Soma Speedster Lugged Frameset

I have around 8 bikes, which is crazy-far too many. Whichever one I'm riding is my favorite, when asked. Lately, I've been riding my Bridgestone RB-1 in preparation for the SFR 200k brevet next weekend, since I think I'm going to ride that bike on the event. Anyways, as I said, I've got lots of bikes...and each one of them has one or a couple of characteristics that I really like, but also some flaws or issues that undermine their complete enjoyment. This fuels the quest for The One Bike, I guess. OK, back to the RB-1...I tweaked the rear gearing a bit and now this bike seems perfect for the long day rides I do in Marin, low enough gearing for the hills I go up and high enough for the hills I ride down. A couple of months ago I installed a taller stem and some wider, curvier handlebars, and the controls feel quite nice now. I spent a full day on the bike last weekend, and amazingly nothing hurt aside from my tired legs, which is something I haven't experienced in a long time. That bike just feels FAST! It's nearly the perfect bike, aside from a couple of issues, of course: I really wish that the frame was designed for long-reach brakes for better tire/fender clearance -- this issue is mostly my fault for taking what was intended as a road-racer and using it as a fast day-tripper. And I also really wish that the frame had been brazed better (mine has, at least for now, non-structural cracks at the headtube lugs due to incomplete brass penetration == poor brazing).


I was just poking around on the Soma website, and noticed that they've updated their page on the new Speedster lugged frameset, which now has a picture of the matching fork. I think that's a pretty nice frame -- the chromed headtube lugs and fork crown are a classic touch that you don't see on many frames these days. The dimensions on this frameset VERY closely match those of my RB-1; really the only difference is slightly longer chainstays (and therefore overall wheelbase), which is a good thing in my book. The frame has front, double rear, AND seatstay rack eyelets, too, and Soma claims it'll fit a 28mm tire with fenders. Poking around online, I've found a couple places selling it for around $700, which I guess isn't too bad for a frameset built with heat-treated Tange Prestige tubing (in comparison, Kogswell's Model P, similarly made with heat-treated tubing and lugs, sold for around $800).