BarracksSi

Oh, there are cheaper disc brakes out there. A BB5 is several steps up from the stuff I saw at Wal-Mart today.

tjspiel

So, would this bike take 40mm tires with fenders? I think it would make an ideal winter bike but I need my 40mm studs.

soho2009

The 37mm is listed as a 37mm but its really a 35mm with edge knobs so dont think you could make to 40. Just take one of your old bikes sitting around the house and make it your permanent winter bike. I took my old commuter which was a cannondale mtb and now pretty much use it just for winter commuting and maybe once a month for some trail rides.

mtalinm

btw did anyone figure out how to adjust the belt-drive tension? I undid the belt (unnecessarily) while replacing the rear tire, and it seems loose and less responsive than before.

Titmawz

Very nice !

tjspiel

I have a winter bike already like that but I hate dealing with the additional chain maintenance that winter creates which is why I'm interested in a belt drive.

slolane

Sweet bike!!!

bmorey

You have to loosen and drop the belt to remove the wheel and replace the tire.

The belt tension is fairly easy to set -- use the tension screws to push the wheel to the rear, evenly. I use my recollection of how tight the belt was when I first got the bike as a guide, i.e, very tight with about a centimetre slack in the centre. I used a lever against the tire to assist in keeping it centred while I tightened the hub nuts.

I misjudged a flooded bike trail this morning and three times cycled through water deeper than the IGH. I hope Shimano has fixed that seal problem.

soho2009

There is a tension tester available that your shop may have bought. Otherwise, the detailed instructions are here: https://www.carbondrivesystems.com/in...on.php?lang=us

From the pdf "b. Checking tension by hand: Applying 5 lbs to 10 lbs of pressure on the center of the belt
span, the belt should deflect about ½-inch. (For detailed tensioning instructions, please
review the Tension_Requirements.PDF document)"

I guess you can damage the belt if you under or over tension but I dont know the total range. Last winter I was adjusting the belt every week in efforts to reduce an unrelated noise. Sometimes ran it "loose", sometimes ran it "tight" using the tension gauge and by finger push based on experience with tension gauge. I dont think we (meaning commuters) put the kind of stress on the belt that single speed mtb's do so maybe its not as critical. Course, thats an "educated" guess.) Since the noise issue was solved this summer, I've adjusted the belt once in two months.

soho2009

During my winter riding last year, I found that the shift line was freezing and would end up stuck in one gear on the way home. Easy enough to fix with grease/oil but you may run into this if you live where the temperature drops below 35 - (35 plus riding in wind - bridge freezes before road surface and all of that)

soho2009

Hey Mtalinm,

If you still have the rear wheel free of the bike, any chance you take a pic of the rear sprocket keys? Irclean and I debated whether the rear sprocket wear is an issue or nonissue for folks who are more main line users. I argued that Irclean and I are outside the norm so we would put excessive stress on the system. My impression based on your comments is that you are not putting excessive stress on the rear sprocket.

Dont pull it apart though if you dont have a stop ring pliers. Its a pain in the butt to put the ring back on without them. - They arent the generic stop ring pliers, either. You have to get the ones that can handle stop rings without eyelets.

Your lbs may have em and if they do, and they are doing the tensioning, it wont take em more than 20 seconds to pull the rear sprocket off.

While it may seem like this query is "idle curiosity" it could help you check for a potential problem. If there is no significant key wear, then I'm right (on a basis of one) and you can forget about it. If there is significant key wear, then I'm either wrong, (or you are also an outlier but the more outliers, the less likely we are all outliers) More importantly, if there is key wear, you can ask the lbs to solve the issue while its under warranty.

soho2009

<grin>

After further review, the $ went into the new carbon fiber fork which explains the switch to a disc brake. Can you have a carbon fiber fork with a drum brake? A drum brake puts non linear stress on the fork.

mtalinm

thanks - where are the tension screws? I looked and couldn't find them, and Trek's owners manual doesn't really explain

bmorey

Right here:

bikescrews.jpg

You need a 3mm (IIRC) Allen key to adjust them.

mtalinm

ah, that's what that is. seems to be lefty-tighty...?

canyoneagle

Threaded tensioners like that are really handy. Use common sense to figure out which way will tighten the tension (i.e. push the axle farther back) and use the tension screws to get the correct alignment and tension prior to tightening the axle bolts. Just be sure to get the rear wheel aligned evenly before tightening the axle bolts, as the belt system is very sensitive to any mis-alignment.
The belt should not be so tight that it is really stiff, nor should it have enough slack to allow 1-2" deflection. I've used the rule of thumb of 1/2" deflection with about 5 pounds of pressure at the midpoint of the belt. I've also used the Gates finger tool, but find I no longer need it.

spacedesign

I got a 2010 Soho last month here in Ireland and have been very impressed with the bike. I haven't had any issues with rattles from the brakes or belt noises. I use the bike to pull a 2 seat child trailer as well as daily cycles, I agree the front drum brakes are softer compared to other brake types, but, they are very consistent, and they are perfectly adequate.

I do find the IGH a little tricky to set up right all the time, I have set it to 4th and lined up the yellow dots, but its not always engaging the gear flawlessly, mostly on the way down. I find I have to stop peddling to let the gear drop down one, also if the bike has been indoors and at room temp, there can be differences in gear alignment compared to the bike having been in the cold shed outdoors, I haven't yet got the gears to be consistent at one setting, but I will in time. I assume this is the cable expanding and contracting due to temp?

I'd love to hear any other users experiences with getting the gears just right?

bmorey

Re changing down - my experience is the same. It is rather 'sticky' and I need to back off pedaling slightly to effect the change. My previous bike, also Nexus IGH, was the same.

Brakes: there is a point when they start to bite hard, really hard. I try to avoid it by braking and slowing before that happens -- it's usually when descending a very steep bike path. The sudden increase in braking force is rather unnerving.

nyc_commuter

I'm looking into buying the 2011 model of this bike, but I've read here and elsewhere that the frame will contract slightly when going from warm to cold (indoors to outdoors) so that the belt requires tensioning. I'm a 365 day commuter and intend to use this bike in the relatively cold NYC winters for about a 6 mile commute. From your experience, how much does the cold weather affect the belt tension? Is it something that I'll need to hop off my bike at the 2 mile mark just so that I can re-tension the belt... and then also tension it again so that when I get to work and store it indoors at room temperature for 8 hours the belt won't become over stressed from the frame expanding? If so, this would be a severe PITA, considering the whole low maintenance marketing spin of this bike. I'd appreciate any comments from current soho owners as well as other belt drive / aluminum frame cyclists. Thanks in advance!

BarracksSi

If the frame expanded that far, the welds would break and it would fall apart. I've heard musicians sometimes say the same thing about wind instruments (drums are another story). Maybe the belt changes tension, though, so I won't dismiss your concern outright.

But, anyway, there are adjuster screws that position the axle to adjust belt tension. You'll be fine.

mtalinm

i'm a boston-based soho owner and have had no problems with belt tension due to frame expansion. it's the same black aluminum frame as on a bunch of other Treks

spacedesign

I posted above about the cables possibly suffering from expansion, but I can tell you that I have not noticed the frame expand, the belt tension gives about 1cm movement in the middle. The 2011 model is a good call, carbon forks, disc brake and a carrier are great improvements. I'd say for the 2012 model Trek may include a grip twister for gear change. This is a really great bike, peddling and freewheeling are both completely silent, no clicks, its an absolute pleasure, I'm not a fanboy of Trek or the Soho, but I have read this tread in full and noticed about 3 posts where for what appeared to be minor issues the poster suggested they had regrets buying the bike, I can hand on heart, stand back from the bike and realise this bike has more developments and advances than any other bike I've ever seen, and I don't think there is any other mode of transport in the world today that shows as much development than a bike like this. It really is maintenance free, its almost like an automatic bike with the IGH, changing gear at the lights is pure brilliance, the belt drive should be on every bike!, the roller brake is for me just perfect.

I would say after about 8km I started to notice a very slight pain in my ass from the saddle, I stress very slight, next day I felt a slight tenderness when I got back on, nothing major, but I bought a Brooks Flyer (B17 with springs) and the pain / tenderness went immediately, even after 15km I feel fine, I'm not a seasoned cyclist either. I haven't dabbled yet in any of the Brooks saddle break in concepts. But I might, only because the saddle is a tad slippery when I have my rain gear on.

I see on the Gates Carbon Site that Trek are bringing out a developed model of this bike for Europe, called the Dublin (funny I'm in Dublin) with integrated dynamo hub, a Brooks saddle, twister gear change, etc....it looks great, but I personally think the Soho in grey is understated elegance, your gonna feel chuffed every time you cycle the Soho.

The Dublin can bee seen here......https://blog.carbondrivesystems.com/?p=948

mtalinm

you know, I need to take back my previous rants about the Soho. it's a great bike.

true, the drum brakes are probably not as responsive as disc brakes. but this is a commuter, nothing you're doing 35mph downhills on. I just ride the rear brake to limit my downhill speed - not safe in traffic anyway - and it's not a problem.

sure, I wish I had the carbon fork on the 2011 model, but a good pair of padded gloves and I'm fine for my daily commute. probably not my first choice for a century, but again it's not that sort of bike.

plus, I have had zero problems with spokes or anything - even when I was over 300# and carrying 20# of gear each way.

it's a champ.

soho2009

If you find the brakes "catching" during hard braking, have the lbs check the lube level. These brakes "use up" lube over time. I needed additional lube in both brakes the first week of ownership so if you've never had them lubed, welllllllllllll.

If you find downshifts to be less smooth than upshifting, you may have some moisture and/or dirt in/on the shift cable near the rear hub. It can actually jam where the cable meets the cable housing. If still sticky, check for lube between the shift cover and the hub.

The frame expansion/contraction is relative to the sprocket and belt expansion / contraction. The original system has aluminum sprockets at both ends while the frame is steel so it may have been the sprockets rather than the belt that made the difference. The 2011 may be the new CDC system with steel sprockets rather than aluminum so you would expect expansion contraction due to temp to be meaningless.

soho2009

Have not had to stop pedaling for gear change but do get some hiccups in 3rd gear where it randomly decides to find third at its leisure. Just third gear, though, so figure its liveable since 3rd is a gear I use sparingly anyway. Tried adjusting around the issue via adjusting the dot but ended with gear problems everywhere else so gave up.

While it could be a shift cable issue, you probably checked that out first.