[master2129]

Does anyone here in this forum have any experience with SOMEC Frames? They are handmade in Italy. Any insight would be great. Thank you in advance for any feedback.

 

[Henry Chinaski]

A used to ride with guys who had them back in the 80s. Always thought they were damn cool. I'm sure that doesn't help much...

 

[cadence90]

SOMEC are a smaller builder/contract builder.
They have (had when I followed things more closely) an excellent reputation.
They could be compared to Billato, for instance.

Are you looking into a frame in the US? New? Used? Maybe call the US distributor or a store that carries the brand.

I doubt you will get much real feedback here. SOMEC is pretty small, esp. in the US market.

 

[santosjep]

Somec Starlight (xlr8r)

I've had my SOMEC since 2005. I have to admit that it only has around 1200 miles as this bike is my sunny day Sunday bike . I love this bike. I was quite surprised with it's ride quality. I've ridden a couple of centuries on this bike and found it to be quite comfortable.

I love SOMEC bikes. If I were to get another it would be the IRON (Spirit/Carve).

Joe

 

[Mapei]

I still ride the Somec Supercorsa I bought in 1985. Very soft riding. Slightly whippy. But it's also got at least 25,000 miles on it by now, so I may have softened it up a bit. Anyway, a quality brand. Made with care. If you search through this site for the Green Bike Thread, you'll come across a picture of it.

 

[master2129]

Beautiful framset. I am really interested in the Olympus Frame. I am going to see how I can order one. It seems that they do really nice work and are truly still a HANDMADE-HANDCRAFTED machine. This is what I want. Pure long-lasting quality.

 

[Guest]

Here's a bit of sweet vintage Somec fully pantographed with one the wildest paint schemes ever...enjoy. It was a craigslist find and if I told you what I paid you'd call me a liar. Bike has just over 700 documented miles and is nearly 100% mint.
Some Somec history- The Somec logo you see in one the photos shows a white horse on a black background. Does that logo look familiar to anyone? It should, it's the Ferrari logo with a very slight change. Know what the change is...(see answer after last photo)

Answer: The slight chnage is the horse's tail is pointed down, the Ferrari pony has the tail up. Mr Somec had "stolen" the Ferrari pony for his bikes early and was asked to dinner by Mr Enzo Ferrari one evening. At dinner Enzo asked why he had "stolen" the logo and was using it on bikes. Somec replied that his bikes performed like Ferraris and were built with the same passion. Enzo was impressed and taken aback by Somec's bravado and said great, you can use my logo with one small change, point the pony's tail down and continue with your art. A handshake ended the evening and sealed the "agreement".

Can you imagine what would happen in 2007 if a company "borrowed" another company's logo. I doubt it would end in a handshake and a smile.

Sorry about the long post.

KRhea
PortlandVelo.net

 

[master2129]

Here's a bit of sweet vintage Somec fully pantographed with one the wildest paint schemes ever...enjoy. It was a craigslist find and if I told you what I paid you'd call me a liar. Bike has just over 700 documented miles and is nearly 100% mint.
Some Somec history- The Somec logo you see in one the photos shows a white horse on a black background. Does that logo look familiar to anyone? It should, it's the Ferrari logo with a very slight change. Know what the change is...(see answer after last photo)

Answer: The slight chnage is the horse's tail is pointed down, the Ferrari pony has the tail up. Mr Somec had "stolen" the Ferrari pony for his bikes early and was asked to dinner by Mr Enzo Ferrari one evening. At dinner Enzo asked why he had "stolen" the logo and was using it on bikes. Somec replied that his bikes performed like Ferraris and were built with the same passion. Enzo was impressed and taken aback by Somec's bravado and said great, you can use my logo with one small change, point the pony's tail down and continue with your art. A handshake ended the evening and sealed the "agreement".

Can you imagine what would happen in 2007 if a company "borrowed" another company's logo. I doubt it would end in a handshake and a smile.

Sorry about the long post.

KRhea
PortlandVelo.net

This is a wonderful post! VERY INFORMATIVE! I had heard about the Ferrari meeting. A gentlemen private messaged me saying that he has a 2007 Divino Frameset he ordered from a shop in SF. He says that SOMEC Framesets are special and handle like no other. So I do believe the "handle like a Ferrari". Now if I can just get my hands on a SOMEC frame so I can create my own opinion. I am sure it will happen one day. Thanks for the reply.

 

[cadence90]

[snip]
...Mr Somec....
[snip]

Nice bike.

2 things of interest:
1) There is no "Mr. Somec." SOMEC stands for SOcieta' MECcanica. The founder/owner of SOMEC is Oliviero Gallegati, a former Giro mechanic.

2) The "Ferrari" horse was, before becoming the Ferrari symbol (with the tail up), the symbol (crest) of the Italian aviator and WWI ace Count Francesco Baracca, also from Lugo, Romagna. The Baracca family later donated the symbol (which had the tail down) to Ferrari.

 

[colker1]

I still ride the Somec Supercorsa I bought in 1985. Very soft riding. Slightly whippy. But it's also got at least 25,000 miles on it by now, so I may have softened it up a bit. Anyway, a quality brand. Made with care. If you search through this site for the Green Bike Thread, you'll come across a picture of it.

i can't believe this urban myth about steel frames softening.. it makes no sense! i think you toughened up and now perceive it as soft. .

 

[Crit-Licker]

Bicycle Odyssey purports to still handle the brand although I haven't seen one of their new tech frames in the shop. Like Billato they were very big in the age of steel and perhaps often ridden to great victories re-painted to sponsor specs under champions of the day. Anyway the new stuff looks very trick indeed.

http://www.bicycleodyssey.com/bikes_frames/somec.htm

- CL

 

[colker1]

Nice bike.

2 things of interest:
1) There is no "Mr. Somec." SOMEC stands for SOcieta' MECcanica. The founder/owner of SOMEC is Oliviero Gallegati, a former Giro mechanic.

2) The "Ferrari" horse was, before becoming the Ferrari symbol (with the tail up), the symbol (crest) of the Italian aviator and WWI ace Count Francesco Baracca, also from Lugo, Romagna. The Baracca family later donated the symbol (which had the tail down) to Ferrari.

your somec theory is a fraud cadence baby.. i dated the daughter of mr. somec for 3 yrs (not exclusively). we used to have sex on maranello where i rode the ferrari horse myself many many times. the horse obeyed only to me and Enzo.

 

[Mapei]

Mayhaps. Mayhaps.

 

[Mapei]

Take some advice from a longtime Somec owner. Treat those decals very tenderly. Mine would fall off if I looked at them funny.

 

[master2129]

I thought the decals were painted and not stickers. At least that is what I have read.

 

[dwwheels]

Wow the Somec looks very interesting. I just dropped my wife off at the airport headed for Verona, which happens to be just about 120 miles to Romagna (Somec S.R.L.). When I speak to her in the morning I will ask her to speak with the Italians she deals with over there. A couple of the Italian guys are very big into riding and I assume would have some insight about the Somec. Will let you know what I find out.

 

[master2129]

Wow the Somec looks very interesting. I just dropped my wife off at the airport headed for Verona, which happens to be just about 120 miles to Romagna (Somec S.R.L.). When I speak to her in the morning I will ask her to speak with the Italians she deals with over there. A couple of the Italian guys are very big into riding and I assume would have some insight about the Somec. Will let you know what I find out.

Thank would be great! Thanks for the help.

 

[cadence90]

your somec theory is a fraud cadence baby.. i dated the daughter of mr. somec for 3 yrs (not exclusively). we used to have sex on maranello where i rode the ferrari horse myself many many times. the horse obeyed only to me and Enzo.

Speaking of frauds, you're the guy with that "Pinarello" which is really just a cheap rebadged Caloi, right?

 

[colker1]

Speaking of frauds, you're the guy with that "Pinarello" which is really just a cheap rebadged Caloi, right?

Pinarello means "rebadged" in italian. it's a slang for petty criminal... "tu pinarello!" means ..."yo, street hustler".
mr. caloi is a long lost brother of enzo ferrari and i have dated marylin caloi extensively so i know what i am talking about...

 

[Eric Cardinal]

Still Riding 1989 SOMEC

Beautiful frame. You can't go wrong.