When I saw this Soma Double Cross I did a double take, and not just because of its flashy orange accents. Soma designed the Double Cross for cyclocross racing, trail rides, commuting and light touring. That usually means drop bars and a rigid fork, so when I saw swept-back bars and a suspension fork I knew it was special.
As we pedaled from Caltrain to his office at San Jose’s Martin Luther King Library, Jon filled me in on his bike’s story. Born a traditional cyclocross-style commuter in 2006, its transformation began with when couple of broken spokes led to a bent rim and new wheels with bright orange rims. Why not add a little pizzazz?
From there it spiraled: a hard-to-find suspension fork for 700c wheels; bullhorn bars first, then swept-back bars with flame grips; downtube shifters; a springy new Brooks saddle for the more upright stance; a cable to secure the saddle; bright orange Ortlieb panniers and a helmet to match. No need for a high-viz jacket here.
And no need for Jon to hold back on making his Soma Double Cross his own. What customizations have you made to your commuter bike? Did you make them all at once or did your bike’s style evolve over time?
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- Hey look, down tube shifters on a non-vintage bike! Slick.
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- Mountain bike gearing to climb any hill San Francisco can throw at him.
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- Flame handlebar grips so hot, it’s no surprise they’re motorcycle grips.
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- U-lock slides into the rear rack, not that he likes locking his baby anywhere.
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- With his thief-attracting Brooks saddle, a cable lock doesn’t feel like enough.
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- Ortleib panniers keep his gear dry, not that we’ve had any rain this winter.
Location: Martin Luther King Library, San Jose, California, USA.
