“Whoa! What bike is that?”

That’s a typical reaction when folks see a Trek Soho S for the first time. The bicycle’s logo and graphics are nearly missed upon first glance as they blend into the matte black frame. The net result of this design creates a feeling that the bicycle may be employing some form of top-secret, stealth technology – and the bike IS stealthy. As a single-speed bicycle, there is none of the clicking and clacking associated with gear changes. If you want to go fast, pedal harder. If you need to go up a big hill, get out of the saddle. If you’re going down a big hill, sit back and enjoy the ride.

Warning! The simplicity of this ride experience can be addictive.

Without the additional hardware associated with a multi-speed bicycle, the Soho S is just over 20lbs in weight. It feels lightweight and nimble.  Trek’s choice of a 44/17 gear suits the bicycle quite well.  You get impressive acceleration from a full-stop by hopping out of the saddle or you can start off normally and with minimal effort reach a comfortable cruising speed. The gear spins out only on big descents and is a low enough gear to make surviving big hills a real possibility.

If you can’t tell already, I really like this bike. Here are a few insights I’ve gathered after 9 months of ownership.

Highlights

Lowlights

There’s not much to dislike about the Soho S but as I continue to ride the bicycle, I will keep you posted on any new discoveries. In the meantime, enjoy this growing gallery of photos that do a decent job of communicating the bicycle’s versatility…

The Trek Soho S is a single-speed bicycle which shares an almost identical frame to the Valencia – this means you’re getting a stable ride and a more relaxed, upright position – but the similarities end there.  Without components

I joined my Dad for our typical “Sunday Morning Ride” for breakfast and took the Soho.  My first experience on a single-speed bicycle.

But wait.  I’m lying.  This wasn’t my first ride on a single-speed bicycle and after just a few pedal strokes this reality came back to my mind quickly.  My first single-speed bicycle was that bike I rode when I was a kid.  You know, the one with the coaster brakes.  There weren’t any “speeds” on that bike – you just hopped on it and started pedaling – you experienced simplicity.

When you encountered an incline or hill, you pedaled harder and you were out of the saddle if you really wanted to speed things up or if that hill was really big.

This little flashback reminded me that you can have quite an enjoyable ride experience without shifting a dozen different gears along the way.

The bike ride to breakfast proved to be much easier than I’d imagined and quite enjoyable!

I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with the new bicycle so look for that detailed review soon!

Merry Christmas!