Soma ES Bike Review

PRICE $399 USD (frame only) $2100 USD (as tested)

WEBSITE store.somafab.com (frameset) shop.americancyclery.com (full bike)

AVAILABILITY Order online, ships worldwide

Sturdy, heat-treated, butted cromoly steel frame available up to 66 cm. Out­fitted with Super Everwear tires, Mini front and Deco rear racks, Sparrow townie handlebars, Shotwell stem, Doublerow threadless headset, Hellyer track crankset, and Raindog fenders all from Soma.

TELL YOUR FRIENDS

If you dream of biking daily in the city, with the occasional jaunt out of town, then this bike is for you. A solid, all-purpose, well-made bike available at a fair price.

WISH LIST

The frame is so ideal that it is a shame the ES isn’t sold as a complete bike. Luckily, Soma has a branded version of enough components that you can build a complete “Soma bike” starting with this frame.

IDEAL RIDER

The Soma ES is perfect for city riding. The frame geometry is a good starting point for a bike focused on comfort or speed. The frame is versatile enough for a variety of riding, from long distances to short commutes.

OVERALL

Classi­fied as a “Road Sport” frame, the Soma ES is well priced and well built. The ES could stand for extra special, or sporty, or smooth, or sexy, or sophisticated. Any of these adjectives would be spot on for a bike that is ready for anything a city could throw at it.

somafab.com

Chris Schroeder is the director of sales and marketing for Rickshaw Bagworks. He has lived in the Bay Area for 13 years and developed a passion for bikes, plants, coffee, print design, and bags – and spends time working with organizations that foster community development like PaperGirl SF, the SFGMC, and SFMade. @ReallyTallChris rickshawbags.com