Questions about Raven(s)

[Peddrov]

Hi Dan, I didn't ride a Sherpa, I imagine it behaves very similar to a Raven apart from shifting gears. I will still go with the Rohloff, one reason is the 100 day guarantee, that only comes with Rohloff bikes. If after that time I love the bike but not the hub, I can still go Sherpa.

[Danneaux]

Good strategy, Philipp! I think you'll be very happy with the Rohloff, and if not...well, there's the Sherpa, identical but for drivetrain.

Can't lose! 

Really looking forward to your new arrival, with full details and perhaps some Gallery photos!

Best,

Dan.

[Peddrov]

The deed is done.

Many thanks - £100 deposit paid. Your bike will be finished early May.

I'll post pictures once it's here. Exciting times!

[JimK]

Congratulations! I now have about 6000 miles on my Nomad and continue to be delighted. Solid and comfortable. The perfect bike for going places - exploration and adventure... even if it is just a ride around the neighborhood!

[Danneaux]

The deed is done.

Quote
Many thanks - £100 deposit paid. Your bike will be finished early May.

Hi Philipp!

Wonderful news! All will be well once you survive the time-dilation process that makes the next 5-6 weeks feel like years. 

Very exciting, indeed! Can't wait to see photos after arrival. Any chance of a "preview" for us in terms of your chosen specs?

Happy days!

Best,

Dan. (...who thought he's never survive the wait after placing his order)

[Peddrov]

Any chance of a "preview" for us in terms of your chosen specs?

Sure!

It will be a red Raven 530L with C2 fork, Flat track handlebars with Ergon Biokork grips and SJSC bar ends. A sprung Brooks flyer saddle to soften the ride, Pitlock skewers for peace of mind, a Tubus Airy rack to appease the weight weenie in me, 3 bottle cages because I drink a lot, A530 SPD/platform pedals for easy touring and commuting. Also XT breaks, black Hope front, black Rohloff rear hub, KMC X1 chain, square taper UN55 bottom bracket, Thorn chainset with 17/40 gearing. The rims are Andra CSS in the back and Grizzly CSS in the front (just so I have my own little quirky something ) with Marathon Supreme 2.0 tyres on top and surrounded by a pair of SKS 55 mudguards.

[Danneaux]

Ooooh! Sounds wonderful, Philipp!

Very much looking forward to seeing this one in photos. Sounds a bit like a new Raven spec'd to old RavenSportTour specs, with emphasis on the Sport!

You have made a rare but very thoughtful choice in choosing the Grizzly CSS rim. The Andras have thicker and heavier sidewalls anyway, but the thinner Grizzly can really take good advantage of the hard CSS coating to give lighter weight *and* durability, as mentioned by others on the Forum. As for running the lighter rim on the front, it carries less weight and it is generally easier to steer clear of obstacles at the front, only to hit them square-on at the rear (this is even more true with a tandem). Sounds like a great choice!

Best,

Dan. (...who is now counting the days along with you)

[Peddrov]

Sounds a bit like a new Raven spec'd to old RavenSportTour specs, with emphasis on the Sport!

Kind of, it's a hybrid: RT-y back (frame, heavy rear wheel, touring saddle, rack with 30kg capacity) with RST-y front (light fork & front wheel) and allrounder tyres (little profile but wide).

[sg37409]

This is the 1st time I've looked at the new raven brochure. I see they've ditched the idea of the behind-the-forks front brake. This is a good move in my opinion.  I think you could describe the behind-the-forks brakes as a solution looking for a problem, and worse, I feel they give more judder than "normal" brakes. 

Your spec sounds good, I like how youve put in the odd rims just to be a wee bit different.

thanks
steve (owner of rst with behind-the-forks brakes!)

[Danneaux]

Hi Steve!

Thinking about the idea of having the brakes behind the fork...

Placing the brake there means under braking, the brake posts, caliper arms and pads all tend to draw toward the rim, rather than away, as when they're mounted ahead of the fork. The fork serves as its own brake booster without need to add one.

Looking at the braking on Sherpa compared to that on the Nomad, it seems to work out that way in practice.

My guess is this also works better if the fork has heavy gauge blades, as on the Nomad, which seems to be the only model where the brakes are still behind the fork. It is also Thorn's heaviest-duty, expedition touring bike. In that application, I've found it works great for me with extremely heavy loads.

Speculation again, but I think the range of lighter fork options on the Raven was also a factor. The lighter forks likely wouldn't work as well with rear brakes, and to have some setup with brakes on the front and others on the rear rear would prevent easy switching between them.

Best,

Dan. (...whose remote viewing does not always have clear reception)

[stuartieboy]

Well, it's Good Friday and I'm picking up my new Raven next Tuesday. I'm starting to get a bit excited. Is this normal? I've got a small list of questions to ask when I pick up the bike as well as one or two bits of trim still to be added. Re Pitlock skewers in previous post ; what are they and how do they work? Cheers,

[Peddrov]

Re Pitlock skewers in previous post ; what are they and how do they work? Cheers,

They are security skewers replacing the QR skewers in the front and back wheel (and in my case, the topcap too). They can only be opened with one of 256 propriety pitlock keys. Basically they mean you only need one U-Lock for the frame and your wheels are locked to the frame automatically. There are probably ways to defeat them (nothing is fail-proof), but I figured if someone has the right tools and knowledge for this, then they certainly would have the tools and knowledge to defeat a cable protecting my tires. So it comes down to pitlock vs carrying two U-locks and the latter is simply unpractical for commuting and prohibitive on tour.

[stuartieboy]

Thanks very much Peddrov. I will investigate further.

[Matt2matt2002]

Thanks very much Peddrov. I will investigate further.

My second hand Raven came with pitlocks.
No probs at all with them but I sometimes fret I will loose the key.
I do have x2 and spares can be bought but........
 

[John Saxby]

This is all very helpful, Peddrov--thanks!  Over the next couple of months I'll be finalizing my Raven Tour specs, and your wheel choice in particular has given me something new to think about.  Sara at SJS had suggested Zac rims when I visited in mid-March. I'll also look into a Zac/Grizzly CSS combination, as my touring is likely to be mainly on tarmac with occasional good-quality gravel, and this combination (with 1.75 tires) could be a nice setup.

Will also consider a Pitlock package (hubs & seatpost).  Although I've had good luck with my components over the years--none stolen yet, although I've lost 2 city & road bikes :-(  -- Murphy's Law + an expensive touring machine suggest the Pitlocks are worth close consideration.

Best of luck with your new bike!

John