Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Soma Delancey? Recommendations for Build Up?

I want to buy a fixed gear bike for commuting and winter training and so I don't feel like the only jerk with gears when I go on a group ride where everyone else is riding fixed.

I want road rather than track geometry. I am willing to spend up to $1500 for the whole build as I have a Christmas bonus burning a hole in my pocket. I live in an area where it is rolling hills in all directions.

Any views on the Soma Delancey as a frame to start from? Any other suggestions?

Also, any recommendations for hubs/wheels and other components? I want mid-high spec.

Finally, gear ratio recommendations? I am a reasonably strong rider but I have aging knees (not the only thing that is aging, actually).

Thanks.

how about dia compe grand compe hubs? lace them to some mavic open pro rims and you've got a lovely wheelset. throw on some miche cranks (or, wait on ebay for shimano 600 road cranks), and whatever's comfortable for saddle and bars and you've got a classy ride. the delancey is an interesting bike - oddly located in soma's line, but certainly good-looking.

for rolling hills and aging knees, i'd suggest something around 48/18, which is 70ish gear inches. also, if you're short, try 165 cranks. i'm short and recently made the switch and the spinning is delightful.

have fun with the build. i'll be very curious to see it when it's done.

I think the Delancey looks great, but it's brand new, and I haven't heard from anyone with firsthand experience yet.

Should be a pretty straightforward buildup. I'd probably go with Formula hubs or Miche, and put em on open Pros. Decent inexpensive road cranks such as the Shimano 105 square tapers they have at chucksbikes. with appropriately short BB I thing 103-105 should be about right. 1 1/8" heatube should give you lots of choices for headset/stem.

70 gear inches is a very popular ratio. I like it for spinning on flats, while remaining low enough for the climbs, and not spinning out too bad on the descents. A lot of people seem to like 70 gear inches, but YMMV

The Delancey is really new so I doubt you'll get much in the way of user review... From the pictures it looks solid enough... They don't even have a price up on the Soma website yet. But I'm guessing it will be more expensive than a similar TIG welded frame, or a road conversion, which this frame basically is.

If you want 'mid high spec' I'd get the miche group. Or get sugino 75s and whatever sealed hubs you're willing to buy. Lace to some mavix open pros or cxp33s. Get whatever bar/stem/saddle/pedals fit you.

Have you thought about converting a nice old steel road frame? Might be cheaper and higher quality...

$1500 gets you a bike with great components! On The Bike Biz" website you can pick that frame and all the components so you can get an idea...

http://www.thebikebiz.com/product_p/bk-trk-soma02.htm

Just click and dress. Don't buy though. Ask the guys here before you do that.

Just from me, the chain is something you want to spend "money for a good one" on.

Formula/velocity wheelset
Sugino 75
etc.

A nice frame like that deserves good components.

I think the Delancey looks great, but it's brand new, and I haven't heard from anyone with firsthand experience yet.

Should be a pretty straightforward buildup. I'd probably go with Formula hubs or Miche, and put em on open Pros. Decent inexpensive road cranks such as the Shimano 105 square tapers they have at chucksbikes. with appropriately short BB I thing 103-105 should be about right. 1 1/8" heatube should give you lots of choices for headset/stem.

70 gear inches is a very popular ratio. I like it for spinning on flats, while remaining low enough for the climbs, and not spinning out too bad on the descents. A lot of people seem to like 70 gear inches, but YMMV


aaaaaahhhhh, matty matty mattface, you got me all excited, but the 105s on chucksbikes only come in 175mm. for the long of femur, not some shorty like me.

aaaaaahhhhh, matty matty mattface, you got me all excited, but the 105s on chucksbikes only come in 175mm. for the long of femur, not some shorty like me.

Maybe that is for the best (http://www.wwmovers-africa.com/haro/crank2.jpg)

Never again.

Forgot to mention: I think I want a fixed/free flip flop hub. Are the options mentioned above (Miche/Formula) flip flop?

I am mechanically inept and clueless. What is the BB measurement mentioned above?

Thanks for the great advice so far.. It is what makes the forum great (plus the Fred/Knave/r600DuraAce threads)...

Miche are single sided. Formula comes in fixed free, or fixed/fixed. Get the fixed fixed. you can still run a freewheel on one side, but you can also run 2 different sizes of fixed cog. Options are good.

Sorry Mattio. Didn't mean to get you all worked up fer nothin' I'm such a crank tease.

The Delancey is really new so I doubt you'll get much in the way of user review... From the pictures it looks solid enough...

Soma offers a good warrantee on their frames...3 years I think. So although the frames not been tested with time, at least you know you're covered for frame failure.

Why not a jamis sputnik plus a new wheelset?

My vote for extra hottttttttttttnessss for wheels is the dia-compe hubs with dt revolution spokes, black alloy nipples to a black open pro. HOT.

Soma offers a good warrantee on their frames...3 years I think. So although the frames not been tested with time, at least you know you're covered for frame failure.

Haha, warranty or not, if a bike breaks in half from regular riding thats pretty crappy. Warranties don't affect my purchases all that much, especially limited warranties. At least give me a life time warranty for material or manufacturing defects.

PS. I have a Soma

I would buy a used high-end 80's road frame before I bought a delancey, much more value there and you're getting a lugged bike from an era when everybody knew how to do a lugged bike. Old treks go for like $300, plenty of good italian stuff out there also.

Wheels: dura-ace or suzue to aeroheads
Cranks: everybody here loves suginos, old but quality road cranks are fine if you like the length. Spend money on the chainring if you have money, that's one place where $50 more buys something more than weight and finish.

Everything else is all personal preference. Gearing I would go with 47 up front and buy 18, 17, and 16t cogs, decide which two you want to keep after riding for a while.

If you don't have your heard set on the Delancey, the Salsa Casseroll is pretty nice too:
http://www.salsacycles.com/images/07_casseroll_comp.jpg

But with a $1500 budget, just snag an old road bike on Ebay for a beaut. Get a complete classy bike (De Rosa, Masi, etc.) and all you'll probably need is a wheelset. Drop $250 on that, and you are ready to roll in style.