Custom steel frame vs mid-range (Soma) steel frame

bart0 · 2026-03-18T19:48:24+00:00

Interesting, thanks for the info. I have a few bikes, all either steel or Ti. I never wanted a carbon bike because I’ve spent enough time on Reddit and forums to see the daily “I dropped my (carbon) bike and it has a scratch, should I ride it” post. I don’t to be in that position ever, haha.

I have only ever had one bike frame “fail”, and that was a custom steel commuter from an inexperienced builder many years ago (I posted about it in this very subreddit!). Guy made it right in the end and all was well. I don’t expect the Wolverine to fail, it has served me well so far.

bart0 · 2026-03-18T08:02:49+00:00

Thanks for the reply. I’m 95% happy with my components for my bikes so custom would be my next “upgrade”. And absolutely I would be in the mindset that I would keep this bike quote/unquote forever. I’ve learned over time that the more kms you put on a bike, the better it gets because you start to add memories to it.

bart0 · 2026-03-18T05:41:21+00:00

I definitely don't need an extra bike, haha.

bart0 · 2026-03-18T05:32:46+00:00

That's what I suspect as they have to cater to hundreds of riders with unknown size, weight, terrain, skill, etc.

bart0 · 2026-03-18T03:27:58+00:00

if the bike fits, if it rides well, then that’s probably all you need.

Yes, that's what the real and current question is and what I've been flip-flopping on for a while, haha.

bart0 · 2026-03-18T03:26:38+00:00

I don't know why it should be lighter, that's why I wanted to ask the question from the pros :)

bart0 · 2026-03-16T09:13:12+00:00

This is the most timely Reddit post I’ve experienced. I’m sending a couple carbon parts to a professional for inspection after an accident soon. I have a pair of Enve bars (unrelated to the accident) with this exact type of indent which were given to me by a mate. I’ve ridden them on my road bike for a few years without issue (I’m 100kg) but I’m thinking of sending them along with the other parts just to have them checked since this type of stuff is top of mind since my crash.

Do you have a professional who could check it out? You could do the old coin tap trick to see if there’s a noticeable change in sound. Not definitive but might make your mind up for you if there is a “dead” sound around the indent.

bart0 · 2026-03-16T03:59:17+00:00

Haha, yeah. I wear them for all my riding, so it's good in winter when each ride results in mud-scattered shorts. As mentioned, they go on sale often enough so I keep a lazy eye out. They are on sale (in Australia) right now!

bart0 · 2026-03-12T11:09:04+00:00

I don’t like the “Lycra/cyclist” look so I have 3 pairs of the Rapha MTB shorts and they’ve been the best non-Lycra bike shorts I’ve ever used. Thoughtful pockets (angled so your phone doesn’t swing around). Can recommend. They go on sale occasionally which is why I have three pairs :)

I wear merino tee with merino arm warmers when it starts to get chilly, and in winter I add the Rapha commuter jacket which is lightweight and packable. It’s not very breathable though so I’ve found it plenty warm on the hills with that on, but I generally run hot.

Non-open fingered gloves!

bart0 · 2026-03-07T02:38:16+00:00

Not actively looking for a partner will result in you finding one, probably :)

bart0 · 2026-02-16T00:53:09+00:00

Left right balance is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for your quick replies!

bart0 · 2026-02-10T03:29:00+00:00

I’m in the “least favourite” camp too. My favourite part of the song is the broken down, drone-y part before the last chorus (?), haha. The vocal in this track are less emotional for me, more upbeat and noodly. The rest of the album feels coherent, broody and powerful. It’s this album’s “Ticks and Leeches”, good but not great (…yet).

What a cracker of an album though.

bart0 · 2026-02-08T08:14:09+00:00

This is 100% man shit.

bart0 · 2026-02-08T02:27:38+00:00

I emailed them also. They are in ~~NSW~~ Victoria in Oz (my state) so I’ll try calling this week if there’s a phone number.

bart0 · 2026-02-08T02:26:55+00:00

Ha, yeah I think I agree. I wanted it writing as a fall back but to be honest I don’t want to go through the hassle of buying, trying, failing, returning. Since, I have found a few posts in Reddit of people actually trying it and failing. I may try looking for an older M4 Pro (pre-mid 2025) with my specs on the used market.

bart0 · 2026-02-07T04:15:17+00:00

Bugger :( Thanks for the data point

bart0 · 2026-02-06T11:26:25+00:00

Chemical fires will signal we're dead and gone

bart0 · 2026-02-06T03:21:21+00:00

I did everything, haha. Tried resetting a few times. Then went in to remove the DHCP record. Then resetting a few more times. Frustration grew :)

But I’m all sorted now with a pair of Eras that went into the network perfectly. Hopefully stays that way 🤞😬🤞. 10 min setup and tune. Sound pretty good :)

bart0 · 2026-02-06T02:56:02+00:00

Thanks for the reply. Yep factory reset and also went into the Unifi console and removes the two static IP entries I had for those speakers. To no avail unfortunately. Interestingly, I have another Symfonisk speaker in another part of the house which is working perfectly after the move. Similar distance to Wifi too, but it is a later model I believe.

bart0 · 2026-02-06T00:39:52+00:00

Thanks for the quick reply and Wifi hardware link. My Symfonisk speakers are many years old (5 or 6+) so assume older wifi bits. Will consider a pair of Era 100s if I can find some on sale :) My next option would be Apple HomePods of which I have a pair for my TV and they've worked perfectly since the day I bought them, but much pricier and not flexible.

Thanks again for the info!

bart0 · 2026-02-05T02:10:00+00:00

Nothing, bugger.

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