Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Any thoughts on Surly Steamroller v Soma Delancey

For commuting, errands and winter road rides 30-40 miles-ish on rolling hills.


Or Jamis Sputnik?

Thanks.

The steamroller is clearly more well suited for commuting, and winter riding. Surly will take fatter tires. I don't see it on the Soma site, but I don't think the Delancey is designed with clearance for much more than 28s. Also the delancey has no fender eyelets.

For steel framesets in that price range for that application I would go with the Milwaukee Orange One or Kona Paddy Wagon. Both have clearance for bigger tires and eyelets for fenders and more road-ish geometry.

The steamroller is clearly more well suited for commuting, and winter riding. Surly will take fatter tires. I don't see it on the Soma site, but I don't think the Delancey is designed with clearance for much more than 28s. Also the delancey has no fender eyelets.


neither does the steamroller have eyelets.

If I didn't already have my steamroller, I'd be thinking about the same thing. I think the Delancy is a lighter frame, and it also has the nice lugs. But, it's got the rear brake cable guides and no water bottle braze ons. I think Soma made a mistake with that; I think they'd sell more with the water bottle braze ons and without the rear cable guides. Othewise I think they're pretty similar, although maybe the Delancy has a little more relaxed geometry; I can't remember.

i'd second the Paddy Wagon recommendation on price and eyelettedness alone. However it won't accept anything bigger than a 28 either and that's without fenders. (nfo from a Kona rep)

does it have to be steel? an Jamie Roy would make an excellent winter bike if you were OK with the AL and the 130mm spacing.

i was happy to see that soma was making the delancey. finally, a lugged road frame for ss and fixed. however, the pics on the website just don't get me excited about the frame. maybe i just have to see one in person or pics of one built up. or maybe it's the color. i vote that you get the delancey and post pics of the build.....for selfish reasons obviously. also, you'll probably be one of the first to have one. everyone has a steamroller dude! :)

I like my Steamroller. I've currently got Nokian Hakkapeliitta W106's on it (wedged into my Centaur front brake caliper). Disgustingly stable, though damn those Hakkas are heavy.

Also, the bonus is when you do kill your Steamroller you won't feel as bad about it.

My steamroller is excellent.

Among my 4 fixed gear cycles, the Steamroller is my favourite, especially when it involves long distance riding.

I should have also said that, even though I don't have anything to compare it to, I really like my steamroller.

The Steamroller is often mentioned as being heavier than its competition. My question is this: The Steamroller is probably made out of cheaper steel than most of its competition (I think the Pake uses the cheapest steel possible) despite it being "cheap" steel, and being heavier, will this make the frame stronger than say a IRO Rob Roy?

The Steamroller is often mentioned as being heavier than its competition. My question is this: The Steamroller is probably made out of cheaper steel than most of its competition (I think the Pake uses the cheapest steel possible) despite it being "cheap" steel, and being heavier, will this make the frame stronger than say a IRO Rob Roy?


"Strength" is a complex concept that could be defined many ways with many different variables. However, in a very general sense, cheaper steel is not as strong as a more expensive steel. Therefore, a cheaper steel frame must be heavier to be as strong as a more expensive frame. All the frames you mentioned are probably plenty strong.

The Steamroller is often mentioned as being heavier than its competition. My question is this: The Steamroller is probably made out of cheaper steel than most of its competition (I think the Pake uses the cheapest steel possible) despite it being "cheap" steel, and being heavier, will this make the frame stronger than say a IRO Rob Roy?

The Steamroller and the Pake use the same steel.

4130, represent.

My Steamroller is the most comfortable bike I've owned. That's probably because it's the best fitting bike I've had (I'm big), but I've ridden it happily up and down Mt Royal on gravel and it felt great, better than my mountain bike even.

isn't the 4130 on the steamroller treated in a special way that makes it a bit nicer? i could swear i heard something like that before.

The Steamroller and the Pake use the same steel.

4130, represent.

except the steamroller is double butted.

To expand a little more on the steamroller. I've gone on longer rides (20-30 round trip) and it has done fine. I have it set up pretty comfortably, though. Before I had the steamroller I had a converted schwinn and they were both the same on longer rides but the steamroller is 100% better when it comes to city cruising. For all around use, I'd definitly say get the steamroller. Also, being able to wedge huge tires and fenders on is a great thing.

except the steamroller is double butted.
I would be really, really surprised if the Pake isn't double-butted. Remember the $180 frame from www.fixed-gear.net? Basically a Mark V with some tweaks. Double-butted.

I would be really, really surprised if the Pake isn't double-butted. Remember the $180 frame from www.fixed-gear.net? Basically a Mark V with some tweaks. Double-butted.


Prepare to be surprised


This track frame is fashioned in burly cold drawn, straight gauge CrMo steel tubes with a similar geometry to our Rush frame

For your needs, the Bianchi San Jose is just the ticket. Can take wide tires and fenders, has rack eyelets front and rear, double-butted heat-treated cromoly steel, and flip-flop hub. The top tube is even shaped to fit your shoulder.

My first ride on it was for 30 miles.

I am not going to blast the San Jose because I know nothing about it. But I remember Sheldon Brown being upset about something Bianchi did to it after the 1st year of production. I thought he mentioned about them eliminating the eyelets but I can't find his review of it anywhere. Maybe he will chime in?

PS: When are bike manufacturers going to come out with a mass produced single gear bike that doesn't scream "On a budget, upgrade it when it breaks"?

I think it was the disc brake on the rear wheel.

If I didn't already have my steamroller, I'd be thinking about the same thing. I think the Delancy is a lighter frame, and it also has the nice lugs. But, it's got the rear brake cable guides and no water bottle braze ons. I think Soma made a mistake with that; I think they'd sell more with the water bottle braze ons and without the rear cable guides. Othewise I think they're pretty similar, although maybe the Delancy has a little more relaxed geometry; I can't remember.

I kinda got turned off at the fact that the 48 and 50cm sizes on the Delancey don't have lugged seatstay/toptube clusters, all the bigger frames do. (I use a 48) Otherwise, I like i alot.

I think it was the disc brake on the rear wheel.

There is no disc brake on the Bianchi San Jose. Sheldon didn't think the wheels were very high quality, but he really liked everything else about the bike, so Harris Cyclery offers an uprgraded version. It is called the San Jos8, and the Bianchi hubs that come stock on the San Jose are replaced by Shimano Nexus interanlly geared 8-speed hubs. It has different rims too. It's a cool idea. If the Nexus hubs are good, then it would make an awesome light tourer.

kogswell, if you can find one

There is no disc brake on the Bianchi San Jose. Sheldon didn't think the wheels were very high quality, but he really liked everything else about the bike, so Harris Cyclery offers an uprgraded version. It is called the San Jos8, and the Bianchi hubs that come stock on the San Jose are replaced by Shimano Nexus interanlly geared 8-speed hubs. It has different rims too. It's a cool idea. If the Nexus hubs are good, then it would make an awesome light tourer.


Yeah, Sheldon says the wheels for the San Jose are its weak spot but at that price point there's got to be a weak spot somewheres. I've put a hundred miles on it so far and so far, so good. I'll probably swap the 32's out for 23's(michelin carbons) for my street riding and ride it till something wears out or breaks. Then provide a full report on SS/FG so when people use the Search function, they can learn all about it.