
  • Schwalbe Marathon 700x35c tires
  • Avid Shorty cantilever brakes

2024 Rebuild

  • Velo Orange Grand Cru crankset 48-34-24
  • Velo Orange square taper bottom bracket
  • Dia Compe bar end friction shifters
  • Tecktro linear pull brakes
  • Tecktro brake levers

Tours

This has been a great touring bike. Here are the tours I've done with it.

Plus a few overnight rides locally and to the coast.

Articles and Blog Posts

Picture
Image
Soma Saga
Image
Saga at Rainy Pass
Image
Soma Saga Touring Bike

Service log

Compas Bon Jon Pass tires

Milage
16,000

The Schwalbe Mondials have plenty of life left in them, but I wanted to try a more supple ride on the saga.

Tires - Schwalbe Marathon Mondial

Milage
14,025
Schwalbe Marathon Mondial

This is the 3rd set of tires on this bike. All have been Schwalbe Marathons, but different versions. All have held up well for many miles with no flats.

Plus - 6,500 miles

Supreme - 7,500 miles

VO wheel stabilizer

Milage
13,900

The Saga had always had terrible wheel flop when there is enough weight in the back to lift the front wheel. It has been a real pain. Everytime I park it the front wheel wants to flop to one side or the other. This should fix that.

VO wheel stabilizer
Here is what it looks like on the VO website.
VO wheel stabilizer
and here is what it looks like on my bike.

As you can see there is much less clearance on my bike. In fact it was not an easy installation. The fender had been mounted using a "L" bracket to the back of the fork where the bolt comes through. I removed the "L" bracket and installed a fork crown Daruma. This actually provided a better mount for the fender, and left enough room to install the stabilizer.

Fork Crown Daruma
This device fits up inside the fork with the brake bolt going through the hole. Then the fender is attached through a hole drilled at the top of the fender.