Help Me ID This Soma!
10-12-09, 09:47 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Vancouver, WA, USA
Posts: 32
Bikes: 1986 Univega Maxima Sport, 1980 Fuji Gran Tourer SE, 1981 Soma Prestige, 2001 Worksman Cycles Trike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Help Me ID This Soma!
I just picked up this Soma "Prestige" today from a family friend. They bought it originally in the early 80's. I've never heard of Soma and I can't find much out on the internet about 'em. Sheldon Brown's website just lists it as "A short-lived brand of decent-quality bikes." Here's what I was able to ID on it...
- Chrome Molybdenum 57cm Steel Frame. Serial # 81 03 58750.
- Champion No. 5 Seamless P.G. Tubes by Tange Industries Ltd.
- Nitto Technomic Stem
- Nitto Olympiad 115 Drop Handlebars
- Dia-Compe "Regular" Brake Levers
- SunTour Bar End Shifters
- Dia-Compe 0281 Brake Calipers
- Sugino Super Maxy 2spd Crank
- Kuwahara Cycles 1.37x24T Bottom Bracket
- Kuwahara Cycles Headset
- SunTour Vx Front/Rear Derailleurs
- SunTour Pro-Compe 5spd Rear Cassette
- Araya 27" Wheels w/ Suzue SAT.NO.5 Hubs
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Here's some pics (with all the dirt and grime still intact after twenty some odd years of storage).
- Chrome Molybdenum 57cm Steel Frame. Serial # 81 03 58750.
- Champion No. 5 Seamless P.G. Tubes by Tange Industries Ltd.
- Nitto Technomic Stem
- Nitto Olympiad 115 Drop Handlebars
- Dia-Compe "Regular" Brake Levers
- SunTour Bar End Shifters
- Dia-Compe 0281 Brake Calipers
- Sugino Super Maxy 2spd Crank
- Kuwahara Cycles 1.37x24T Bottom Bracket
- Kuwahara Cycles Headset
- SunTour Vx Front/Rear Derailleurs
- SunTour Pro-Compe 5spd Rear Cassette
- Araya 27" Wheels w/ Suzue SAT.NO.5 Hubs
Any help would be greatly appreciated! Here's some pics (with all the dirt and grime still intact after twenty some odd years of storage).
10-12-09, 09:59 PM
#2
Señor Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Hardy, VA
Posts: 17,921
Bikes: Mostly English - predominantly Raleighs
Mentioned: 70 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1491 Post(s)
Liked 1,089 Times
in
637 Posts
Can't help with the model, but that looks like a decent bike from the 80's. Not the flashiest, or the lightest, but definitely no shame in owning/riding it.
__________________
In search of what to search for.
In search of what to search for.
10-13-09, 10:02 AM
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Vancouver, WA, USA
Posts: 32
Bikes: 1986 Univega Maxima Sport, 1980 Fuji Gran Tourer SE, 1981 Soma Prestige, 2001 Worksman Cycles Trike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
So, in more researching, here's what I've found...
- Kuwahara made Soma bicycles.
- The frame is a Tange Prestige frame.
- I'm still not sure of the year or model.
- I'd wager a guess of 1981 with serial # 81 03 58750.
- It was about '81/82 that they originally bought the bike.
Any Soma experts out there??? Thanks!
- Kuwahara made Soma bicycles.
- The frame is a Tange Prestige frame.
- I'm still not sure of the year or model.
- I'd wager a guess of 1981 with serial # 81 03 58750.
- It was about '81/82 that they originally bought the bike.
Any Soma experts out there??? Thanks!
10-14-09, 06:50 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,223
Mentioned: 654 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4722 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3,036 Times
in
1,874 Posts
Yes, March 1981, Kuwahara manufactured, however the frame is not Tange Prestige. The frame is Tange #5, a non-butted, CrMo tubeset, about 5 places below Prestige. The bicycle is a lower mid-range, sports touring model. It was 4th in a line-up of 8 lightweight models.
Soma was US company that contracted manufacture to Kuwahara and possibly other Asian companies. While not well known in the US, Kuwahara was an established and well respected company. In Canada, Kuharawa bicycles, sold under the Apollo brand, had wider distribution and were probably the most popular Japanese manufactured brand during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Soma was US company that contracted manufacture to Kuwahara and possibly other Asian companies. While not well known in the US, Kuwahara was an established and well respected company. In Canada, Kuharawa bicycles, sold under the Apollo brand, had wider distribution and were probably the most popular Japanese manufactured brand during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
10-14-09, 07:10 AM
#6
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Vancouver, WA, USA
Posts: 32
Bikes: 1986 Univega Maxima Sport, 1980 Fuji Gran Tourer SE, 1981 Soma Prestige, 2001 Worksman Cycles Trike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks, T-Mar! As always, you're a big help. 
So the "Prestige" on the top tube of my frame must indicate the model of the Soma then?
So the "Prestige" on the top tube of my frame must indicate the model of the Soma then?
10-14-09, 07:37 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,223
Mentioned: 654 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4722 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3,036 Times
in
1,874 Posts
Yes, Prestige is Soma's model name for your bicycle.
08-26-12, 10:27 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Rupert's Land
Posts: 1,243
Bikes: 1981 Raleigh GP, 1985 Norco Bush Pilot, . . .
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 241 Post(s)
Liked 187 Times
in
136 Posts
I have an 1982 Apollo Prestige, with Fred Deeley decals. This is a Canadian bike.
The components are almost identical to your Soma Prestige.
Serial number: 82 01 69xxx
Shifter levers are on the down tube.
I have a Nitto stem, but not stamped as "Technomic". Mine is NITTO YOUNG.
The fork crown is not chrome and is sloped (not flat).
The Champion tube decal is oval and different wording on the label.
The paint colour is orange/amber. Really catches the eye.
The components are almost identical to your Soma Prestige.
Serial number: 82 01 69xxx
Shifter levers are on the down tube.
I have a Nitto stem, but not stamped as "Technomic". Mine is NITTO YOUNG.
The fork crown is not chrome and is sloped (not flat).
The Champion tube decal is oval and different wording on the label.
The paint colour is orange/amber. Really catches the eye.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
go_jake
Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Appraisals.
3
05-15-12 05:39 PM
jeffree59
Classic & Vintage
9
08-06-10 05:17 PM
