It’d been a while since SOMA’s Riff hardtail got any sort of update. While the brand doesn’t stick to model years like other brands in the bike industry, they do try to address their various frame offerings and update them when necessary. Long overdue was the Riff, the brand’s hardtail model…

The Riff is SOMA’s hardtail frame designed for 27.5″ wheels and is designed around a 120mm travel fork. It has sliding dropouts, which lets you fine-tune your chainstay length, but it is mainly for allowing single-speed builds without needing a chain tensioner. You can also build it for derailleur gears and hub gears (like Rohloff or Alfine), too.

Major updates to the Riff include:

• Boost spaced rear end to 148mm
• Two new colors: mint and white.
• 1.6° steeper seat tube to improve climbing efficiency.
• The bottom bracket drops almost 10mm mainly because those riding 27.5 wheels are favoring 2.4 or wider tires.
• The 67.6° head tube angle should make it a good climber without the wheel flop and wandering of slacker machines.
• Shortened seat tubes to help with dropper seatpost use.
• Changed the down tube bottle cage bosses to a three-pack mount.
• A set of bottle cage bosses under the downtube.
• Removed the seat tube bosses on the smaller sizes so you can use a longer dropper post. The largest frame still has the seat tube bosses.
• No more belt-drive option.

Check out the Riff’s new geometry and more at SOMA.