Thorn Cycles Forum

Community => Thorn General => Topic started by: Danneaux on March 23, 2019, 12:23:38 am

Title: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: Danneaux on March 23, 2019, 12:23:38 am
...according to Thorn's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BvUPGmBlS1r/

Dave, any details yet?

Best,

Dan.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: rualexander on March 23, 2019, 07:48:56 am
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/frames/500-thorn-audax-mk4-disc-frame-gunmetal/
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop on March 25, 2019, 10:16:19 am
What we have is here https://www.thorncycles.co.uk/bikes the brochure lacks any pictures as of yet, because we don't have them to photograph, we have around half a dozen orders ready to build when they arrive so I should have a fair few pictures to choose from.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: geocycle on March 25, 2019, 11:50:34 am
Looks a very flexible set of options.  Rohloff ready as well! Looking forward to seeing pictures.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop on March 25, 2019, 01:29:08 pm
(http://i65.tinypic.com/2drt6s7.jpg) ;)
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: Danneaux on March 25, 2019, 02:10:04 pm
Many thanks, Dave; a picture is truly worth a thousand words.

Best,

Dan.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: PH on March 26, 2019, 09:10:37 pm
Nice, though I'm finished with frames that'll only take 28mm tires.  I like the idea of disc brake rear and rim brake front, it's what I went for on a Mercury and although I was a bit sceptical I'm now a convert...
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: John Saxby on March 27, 2019, 04:17:23 am
Quote
I'm finished with frames that'll only take 28mm tires

Not shopping for a bike just now, PH, but I'm with you on the wide tires.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: rualexander on March 27, 2019, 08:00:55 am
It takes 32mm tyres.
35mm with disc brakes and no mudguards.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: PH on March 27, 2019, 11:05:56 am
It takes 32mm tyres.
35mm with disc brakes and no mudguards.
Do you mean with a disc brake? For a DD caliper the brochure says:
It has clearance for some 32mm tyres (all 28mm) when used with a road brake.
The Supremes are known to be undersized, mine measured 30mm on a 17mm rim,  so I changed to 35's which measure 33!
You won't get a genuine 32mm tyre under deep drop brakes with adequate clearance for guards*, even if the frame is made to optimise the full drop of the brake.
The difference in clearance between a caliper and a disc will only be the space the caliper occupies.  The Mercury has a really simple but clever fitting on the frame which alters that clearance depending on brake type, effectively a spacer to lower the caliper if not using a disc.

* Some may have different ideas about how much that is, 10mm IMO.  There's a thread here somewhere from last year of an Audax MK3 supplied with 32mm Supremes that Thorn obviously thought were OK, but the rider didn't and changed them for 28's.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: rualexander on March 27, 2019, 06:44:24 pm
Here
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: lewis noble on March 27, 2019, 08:15:31 pm
Re tyre size post, it was me.

My Audax Mk 3R, supplied in December 2017, came with mudguards and 700-32 Supreme tyres, my choice.  Clearance was very tight, though it was set up very well and never chafed or jammed.  I didn't measure the clearance, but it was much less than PH suggested.

But at the time, many of the roads in / around Sheffield were being re-surfaced, a huge project, and there was a lot of tyre/guard noise from gravel etc - more than I had had before.  Nothing ever jammed, but I felt significant vibration / chafing from road dirt at times.

So I changed to 28s. Initially continentals, then Schwalbe One which I like and give a better ride in my opinion.  I was lucky in that my wife needed new tyres, she had the Supremes .

All these tyres have given excellent puncture free service.  I think the Supreme 32s were the best, but I would only put them back on the Audax if I was sure of excellent surfaces or running without guards.

All above is my personal opinion . . . .

Lewis
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: RST Scout on April 04, 2019, 01:57:18 pm
Interesting what you said that about the tyre clearance Lewis. My Audax Mk3 (Bettina) has 32mm supremes on and I found the front mudguard rubbed. I’ve taken it off which helps getting the bike into my car but I noticed a chip out of the paint on the underside of the down tube. I obviously need to put the front mudguard back on ::) Do you really rate the Schwalbe One tyres? I was swayed by Andy's argument for wider tyres in the brochure.

Janet
PS. The new frame looks great. Wish I’d have waited.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: leftpoole on April 04, 2019, 04:59:54 pm
As someone who can make a great job of fitting mudguards (blowing my own steam) I can honestly say that I tried 32mm Conti Gatorskins and they fitted fine. I tried the wheels as an experiment (taken from Club Tour) and actually use 28mm on all bikes.
John
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: mickeg on April 04, 2019, 06:04:47 pm
...I like the idea of disc brake rear and rim brake front, it's what I went for on a Mercury and although I was a bit sceptical I'm now a convert...

I have that on one bike, although it was totally unplanned.  I got a great deal on a new titanium frame that took disc brakes, but the fork was not included.  The disc brake fork was another $300 USD, but I had a rim brake fork in storage with very similar fork rake and axle to crown length, thus I saved over $300 by using a fork that I already had with a rim brake on front.

I have no complaints with it and I would do it again, but only because the circumstances were right for it.  It is my only bike with a disc brake.  It is one of my favorite bikes to ride, but not because of the brakes, I like the ride and feel of the bike.

I have had some confused looks from others that were curious why the bike is set up that way.  I need to come up with some obnoxious sounding nerdy reason to tell them.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: lewis noble on April 05, 2019, 10:18:38 am
Replying to Janet . . . . I've found the 28 Schwalbe One tyres fine, though not much riding so far on wet muddy lanes on them.  If they made the Supremes in 28 size, I would probably go for them, but I have no plans to change now.  And for my riding style, rim brakes have suited me fine,, again no plans to change.

Best wishes

Lewis
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: RST Scout on April 05, 2019, 12:00:51 pm
Thanks for that, Lewis.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: RST Scout on April 05, 2019, 12:11:06 pm
Dave, will the new Audax have bosses for front racks on the fork or are you using the mk4 fork?

Janet
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop on April 05, 2019, 01:39:36 pm
They are using the Mk4 fork or a Carbon fork. But theres no reason we couldn't use a Mk3 fork if we have one in the right rake and colour left.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: martinf on April 07, 2019, 07:58:42 pm
Replying to Janet . . . . I've found the 28 Schwalbe One tyres fine

I also have 28 mm Schwalbe One tyres on my one remaining derailleur bike, a Woodrup light tourer from 1977.

I generally prefer wider tyres, but the Schwalbe One are reasonably comfortable, probably even better for a light rider. These tyres have performed well so far, including one trip that ended with very wet weather, although this wasn't planned, as I generally only use the bike on good roads and in good weather. I dislike cleaning derailleurs now that I have the choice of riding hub gear bikes instead.   
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop on May 08, 2019, 10:49:29 am
Stock just arrived, see here for pictures https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/frames/500-thorn-audax-mk4-disc-frame-gunmetal/ (https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/frames/500-thorn-audax-mk4-disc-frame-gunmetal/)
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop on May 20, 2019, 03:48:18 pm
(http://i64.tinypic.com/11c8hac.jpg)
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: geocycle on May 20, 2019, 04:34:13 pm
Nice pictures Dave, looks like a terrific bike and I hope it does well.  Is the bend in the front mudguard stay to avoid having to use the plastic safety clips?
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: PH on May 20, 2019, 05:41:22 pm
Is the bend in the front mudguard stay to avoid having to use the plastic safety clips?
I'd guess that the stay is bent so it goes into the fitting cleanly, there's no need for a quick release with stays that attach away from the dropout, bend or no bend.  If something gets caught a guard rotating around a higher pivot point would move away from the tyre releasing whatever was caught.  I think some thorn models have always had the stays high on the fork, it's an even better idea when you're trying to avoid conflict with the disc brake.  I just wish they'd do something similar for the rear guards. Be interesting to see this bike from the other side.

But never mind the guards - what's going on with the gear cabling? It isn't through the adjusters than attached with zip ties?
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: Danneaux on May 20, 2019, 07:10:50 pm
Quote
what's going on with the gear cabling? It isn't through the adjusters than attached with zip ties?
Di2, methinks.

Best,

Dan.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: PH on May 20, 2019, 08:38:00 pm
Quote
what's going on with the gear cabling? It isn't through the adjusters than attached with zip ties?
Di2, methinks.

Best,

Dan.
Doh!
Hadn't even considered that, the whole electric shifting thing has (Thankfully) passed me by.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: jackben on August 04, 2019, 01:40:47 pm
What is the main difference between this mk4 and the previous version of MK3R?
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: PH on August 04, 2019, 02:36:43 pm
What is the main difference between this mk4 and the previous version of MK3R?
Disc brakes - There might be other differences, but the materials are the same, the steering geometry is dictated by OTP forks and I doubt Thorn have strayed far from their tried and tested geometry and sizing.
There was some discussion earlier in this thread about what size tyres fit, complicated by the difference in opinion of what constitutes adequate mudguard clearance.  IMO genuine 32mm tyres and guards don't fit under deep drop caliper brakes even if they're set for maximum clearance (That isn't to say that some described as 32mm won't)
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: Prince of Darkness on August 05, 2019, 01:20:02 pm
Also Rohloff ready.
Title: Re: Audax Mk4 due first week of May 2019...
Post by: Vintagetourer on August 15, 2019, 12:02:25 pm
Nice, though I'm finished with frames that'll only take 28mm tires.  I like the idea of disc brake rear and rim brake front, it's what I went for on a Mercury and although I was a bit sceptical I'm now a convert...
I have 32mm tyres on my Thorn Audax Mk3 with room to spare.
But I live in Australia so don’t need mudguards.