|
|
Soma Fabrications Juice 29er Hardtail
Product DescriptionSoma juice in old Hindu scripture is an intoxicating drink, a drink of the gods. And since its introduction, it has intoxicated many new riders into loving the 29" wheel platform. Big wheels let you flow over terrain that used to make you squirm. The Juice balances nimbleness and stability that other 29ers hope to match. Run it as a single-speed or geared. Get "juiced" today.
User Reviews
Submitted by
Bill Winnenberg
a Cross Country Rider Date Reviewed: June 4, 2012 Strengths: The Juice is by far the best handling 29er I have ridden. It handles fast sweeping downhills and tight cornering with the feel of a BMX bike, just a lot more comfortably. I think that a lot of the sweet handling comes from the suppleness of the frame which makes you wonder why but in the most extreme conditions you would ever need suspension. Climbing is amazing as it is with most steel single speeds. The ability to run single speed or geared with the sliding dropouts lends to it's flexibility and value. I have only ridden as a single speed. I also have a Singular Swift, which I love, but most days would choose the Juice due to it's comfort and more predictable handling. For a race though, it would be a tough call as the Swift is much stiffer and therefore more responsive to rider input. It is nice to have the choice... Weaknesses: Not a serious weakness, but the Juice is not as stiff in the bottom bracket as many single speeds. You get used to it though and in reality you go just as fast, it just doesn't feel as efficient. Weight is in the acceptable range but it is not a fly weight. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Phil's Trail System, Bend, Orrgon Similar Products Used: Specialized Stumpjumper, GT steel 29er, Rocky Mountain aluminum 29er, Salsa Spearfish. Bike Setup: Stan's Crest, Salsa carbon bar and post, Salsa steel fork, Knobby Nics, Stylo crankset  
Submitted by
gearjunkie88
a Racer
from San antonio TX Date Reviewed: July 24, 2011 Strengths: Lots of options on the frame. Geared or single speed. Disc or rim brakes. Different size rear hub options. Weaknesses: Sliding drop outs are a hassle if you're running gears. The rear wheel kept sliding around regardless of how much torque I put on it. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 6 months Similar Products Used: Niner MCR, Titus Rockstar
Submitted by
ajdemo76
a Downhiller
from Dillon, CO Date Reviewed: May 14, 2011 Strengths: light for steel, toptube clearance, slotted dropouts giving you the option for single or geared, simple graphics, rides great, the green color is awesome Weaknesses: I'd prefer the derailleur cable braze-on's let you run the full cable through instead of naked in spots, could do without the brake bosses but I'm just being picky now. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Anywhere Fruita, Keystone, Apex Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $450.00 Purchased At: Creekside Bikes, Par Similar Products Used: Specialized Stumpjumper Comp 29er Bike Setup: Easton EA90 XC wheelset, EA90 stem, EC70 bars and seatpost, Manitou Tower Pro fork, X9 derailleur and shifter, E13 SS crankset and XCX chainguide
Submitted by
CB2
a Racer
from West Hartford Date Reviewed: May 14, 2011 Strengths: price Weaknesses: kinda blah Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: TdT Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $500.00 Purchased At: used Similar Products Used: Singular Swift, Surly Karate Monkey, Specialized Stumpjumper (Tange Prestige tubed). Bike Setup: rigid singlespeed
Submitted by
inlikeflynt1956
a Cross Country Rider
from The Table, CA Date Reviewed: October 17, 2010 Strengths: Stand-over height has been one of the reasons I have passed on 29ers. Not anymore. The bent top tube was just the ticket and the price was a bonus! All my bikes have been and will continue to be STEEL. I have the Presitige version Juice, and it's strong, forgiving and a lively ride. Weaknesses: Wheel removal with disc setup as SS a minor niggle. . . Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: The Dirty Ones Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $200.00 Purchased At: CL Similar Products Used: None Bike Setup: Single speed build with a niner 853 fork, Avid BB7s, WTB Nano 2.1s, custom wheel build
Submitted by
jacob
a Cross Country Rider
from St Paul, MN, USA Date Reviewed: October 12, 2010 Strengths: Incredible ride quality for the price, I set mine up SS and sold my Enduro Pro within the week after trying to ride 26 inch tires again... Never going back! Weaknesses: none yet Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Lebanon HIlls Duration Product Used: 2 Years Purchased At: Swap Similar Products Used: karate monkey Bike Setup: SS with with steel rigid or white brother's magic depending on mood. White industries free hub and xt cranks. 32x18 ratio.
Submitted by
Penderho
a Cross Country Rider
from Magalia, CA, USA Date Reviewed: June 12, 2010 Strengths: Cost. The other has to be versatility. Disc, V-brake, Single, Geared or even Touring . . . whatever way you want to set it up. Weaknesses: Considering this frame has to have Horizontal drop outs to make a true Single Speed this does cause a bit of a problem removing and reinstalling the rear wheel when the bike is setup for disc brakes. But one does adapt. I would have also liked rack eyelets on the seat stays but I'm nit picking. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Paradise Lake to Desabla Lake Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $375.00 Purchased At: Mail-order Similar Products Used: My Best friends Karate Monkey Bike Setup: I am a 5'9" pseudo senior and I love torque to do my work. Raceface 180mm cranks, Avid Mechanical disc's, Shimano derailleur's, SRAM Rocket 9 Grip shifters, XRP Pro wheels and for the sake of difference a Fetish Carbon Fiber rigid fork.
Submitted by
dkbobxc
a Cross Country Rider
from San Bruno, CA Date Reviewed: April 22, 2010 Strengths: The bike is very fast on turns, lots of traction so I don't have to worry about sliding and what not. Its fairly cheap. It just rolls over stuff. I realized I have more control going downhill on the Soma than my 26 Stumpy, so I'm actually faster because I just pedal like hell. Weaknesses: I have the older Reynolds frame so no V-brake bosses and there's that overlap with suspension forks by the head tube. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Waterdog Lake Duration Product Used: 3 months Price Paid: $600.00 Similar Products Used: Some nameless SS 29er frame with EBB fully rigid Bike Setup: I have the exact same bike that MTB Action reviewed. I'm not lying, I got it straight from the distributor in South San Francisco where I worked for a while. It was SS but I turned it into 1X9. It has Marzocchi MX Comp forks, LX cranks and derailleur, deore shifters, WTB Laserdisc lite wheelset, and crappy IRD mech discs. 
Submitted by
geekrunner
a Cross Country Rider
from Indianapolis, IN USA Date Reviewed: March 18, 2010 Strengths: Looks great, versatility of using 130mm or 135mm spaced rear wheels, derailleur hanger Weaknesses: In this day and age, ditch the cantilever bosses Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: Southwestway Park Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $250.00 Purchased At: e-Bay Similar Products Used: Astrix Rook, Gary Fisher Hi-Fi 29er Bike Setup: Single speed 32/20 with FSA crank, Salsa Shaft seatpost & Fliplock collar, Salsa moto riser bar & stem, Salsa rigid fork corrected to 85mm, Cane Creek S6 headset, Shimano M485 hydraulic brakes, WTB SS wheelset, 20T titanuim rear cog, Kenda Klaw tires.
Submitted by
creedence
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA Date Reviewed: January 7, 2010 Strengths: Adaptability. Price point. Weaknesses: Extra braze-ons. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: The horse park in atlanta Duration Product Used: More than 3 years Price Paid: $375.00 Purchased At: Soma Bike Setup: Single speed, salsa c-ring, Endless Cog, SRAM chain, King Hset, Surly Karate Monkey fork, DT340 hubs to Velocity Dyad rims, XT Cranks, Avid Brakes, Easton Carbon Bars, Race Face Stem, Thompson lay-back post, brooks b-17 narrow saddle, panaracer firecross 700x45 tires, egg beaters
Submitted by
BQ
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta Ga USA Date Reviewed: July 29, 2009 Strengths: The revised design is great for single track and climbing. Weaknesses: The old frame design was scary and broke after the first ride. I think it is a road bike frame. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 6 months Price Paid: $325.00 Purchased At: LBS Similar Products Used: none, this is my first 29er (well, second if you count the first frame) Bike Setup: White rigit carbon fork, king headset, Mavic wheels, xtr brakes, raceface crank, thomson post. 
Submitted by
backwoods
a Cross Country Rider
from Eastern USA Date Reviewed: July 25, 2009 Strengths: Nice handling frame, very compliant in all terrains. Geometry is ideal for a cross country ride. Weaknesses: Frame cracked at the rear triangle after 3 months of riding. Paint in areas of fasteners. Rear hub clearance is very tight (maybe just this frame???). Cable tie areas have excessive paint that do not allow cable tie usage. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: All Duration Product Used: 3 months Price Paid: $479.00 Similar Products Used: Several 26ers and 29ers. Bike Setup: High end.
Submitted by
jonecat@hotmail.com
a Cross Country Rider
from santa barbara, california, usa Date Reviewed: April 4, 2009 Strengths: Nice geometry and great handling. Weaknesses: Frame fabrication is crap!!! Where do I start? This is the second juice frame that has broken after only a year of use. The first frame broke between the top rear triangle and the seatstay. The second frame broke on the down tube between the bottle cage screws. I ride the hell out of my bikes and I have 3 currently. I don't understand why the braze-ons rust out soo fast. This frame has the worst paint finish/strength of any bike I've ever owned over the past 10 years. I've had 1 specialized frame break after 5 years of extreme abuse, but 2 juice frames broken after about a year of use? I'm disappointed to say the least! I suppose this what I get for purchasing something made in some backhole childrun sweatshop overseas. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: 19 oaks/camuesa connector Duration Product Used: 2 Years Purchased At: warranty frame Bike Setup: XTR shifters/brakes, XTR rear d., Xt front d, Xt cranks, Marzzochii bomber fork, Salsa delgado rims laced with Hadley hubs, Hellbent bar, Thompson stem and seatpost, Chris King headset, etc etc.
Submitted by
mono_vs_stereo
a Cross Country Rider
from louisville, ky, usa Date Reviewed: January 19, 2009 Strengths: Light weight, especially for the size. Extremely manageable on tight trails. Very adaptable. Weaknesses: None I have noticed. Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Duration Product Used: 2 Years Price Paid: $900.00 Purchased At: dirt rag forums Similar Products Used: Redline, Bianchi SS29ers. Bike Setup: Wily Cycles rigid fork, Salsa bars and stem, FSA carbon cranks, MoFab rock ring/bash guard, Surly SS hubs laced to Sun rims handbuilt by Mike Curiak, Avid mech discs.
Submitted by
rangerdave1
a Weekend Warrior
from Cambridge, ON, Canada Date Reviewed: July 16, 2008 Strengths: ride quality build quality Versatility price Weaknesses: None Bottom Line: Expand full review >>Favorite Trail: hydro cut Duration Product Used: Less than 1 month Price Paid: $325.00 Purchased At: Ebay Similar Products Used: Gary Fisher Paragon Bike Setup: Soma Juice 18", Reba race fork, Hope, Thomson, Chris king goodies:) and X9 drive train
Related Juice Forum PostsFork Juice and Kashima CoatingHi All
I currently have a pair of Rockshox Recon Silvers which I have been cleaning down after ever ... Soma Juice, rack compatibility?I'm looking at the Soma Juice frame for an all-around commuter, bike-packer, light duty mountain bik ... Paid Spam- Soma Juice 29er Frame and Reba Race 29Check out my paid Ad for more info- [url=http://classifieds.mtbr.com/showproduct.php?product=83948]2 ... First build: Soma Juice, On-One Scandal, or something else for internally geared?I've had it in my head for ages that I want to learn to build a bike, and with the winter 2012 close ... Beetroot juice - Legal blood doping?I have a friend who's a vegan and health nut who turned me on to the benefits of beetroot juice. He' ... |
Contests
VideosMTBR on Facebook |
