Submitted by
BQ
a Cross Country Rider
from Atlanta Ga USA Date Reviewed: July 29, 2009
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
LBS
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.
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.
Bottom Line:
Make sure you get the the newly designed frame from 08' and on. It has a gusset at the headtube, and the seat and chain stays are more robust. Some warehouses will send out the old frames until they are gone. The old design was poorly built and too flimsy for off road, you have to spread the dropouts to get the rear wheel on because it was designed for road bike wheels. The new design is 100% better for off road. 29 is the way to go, the ride is sooo smooth. Rating is for revised frame design..Cheers.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
backwoods
a Cross Country Rider
from Eastern USA Date Reviewed: July 25, 2009
Favorite Trail:
All
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$479.00
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.
Similar Products Used:
Several 26ers and 29ers.
Bike Setup:
High end.
Bottom Line:
Will send a follow up review after the warranty process is complete. However, a frame should not crack within reasonable mountain biking (singletrack, climbs, some technical, etc. --- no drops, etc.)
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
jonecat@hotmail.com
a Cross Country Rider
from santa barbara, california, usa Date Reviewed: April 4, 2009
Favorite Trail:
19 oaks/camuesa connector
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Purchased At:
warranty frame
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.
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.
Bottom Line:
Don't buy this piece of crap if you live close to the ocean because of extreme rusting of all the braze-ons. Don't buy this frame if you are a larger rider because the frame will break. I'm 6'4" 210lbs.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
mono_vs_stereo
a Cross Country Rider
from louisville, ky, usa Date Reviewed: January 19, 2009
Duration Product Used:
2 Years
Price Paid:
$900.00
Purchased At:
dirt rag forums
Strengths:
Light weight, especially for the size. Extremely manageable on tight trails. Very adaptable.
Weaknesses:
None I have noticed.
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.
Bottom Line:
I ride a lot of tight tech singletrack and was apprehensive at first, but this bike the way it was set up was way too good of a deal to pass up.
A year after purchasing it I am pleased to say that it consistently outperforms my 26" bikes on nearly every trail I ride. Sometimes the rigid fork is a bit of a hassle but I'm running 2.55" tires and keep around 35-40psi in them so it's not that bad. I'm not doing massive drops on this bike, but then again my setup isn't built around that anyway- that's why I have my P3 with the 888 fork. I love hardtails.
If you are interested in finding out why the 29er movement is taking off, and has been for a few years now, get this frame, a decent fork, and a good set of wheels- you can take the rest of the parts of the 26" bike you won't be riding for much longer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rangerdave1
a Weekend Warrior
from Cambridge, ON, Canada Date Reviewed: July 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
hydro cut
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
ride quality
build quality
Versatility
price
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Paragon
Bike Setup:
Soma Juice 18", Reba race fork, Hope, Thomson, Chris king goodies:) and X9 drive train
Bottom Line:
Out of the last 10 years, the Soma has been the best trail/xc bike I have ever owned. It is extremely smooth, flickable and light enough. It rides the way a bike should. It's predictable, it's stable (at speed and in the air), and corners like it's on rails. I'm very happy with it. And to top it off, it looks good and you're not likely to see another one around, at least not built the way yours is.
I rode a GF Paragon for the last year and found it be a decent ride but 1 ride on the Soma was all it took for me to realize how bad the Paragon really was.
Get the Soma, build up with nice parts and jump on and ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
rangerdave1
a Weekend Warrior
from Cambridge, ON, Canada Date Reviewed: July 16, 2008
Favorite Trail:
hydro cut
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$325.00
Purchased At:
Ebay
Strengths:
ride quality
build quality
Versatility
price
Weaknesses:
None
Similar Products Used:
Gary Fisher Paragon
Bike Setup:
Soma Juice 18", Reba race fork, Hope, Thomson, Chris king goodies:) and X9 drive train
Bottom Line:
Out of the last 10 years, the Soma has been the best trail/xc bike I have ever owned. It is extremely smooth, flickable and light enough. It rides the way a bike should. It's predictable, it's stable (at speed and in the air), and corners like it's on rails. I'm very happy with it. And to top it off, it looks good and you're not likely to see another one around, at least not built the way yours is.
I rode a GF Paragon for the last year and found it be a decent ride but 1 ride on the Soma was all it took for me to realize how bad the Paragon really was.
Get the Soma, build up with nice parts and jump on and ride.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James Austin
a Cross Country Rider
from AZ Date Reviewed: May 11, 2008
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Adrenaline Bikes
Strengths:
i am 190lbs and am pretty abusive to my bike. i do not choose the easy way, i typically bash through stuff. the frame is very light and flickable. it is very strong and i have not noticed any bottom bracket flex. after having this frame i have decided that it will probably always be steel for me in the future. the bent top tube is perfct for my troll-like 30' inseam. i never ride my plush FS bike anymore.
Weaknesses:
toe overlap is VERY annoying. my shoe size is 9(myth). i wish they would offer the frame with or without the V brake bosses.
Bike Setup:
Reba, and very blingy everthing else. gearing du jour 1x9 sometimes and SS other times.
Bottom Line:
this frame is almost perfect. the only thing that has me looking elsewhere occasionally is the f-ing toe overlap.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Julius
a Cross Country Rider
from San Diego, CA, USA Date Reviewed: December 25, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Noble Canyon
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$900.00
Strengths:
So many possibilities for custom building, MTN, cyclocross, commuter, geared or single speed, disc or v-brake. The frame is light and a good value.
Gusset SS Kit, Race Face Ev XC cranks, Alex TD17 29" w/ LX hubs, Avid BB7, Blackspire SS ring, Thomson seatpost/stem, Reba SL 29er, Titec Enduro bar
Bottom Line:
This is my first leap into 29ers and decided to start off at SS. I will go 1x9 later on. This bike kicks butt, I have only gone on a couple rides and I just carved technical stuff I wouldn't try on my FS 26ers. Rocks, logs, tall grass, mud, uphill, downhill were devoured like nobody's business! I definitely noticed a difference in traction uphill opposed to 26ers. I'm running 32T front and 18T cog for training in the beginning and go lower in cog. The bike just RAILS on singletrack but not as nimble like my BMC Fourstroke. If you want to build a nice SS under $1000 I suggest you get this frame!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
ray
a Weekend Warrior
from austin, tx Date Reviewed: December 18, 2007
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Strengths:
steel! 29er, color. The best is how versatile it is. singlespeed, geared, V brakes, discs. It does it all.
Weaknesses:
oddly I got a paint chip before I even built it up, but after a couple skid/wipe outs on the trail, no more. Some other chipping on the dropouts, but I don't think there is any way around that.
Similar Products Used:
I test rode a Haro Mary and a Raliegh XXIX I also have a Voodoo Dambala and a Jamis Dakar in the 26in realm
Bike Setup:
singlespeed, Lx cranks, Delgado Cross on a DMR front and XT rear, reba fork, Hayes HX-1 disc in front, and SRAM 7.0 V on rear.
Bottom Line:
I'm a big fan of 29er now, and the Juice may be the best bang for your buck. They fixed the issues with the fork clearance, so no problems there. They only have 3 sizes. I'm 6ft and have the 20in. I probably should have gotten the 18. It's the best bike I've ever owned, however, I'm not loaded with cash, so I haven't road any >$2000 bikes.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Kevin
a Cross Country Rider
from Lombard, IL Date Reviewed: October 15, 2007
Big wheels and steel are a great combo. However, I have owned several 29ers and ridden others, and never had such great results. This 29er has the geometry right, the bike feels natural on the trail ... stable, smooth, fast. Sub 25lb bombproof, low maintenance, trailbike that can ride just about anything, for under $900 built, wow. I am surprised that a rigid bike could ride like this. I believe this bike allows me to ride faster with more control. My other bikes are jealous.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Charlie
a Cross Country Rider
from West Hartford, CT, USA Date Reviewed: September 29, 2007
Favorite Trail:
The Res.
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$500.00
Purchased At:
ebay
Strengths:
Great quality for the money, handling, low weight
Weaknesses:
Dopey bent top-tube, not crazy about the color.
Similar Products Used:
first 29'er, was riding a rigid Stumpjumper set up singlespeed.
Bike Setup:
rigid singlespeed.
Bottom Line:
I bought this bike off ebay for $500 complete because I was curious about the whole 29'er thing. I didn't really notice too much difference going to the 29'er, but after a month of riding it, I couldn't believe how much my 26'er beat me up in comparison. The bike rails singletrack, and climbs well. Makes short work of log beams and piles. This was going to be a transitional bike to a custom, but it's hard to imagine getting any greater performance from anything else. I hate when all I see is 5 stars on rating, but...
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Nils
a Weekend Warrior
from Madison, WI Date Reviewed: August 20, 2007
Favorite Trail:
the one in front of me
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Strengths:
light for a steel frame, many possibilities for builds, absorbs little bumps well, pretty paint job, good value
Weaknesses:
finish isn't that durable, a little frame flex, fast wheel changes can be tough, rear spacing is annoying.
Similar Products Used:
i've ridden 29ers from Raleigh, Surly, Voodoo, and Redline.
Bike Setup:
rigid SS with lots of bling parts
Bottom Line:
I've seen a few older soma's with spotty welds, but mine were fine. I had to use axle spacers to keep my rear wheel snug. I'm about 170 lbs and I found that the frame flexes on steep climbs with gear mashing, but it's not a big deal because the same give helps on rocky descents. Overall, it's still a great frame for the price if you don't want the heft of the surly KM.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Billy
a Cross Country Rider
from SYDNEY Date Reviewed: July 21, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Sparrow Hill
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$429.00
Purchased At:
Speedgoat
Strengths:
Curved TT excellent standover, well balanced, very comfy ride, confident downhill, just as great in tight single track, excellent price!
Weaknesses:
Some welds not so clean, generally not the best finish but OK for the price.
Similar Products Used:
None
Bike Setup:
Single speed setup.
Bottom Line:
Definitely a beautiful ride, smooth ridng frame with excellent handling ability and balance which more than makes up for the lack of attention to detail in finish. I truly love this bike!
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Bill
a Cross Country Rider
from Marquette, MI, US Date Reviewed: April 11, 2007
Favorite Trail:
hard to say...
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$250.00
Purchased At:
eBay
Strengths:
Frame quality is excellent for a bike in this price range, and built up very nicely. Paint is nice (I've got the red). Very stable in all conditions. No toe overlap issues. No fork/downtube tolerance issues. Standover is fantastic, too. Overall, the bike just feels dialed...you ride in it, not on top of it. Versatile.
Weaknesses:
Rear dropouts are a chore if you get a flat. The spacing would do well to be 135mm...kinda tight back there.
Similar Products Used:
Nothing similar. I've owned a lot of bikes, but this is my first 29er. I don't think I'll be heading back to 26" wheels. I like hardtails. If you like hardtails, you should pursue the 29er thing. They are superior.
Bike Setup:
Shimano drivetrain and brakes (mix of LX, XT, HONE). Salsa Delgado Disc wheelset w/ XT hubs. LP composites seatpost and bar. Ergon R1 grips. WTB Exiwolf and/or IRC Mythos XC tires. A little heavy, but durable.
Bottom Line:
A great frame if you like versatility and are not wealthy. Any product will have its drawbacks...the Soma Juice does have some slight drawbacks (rear spacing, rear dropouts). But I feel that the drawbacks are minimal in contrast to the ride quality, construction, versatility, uniqueness, and simplicity of this frame.
I would buy this frame again.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Easan
a Weekend Warrior
from Cambridge, MA Date Reviewed: April 6, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Lynn Woods
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Full Cycles (online)
Strengths:
Great geometry, w/ a noticably low center of gravity. The frame is nice and compliant & relatively light (my 20" frame weights in under 5lbs - less than quoted on Soma site). Great price. Nice paint job - the graphics aren't in your face flashy.
Weaknesses:
Relatively short top tube.
Similar Products Used:
many 26" bikes - Trek 6500, Kona Kikapoo, Kona Kula Delux, Gary Fisher, an old school GT avalanche.
Bike Setup:
set up 1x9 w/ LX in the back. Shimano mech. disc brakes. Panaracer 2.35 tires. Reba Race fork. Salsa Delgado rims w/ Onyx hubs, built up nicely by the folks at Bike29 in vermont.
Bottom Line:
I've only had the bike built up for a week and i've riden it about 20 miles - so this is like a demo review.
That said, it's the best handling bike I've ever riden. The bike is very nimble but still stable at speed thanks to the longer chainstays. This bike flies through the twisties since you can really lean into corners w/ the extra traction 29" wheels give. Coming from a full suspension Kona, it flies up hills and is surprisingly more fun on the downhills (yes you have to get your butt off the saddle ocasionally and soak up those bumps w/ your legs). The steel frame flows nicely over XC terrain, even the rocky/rooty singletrack we've got in Mass. I would definately buy this frame again. I know it's been said many times, but if you are over 6' tall - you should at least try 29" wheels - it's the first time i've felt like i fit on my bike since i was a kid.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mike
a
from PA Date Reviewed: April 5, 2007
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Strengths:
A lot of frame for the money. Great color but paint chips easily. My 18" frame came in at just over 4.5#! Very versatile frame (gearie, V brake, disc, SS).
Great geometry.
Fairly compliant for such an inexpensive frame.
Weaknesses:
Head tube too short.
Flexy BB area. (No problem on a gearie but on a SS causes BB sway with hard out-of-the-saddle peddaling and led to excessive chain drop on rocky climbs).
First frame I had came with bad welds on the seatstay seat tube junction. Could not get in touch with Soma directly.
I'd soon support a local builder.
Similar Products Used:
Kelly. Spot.
Bike Setup:
1x9 rigid. KM fork. Tried it SS but to flexy out of the saddle for me.
Bottom Line:
If I wasn't going custom would likely get another, set it up SS and use a rear chain guide.
Maybe just that particular frame I had may had been flexy as I've not heard others with the same problem. Who knows?
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
K.C.
a
from Manchester, WA Date Reviewed: February 15, 2007
Favorite Trail:
Long XC
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Purchased At:
self build, parts from many outlets
Strengths:
I would agree with each and every review below, in my opinion, they are all accurate. I will add that my first lasting impression was not of the 29er wheels, but of the quality of the steel frame. It fits and looks great, and the ride is very "solid." It takes on roots and rocks at high speeds, with little feeling of impact. It powers through heavy mud with no swaying and stays on track, even though it is fairly light at 24.75 lbs. It is easy to feel confident and secure at high speeds on rough XC trails. I couldn't be more impressed. I was told that all 07's, red and midnight, have both disk and v-brake capibility. I am 5'9" with a 33 inch inseam and the 18" fits perfectly.
Weaknesses:
The rear dropouts take a couple of minutes to learn, but is a non issue.
Similar Products Used:
First 29er, and first steel frame in years.
Bike Setup:
Soma midnight 18, Reba race, full xt/xtr 2X9 drive. Gaumit G20 Bash, Avid mech disk, Bontrager Race Lite, Kenda Karma, Thompson X4 31.8 stem, Elite seatpost, Chris King headset, Race Face Next carbon bars, ESI grips, Sette Ti Race saddle, Time Atec pedals.
Bottom Line:
I have rode mountain bikes for 25 years and have always been a hardtail guy at heart. 2 years ago I researched and rode about every FS bike on the market and bought the best bike for me, a Stumperjumper Expert and made several upgrades. I still alternated my 3 to 4 rides per week betweem my hardtail (also a Specialized) and my FS, and I continued to prefer my hardtail. When it came time to replace my hardtail, I thought I would kill two birds with one stone, and build a hardtail 29er. I decided on the Soma Juice due to the dimensions, and I wanted to try a steel frame. I figured I was buying all high end parts, and if I didn't like the frame, no big deal, I would just swap out the components on another frame. Many of my rides are 3 to 4 hours in very remote areas, so product reliability is a real issue. I do not want to break down 15 miles up the trailhead. I feel at this point I made a great decision on this build. It performs great.It is all that I wanted in a 29er hardtail and my poor FS has been getting no love for the past month.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Alan
a
from Midwest Date Reviewed: December 28, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Still looking
Duration Product Used:
1 Year
Price Paid:
$370.00
Purchased At:
bikemania
Strengths:
Handling. Build quality. Geometry and design. Versatility. Standover is great for shorter riders Nice paint.
Bike Setup:
Setup as SS or geared. Rigid fork.
Bottom Line:
I've had mine weigh in the 22 lb range set up as rigid SS. With good components you can have a great riding 29er with a minimal investment.
During the past year that I've owned the Juice, my more expensive bikes (Ibis, Gunnar) have seen little riding time. It's just a lot of fun riding in all conditions. I did 6 XC races, commuting and a lot of fun xc riding.
At 5-6 with 28" inseam, there are a number of 29er frames that won't fit me because of high standover. The bent toptube gives me plenty of clearance. This is my second bike with horizontal droputs and tire changing is not a problem.
There are more 29er's available now than there were a year ago and if I was in the market again, I'd either go for the Juice again or bite the bullet and go custom for twice the price.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dean
a
from Heidelberg Date Reviewed: November 10, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$429.00
Purchased At:
Jenson
Strengths:
Tubing Tange Prestige, welds, clean and sweet, handling, quality of construction. Stand over height.
Weaknesses:
Frame came with V Brake bosses even though this color was supposed to be bossless.
Similar Products Used:
Fisher Paragon
Bike Setup:
Single speed with Avid BB5s, Avid levers, Bonty bar, Bonty race wheels, Kooka crankset, UN73 bottom bracket, Zion 29er fork
Bottom Line:
Ride is awesome. Bike is nimble and quick handling. I like the center of gravity and handling charactoristics much better than the Paragon. The standover due to the bent tubes is a plus when you're relatively short legged and long torsoed like me. The tube set is Tange prestige which is light and very smooth riding steel. My bottom line on the bike is it's a great value. Looking at comparable frames in steel like the Surly KM this frame is a great deal, just because of the quality of construction and the materials used. The sliding dropouts and disc configuration is considered to be a drawback, but I'm not sure I see it. I've swapped wheels, just to see if it was a pain and found that it really wasn't that big a deal.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Steve
a Cross Country Rider
from Sydney, NSW, AU Date Reviewed: September 19, 2006
Favorite Trail:
Yarramundi
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$350.00
Purchased At:
Full Cycles
Strengths:
- Tange Prestige tubing - Stand over clearance - Build versatility - Value for money - Paint
Weaknesses:
- Minor QA issue with rear cantilever boss
Similar Products Used:
First 29er
Bike Setup:
Juice frame (large), Karate Monkey fork, Cane Creek S8 headset, RF Prodigy stem, Specialized flat bar, Avid levers and V-brakes, Shimano XT shifters, Tioga cro-mo seatpost, Avocet saddle, LX/XTR front/rear derailleur, LX Hollowtech cranks, Velocity Dyad rims laced to Specialized Stout hubs, WTB Exiwolf 2.3 (F) / Maxxis Ignitor 2.1(R)
Bottom Line:
This is my first 29er and it has been a great introduction to big wheels. I absolutely love this bike.
The Tange Prestige tubing provides a nice compliant ride, not too stiff and not too flexy. It’s just right. I was worried going from a 26er FS to a rigid 29er that my body would be beaten to a pulp but so far those fears are unfounded.
I love the versatility of this bike too. SS, geared, disc or V’s, this bike can built up into any configuration you care to think of. Also, because the rear dropout spacing is 132.5mm, you can run either road or MTB wheels. Because I was on a tight budget and have dodgy knees, I built mine up geared with V-brakes, and I bought another set of tyres for commuting, so now I have a bike that can do it all.
My only gripe, and it’s a minor one, was that the left rear cantilever boss was not aligned exactly with the right. Like I said it’s only minor, and for those running discs it’s a non-issue, but it’s a bummer when you find these things. As it stands, the rear brakes built up fine and have been trouble free so far.
As for the ride, one word – awesome. I am clearing obstacles now that I never did before (even on the 26er FS) and I’m climbing a lot faster now too, thanks to the larger wheels. Singletrack is easy, even in the tight stuff. Toe overlap and manoeuvrability are not an issue. Fire roads are a no brainer as it's so stable at high speeds. With the KM fork up front, steering is precise and direct and no flex, which is nice.
Overall, this bike begs to be ridden faster, uphill and down – now if only my legs could keep up! I haven’t raced with it yet but I’m looking forward to comparing lap times against the old 26er FS. I’m sure times will be faster.
The bottom line is, if you’re after a 29er and on a tight budget, or you want to try the big wheel revolution, this bike is a perfect introduction to 29ers.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Aaron
a Cross Country Rider
from San Marcos, TX Date Reviewed: April 6, 2006
-rear spacing too narrow -rear facing dropouts make wheel removal a bit of a pain
Similar Products Used:
first 29er
Bike Setup:
Reba Race fork, XT drivetrain, Race Face cranks, Hayes HFX-9 hydraulics, Thomson post and stem, Easton carbon riserbar, Salsa Delgado disc rims on Hope hopes, Maxxis Ignitors
Bottom Line:
The whole idea of 29 inch wheels intrigued me. I have always been clumbsy, so riding technical terrain was simply not fun. I knew the bigger wheels had to help me roll over stuff that would stop me dead on the train, so I bought the frame, fork, and wheels and transferred the rest of the parts from my Kona Kikapu full suspension to the Juice.
I was a little apprehensive about going back to a hardtail from a fully, but I decided to jump on in anyway. Sure it rides a bit rougher, but the larger wheels and the resilient steel frame make up close to half the difference between my full and my old 26er aluminum hardtail.
This bike really does ride and handle nicely. The things I heard about 29ers being slow through the corners is completely wrong. With my experience riding motorcycles, gradually moving to bigger bikes over the years, has shown me that bigger wheels handle better. Same thing holds true for bicycles. This thing rails. The larger tire contact patch has something to do with it too, since more knobs are able to dig into the soil.
I also really like the geometry. This bike has a bit shorter top tube than other 29er frames. For me, that is exactly what I need. Thanks to heredity, I have inherited my father's messed up spine. I need to sit more upright, and the Soma allows that. A more upright stance is also much less critical to climbing than on a 26er. The bigger wheels make the bike less prone to lifting the front end on a climb.
I really only have a couple of nitpicks. First, the rear facing dropouts make wheel removal a bit of a pain. Not only do you have to work the rear wheel out from the chain (which works best of you shift to the small ring and small cog to give you the most chain slack), but you have to losen the rear brake mount and move the caliper up out of the rotors ways so you can slide the wheel out. I have heard that using a wavy type rotor helps this situation. Also, if you have the version of this frame with v-brake mounts, that would be irrelevant. Last, I did not light how narrow the rear triangle was when I got the frame. It is supposed to be 132.5mm to allow the use of road or mtb hubs. Well, mine was much narrower. I had to cold set the frame to get it where I could easily install and remove my wheel. It also makes no sense to use a road hub on a disc-only frame like mine, so I wish those frames were built with 135mm spacing (unless some people like to run their juice with a fixed gear).
Overall, I would give the frame a 4.5. I give it a 5 because I feel it doesn't deserve a 4.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
edouble
a Cross Country Rider
from LI,NY Date Reviewed: March 17, 2006
Favorite Trail:
da' one um' on.
Duration Product Used:
6 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
somafab.com
Strengths:
read my previous review of this frame with gears.
Weaknesses:
say what???????????????
Similar Products Used:
none.
Bike Setup:
20in frame, wb bw.8 fork, salsa delgado w/xtr hubs. irc mythosII tires, azonic cf-1 risers, salsa cromo stem and shaft post, bonty racelite saddle, sram 9,0sl brakes/levers, truvativ 180mm crank, time atac pedals, cris king ss kit. 23.5 lbs w/pedals
Bottom Line:
this bike rode great geared and even greater as a ss. im going to leave it as a ss for a good long time. i cant imaging getting more for my money than this frame has to offer. im going to convert to stans real soon, to further enhance the buttery smooth ride. people continue to sleep on somafab, but these guy's really know what their doing.
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Submitted by
Jonas
a Cross Country Rider
from Wisconsin Date Reviewed: March 9, 2006
Set-up as SS. Avid BB7. Rigid fork. Ignitor tires. About 22 lbs.
Bottom Line:
I have the 16" Juice and it's the perfect 29er for my 5-5 stature. There is more than enough standover (about 27")for me. The bike is outstanding in its handling, very responsive and quicker than I thought it would be.
The color is spice red and a very nice paint job. The ride continues to impress me. I plan to set it up with gears and do some racing this summer.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
edouble
a Cross Country Rider
from LI,NY Date Reviewed: January 13, 2006
Duration Product Used:
Less than 1 month
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Soma
Strengths:
beautiful paint, spot on geometry, quality tubeset (reynolds 631 front tubes, tange prestige rear tubes)unbeatable value for dollar.
Weaknesses:
wish chainstays were a little shorter, but performance has not suffered.
Similar Products Used:
none, first 29er.
Bike Setup:
white bros bw.8 fork, salsa delgado's w/xtr hubs, bontrager xr's, sram 9.0sl drivetrain and brakes w/levers, xtr casette, chris king rasta headset, carbon risers and stem, syncros post, sdg bel-air saddle
Bottom Line:
how "dave gave this frame a 4 is beyond me. if you look at whats available in 29in frames this one is clearly the best value available. the on one, kona 2-9, and surly karate monkey are good values too, but look a little closer and this one comes out on top. it has an awesome paint job, clean welds, and great geometry for fast open riding or tight singletrack woods action. can be geared on ss, disc or v-brakes, very low standover (which makes for a smaller front triangle and stiffer frame)and reasonable weight(5.3 lbs for my 20in frame). it also has a higher quality tubeset than the others, and tons of clearance for big tires. on top of it all the bike flat out performs, it turns quicker than my 26in bikes (i have 5) and makes quick work of roots, rocks, mud, loose climbs you name it. one of the best value's in the mtb world today.
Value Rating:Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Dave
a Cross Country Rider
from Indian Trail, NC Date Reviewed: January 12, 2006
Duration Product Used:
3 months
Price Paid:
$400.00
Purchased At:
Black Sheep Cycles
Strengths:
Nice welds for a production frame. Massive amount of tire clearance.Very attractive metallic orange paint. Reynolds steel tubes.
Weaknesses:
When carrying the bike on your shoulder the cable stop braze on will bite into you. Nit pick? Well yea but for SS I didn't want all those add ons anyway.
Similar Products Used:
Before I bought this frame I demoed a 29 Soulcraft that handled as nice as the Juice has.
Bike Setup:
SS with the ON-ONE Rigid fork(which is nice also),Salsa delgados on Surly hub,Hayes HFX,XT crank,Easton monkeylite,WTB saddle,Times around 23 LBS.
Bottom Line:
If you looking for a value 29er frame that could go single or heaven forbid geared this is it. This frame has gobs of tire clearance so if we ever get a 2.5 inch trail tire I'll be ready for it! I was blown away at how nice the paint looks. Somas website shows it as a red but its actually a metallic orange that is quite hot. This bike handles both twisty local trails and tech 5 mountain DHs very well. I have dremeled off my only nit pick which was all the cable stops that were in the way so I'm pretty satisfied.
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