New Soma v3 Grand Randonneur; thoughts?

[Stephen C]

Long time lurker, first time poster. 

It's been teased on Soma's IG but full details are now live on their website for the v3 GR.  

Low trail (37 mm), 650b frameset, still with 1" threaded fork but now disc brake and thru axles. A rare mix of modern/traditional. Slightly increased tire clearance (650bx47). A nice, subdued forest green color. Details in link below. 

I've never ridden a low trail bike but I got the impression that previous GR were shimmy prone which sounds terrifying to me. SOMA claims to have addressed these issues. From the numbers, v3 has a higher trail that previous versions. I know the GR was a gateway for the entry-level low trail experience; I'm late to the game but this idea is intriguing to me (I dream of boxy rando bags). Probably a long shot but has anyone ridden the new V3 GR? Any reviews out there? 

https://www.somafabshop.com/shop/product/soma-frameset-grand-randonneur-disc-moss-green-5688

[rcnute]

I think it looks awesome and am tempted.  I rode a version 1 Grand Randonneur briefly and it seemed nice enough.

Ryan

[Andy G]

It was just announced on the blog yesterday, so unlikely to see reviews for a while unless someone has insider knowledge. There are a lot of previous reviews out there and it always sounded hit or miss.

I rode a Soma Double Cross for a long time, which was the 700c cousin before Grand Rando came out. I liked that a lot, until I upgraded to a Rawland Stag (RIP) which was much nicer.

When I was looking for a 650b to replace a broken frame, I was more interested in the Cycles Toussaint Velo Routier: https://www.cyclestoussaint.com/products/velo-routier-2-0-650b-low-trail-frame-with-braze-ons

Handles wider tires, still low trail, good old canti brakes. Price is right too: only $605 shipped vs Soma at $800 + shipping. VR has a package for a full built kit around $1,400 too.

For $15 more than the Soma, might as well look at Black Mountain Road+ too. Not my aesthetics, but seems to get great reviews for a disc brake bike.

I ultimately found a Rawland rSogn for the right price and went with that instead of a new frameset.

Good luck! 

Andy in NH

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[randal...@gmail.com]

The bike is already in stock at the Soma store, $899 shipped free.

I think the shimmy issues were due to Soma selling the bike as a touring bike and a small few riders rear loading it with heavy loads. Production steel low-trail bikes don't really have the ingredients to shimmy for most riders unless the rack or fenders are poorly mounted. 

I like it, I think it's neat they've had 3 iterations so far of a fairly niche design. That said, there aren't any good handlebars (short reach/drop flare) in 25.4mm and I've already got a lifetime of low-trail framesets so I probably won't be buying one. NGL I'm tempted to order one and be "first" but the resale was so poor last time I did this with the Masi Rando I think I'll be able to resist this go around. 

[pcb....@gmail.com]

Just a friendly nerds-up re: some of the prices posted above....

The Soma Grand Randonneur v3 frameset is $899, not $800, and that's for the frameset, not the bike. At a rounded-up $900, it's $300 more than the Cycles Toussaint Velo Routier, and also a bit more expensive than the BMC Road+, depending on where you live re: BMC shipping costs.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Paul Brodek

Hillsdale, NJ USA

[randal...@gmail.com]

Amusingly, the V3 GR fork is available for purchase separately, but only as 1" threadless. Apparently Soma now has SKUs for (and are stocking currently) 9 different kinds of low-trail fork, in addition to the one that comes stock on the V3 frameset. We are truly living in the salad days of low-trail access. 

On Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 8:40:16 PM UTC-4 randal...@gmail.com wrote:

[Andy G]

Sorry about the price mix-up. Last I had noted, the GRv2 was $570 shipped. I know a lot happened last year in the bike market but that's a yuuuuge jump.

Probably not low trail, but here's a full bike with 650x53 for $849 (unsure about shipping cost): State Allroad 4130

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[randal...@gmail.com]

I hope we'll see some price reduction once the framesets move into the retail market. I've purchased quite a few Soma frames and forks and never paid close to the Soma Store price, remember until 2020 they were having a 20% sale once or twice a year. At one point before the coronavirus bike boom,  GR V1/V2 framsets were easy to find at Universal Cycles or eBay for $480.

$900 is a tough price point but from what I've been able to find; the GR V3 is both the lightest weight, and built with the lightest tubing spec, low-trail production frameset right now. So a little bit worth it, a little bit MSRP, and quite a bit of eye-bleeding about how expensive everything is now.

[satanas]

Randall said:

"I think the shimmy issues were due to Soma selling the bike as a touring

bike and a small few riders rear loading it with heavy loads. Production

steel low-trail bikes don't really have the ingredients to shimmy for most

riders unless the rack or fenders are poorly mounted."

^ This is incorrect IME. I had a 55cm v1, fitted with a Stronglight Delta needle bearing headset from new after everything was faced to ensure correct alignment. Rear panniers were never used, only fronts. Despite this it shimmied consistently every time the speed reached ~28-30km/h. If a bump was hit mid-corner things were much worse, and there was one very scary incident descending a pass in Wales in rain and mist with high speed passing traffic where things escalated to tank-slapper proportions. I could never relax on the bike and just ride it - until a new fork with 14mm less offset was built. After that, shimmy was no longer endemic, but there was still one unpleasant incident during PBP 2015 on a wet, twisty descent.

I also found it extremely difficult to follow a straight line, like for instance a road border or someone's wheel in a paceline; instead the bike would wander. I'd never previously had similar problems on any other bike - road, touring or mountain, although some small wheel bikes (like AMs) ween't notably directionally stable.

QC was also rather dubious IMO. The frame I bought was supposed to have a 72.5° HTA and 69mm offset, but in reality it was 72.0-72.1° and the offset was 74mm (measured on Anvil frame and fork jigs). Some of the canti boss brazing on the fork was rough too, but fortunately nothing actually came off.

Caveat emptor,

Stephen

[Mitch Harris]

Worth factoring in the small $ savings from the lack of need to buy quick release skewers. Maybe no savings at all for those of us who have disc-worthy skewers in the parts bin, but while registering the price hike for this GRv3, keep in mind that Soma including through-axles and their dropouts (if that's what we call the TA versions) is not cheap at this price point. --Mitch in Utah Wasatch

[Mike Sideris]

The v3 claims "The geometry is still low trail in the front, but we have tried to make the handling slightly more stable than version 1 and 2.".  I've been eyeing one to put a pile of new parts that I collected for a different build for a 650b fender and lights build for loaded commuting and long gravel days, but I've never ridden a bike with such low trail and was concerned about stability while bombing down gravel roads (something I cant seem to resist).

I emailed them a few questions about the frame and they noted this:

Note we found out this batch of frame, the rear dropout is slightly off spec.

If you are assembling it yourself you will need to add 2.5mm - 3mm of washer between the dropout and IS adapter in order for the brake to center over the disc rotor.

-Mike

[ericni...@gmail.com]

That’s confusing and troubling, since the modular IS mount / dropout is a separate piece, independent of the frame. The centering of the caliper over the disc would depend only on the modular IS mount, which includes the left dropout. 

Their suggested fix sounds like a bodge. Rather than selling a bunch of frames with chronic disc rub potential, the better solution, it seems to me, would be to not sell the frames until the modular IS mount is replaced with one having the proper offset.

Unless I am missing something?

Eric in NH

[ericni...@gmail.com]

[Pat Smith]

Wow it's a bolt on piece and they are still suggesting you shim it yourself. Poor business practice on their part. Even if they can't source correct dropouts they should test fit and supply the necessary shims with the frames...

[Christopher Roeleveld]

I have to second that skepticism, especially after hearing of the rear dropout failures with the v1 (v2?) Wolverines.

Though, perhaps those with industry know-how could persuade me that the battery of stress testing that happens is good enough.

—

C Roeleveld

JH NY

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[Mike Sideris]

I'm thinking maybe I'll stick with a cheaper option for my first build.  I have an old French Fontan that I bought as a flip/flop SS thats begging for a makeover and I think it might make a suitable rando/commuter bike.  I've never done anything like it so I've got lots of things to figure out (front and rear mech hangers, BB bearings, etc).