Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Trek Soho S - What's Similar?

I have ridden bikes (for the first time since I was a kid, and I'm 37 now) for about eight months now, including my own crappy suicide hub conversion mountain bike. It is time, however, to upgrade to a decent bike that is not hi-ten and does not have 26" wheels. I have recently ridden a Trek Soho S, and I likey very much (geo, flip-flop hub). I definitely want a bike w/ a flip-flop hub, but I'm having a hard time justifying the price on the Soho S (brakes, wheels, and I would SHRED those pedals). What's out there that has a similar geo but has a little more parity of cost-to-value? Same-to-slightly-lower price range. Redline 925? Does such a bike exist? My LBSs carry Trek (and Lemond and Gary Fisher), Giant, and Schwinn. I am within 50 miles of a Redline dealer...

And before you start bashing me for liking the Trek Soho S, let me ASSURE you that I have indeed used the search function and I have already read all the opinions previously posted; please do not take this as an opportunity to hone your word skills in creating new and more colorful descriptions of your disdain for the Soho S. I've read it, and I GOT IT ALREADY.

Thanks. :thumb:

i don't know if the soho s comes with specific pedals, but just fyi, most nice bikes come technically without pedals. you will see them set up and sold with the cheapest plastic things possible, to allow you to test ride it really, as most people will upgrade to a type of pedal they prefer (clipless, etc)

If you like the geo of the Trek, then save up and get it. Get new pedals & saddle like most do.

Trying to go cheaper with this type of geo will have diminishing returns rather quickly. Trek is putting a pretty good package for the price with this type of bike that other manufactures are scrambling to match.

other fixed gears with compact geo:

Giant Bowery - aluminum
Specialized Langster - aluminum
Felt Dispatch - aluminum
Felt Curbside - aluminum
Felt Gridlock frameset - aluminum
Marin Hamilton - cromoly
Brooklyn Machine Works Gangsta - cromoly

http://www.buzzillions.com/dz_417331_trek_soho_reviews

OK, now here's the rub. After checking out the bikes in the list offered above (many thanks to gestalt_assault), I realize that this bike IS the best deal in a bike of its kind (except for maybe the Marin Hamilton 29er, assuming you can get a bigger chainring on it).

Now the biggie: does anybody have any suggestions as to logical, legitimate arguments I can use to explain to my wife (yep, there you have it) that $600-800 is actually not an exorbitant amount of money to spend on a quality bicycle? To her, I've "already got a bike," and as with many (most?) people, her concept of bike pricing is defined by the prices she's seen on wally-bikes. So far, I've used:

-Lighter bikes are easier to ride and make daily use (in place of car) more likely.
-A bike like this one will save me in the long run in maintenance costs.
-A bike of this quality will ultimately command a better resale value than my current high tensile road-bomb.

...and I'm getting nothing but glazed-over eyes and a bunch of "yeah, I don't know..."

Sorry if this is going off-topic for this forum, but some of y'all HAVE to have dealt with this at some point. And don't tell me to leave her - not gonna happen. :P

(Oh, and if you know anybody wanting to unload a 20" Trek Soho S, please point them in my direction.)

just a thought: if money really is tight (because we are in a recession) and your wife has a point (maybe you guys are broke) then i think you should consider a backup bike from bikesdirect for only 300 bucks. i'm only saying this because... like you, i've been certain about one bike or one componant before, only to change my mind once i saw something else. bikes and bikeparts are like that. you constantly evolve in your opinions and choices. so, if you can't afford the trek, you can still get a cool bike like the kilo and i'll bet you'll end up loving it. i'm only saying this as a married man who has had to make economic choices in the last year and I haven't been able to buy a certain track bike that I really want but i am happy with something else. marriges are like that. she may want a $600 item that she is living without.

Yep, get a Bikesdirect bike with a flip/flop hub for $400 or so. The Soho is nice but you owe it to your wife to be frugal with your purchase as it is going to be just for you and it is a lot of money. Not to mention the depression that is coming....

I personally would never buy a new bike for that much money, I would rather go used as I am knowledgeable enough to find good deals plus, I think of bikes like I do cars....the value plummets the second you buy it.

I think that the Fantom Cross Uno is a good bike with versatility-----racks, fenders and it comes with brakes.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/motobecane/images/uno_wht_gallery/images/uno_wht_3q.jpg

Would you buying this bike with her money? Then she gets a say of course. But if you have your own income and can cover at least half of the household expenses and still have money left over to buy the bike, then buy it. If the wife complains, tell her that she is also free to do whatever she wants with whatever money she has left over after paying half of the household expenses.

The whole concept of mingling finances and asking permission to spend money is so bizarre to me. (and i've been married 15 years!). It just seems like such a recipe for disaster. I figure its best to keep financial matters separate and let the marriage be about something else (romance, family, whatever).

I say if she payed more than $15K for her car you can pay more for the bike :P

Recession is scary, yes, but we're not broke. What this boils down to is she does not understand why a bike has to cost more than $150 - $200 (pricing even the almighty bikesdirect out of the market). Even though I've ridden the crap out of my current bike, she still thinks I'm on some kind of "kick" and that it's going to peter out eventually (and she still gets worried when I ride farther than a couple of miles - oh, the terror - so the 11 mile round trip work commute just drives her bonkers). Furthermore, she does not believe me (I know because she told me so) when I tell her that I will end up spending close to the same amount of money whether I buy a bike with MOSTLY durable components and an LBS service plan or whether I buy a cheapo on which I will end up replacing a whole sh*tload of stuff myself. Which does imply (well, it does a little more than imply) that her assumption is that I'm being disingenuous merely to "get my way."

The fact is that, as I get older, I view purchases more and more as investments. Given the opportunity to "invest" my money into even a cheapo road bike frame (the geometry of which, frankly, I'm not even interested in trying to "get used to") and then to replace wheels, bars, saddle, pedals, maybe BB and cranks, I will chose not to. Why spend even a significant fraction of the $600 price on all that stuff when I already know that that's not the kind of bike I want to be riding? I've lost 50 lbs. and saved hundreds of dollars in gasoline costs in the past year commuting on this boat anchor POS I currently have (not to mention how much potential savings in future health care costs?). Why spend a dollar on a bike that I would purchase with plans for its replacement already in mind?

Sorry for the rant. The answer is, "you're screwed, dude." I guess I knew that before posting, but thanks for the help in realizing it. And again, if anybody has a line on a used 20" Soho S, holla.

you could log your miles on your bike, calculate that to precise dollar amounts in savings of gasoline you would have used, get it in writing and show your wife. I believe my wife responds better with written proof of stuff. That could be a standpoint to get an extra couple hundred dollars tacked onto your budget. because if you saved it from biking then it's money that was going to be spent anyways, spent on gas that only makes the "man" richer while we still struggle.

Buy a pair of bolt cutters.

Buy the Trek Soho S

Come home carrying both and tell your wife "look honey, I found a way to make us both happy. I didn't spend money on the bike like you asked, and I got the bike I wanted!"

Hide the receipt.

Buy a pair of bolt cutters.

Buy the Trek Soho S

Come home carrying both and tell your wife "look honey, I found a way to make us both happy. I didn't spend money on the bike like you asked, and I got the bike I wanted!"

Hide the receipt.

Hey - I already have bolt cutters, left in my garage by previous owner of my home. Further savings!

Might as well just tell her I got a new girlfriend and that she'd be coming to live with us. :roflmao2:

In my experience, women love shoes and clothes and makeup and such. Just say that she's probably spent that much on stuff that will make her happy, so why can't you have your bike? I mean, she must spend some money somewhere that makes you roll your eyes.

Do what I did in college: start with a terrible bike (i.e., your current bike) and slowly replace parts until you have a decent bike. Your wife won't know the difference because its just small parts, but you'll ultimately come out with an even more expensive bike :P

^ Good idea, the boiling frog tactic :P

I've lost 50 lbs. and saved hundreds of dollars in gasoline costs in the past year commuting on this boat anchor POS I currently have

If this bike gets you to move to leisure riding in addition to commuting, it's worth it for the health benefits alone. I would think your spouse would think so as well.

Do what I did in college: start with a terrible bike (i.e., your current bike) and slowly replace parts until you have a decent bike. Your wife won't know the difference because its just small parts, but you'll ultimately come out with an even more expensive bike :P

I'm all about that, but the problem here is the hi-ten frame. The only other thing on the bike that I can think of that would make any significant weight difference would be the wheelset, but I'm pretty sure that a new wheelset that would make THAT kind of weight difference would be comparable in price to the Soho.


If this bike gets you to move to leisure riding in addition to commuting, it's worth it for the health benefits alone. I would think your spouse would think so as well.

I would too.

I would discuss the Soho purchase with her. At my house we discuss all purchases; we look at all money as our money. We find there is a lot more money when we are accountable to each other. Explain the health benefits, the special way it is made, how it is good value, being a Trek it will hold value, that you get what you pay for, and any other arguments you can dream up. She might just agree with you. I'd get the Soho if you can work it out with the accounting department. I think they are a good deal and a good ride. OTOH, don't let the Bikesdirect option scare you off. They have some good ones, too.

OK, now here's the rub. After checking out the bikes in the list offered above (many thanks to gestalt_assault), I realize that this bike IS the best deal in a bike of its kind (except for maybe the Marin Hamilton 29er, assuming you can get a bigger chainring on it).

Now the biggie: does anybody have any suggestions as to logical, legitimate arguments I can use to explain to my wife (yep, there you have it) that $600-800 is actually not an exorbitant amount of money to spend on a quality bicycle? To her, I've "already got a bike," and as with many (most?) people, her concept of bike pricing is defined by the prices she's seen on wally-bikes. So far, I've used:

-Lighter bikes are easier to ride and make daily use (in place of car) more likely.
-A bike like this one will save me in the long run in maintenance costs.
-A bike of this quality will ultimately command a better resale value than my current high tensile road-bomb.

...and I'm getting nothing but glazed-over eyes and a bunch of "yeah, I don't know..."

Sorry if this is going off-topic for this forum, but some of y'all HAVE to have dealt with this at some point. And don't tell me to leave her - not gonna happen. :P

(Oh, and if you know anybody wanting to unload a 20" Trek Soho S, please point them in my direction.)

When I bought my mountain bike, I bought my wife a hybrid. When I got my road bike, I bought her a Trek FX. She bought me my San Jose, I built her a single speed mixte. Now the garage is so full of bikes and parts and stuff I don't think she notices when a new frame shows up. :innocent:

Have your wife take one for a test ride. It'll be so much better than any Wal-mart bike; she may end up wanting one, too.

Of course, we could just tell you to man up and get that bike. Really, when you consider how many miles you'll put on that bike, the price is not bad at all.

Go here:

http://jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi?cat=cpbike&itm=trek&loc=&fil=soho&ys=&ye=&submit=++++go++++

Gotta be one somewhere, right?

I'm all about that, but the problem here is the hi-ten frame. The only other thing on the bike that I can think of that would make any significant weight difference would be the wheelset, but I'm pretty sure that a new wheelset that would make THAT kind of weight difference would be comparable in price to the Soho.


Frame weight isn't going to make much of a big difference at the end of the day, there are a ton of people riding Pakes and actually liking it if you can believe such a thing...

Maybe ask your wife what it would take for her to agree with your wanting to get a new bike?

If you don't buy this one or the other listed on jaxed.com, your wasting this forum's time.

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/bik/971316297.html

I was definitely in the same boat regarding why I "needed" a new bike when I already had one. I suggested to my wife that part of the cost could be considered my birthday and or Christmas present. We then had a lower figure to discuss/negotiate. Maybe even part of an anniversary gift if you normally each get something for the other person. I really worked on making it clear that this was something reallyimportant to me. I also knew I planned on cutting back beer consumption some to get in better shape anyway, and computed the cost savings and made that part of the discussion. I let her know of how many different places I had checked out on line for price. Also let her know how much I had checked out the quality based on reviews.

It's a package presentation. I "played" a lot on how little I spend on myself, and how much it would mean to me.

Good luck.

If you live near a bike store that specializes in fixies or conversions, or even better have something like Austin's Yellow Bike Project, you can set yourself up very cheaply, changing out components over time if you really feel the need. It's more fun than buying new anyway.

Meanwhile, communicate with your wife. Tell her what you're telling us. It's healthier for your relationship, right?

When I bought my mountain bike, I bought my wife a hybrid. When I got my road bike, I bought her a Trek FX. She bought me my San Jose, I built her a single speed mixte. Now the garage is so full of bikes and parts and stuff I don't think she notices when a new frame shows up. :innocent:

Have your wife take one for a test ride. It'll be so much better than any Wal-mart bike; she may end up wanting one, too.

Of course, we could just tell you to man up and get that bike. Really, when you consider how many miles you'll put on that bike, the price is not bad at all.

+1

Get out with her on some rides and she'll definitely change her view on riding in general. It would be a good activity for the two of you, and you could get her hooked!

If you live near a bike store that specializes in fixies or conversions, or even better have something like Austin's Yellow Bike Project, you can set yourself up very cheaply, changing out components over time if you really feel the need.

Except that the OP said he likes the geometry of the Soho S. I took a look at one of these in a bike shop and it's sort of intriguing particularly if you liked fixed but don't like the geometry of a standard road or track bike. Much more relaxed, like a 29er or a comfort bike almost. I'd like to pick up just the frame and built one up myself. The parts don't make seem worthwhile for $550 but it's a pretty light solid package.

If you like the bike THAT badly, and don't frequently make large purchases without discussing it, and your not at risk of divorce for doing so, just buy the bike. You are 37 years old, you have the right to make decisions for yourself if it isn't going to interfere with planned savings or household costs. If she gets upset about it, buy her something nice, if that doesn't help, you will have a nice bike to go out and ride until she gets over it. If its not going to break your marriage then don't worry about it.

I've got a Soho S, and love it (gotta post pics some time as I've upgrade a lot of things)... I actually considered it a very affordable bike to 'test' what I liked on my commuter (5 mile home to office). One things to consider, you can't up the size of the tires much before you can't fit fenders... however, this may or may not be an issue for you (and I found a way around it).

I'm 'paying' for my bike by crediting myself a certain $ amount for every mile I replace driving my chevy blazer. It's approximately 1/2 my real cost per mile of driving (gas, maintenance, insurance, etc).

^^ Would like to see the upgrades.

Show her the pricetag on a Dean Ti bike.

^^ Would like to see the upgrades.

I'll try to get pics tonight... but, from memory
1) Pedalites (going to chuck these for some tioga spyders)
2) Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 37-622 tires
3) VO 45mm Fenders, Anodized & Pre-Drilled
3b) River City Reacharounds (needed to get the above to fit with the big tires)
4) Soma Fab Sparrow Handlebar
5) Topeak Super Tourist Rack
6) Arkel Designs Commuter Pannier
7) Reelights
8) Planet Bike Blinky 5 (on Rack)
9) Planet Bike Superflash Stealth (on seatpost)

Still deciding on new grips... have some Soma Urban Pursuit (inverse) levers for the bars that I need to get around to installing... Oh, and I have some shorter cranks and smaller chain ring on order (I have relatively short legs for my height)...

One may note, I've got a lot of lights... some of this is because I'm still deciding what lights I like...

If you want a pair of Tioga Surefoot 8's PM me. They are basically the spiders with less pedal and no spider. Super light. I bought a pair, mounted them and realized they are too narrow me. They are basically brand new with two sets of spikes etc.

http://www.rivbike.com/products/list/pedals_and_so_on#product=none

Still want to see the photos when you get around to it.

Pics (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdmitch/sets/72157612400206878/)

Still adding descriptions...