Hi New to thorn but not new to bikes

[spoon boy]

Hi all and firstly apologies if this is in the wrong section.

A brief outline

Towards the end of January 2009 (a few weeks away) I will be starting a world cycling tour.

I have no definitive must do's but have a route that I will use as guide.

All the injections,finance,tents etc etc have been resolved but the biggest sticking point I have is the main part...the Bike.

I have narrowed it down to two bikes being a Thorn Raven nomad ss with Rohloff and a koga world traveller.

I see much advice about the benefit of a steel frame over an aluminium one due to steel welders being more world widely avaliable and I understand that part.

One thing that raised was that as Rohloff is a much less known gear system than the Derailleur, would I have trouble worldwide should repairs be needed.

Up till now I've used a dawes galaxy but I intend to to much more off the beaten track routes.

Can any one or does anyone have experience of world travelling and using the thorn and did you have any isues around the rohloff and how easy were they to resolve?

I hope I havn't offended anyone by asking it's just at the momment although the koga seems a better price for more equipment the more reviews I read the better thorn becomes the 1st choice.

Incase it helps the trip is planned to last between 6-8 years

Many thanks for any input

[geocycle]

Nice problem to have, both are excellent bikes.  I've not done anything like this length of trip but there are a good number of journals by rohloff users on crazyguy on a bike (and also davidd who rode around australia and posts on here).  In my view you will have a lot less minor hassles with the rohloff, no chattering gears, bent derailleurs, missed shifts, cleaning sand encrusted clusters etc.  For me this is important as it is these that will happen and could wear you down.  There are a very small number of folk who have had more major problems with the rohloff eg broken flanges that ultimately required the wheel to be sent to Germany.  On a month long tour that could be very irritating, but if you are away for a few years then you just get to spend a week investigating the highlights of Ulam Batour and trust in Thorn/Rohloff's execllent after sales service. You do need to plan for changing sprockets and chains and make sure you have the specific tools. 

[stutho]

Spoon Boy,

Welcome to the list,

Just one little point to add to geocycle's comments.  If you do decide to go with a  Nomad / Rohloff then get a rear rim that has the specialised drill patten to match the high flange of the Rohloff.  Many normal rims have been made into strong wheels with the Rohloff hub, but the correct drill angles can only help to reduces potential spoke breakage.   

 

[bobs]

Hi Spoon Boy,
Good luck on your tour. Firstly you will only hear good things about Thorn bikes here and they are justified.
Secondly have you not left it a bit late to choose your bike, I would have thought you would need some time to fix everything out because no matter what bike you choose your sure to have some problems.

Bob

[spoon boy]

Thank you all for the reply

Possibly yes I've left it till the last minute I think I was hoping the chrimbo sales would extend to the exspensive bike prices

Thanks for the drilling tip, everything is a bonus.

I am leaning ever more to the thorn

Especially as the Koga is Dutch and the Euro/pound rate has seen the world traveller rise from £1,347 to £1,500 within the last few weeks so pound for pound the Thorn is starting to look as a very complete bike that's excellent value for money.

[vik]

I've got a Nomad S&S that was built up recently, but haven't put it to the test yet.  It is the most rugged touring bike I've ever owned and I'm sold on the Rohloff for many thousands of trouble free miles.

Koga makes some very well regarded bikes as well so I think you can't go wrong, but I would suggest whatever you buy that you do it soon and get some miles on it at home so you can 1) validate you like the bike & find it comfortable 2) find out if any of your components give you problems and have time to repair/replace them.

Leaving on a world bike tour with an untested bike sounds like a bad idea.

safe riding,

Vik
www.thelazyrando.com

[Cake]

Hi Spoon Boy,

Perhaps try the Nomad first and take advantage of Thorns 100 day money back guarantee - in the very unlikely event that you don't get on with it, return it and then try the Koga. I have owned a Raven Tour for almost a year now and can certainly vouch for the strength and build quality of my particular bike.

Are you planning a website or blog so people can track your progress around the globe?  If so, let us know so that we can read with envy!!

Cheers,  Gary.

P.s.  I would check the build time with Thorn, there can be quite a delay if demand is high.

[bobs]

Spoon Boy,

what size are you, there 2 Thorn Nomads on Ebay just now, bit expensive but come with some great kit.

[freddered]

Good idea.  Because you are leaving soon you need a bike ASAP.  I'd want at least 6 months with a bike before I set off on a trip like yours.

The S&S couplings on some of them would be a terrific boon on your trip, certainly no disadvantage in having them and potentially a huge advantage as you could get your bike in the back of most cars/taxis if required.

Good luck.

PS.  In February I will have had mine for 3 years and it hasn't even missed a gear shift yet.

[spoon boy]

Even with regular riding I still seem to be 18 stone , 6ft 3 but with an inside leg of 31 inches

I've seen the ebay ones and am monitoring them but I suspect some are too small.

I have ridden both on test rides and found the thorn more solid with the koga more flexible but as my main need is strength the thorn is starting to show it's obvious pace as the leader.

I didn't know what the s&s couplings were so I looked it up..what a brilliant piece of kit!

I agree that in an ideal situation I would have loved to have "broken it in" as such but as the trip is 6-8 years...predicted, I'm sure it will be a bit settled within a short ish time

Living in Norfolk a trip down to Thorn would be a day/night and day thing so cost of fuel and nights b&b would be pennies from the fund but as the thorn edges ahead I think it will be money well spent.

Blogs...I am trying to work these out as all I've ever used a p.c. for is emails,google and ebay

I will within the next few days had a definitive answer on the bike front and the trip will not start until the bike is ready

leaving to do a world trip on an untested bike may sound not the best way forward but many of the things on this trip that have needed to be planned have been but for most of it, it really is "as it comes" to truly make it a life adventure. I often find to much planning removes the humaness of the experience.

Again thanks to all the advice is very much appreciated

[freddered]

I ride regularly, my height and inside leg are also unchanged.

Get the Thorn, fit some big old Marathon tyres,a SON dynohub, some dynamo lights (Schmidt edeluxe or B&M Cyo) Ortleib panniers and go.

[jawj]

Tee hee hee, let's throw a spanner in the works...

I am a very happy Rohloff owner and use it to do loads and loads of miles all over the place, though never around the world. Despite this I would say go for a Thorn Sherpa with derailer gears. Thorn do a build for the Sherpa with tasty and everything-proof thumbshifters, though I would be inclined to go for 8-speed (I was an early, brain-washed 9-speed convert and many of my bikes ran 9-speed, but it proves quite pricey over time - 8-speed bits are much cheaper and easier to find so my mountain bike is back to good ol' 8-speed).

As you're not new to bikes, there's nothing on the Sherpa you couldn't fix.

I ride regularly, my height and inside leg are also unchanged.

Really??? Oh shoot, I was really hoping that riding my bike regularly would make me grow and give me model's legs... A dream shattered. ;-)

[bobs]

I have to agree with Jawj, I have a Sherpa and there is nothing on it I couldn't  fix/replace or get someone to do it very quickly.

[jags]

bob's you forgot to mention how good the sherpa is to ride  over any kind of surface,you can always carry a spare rear derailer ,you cant do that with the rohloff,if the rohloff breaks down your in big troble.so yeah i would certainly go with the xt shimano groopset plus the sherpa..

[jawj]

Damn, I've just read the Sherpa brochure again and now I'M tempted to get one! I have no need for one at all, but they're so beautiful and well-made and thought out...

Stop me everyone!