by: cm_mtb
Description: My fiancé and I are selling this awesome pair of Soma Saga Disc touring bikes, in sizes 54 cm and 58 cm. We will sell the bikes separately, or together at a better deal. I have many more detailed photos that I can send upon request.
These bikes carried us through Patagonia without a single mechanical failure, but we are moving on to other adventures and it would be a shame to let these bikes sit. We put a ton of thought into these custom builds, prioritizing durability, performance, and ergonomics. We wouldn’t change a thing if we did it all over. With these bikes, you can save a huge chunk of cash (each bike retailed over $3,000), along with the hours upon hours we spent sweating the details. Both bikes are in excellent condition, with only a few small scuffs; see the pictures for details. If you’re looking for the TL;DR version, the build specs are at the bottom of the ad. Otherwise, here are some highlights of the build:
The Saga is smooth and compliant, yet stiff in all the right ways. The geometry makes the bike feel stable, but also nimble through turns. The bike accelerates surprisingly easily, even when loaded.
The SRAM Apex shifters provide reliable and accurate shifting, and never require you to remove your hands from the bars. It sucks to take your hand off the bar to fiddle with downtube or bar end shifters while riding a loaded bike downhill or over bumpy roads.
We used mountain bike gearing with an X9 (36/22) crankset (a double for simplicity) and an SLX cassette (the 54 cm has a Wolftooth 40 tooth cog in place of the 36 tooth cog). This is the lowest available 10 speed gearing. On a touring bike, there is really no need to pedal over 25 mph; you’d have to kill yourself to pedal that fast on flat ground, and by the time you run out of gears downhill, you’ll feel like your 80-pound rig is moving plenty quickly. On the other hand, your gearing can never be too low once you start grinding uphill.
The BB7 disc brakes allow for easily modulated, single-finger stopping - super important with a loaded bike.
The Shimano/DT Swiss wheelset is hand-tensioned by QBP in the US. This wheelset is an ideal combination of weight and durability. The hubs roll smoothly, and the rims remained true throughout the tour. The Schwalbe tires have great traction but also roll well, and have excellent flat protection.
We’re keeping our Brooks saddles, but you’ll want to get your own anyway so that it can mold to your butt. Pedals are also a personal choice, and are not included.
Dependable front and rear racks worth $260 per bike are included, however, so grab yourself a Brooks, install your favorite pedals, and you’ll be ready to begin the bike tour you’ve always dreamed of! Well, as soon as you get some panniers (we happen to have some Ortliebs for sale).
Price: $4,000 for both bikes, or $2,100 each (buyer pays shipping). Buy as a pair and save!
Frame - Soma Saga disc, 58 and 54
Fork - Soma
Headset - Cane Creek 40
Rims - DT Swiss TK540 700C 36H
Spokes - DT Swiss
Hubs - Shimano Deore XT M756
Skewers - Shimano XT
Tires - Schwalbe Marathon Mondial HS 428 35mm
Crankset - SRAM X9 (brand new crank arms on 58 cm)
BB - SRAM
Shifters - SRAM Apex
Derailleur (rear) - SRAM X7
Derailleur (front) - SRAM X7
Cassette - Shimano SLX 11-36 / Shimano SLX Wolftooth 11-40
Chain - Shimano SLX
Brakes - Avid BB7 Road
Handlebar - Salsa Cowbell 3 / FSA Energy Compact
Bar tape - ESI
Stem - Thomson X4
Seatpost - Thomson Elite Setback (27.2x330) ***straight seatpost shown on 54 cm will be replaced with a brand new setback seatpost
Seat clamp - Salsa
Saddle - not Included
Pedals - not included
Rack (front) - Tubus Tara
Rack (rear) - Surly