Soma Competition from the trash
 

This is my first venture onto the Classic & Vintage forum.

Anyway, I had a great dumpster find the other day, a whole load of stuff, including a Soma Competition 57cm bicycle. I don't know much about it, but I think it's a pretty nice bike. I have a couple of questions that maybe you folks can help me answer.

a) how vintage is this thing? it is a 12 speed, has 700c tubular wheels, and (I think?) a cassette hub. BUT the hubs (shimano 600) have oil/grease holes and those little metal clips that cover them up.

b) how nice is this bike? the shimano 600 groupo and tange butted tubing indicate mid-to upper level craftsmanship, but the tubular tires I've never run across before. At first when digging this thing out I thought they were really bad condition 27" clinchers.

c) Is there history to the Soma brand? I know of Soma Fabricatons' fixed gears, but I think they only started about 7 years ago, and this is definitely vintage and Japanese (made in Japan sticker)

d) there's a funny chopped front to the saddle, I'm wondering if that's original or owner-done.

e) any tips on restoring this beauty?

Anyway, here's a photo essay of the bike - no pics of the dumpster, it's my personal stash/secret. ;)
http://lh4.google.com/jqmello/R_wYVV...0/DSCN6804.JPG
the bike
http://lh4.google.com/jqmello/R_wYYV...0/DSCN6805.JPG
http://lh3.google.com/jqmello/R_wYaF...0/DSCN6806.JPG
needs proofide after a couple of decades. Still looks un-broken-in.
http://lh6.google.com/jqmello/R_wYd1...0/DSCN6807.JPG
speedic professional : not brooks.
http://lh6.google.com/jqmello/R_wYf1...0/DSCN6808.JPG
wierdly chopped saddle nose: original or a hatchet job?
http://lh3.google.com/jqmello/R_wYhF...0/DSCN6812.JPG
butted tange chro-mo
[IMG]lh6.google.com/jqmello/R_wYk1RSoYI/AAAAAAAAIgg/uip-TwzDpYc/s400/DSCN6814.JPG[/IMG]
sexy red straps
http://lh5.google.com/jqmello/R_wYml...0/DSCN6815.JPG
http://lh6.google.com/jqmello/R_wYn1...0/DSCN6819.JPG
complete Shimano 600 groupo...
http://lh4.google.com/jqmello/R_wYpV...0/DSCN6820.JPG
tubies have come unglued. NO residue!

continued...
http://lh4.google.com/jqmello/R_wYsV...0/DSCN6822.JPG
cool.
http://lh3.google.com/jqmello/R_wYwF...0/DSCN6828.JPG
also cool. the hoods are completely dissenegrated
http://lh4.google.com/jqmello/R_wYxV...0/DSCN6829.JPG
nitto olimpiade bars
http://lh3.google.com/jqmello/R_wY1F...0/DSCN6832.JPG
SR laprade ... never heard of it.
http://lh3.google.com/jqmello/R_wY6F...0/DSCN6836.JPG
rust under the headset is the worst on the frame.
http://lh3.google.com/jqmello/R_wY-F...0/DSCN6837.JPG
testing the tires: 50 psi.
http://lh3.google.com/jqmello/R_wZLF...0/DSCN6843.JPG
http://lh4.google.com/jqmello/R_wZNV...0/DSCN6844.JPG
http://lh4.google.com/jqmello/R_wZPV...0/DSCN6845.JPG
tires did not hold 80 psi. I jumped.
http://lh4.google.com/jqmello/R_wZRV...0/DSCN6847.JPG

I don't know anything about Soma, but I see loads of potential there. Great save!

actually...
from Sheldon Brown (he will be missed)

Soma:
A short-lived brand of decent-quality bikes.

also:
Dating Tips
-Center-pull caliper brakes were pretty much out of fashion by the beginning of the 1980s.

-"Æro" side-pull brake calipers, with the upper arm close to the centerline of the bike, were mostly used in 1981-82.

-Down-tube shift levers mounted on top of the down-tube, instead of on the side, were mainly supplied in the 1982-83 model year.

so it looks like 1980 - 1981 model year, from a brand what did not stick around long.

Awesome find! I don't know about Soma either, but I have a feeling your bike has nothing to do with Soma Fabrications, whose website says the company is 7 years old. Yours looks like a great vintage Japanese bike (very cool headbadge, btw) with a solid component group. I'll be very surprised if the hub is a cassette, but we'll see. I'd strip it all down, framesaver the tubes, re-pack all the bearings (probably just replace the BB with a cartridge unit), order some 3-for-$50 tubulars from Yellow Jersey, and ride it with a big grin. It will be interesting to see, when you pull the pump clip off, whether the tubing is Tange #1 or #2. My hunch is #2 which I believe is the superior one (confirm, anyone?). Have fun with it.

I came across a Soma bike once when looking for bicycles for a friend's daughters. It was pretty well made, but a tad on the heavy side.

Tange Champion #1 and #2 referred to different framesets, not different qualities of steel. The steel used was the same. The only difference between the framesets was that #2 used a seat tube that was .1mm thicker than that of #1, so it was a bit stiffer. The #2 frameset only weighed 70g more than the #1 frameset, although I don't know what size frameset that refers to. So it's not really an issue of superior or inferior, just different (and only slightly different at that).

See this link for more info:
http://www.desperadocycles.com/The_L...per_Tubing.htm

^ that's a good link... I'll have to remove the seatpost and measure.

it IS heavy, I'm not saying otherwise, I just think it's pretty cool.

I was told by a local forum friend that the groupo is 1st generation shimano 600 abaresque (EX I think?) which puts it 1978-84.

I agree with this dating based upon the arabesque stuff. I really like the headbadge!

Thanks for explaining that. All I know is the Tange #2 Schwinn Super Sport bike I have rides great.

It's original, I have a similar saddle stamped "Fujita Professional" with the same nose job. Yours is in better condition...

That was one of the most common and inexpensive alloy seat posts in the early 80's.

I think I had a bike with one of those Laprade seatposts on it a long time ago. Looks like a very nice find, especially if it fits you.

Rocks-

I think people are being inadequately enthusiastic. That is a very sweet find! Looks like mostly what it needs are new tires and the removal of the dork disk.

I agree that that's probably a freewheel. But if it's not, post pics!

What size flange on the hubs?

Welcome to C&V, where older people appreciate awesome bikes ... er, I mean, where awesome people appreciate older bikes!

Thanks for all the good photos! You clearly know how to build good forum karma.

You can search this forum for more on Soma bikes--they pop up from time to time. Chances are also that someone with some knowledge of them will reply to your post.

Keep comin' back!

Eric

57x57, so it's a tad on the small side, I have a 58 top tube on my commuter (Bianchi Volpe) and a new 60 cm IRO rob roy that I'm building up. I was experimenting with the geometry just standing over it with the tires flat, I'd have to raise that seatpost a good inch and a half, but I think I can make it work. At least, it will be a fun restoration, and a fun couple of weeks of riding it around to test it out!

and Eric, thanks for the enthusiastic welcome! I'm really stoked about this catch, and I'm not afraid of being a newbie to restoration, so bear with me... the pictures were to placate the forum users ahead of time ;)

To add to what others have said, what's the year range on the 600 arabesque group?

I don't know, but I sure wish it had been me that found it!

1. Be very careful and conservative. Start with soapy warm water and a clean, soft cloth. Some detergents can dissolve paint and decals. Automotive paint polishing compound can be your friend on the paint, but be careful around the decals and graphics. After you're done on the paint, WAX!! Other folks will have other product recommendations.

2. For chrome and aluminum, and stainless steel, Mothers Billet Polish or Happich's Simichrome. Don't get these on the paint. These will also remove very light rust on your chromed stays. It does such a good job, you'll wet your pants. #0000 steel wool can also be used, but this will scratch chrome, so I would avoid it. If you're super serious, you can try to find brass wool, which can't scratch chrome.

A thorough job with 1 and 2 (which could take a whole weekend) and you won't believe your eyes!

If you need more serious rust removal that is unlikely to harm paint (presuming you are trying to preserve existing paint), Oxalic acid is cheap and easy to use. See recent posts on how to get it and use it.

Red cable housing and cloth bar tape are still available.

Hoods -- I don't know about this one.

Looking forward to the "after" photos!

Eric

Wow, nice find! If you have the Shimano 600 EX hubs on there, then you got yourself a full group. Hope the bearing cups are all smooth. From the description, it's freewheel equipped on standard 126mm spaced rear hub. Probably a Shimano twist-tooth freewheel.

I also think it's 1980, based on the updated chainrings on the 600 crankarm.

SR (Sakae Ringyo) predominantly made handlebars, stems and seatposts. The Laprade was their low-cost, all aluminum 1-bolt post. Very popular due to lightweight, strength, and came fluted too. ;)
SR was one of the OEM partners in the Suntour partnership to battle Shimano.

I own a similar Tange Champion 2 frame from that era. It still rides very sweet...responsive yet compliant. Your's looks like it'll turn out quite nice once restored, and turn heads given the rare brand.

rocks in head, I can certainly identify with your outstanding find. Here's the cousin to your Soma Competition that I found at a garage sale last week.
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...08/Soma001.jpg
Like yours, it has full Shimano 600 groupo. I've been unable to find a date code on the derailers or brakes. Unlike yours, there is no decal on the seatpost so I have no idea what type of tubing was used to make the frame.
I started a thread last week with this bike, but didn't get the response you did, guess I need a new deoderant. :D
I've found out the following, apparently the frames were made by Kuwahara of BMX fame. Someone suggested that these are actually re-badged Kuwaharas********** The Competition I have feels a tad heavy so I'm not sure how it fits quality wise, but they certainly seem to be solid with a great component choice. I noticed the shifters are different between our two bikes. Yours are identical to the Shimano 600 shifters on my 83 Woodrup. I'm guessing mine is a 1978 based on the only component that has what appears to be a date code, the cranks, I could be wrong.
I'm hoping we can have T-Mar review this thread to tell us where the Competition fit in the Soma line-up. I'll add a few pics below for you to compare.
BTW, mine has 27" rims, also suggesting it's older than yours.

nice looking bike rocco!

The chainrings are a bit different too, so I'd guess a year or two difference? I'm completely new at this though! The last time I had to guess a bike's age was the $120 panasonic 4000dx that I got in college, but it had a date stamped on the bottom bracket, so it didn't take long...

I'm afraid I'm going to have to rescind my 700c claim... the measurement from the outer edge of the braking surface to the middle of the hub (measured this morning) is 315mm... making them 630mm diameter = 27". I hadn't thought anything about it because I went and measured my 700c tire and got the same measurement, but that's from the outer edge of the braking surface and not the bead seat, so I guess I took the wrong measurement and just assumed that I had a 700c tire (that and I assumed that all sew-ups from that era were 700c's)

I got roccobike's Competition, complete with B17 saddle.
I'm sort of looking forward to the disassembly and rehab.

I am also a happy owner
 

The saddle of Some Competition is original with copper rivets. There is a good description and picture of the bike in E. Sloanes's "The all new complete book of bicycling" (1980). I bought my black beauty in 1981 in Alexandria VA, brought it to Finland in 1983. It is still my favorite bike, which I ride almost daily troghout the summer. In my bike all major parts are still original, and I can send info if needed or check from the book.

I wouldn't be too sure about that -- I had a 1981 Miyata 912 pass through my hands that had a full 600 EX Arabesque group, and the rear hub was a first-generation freehub model. They're apparently (typical Shimano) incompatible with the later ones, and also somewhat "less robust," I think, because they don't have the swelling on the inside of the drive-side flange like the later generation models (that makes for a more secure attachment?). Sheldon wrote a page on this.