Trek Soho Carbon Drive is here!
06-12-09, 11:44 AM
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Trek Soho Carbon Drive is here!
I picked up my Trek Soho today and took it for a short ride. I've been riding a '69 Schwinn Racer 3 speed for the last couple weeks since my Marin Point Reyes was stolen. I was starting to enjoy the simplicity of the 3 spd, but this Trek Soho is beautiful and simple. The 8 speed Nexus Hub and Alfine rapid fire work well, the range of gears is good, good enough for commuting. The seat felt good at first, but started to hurt, so I'll play around with the angle or replace my brooks that was on my Marin. The carbon drive (chain) is pretty cool. I'm looking forward to not oiling and cleaning it. The brakes are roller brakes or something, they brake almost like anti-lock, very smooth, I'm sure everything is going to settle a bit and need a tightening after a few hundred miles. I'm digging it and as other get this bike maybe this thread can become a great resource for those considering this bike.
I will certainly report back as I use the bike for commuting.
I will certainly report back as I use the bike for commuting.
06-12-09, 12:36 PM
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Looks nice. Does the rear triangle have openings on the DS&NDS? If yes, why? I like the gunmetal grey color. I also noticed the rack eyelets are on the removable rear dropout. If that's true, belt change will require rack disconnection from dropout?
06-12-09, 01:13 PM
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Cool! What are your first impressions of the belt drive? Does power transfer feel as direct as a chain? Do you notice any stretch or lag? Please keep us posted as to its perfromance and durability.
06-12-09, 01:53 PM
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Belt change should be a rare event, shouldn't it?
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Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
06-12-09, 02:12 PM
#7
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
Anyway, I think that's a slick bike. If it had a dynohub I'd seriously consider getting one. Keep us posted on what you think of it as you pile on the miles.
06-12-09, 04:49 PM
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06-12-09, 07:33 PM
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you break your chain for a tire change? (imagine an "innocent" smiley here) Interesting that there is a break in the NDS dropout. Not sure what to think about that
These dropouts look better than the ones I remember Trek showing on this bike.
These dropouts look better than the ones I remember Trek showing on this bike.
06-12-09, 08:50 PM
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You're right. Confusion over here. How about changing the tire with the internal hub. Do you have to disconnect that or can you change a tire with that all set up?
06-12-09, 08:53 PM
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Oh yeah and BTW get some new tires. They are crap. I got a dozen flats with them before I bought Armadillos (two days ago). And that coffee mug is, uh, well you'll see. Hot coffee cracks the plastic making it dump all over your shirt when you try to take a drink. Do you sense the jealousy over here? Ha! :-)
06-12-09, 10:27 PM
#15
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It looks like you can drop the rear wheel free from the frame to change a flat tire.
It's not pretty. It's handsome. Great buy! If I had room for one more bike, I'd definitely get one of these bad boys - based solely on the tech geek factor.
It's not pretty. It's handsome. Great buy! If I had room for one more bike, I'd definitely get one of these bad boys - based solely on the tech geek factor.
06-12-09, 11:17 PM
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06-13-09, 12:11 AM
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"Cool! What are your first impressions of the belt drive? Does power transfer feel as direct as a chain? Do you notice any stretch or lag? Please keep us posted as to its perfromance and durability."
Power transfer feels the same as a chain, pedal hard, bikes goes faster, etc. Stretch? We’ll see.
"Belt change should be a rare event, shouldn't it?"
Trek says every 3 years, let’s see. The LBS suggested I order a spare belt to have on hand, not a bad idea.
"I wonder if you've ever really used antilock brakes -- they're anything but smooth when the system activates.. "
I don’t know what I’m talking about, but the brakes on this bike work. How’s that! They don’t stop on a dime – meaning, throw you over the handlebars, or leave a skid mark easily, more refined somehow. Maybe I was just being easy on the cables since it’s all new and stuff.
"Anyway, I think that's a slick bike. If it had a dynohub I'd seriously consider getting one. Keep us posted on what you think of it as you pile on the miles."
Looks like there’s a tradeoff on the dynohub.
"Is the belt quiet at high speeds?"
It’s quiet, I commute in the city so quiet is not an option, the one spot that is usually quiet in my commute was filled with a raging rain soaked creek (Rock Creek Park) so I couldn’t tell. Aren’t all new bikes quiet?
"Oh yeah and BTW get some new tires. They are crap. I got a dozen flats with them before I bought Armadillos (two days ago). And that coffee mug is, uh, well you'll see. Hot coffee cracks the plastic making it dump all over your shirt when you try to take a drink. Do you sense the jealousy over here? Ha! :-)"
Doesn’t plastic contain synthetic hormones? I’ll probably replace the coffee mug with a martini shaker.
We’ll see on the tyres. This is one area that will suck, if I get a flat. I had the LBS mechanic show me how to remove the rear wheel, and it’s a couple of steps, disconnecting the brake and the cable for the gears. The brakes work like coaster brakes, so there's a clamp that has to be disconnected. But looks like you can drop the rear wheel from the frame to change a flat tire without messing with the belt. I've been lucky with flats over the last 20 years, hope my luck holds out.
"What's going on with the lighter color on the sliders? Is it a higher friction coating?"
The lighter colour is just an area with no paint.
"It looks like you can drop the rear wheel free from the frame to change a flat tire."
Yes
It's not pretty. It's handsome. Great buy! If I had room for one more bike, I'd definitely get one of these bad boys - based solely on the tech geek factor.
In person the colour is very nice, kinda retro, easy on the eyes. The last couple o’ bikes I had were either black or titanium. It’s refresing to have some color. The color is Rain Gray. I have to say it's a really nice color.
"My thoughts as well, I'll wait until more colors options, other than machine gray, become available."
It’s not black for sure. Not sure which brooks to get, black, brown or honey. Opinions?
This will be my only bike, which I’ll ride everyday to work rain/snow, etc. (10 miles roundtrip). I usually don’t buy new technology, but the timing (stolen bike) and the fact that the chain doesn’t need maintenance and no cassette and derailers, means less $ trips $ to the LBS for repairs $. We’ll see. It's a gorgeous bike, fast, smooth - I don't buy a bike very often so this is very exciting time for me. I think the belt drive would work well with kids bikes as kids tend to leave their bikes out in the yard in the rain and the chain invariably gets rusted. With how fast innovation runs through the bike industry I predict in two years all bike manufacturers will have a belt drive offering. You gotta admit it's pretty cool whether you'll go for it or not.
Power transfer feels the same as a chain, pedal hard, bikes goes faster, etc. Stretch? We’ll see.
"Belt change should be a rare event, shouldn't it?"
Trek says every 3 years, let’s see. The LBS suggested I order a spare belt to have on hand, not a bad idea.
"I wonder if you've ever really used antilock brakes -- they're anything but smooth when the system activates.. "
I don’t know what I’m talking about, but the brakes on this bike work. How’s that! They don’t stop on a dime – meaning, throw you over the handlebars, or leave a skid mark easily, more refined somehow. Maybe I was just being easy on the cables since it’s all new and stuff.
"Anyway, I think that's a slick bike. If it had a dynohub I'd seriously consider getting one. Keep us posted on what you think of it as you pile on the miles."
Looks like there’s a tradeoff on the dynohub.
"Is the belt quiet at high speeds?"
It’s quiet, I commute in the city so quiet is not an option, the one spot that is usually quiet in my commute was filled with a raging rain soaked creek (Rock Creek Park) so I couldn’t tell. Aren’t all new bikes quiet?
"Oh yeah and BTW get some new tires. They are crap. I got a dozen flats with them before I bought Armadillos (two days ago). And that coffee mug is, uh, well you'll see. Hot coffee cracks the plastic making it dump all over your shirt when you try to take a drink. Do you sense the jealousy over here? Ha! :-)"
Doesn’t plastic contain synthetic hormones? I’ll probably replace the coffee mug with a martini shaker.
We’ll see on the tyres. This is one area that will suck, if I get a flat. I had the LBS mechanic show me how to remove the rear wheel, and it’s a couple of steps, disconnecting the brake and the cable for the gears. The brakes work like coaster brakes, so there's a clamp that has to be disconnected. But looks like you can drop the rear wheel from the frame to change a flat tire without messing with the belt. I've been lucky with flats over the last 20 years, hope my luck holds out.
"What's going on with the lighter color on the sliders? Is it a higher friction coating?"
The lighter colour is just an area with no paint.
"It looks like you can drop the rear wheel free from the frame to change a flat tire."
Yes
It's not pretty. It's handsome. Great buy! If I had room for one more bike, I'd definitely get one of these bad boys - based solely on the tech geek factor.
In person the colour is very nice, kinda retro, easy on the eyes. The last couple o’ bikes I had were either black or titanium. It’s refresing to have some color. The color is Rain Gray. I have to say it's a really nice color.
"My thoughts as well, I'll wait until more colors options, other than machine gray, become available."
It’s not black for sure. Not sure which brooks to get, black, brown or honey. Opinions?
This will be my only bike, which I’ll ride everyday to work rain/snow, etc. (10 miles roundtrip). I usually don’t buy new technology, but the timing (stolen bike) and the fact that the chain doesn’t need maintenance and no cassette and derailers, means less $ trips $ to the LBS for repairs $. We’ll see. It's a gorgeous bike, fast, smooth - I don't buy a bike very often so this is very exciting time for me. I think the belt drive would work well with kids bikes as kids tend to leave their bikes out in the yard in the rain and the chain invariably gets rusted. With how fast innovation runs through the bike industry I predict in two years all bike manufacturers will have a belt drive offering. You gotta admit it's pretty cool whether you'll go for it or not.
06-13-09, 12:24 AM
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Front wheel, basically a cable activated coaster brake. Let's see how long between maintenance.
06-13-09, 07:38 AM
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I have a bike I powder coated that's similar in color. I added a honey Brooks and Toshi leather wrap for grips, Click the link in my sig to see pictures.. I think the color combination is classic and Trek did not consult Surly for that color. That's a classic and I mean classic color. Look pre-war/war bikes, especially French ones. They were all a shade of what you have there.
edit: I forgot, that's a fantastic looking bike!
edit 2: I also have a Trek 7.2FX that I am slowly improving (the frame geo is similar to yours). I changed the bars and stem head set with a silver ones, I'm about to change the seat post with a silver one. Honey Brooks and leather grips are going on it as well. Changing some of the black components for silver color dresses it up and showcases the leather better I think.
edit: I forgot, that's a fantastic looking bike!
edit 2: I also have a Trek 7.2FX that I am slowly improving (the frame geo is similar to yours). I changed the bars and stem head set with a silver ones, I'm about to change the seat post with a silver one. Honey Brooks and leather grips are going on it as well. Changing some of the black components for silver color dresses it up and showcases the leather better I think.
Last edited by Mr_Christopher; 06-13-09 at 07:46 AM.
06-13-09, 10:14 AM
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I have a bike I powder coated that's similar in color. I added a honey Brooks and Toshi leather wrap for grips, Click the link in my sig to see pictures.. I think the color combination is classic and Trek did not consult Surly for that color. That's a classic and I mean classic color. Look pre-war/war bikes, especially French ones. They were all a shade of what you have there.
edit: I forgot, that's a fantastic looking bike!
edit: I forgot, that's a fantastic looking bike!
Again, I'll have to wait until next year, and see what Trek's color choice(s) will be.
06-13-09, 12:28 PM
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I'd like to see manufacturers do the split frame regardless of drive train so we have an option to upgrade to belt drive later. The only way I can get this on my bike is if I take my bike to a machine shop and have them cut, place belt, and re-weld and with aluminum I'd be nervous with "aftermarket" welding. I'd like to see flat white next year for a color. That would look noice.
06-13-09, 06:22 PM
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I think I wouldn't mind having a frame designed like that instead of track ends. Looks really easy to tension. Not quick, but easy.