SOMA Wolverine Winter/Touring/Won't-Be-Reduced-To-Tears-If-I-Crash-It Bike

I have a hankering for a bike that I can use and abuse and won't worry about if I chip the paint, scuff the components or lock it up in town.

The original plan was to buy a complete Surly Straggler and be done with it, however, stock of all Stragglers seems to be a bit thin on the ground in the UK and I can't seem to source the frame set alone in a 62cm.

I've always liked the SOMA Wolverine so have placed an order for an orange one in 62cm.

This will be used for crap and icy weather road riding, a bit of off road touring that I have planned for next year as well as lugging groceries and what not around town.

I've got a rough idea of the build in my head:

Shimano 105
Ritchey finishing kit
SON deluxe/Supernova
Hope BB, HS and rear hub
Probably Stans something or other rims
Maxxis Refuse 40c tyres
Time ATAC pedals
Brakes and shifters will be the only thing I splash out on as I want good, reliable braking for Scottish weather so I'm going for Shimano RS685.
SKS Bluemels Mudguards with RAW flaps

Hopefully a functional, if not a little boring build, although I'm thinking of blue HS, BB and cable housing just because none of my other bikes have any rad coloured parts.

I would like to get some sort of rando bag and front porteur rack. Needs to be medium to large in size - what are peoples recommendations?

sounds awesome! love to see it built and done

My LBS is importer of these frames. Gimme a shout an I can put you in touch.

Great choice btw. Will look awesome. I'd look at coloured components like hubs rather than cables tho.

I wish these frames existed back when I built my surly, always come out looking great.
Coloured cable housing is awesome and should be used at every opportunity...

As long as it follows the Henry Ford colour philosophy.

Hope BB, HS and rear hub

This is where you should add some colour. Also means you know itll all match

Where did you source the frameset from by the way?

So whites only then ;)

He never said the thing about any colour as long as black but was a horrific racist....
Blue, grey, green and red were available from the start, black came later.

Still sounds pretty nice ;)

Got bored of hill running then?

Haha, not bored of running yet! In fact I plant to do a lot more! Although we've just had nine puppies born so I'm not sure when I'm going to fit running in let alone anything else over the next few weeks!

I think you're right on those bits being in colour.

I got it from Ben Thomsons Cycleworx.

:0 Say whaaat?! Puglyfe to the max

I'm going to get the RS685 too.

Yeah it's crazy! Frenchies though! Our only pug is 9 now so no chance of pups from her!

I think they're worth the money. Have them on my Shand and wouldn't want want anything else now.

interesting project, currently thinking of buying a wolverine too

Ah sweet. Thats my LBS, theyre good blokes. If youre going cable discs get them to chuck some Yokozuna Reaction in the box too, think they're the only UK people that stock it

Yeah they seem like top guys, they even responded to my inane emails within an hour over Christmas.

Nice project, those frames are amazing. Please don't crash it, you will cry.

Yeah-I got mine as an off-road capable monstourer and still taped the downtube/stays to stop the paint getting ruined!

(Mine is blacker than night though so not quite as intrusive as if I'd taped up the orange one with used inner tube)

The pics of yours in the Cairngorms was the final nail for me deciding to get one!

I'm based in Edinburgh so maybe a Wolverine Owners Ride is not that far away, haha!

Does anyone have any experience with the Tout Terrain The Plug III usb charger?

People either say it's the best thing possible or that it's totally useless and should be burnt until dead. Other options?

Also, what are the most used "paths" for routing dynamo lights? I see a lot of people spiral wrapping cables around front racks for the front light. Can you wrap around the rear brake housing for a rear light? (I'm thinking about mounting the rear light just under the seat clamp but will have to see if it clears my saddlebag.) Ideas and options welcome!

Probably should add that I plan on using the Soma porter rack as you can add panniers to it and it comes in black.

I liked the Jaand front racks that were on a Wolverine build on Radavist too, a bit more minimalist but still very functional and also comes in black. Porteur racks never really do it for me though and I don't like the way it effects the handling having something heavy and high on the front whereas lowrider panniers feel ok.

With the Dynamo lighting you'd be able to cable tie it in with your front/rear disc cables (presuming you're using discs) instead of using the supplied cable clips then just feed it off to the rack at the best junction. It's tempting to cut to exact length but much better to leave spare for future fettling even if it's just neatly coiled somewhere inconspicuous-I learned this the hard way : /

Wolverine Owners ride fo' sho. I'm still sick as a pike but itching to get back on the bike! I think @Cupcakes has also just bought a ridiculous offroad touring machine and is now Edinburgh based if you want to make it non-partisan as far as the branding is concerned ;)

Hurrah, I too am in Edinburgh. I did buy a krampus but it has gone back (long story). Still have a crosscheck though. No riding for me til the end of the month as i broke my thumb and it's still sore, but I'm keen!

Sudden wants to move to edinburgh and buy a wolverine..