So, if anyone out there is thinking about getting a Soma Rush frame or a Soma track cog, be warned: You Get What You Pay For.

I've been using Soma cogs for the last year or so, with no problems, but the last three I bought were garbage. The first wore out very fast, in about three months. The replacement I bought for it seemed to be poorly made, like the teeth were too far apart, so the chain would slide back and forth on the cog. I was running this on a Surly hub, and when I tried to put it on my Phil hub, it wouldn't even thread on. I went and bought yet another cog, and the teeth were okay but after I installed it, there were tiny slivers of metal behind it, from the hub threads. I'm kinda stuck with it for now, it's the only thing I can get in 17t right now. Seems everyone and their dog is buying up the track parts. I'm still waiting for the new Surly or Phil cogs...

The main reason I bought a Soma Rush was because you can run a rear brake. I figured this would be handy for long road rides or if for some crazy reason I decided to go single speed. Well, the rear brake bridge was brazed on so crooked, that the brake pads only make contact at one corner, rendering the rear brake completely useless - I guess until the pads wore down enough to make total contact. And the fork is also brazed crooked, so the brake doesn't line up and pulls the rim to one side, which over time has caused the spokes on one side of the wheel to de-tension.

I've seen a few Soma frames from previous years, and they looked great, well made, etc. Whoever they source their stuff from now must be cutting corners. Ah, it feels good to rant. I'm going to go ride my sloppily constructed bike now, I guess...