While we were in Melbourne a couple of weekends ago the wife saw a Soma Buena Vista built up at Commuter Cycles. She was quite taken with it and it would replace her Giant single speed townie and her (now rigid) MTB that she doesn’t really ride that much.
The build will be a 1x9 setup with 650B wheels and larger tyres.
So looking for some input on components.
Hubs
Rims
Shifter & RD
I have some thoughts but keen to see what others like for this.
Just built up some A23 650B. The finish of these rims isn’t that good eh. Plenty of swarf and stuff. Pacentis FTW; I think Commuter were getting a bunch in. I’d get onto those. Otherwise, A23’s seem to be the best of the otherwise average bunch.
Hubs/shifters/RD - run what you brung.
Is she tall? I have a 58cm soma mixte I need to move on, as new. They are cool though, well made.
Profile hubs
Enve rims
XTR Di2 shifter and Rd.
Do it full larfinboy spec.
Good excuse to try a pair of the Grand Bois rims
Looking at either Syngery or Grand Bois rims as she wants a classic box section.
Velo Orange Grand Cru or Ultegra 6600 hubs
Veloce or Ultegra 6600 rear derailleur
Tiagra flatbar shifters as this is all I can find in silver & she doesn’t want a Paul Thumbie
This has me intrigued as to the possibilities…
Synergy rims:
I replaced my 650b Synergy’s (sidewall also failed prematurely) with Grand Bois rims and have no complaints. They look nice and shiny irl 
Are the 650Bs a different extrusion to the 700C?
Why do there seem to be more failure on the 650Bs?
Has anyone run those Velo Orange hubs?
The look good but I don’t know what the quality is like.
Random bump: does anyone know if the Soma mixte frame referred to above still floating around FOA circles? My mother in law just had her bike pinched and is asking for help finding something new…
took the words right out of my mouth