The EXP is a geared frameset for v-brakes/canti's. It's described as an expedition bike. I have a PDF catalogue which I could email you; this is copied from the front page:
We have manufactured expedition
touring bikes for many years... our
bikes have always carried heavy loads
well and are comfortable and reliable.
We believe that the definition of an
expedition touring bike should be “a
reliable bicycle that can carry heavy
loads in comfort”.
If you agree with our definition then
you must be amazed that such a
simple brief has been mishandled by
other bicycle manufacturers.
The main issues in detail...
Reliability
This means that, severe accidents
excepted, things shouldn’t go wrong
with any of the major components -
wheels, tyres, brakes, bottom brackets,
headsets, pedals, chains. It means
that the frame itself should not fail
and it should mean that the bike can
take a knock.
Other manufacturers try to get
under-specified headsets and bottom
brackets past unsuspecting
customers, because these important
components are buried deep inside
the frame and are neither obvious
nor “sexy”. The quality of wheel
building or, rather, the lack of it on
many bikes has to be seen to be
believed. Some manufacturers supply
tyres that they know are likely to fail
if the bikes are ridden any distance...
well they should know... they have
had enough sent back as returns!
Several UK manufacturers and small
builders offer “expedition” frames in
Columbus Nivachrom. Nivachrom
is excellent for racing frames, it’s
designed intended use, but it is
not available in sufficient thickness
(gauge) to make it able to stand up to
knocks in the short term or internal
rust in the long term. If it’s made of
Nivachrom it’s not an expedition bike
by our definition! (We know that
Columbus cannot make Nivachrom in
sufficient thickness... because we’ve
asked!)
Carrying heavy loads
We must say at the beginning that
it is possible to carry most of the
weight in a trailer... there are pros and
cons but we are assuming that all the
weight is to be carried on the bike.
To be capable of carrying a heavy
load, the frame material must be of
sufficient diameter and gauge. If the
tubes are not up to the job then no
amount of frame design will help. If
they are up to the job then it is all
down to the geometry and accuracy
of manufacture.
Whilst the eXp is a fairly long
wheelbase machine, the geometry
of each size varies in proportion to
eXp
UNIQUE
THORN 14
DAY
PLEDGE
14 day money
back if not
delighted
guarantee
on all new
Thorn cycles
Bike pictured: Billiard Cue paint finish & a full house of accessories & upgrades
the size of the anticipated rider. The
largest sizes have chainstays in excess
of 18 inches not only to provide
heel clearance but also to allow the
rear panniers to sit more within the
wheelbase of the machine - where
huge weights will have less of an
effect on the front end of the cycle.
The front geometry of the eXp allows
precision in steering, whilst also
maintaining great stability... a difficult
balance to achieve but one, we feel,
we have got spot on!
We will let our frame designer Andy
Blance comment further on our
frame’s geometry... “If you are ever
forced to descend from the
mountains in freezing temperatures,
down rough washed out gravel roads,
in the darkness, by dynamo light,
carrying 30kg of luggage, you will
know how important geometry can
be. If you are ever really tired,
suffering from flight-induced vertigo
and you are climbing a steep, heavily
rutted gravel road, carrying 30kg and
you have a 40 tonne quarry truck on
your tail and there is no room to pull
over, you will again know how
important geometry can be... I have
experienced both of these things
in the development of the eXp and
I know it is PERFECT. The rush by
dynamo down the mountain was one
of the highlights of my life - the
quarry truck I could have done
without!’ “The whole point is that
my design can be heavily loaded and
still be responsive, accurate and fun
to ride... your eXp can allow you to
savour those distant mountains and
waterfalls without having to
concentrate exclusively on a
difficult bit of road. I am proud to
have designed this bike... especially
because I know that nobody,
anywhere, makes anything that is at
all comparable.”
Derailleur equipped 26 inch wheel - Expedition touring bike
M8 x 0.75mm drain plug.
Exclusive Twin Plate frok crown.
Comfort
There are two types of comfort...
physical and mental. A bike of the
right size and proportion with well
chosen accessories will provide
physical comfort. A reliable bike that
handles well, provides stress free
cycling. Our eXp is made in 6 seat
tube sizes XXS to XL, each of which is
available with short, medium or long
top tubes. Every one of these 18 sizes
has been designed to outperform
any competition and to last for at
least one lifetime!
Attention to detail
We have always excelled in this area
... but the eXp offers more:
1. Oversize rear brake hanger for
heavy duty performance.
2. Lowrider bosses are provided
- these are wide enough to allow the
carrier to be fitted without needing
spacers.
3. Our exclusive “X” seat stay bridge
not only reduces twist in the massive
19mm stays under braking but adds
considerably to the rigidity of the
carrier.
4. We use massively strong rear
dropouts... if you were to build a
perfect frame and ride it forever it
would have to fail somewhere
eventually. The right hand side rear
dropout is where other frames fail...
we don’t expect ours to fail here.
5. The eXp has been given an M8 x
0.75mm drain plug for even better
access into the seat tube.
6. Most fillet brazed frames and all
T.I.G. welded frames have a small hole
drilled in the bottom bracket shell
to allow the seat tube to breathe.
Condensation collects in the trap
created by the seat tube/bottom
bracket shell joint and rust will
develop in this highly stressed area.
We machine the shell so that our seat
tube fits inside the shell and all
condensation drops into the shell -
from where it can be drained away.
7. The top tube, down tube, seatstays,
chainstays, fork blades and
bridges are completely sealed.
These will never rust from the inside.
We even fit stainless steel, blind
ended bottle bosses into the down
tube, and we also use these in the
seatstay and chainstay bridges...
NOBODY ELSE DOES THAT... YET!
The seat tube must be open because
of the seatpost - look after that with
“WAXOYL®” using the large drain
plug and you will be able to hand the
frame over to your grandchildren!
