Tried contacting Softride directly, but could not provide any assistance. Trying to identify which beam I have on the frame. The barcode at the bottom of the beam shows 1025951 (460) and no additional information. I just got this frame recently and wanted to start a rebuild, but I want to make sure that the beam is the correct model, due to weight restrictions on some of them.
From what I’ve read on some places, there is a “500” model where the max rating is 160 lbs. There seems to be a “530” model as well that is rated at about 220lbs or so.
Wondering if the slowtwitch collective would know the answer. Thanks for your help.
Usually at the top of of the beam around where you see the “S” of the softride there is a sticker showing max rider weight. What size frame is this? Looks like a medium?
Thanks for the info, but there is no weight rating sticker by the logos. As far as size goes, the headtube is 13cm, without headset cups. Couldn’t find any geometry tables for this model, but my guess is that was marked as a 55cm frame. The other options don’t make sense: 52cm, 57cm. As far as positioning, I think it can work great for me, but knowing the rating on the beam would make me more confident in moving forward with the project.
Sorry wrong location. At the top of the beam hear where it levels out towards where you clamp the seat, there should be a “transparent background” sticker with a ton of fine print on it. On that, there will be a weight range for your beam. At least my “softride project bike” has that. Unfortunately, I can’t get the beam low enough because the frame on mine is too large. Real bummer! I need to lower it by another 7.5 to 10 mm or so!
Looked all over for that sticker. I saw an example on ebay. Thanks for the description. The sticker that I have only shows “Made in the USA” with a flag inspired design. Doesn’t show any kind of patent #, model, or weight limit.
Regarding your beam range, looking at the seat clamp, would you be able to rotate the rail clamps 180 degrees? Instead of clamping the seat rails on the top position, maybe clamp it with the rails at the bottom of the clamp? Pic attached. There might be some clearance issues the the saddle, but that can give you that 10mm you are missing. Maybe try with an adamo? Those rails seem to have good clearance from the rest of the seat.
The weight information might also be in the red, white and blue sticker visible on top of your beam. If the weight isn’t written somewhere on the beam, your only way of figuring out the rating is to have other beams of differing ratings, and gauge the flex of yours in relation to those. There’s no huge harm in riding a classic beam like yours if you’re over the weight rating. You could ride this one while you search ebay for a beam with a known rating, then swap them out and keep this one as a spare.
Looked all over for that sticker. I saw an example on ebay. Thanks for the description. The sticker that I have only shows “Made in the USA” with a flag inspired design. Doesn’t show any kind of patent #, model, or weight limit.
Regarding your beam range, looking at the seat clamp, would you be able to rotate the rail clamps 180 degrees? Instead of clamping the seat rails on the top position, maybe clamp it with the rails at the bottom of the clamp? Pic attached. There might be some clearance issues the the saddle, but that can give you that 10mm you are missing. Maybe try with an adamo? Those rails seem to have good clearance from the rest of the seat.
Thanks for the birthday present… now this entire project just turned into reality. I think you just bought me the 10mm I am looking for. I just went down and tinkered and I am think I am good to go! Now just need to get some 10 speed STI shifters and some SPD-R shifters and its should be good to go !
Sorry wrong location. At the top of the beam hear where it levels out towards where you clamp the seat, there should be a “transparent background” sticker with a ton of fine print on it. On that, there will be a weight range for your beam. At least my “softride project bike” has that. Unfortunately, I can’t get the beam low enough because the frame on mine is too large. Real bummer! I need to lower it by another 7.5 to 10 mm or so!
Dev
If you like the wheel base and head tube of the Softride frame you have, there are a couple options that could get your saddle lower:
You could rotate the seatpost ball unit over, so the rails aren’t on the top of the ball, but rather on the bottom half of the ball. That alone gets you 10mm.
Careful attention to the height adjustment attachment can often get another 10mm with slight modifications.
Presuming you don’t have a highjacker version of the seatpost, some of the older seatposts sit a few mm closer to the beam.
And, it would be very easy to make a custom seatpost that uses Cervelo or some other favorite brand of rail clamps and take your rails all the way down to the beam, so unless you’ve done all those already, you’ve got over 30mm of potential.
Edit to add, well it looks like you guys were posting and tinkering while I was composing. You should be good with all the options available to you.
Yeah, I’ve been pullng down on it, It feels pretty sturdy. Nothing to compare against, unfortunately. But it is nowhere near a noodle. I’ll give it a try. I guess it will just be extra motivation for losing some weight
The sticker doesn’t have any rating info. Oh well.
Glad to hear it worked. Good luck finding the rest of the parts. Make sure to post some pictures when you are done!
I’m officially in business. I got the top of the saddle to center of BB down to 69 cm. My saddle height is 68.5 cm, so if anything will now need to raise the sucker by a half cm to 1 cm to account of the beam deflection. The entire bike is actually built up, using used parts, except I have bar end shifters at the end of the drop bars like cyclo tourists did in a bygone era. I am debating if I set this up in a TT position (easy to do since the cabling is long enough to get to the ends of some clip on aero bars or get some STI shifters and set it up as a proper road bike.
This is not the bike, but the same frame made by a guy name Mike Mullholland from Vernon area in British Columbia back in the day. I think I am leaning towards setting it up as a TT beast for training which was the orignial plan as I have some neck injuries and every bump in the road is painful for my neck/head.
I wish I have never gotten ride on my softride that was similar to that.
I’d love to take it into the tunnel and put it against some of today’s better bikes
That Cyclops frame is currently mounted on my ceiling as art. It comes down every five years or so to win some AG races at Charlote Motor Speedway. One frame I will never sell.
That beam was on the “classic” bikes. I had one that Cobb Cycles built for me around in 1999. The Rocket TTs beam had no bend and I think some were made from a different material? But I can’t help with the codes. But I loved my Softride and wish I had never sold it.
