I've had a Thorn Raven Tour for about 2 weeks but have done 400 miles on it, partly on a three day tour. I got the changer on a T-bar as I wanted bullhorn bars which I recently discovered, after 20 years of touring, are easily the most comfortable for bike touring. The problem was that the way the changer had to be mounted I could not see the spot which showed which gear you were in. I could calculate by addition etc. but suddenly I saw the solution which is very simple.
The way mine is set up, which is at right angles to the normal angle, when one of the pointed ends of the changer points straight up, you're in 5 or 11. When dead flat, 14 or 8 or 2. The others can easily be learnt. The same apparent position represents gears 6 apart. After a couple of days I could tell at a glance what gear I was in, faster than I could read any number.
These angles could easily be read by anyone no matter how it's set up.
I think that the hub is great. The noise in lower gears is NOT associated with increased friction. Your brain tells you it is, so you feel it, but if a lorry is passing you hear nothing and feel nothing. It's psychological. I don't think that the hub slows you down at all. I've found no increased effort in keeping up with my friends. That's my practical test.
