16 Responses to “Soma-Brompton-Rivendell”

• voyage says:
  

  That’s a good set of photo-comparisons! What I have to come to like about the small (20″ wheel) bike is the nimbleness and quickness in a tight urban (and suburban strip mall) setting. These bikes are great for short to meduimish runs.

  The Soma is very nice, beautifully detailed, but I would probably have a heart attack if I so much as scratched it. Or, maybe, road-raced it.

  I like my Cannondale Hooligan 8 and its low step over killer-v frame now that I’ve fixed Cannondale’s component mistakes. It still doesn’t fold and that’s good thing in my application.

  Posted on 7.6.11 at 2:21 pm
• jac_no_k says:
  

  A bit of a tangent but what is the make and model of the bike stand used in the photos?

  Posted on 7.6.11 at 5:25 pm
• arevee says:
  

  Love these overlay photos. They’re a great way to compare form factor / foot print.

  Posted on 7.6.11 at 6:01 pm
• Alan says:
  

  @jac_no_k

  That’s a Feedback Sports “Rakk”:

  http://feedbacksports.com/shop/RAKK-Storage-Display-Stand-Black-P17.aspx

  Alan

  Posted on 7.6.11 at 6:22 pm
• Alan says:
  

  Thanks, Arevee. I always seem to learn something when I put these together, even when they’re my own bikes.

  Posted on 7.6.11 at 6:24 pm
• Andrew J. Smith says:
  

  Hmmm, not sure how I feel about the mini-velo though I’ll never criticize a bicycle, especially one that I’ve never ridden. I think others may have stated it, but I’m not sure what niche it fills. For me, with wheels that size, I would prefer a a folder (I shouldn’t talk; my Dahon IOS P7 has 24″ wheels).

  aj

  Posted on 7.6.11 at 6:45 pm
• solracm says:
  

  Muy buena comparativa geométrica…
  Saludos desde Sevilla (España)
  http://EnBiciXSevilla.blogspot.com

  Posted on 7.7.11 at 2:42 am
• Pete says:
  

  I just KNEW someone would ask about the bike stand! :)

  Posted on 7.7.11 at 6:16 am
• Mel Hughes says:
  

  From here, it looks as if the Bromptom and Betty Foy are much closer in rider set-up. In the write-up about the Mini-Velo, Michael gave a comparison between the Mini-Velo and Betty. I don’t recall any comparison between the Brompton and Mini-Velo. Any comments?

  As usual, great overlays! The visuals really do add weight to the commentary!

  Posted on 7.7.11 at 7:19 am
• Ira Kinro says:
  

  The overlays are helpful.

  The Betty/Mini picture makes me think how cute it would be to have a mini mixte. :-)

  Posted on 7.7.11 at 7:24 am
• Soma, Brompton, Rivendell: EcoVelo pictures the differences | 16incheswestofpeoria says:
  

  [...] EcoVelo’s overlapping photographic study here. [...]

  Posted on 7.7.11 at 8:10 am
• Terry Scott says:
  

  The Soma has a shorter wheel base than either the Rivendell or Brompton. Will the Mini Velo fit into the rack on a city bus since it doesn’t fold?

  -Terry

  Posted on 7.7.11 at 9:35 am
• Alan says:
  

  Mel,

  Michael loves her Brompton. As you mentioned, the fit in comparison to her Betty Foy is surprisingly similar. She didn’t at all like the drop to the bars on the Mini-Velo, but that could be remedied with a DirtDrop stem. She did find the larger wheels and wide-range gearing advantageous, but not enough so that she’d trade her favorite folder for an M-V.

  Alan

  Posted on 7.7.11 at 9:46 am
• Alan says:
  

  Terry,

  My experience is that there’s no way to know for sure whether a bike will fit a bus rack without actually trying the specific bike on the specific rack; there are too many variations in rack designs.

  Alan

  Posted on 7.7.11 at 9:49 am
• Oli says:
  

  mini mixte

  http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/makoto2005624/archive/2010/5/30

  http://images.google.com/images?q=bruno%20mixte

  Posted on 7.7.11 at 10:49 am
• Opus the Poet says:
  

  The Bianchi was a true mixte, the Bruno is just a step-through. Both are pretty cute though.

  Posted on 7.7.11 at 6:44 pm