Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Thorn General => Topic started by: Barry Webber on March 06, 2013, 08:17:20 pm
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Hello everyone.
I thought I should start a new thread giving the low down on my current choices for my Nomad spec:-
Here is the spec I am currently looking at with the prices all taken off the website:-
Thorn Nomad Mk2
Total with initial complete bike start price £2199
S&S option on Nomad Mk2 £520
Ergon GP5 Anatomic grips £55
Black anodised Rohloff hub £43
Black NEW Son 28 £175
Andra 30 CSS 32h £87
Schmidt Edelux LED headlamp Black £130
Panaracer Pasela Tourguard 1.75folding £15
KMC X1 ROHLOFF CHAIN £25
Hebie Chainglider for Rohloff £46
Surly 110 PCD 5 Arm Stainless Steel Chainring 38T - Silver £37
Shimano Deore XT V brakes £35
SKS P65 mudguards £35
Brooks B17 Standard Honey £20
Panaracer Pasela 1.75 folding tyre £30
Rohloff full oil change kit £17
Rohloff special chain lubricant £5
Rohloff sprocket removal tool £29
Schwalbe SV13 Presta inner tube 26 x 1.52.5 x 2 £8
Total £3511
If I end up plurging on this Rolls-Royce of Touring bikes I will opt for the Yellow frame colour as a cheery and sunny way to brighten up my cycling day.
I don't fully appreciate the finer points of cog sizes but overall want low gearing to cope with any hills when loaded as this will always be the toughest part of cycle touring.
Thorn specced it with 38T and 17T is this best for getting up those Monster slopes?
I also thought I would go for the larger P65 mudguards even though for UK cycling I would go for 1.75" tyres thinking they would do for these tyres and the big fat tyres needed for the back of beyond.
Would this work? I don't really care if they look oversized for the smaller tyres as long as they do the intended job.
I have the Honey coloured Champion Flyer Brooks saddle on my electric bike and love the colour over the black option.
Most of the time is has the Brooks rain cover on it though.
I thought the dynamo option is useful and want to have the ability to charge devices/batteries with it.
There is an "Ework" device to work with the Son28 I believe - what do you think of this setup for the job?
Thats about it for now.
Any helpful thoughts and comments always appreciated.
Barry.
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say barry are you sure you have those prices correct.
43 for a rohloff
15 for tyres
just saying not trying to be a smart ass ;)
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Hello jags,
Thanks for your comment.
The £43 is to upgrade the standard chrome Rohloff to an anodised black version I think.
Cheers,
Barry.
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Why is it that after I spent some time straightening the cost numbers up in a line they still came out crooked in the post >:( ;D
Barry.
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Wow, thats an impressive bike Barry :)
Dont make any decisions just yet on what power devices to get for your dyna hub, this is an exciting area at the minute, check out some of the threads in the electrical Forum here before you splash out.
Exciting time ;D
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AH hah Barry i was about to ask where is that shop because there prices are great ;D ;D
did you have a look at Dan and Pete's nomads seriously class bikes and well speced out .
best of luck with the new baby a lot of money but a lot of bike so make sur the LOCK is a good one. ;)
cheers
jags.
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--S&S option on Nomad Mk2 £520
Do you actually carry a bike in the car or on a plane?
--Black NEW Son 28 £175
I have both the SON and several Shimano dynohubs. The Shimano is cheaper and as good unless you intend doing over 40K miles in very short order. If you're planning to throw the front wheel off to put in an electric motor instead (I did), the SON is a waste.
Schmidt Edelux LED headlamp Black £130
If you're not a racer, the standard BUMM lights are as good, and some of them are better for the general purposes of slow riders than the Edelux.
-- KMC X1 ROHLOFF CHAIN £25
We have yet to see that this chain gives any better mileage or other advantage than the less expensive Z8 or X8 from KMC. The X8 is a big favourite here.
--Hebie Chainglider for Rohloff £46
In my opinion, money well spent. Any one of the several advantage is worth that much!
Surly 110 PCD 5 Arm Stainless Steel Chainring 38T - Silver £37
I use this one, and it has other fans here too.
-- Shimano Deore XT V brakes £35
For low maintenance, and progressive application, you can't improve on the hydraulic rim brakes made by Magura. I have the HS11, from the days before the 11 and 33 became mechanically the same, which are perfect old duffer brakes, in that they won't pitch you face-first onto the road if you lose concentration for a second. There is no need for sporting brakes unless you're a sporting rider.
--SKS P65 mudguards £35
Absolutely essential.
-- Brooks B17 Standard Honey £20
The triple-sprung B73 is a slightly wider, much superior saddle, comfortable straight out of the box, suitable for a more upright posture.
Rohloff full oil change kit £17
Buy three or more sets, or the carriage will come to as much as the goods when you have to reorder.
--Rohloff special chain lubricant £5Absolutely super stuff, and very economical inside the Chainglider. I'm still on my first bottle after three years and 6300km.
--Rohloff sprocket removal tool £29
Essential.
-- Total £3511
Outrageous. You can buy a nice preloved BMW for that, and die earlier but happy.
-- I don't fully appreciate the finer points of cog sizes but overall want low gearing to cope with any hills when loaded as this will always be the toughest part of cycle touring.
-- Thorn specced it with 38T and 17T is this best for getting up those Monster slopes?
I have 38 x 16, which I specced for getting up the steepest hill in my very hilly town; I live up the steepest hill, and have had two recent heart operations. This is good for a pace at which keeping your balance sets the lower limit. I think that as a younger man you might be happy with 38 x 17 unless you intend to carry massive loads, be a really loaded heavy tourer. There is a thread here by Dan which gives the weight of his gear and water, which appears to be an upper limit. Read it if you want to go in for luxury camping. Rohloff these days permits you to go down to 36 x 16, but that is very, very low, and I've not been tempted.
-- I also thought I would go for the larger P65 mudguards even though for UK cycling I would go for 1.75" tyres thinking they would do for these tyres and the big fat tyres needed for the back of beyond.
Would this work? I don't really care if they look oversized for the smaller tyres as long as they do the intended job.
Smaert thinking. I have the P65s on a Utopia Kranich with 60mm Big Apples, and they're the bee's knees even with narrower tires, keeping a good deal of the spray off me. Make sure you get the long version. The shorter sports version is useless for a tourer or commuter.
-- I thought the dynamo option is useful and want to have the ability to charge devices/batteries with it.
There is an "Ework" device to work with the Son28 I believe - what do you think of this setup for the job?
Overpriced, underspecified, crude. We recently had a thread about making better for about a tenner.
You asked. It's a local bloodsport to spend everyone else's money.
I take it the hefty Thorn rack is included in the base price? Otherwise you should buy a rack, and best to have Thorn fit it. I like my Tubus Cosmo stainless rack (not suited for heavy touring, note), but it is overpriced and Tubus is cheap about giving you enough bits to fit it. Fitting a rack right can turn into a major engineering exercise if you don't have the right bits.
You also need a good quality multitool (I like the Topeak Toolbar, no longer catalogued by Topeak but still available) and in addition a T20 bit of the very finest quality, or a T20 driver of the very highest quality; the torx screws on your Rohloff are T20. You also need a torque wrench, and the cheapest good one comes from BBB.
For a lock, you can't beat the Abus 54 X Granit U-lock, with a chain. Unfortunately it weighs 6 pounds minimum between the U-lock and the chain. Instead, consider the Swiss n'lock, which unlocks your steering so that the bike appears broken and the thief passes by. Look up the thread and photos on this forum. Buy the complete kit of handlebars with cable inside, stem, converter, plus a spare long cable. This, plus a cheap alarm that Dan recommends, is all the security I carry, and it weighs in under half a pound, in fact saves weight because the n'lock stem is lighter than the German panzerweight it replaced on my bike.
HTH.
Andre Jute
PS Jags, those aren't the prices, they're the cost of upgrades to a better spec... If only they were the prices!
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Hi Barry!
You're already received some excellent suggestions and great advice, and by waiting a bit to answer, I get to type a little less. :D
Truly, Barry, the bike you've spec'd is a Dream Machine, the envy of many, done to a top-level standard. As you know, I am big on personalization and on people getting the bikes they wish to meet their own needs, wants, and desires. If you can afford it, get it! If the cost is becoming a bit dear, then I do see some areas where a reduction or two could be made without feeling it in daily use, and can add a few suggestions that might prove helpful beyond those nicely offered by others:
Color: Get what you wish, as there is no extra cost and you will be enjoying it each and every ride. The yellow looks simply fantastic.
The S&S couplings are a large expense for something that is generally used infrequently. If you truly won't be breaking down the bike very often (say for storage or to fit in transport), then you wouldn't often miss this deletion. If you genuinely think it would help for your use -- and it did greatly, even once -- then it might well be worth it.
I think you are wise to leave your tire options open when specifying mudguards. Yes, it might look a little odd to have mudguards so much wider than the narrower tire size, but look at it this way: Aesthetics aside, this is a very smart move. No one ever mourned having better coverage, and you'll save having to purchase and fit wider 'guards at a later date. I would suggest you make your plans and desires clear and in writing to Thorn so they can refer to it during the build...and ask if they will also leave sufficient clearance 'round the smaller tires to fit larger ones later. You won't want the wider 'guards snugged down tight over smaller tires, else there won' be room for larger, later. Putting this and any other preferences in writing is a tremendous help for the assembler to have for reference.
The anodized hubs at either end will stay looking nicer over time if you are not an inveterate polisher of bare aluminum or if you ride on salted roads. I chose anno'd black to better resist the effects of corrosive alkali playa when riding in the desert.
I started with 40x17 gearing and went to 36x17 as soon as Rohloff approved it. I am so glad I did! Top gear is a realistic 80 gear-inches, and the 15in low is also genuinely useful for me when climbing steep hills with a very heavy touring load. Dropping to 36x17 not only gave me useful gears at either end, it had the benefit of placing all the intermediate gears where I needed them. Beyond this, it provided two distinct ranges -- a High range of 37-80 gear-inches for general use and cruising that operates silently and a Low range of 15-33 gear-inches that hums along a bit in some gears and is ideal for hills of all types. It has worked out very nicely for my needs, but of course would not be suitable for everyone. The good news about gearing is, if you've made a mistake, it isn't cost-prohibitive to change it. You could go with Thorn's recommended 38x17 now and if it proved too high, a new chainring would put it right.
There is no better value in Brooks saddles than the upgrade deal offered by Thorn. Well worth it and then some. If for some reason you and the Brooks don't get along, you can always sell it on for more than you paid. The B.17 is my favorite, but I also ride with a preferred 45° angle to my back. Andre is correct; if one rides upright, a wider saddle is more appropriate.
I'm fussy about brakes, and found the basic Deores have proven surprisingly good for my needs in use; the upgrade to XT was not worth the extra expense to me, but many people feel it is worthwhile. If you didn't have the CSS Andra rims, I would suggest Kool-Stop Salmon-colored brake pads. Where you will be getting the CSS rims, then you will need to specify the SwissStop blue ones (or Thorn may well do so for you at time of build so the pads are appropriate to the rim). I mention this detail only because I didn't see it in your specs.
A dynohub and charger are essential to my own use, and their merits are discussed at length on Forum boards devoted to them. Please refer to the Lighting and Electronics Board ( http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?board=10.0 ) and the child-board devoted to Battery Charging from a Dynamo ( http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?board=32.0 ). To make sure you get the greatest use and value from the Forum, it is worth spending a few moments looking at my search tips article posted here: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4390.0
I hope something in the above will prove helpful in your considerations, Barry. You've spec'd a wonderful machine, and it should meet every possible need and exceed all expectations. Please don't hesitate to ask us if any questions develop between now and purchase. "Crowd-sourcing" solutions is a wonderfully efficient way forward, drawing on the collective wisdom of our membership, a good bunch all.
Best,
Dan. (...who thinks vicarious bike spec'ing is a participant sport on this Forum and loves every moment of it!)
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The only minor ommissions I can see from the spec are:
Pedals
Bottle cages
Front and rear Racks
Rear Light
Spare spokes?
Accessory bar?
Spending this sort of money I would seriously reccomend a test ride. Especialy with the use of the GP5 bar ends. Depending where find your defacto hand position for riding will have an effect on what size toptube you will need.
On straight bars with GP5 bar ends I find the most comfortable position to ride is right on the front of the bar ends and therefore would need a shorter toptube to be comfortable.
I find when making large purchases like this to divide the price by the number of years I plan on getting use out of it.
As cycling is always good for improving life expectany it always makes bike purchases cheap at twic the price
Andy (I'm working hard on lowering my heart rate and blood pressure - I'm on target by the time I die they will all be 0)
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Thanks all for your comments particularly Andre and Dan.
Regarding the S&S couplings my twin brother has lived in Australia for many years and we have not visited in Oz yet.
I have it in mind that when we eventually do make it over the Nomad can fly over for some cycling with my brother.
My wife is from the Philippines and taking the bike over there when visiting her family would also be fun.
If I am allowed to go crazy and buy this ultimate Touring bike my initial plan is to have some training runs - build up experience with the bike and camping, etc - then I would love to attempt a LEJOG.
My elderly Father suffers from Parkinsons disease so I have a ready worthy cause to consider making it a charitable fund raiser as well.
I am sure many of my work colleagues would probably agree to contribute if I was able to do this.
No pressure though!! My god supposing I couldn't pull it off and quit early in any attempt!!
I suppose the racks and bottle cages would be extra, no doubt the price will only go up as various essential bits and pieces get added on.
Then full camping gear will be needed and a tent!
Ortlieb Panniers, GPS device?
Andre I already have the Abus 54 X Granit U-lock together with the curly Abus wire to go through the frame, I use these everyday with my electric bike at work.
Ian thanks for your comments and I will try to get upto speed with all the charging options.
Andy Blance talks up the Son28, Edilux headlamp very persuasively and I am swayed by his opinions, he has walked the walk and so can talk the talk as well!
As I am inexperienced I need to be able to trust someone with experience who can guide me away from making silly errors when speccing the ultimate touring dream machine! :)
What I desperately want to avoid is spending a small fortune (big fortune for me!) on this bike and then afterwards think oh that was a mistake, or, that other option is better than the one I chose, etc.
I really don't undertand what practical difference a 16 cog instead of a 17 cog makes or 36 instead of 38.
How can 1 tooth make much difference?
As long as I can try and spin up hills I don't mind if I go slowly as long as I can overcome them with determination.
An accessory bar is useful and I was wondering what peoples recommendations are for handlebar "furniture".
What items can't you do without when touring?
It is entirely crazy that a mere bicycle costs as much as a car.
I believe I posted before that our 2nd hand 4 year old Fiat Panda which we love was only £3200.
When you consider what vastly larger ammounts of precious metals and other materials are used for a car and how complex the engine and other components are it is hard to see a Rohloff hub at £1000 as good value.
Even with the greater numbers of cars being manufactured it is amazing what you get in comparison.
The bicycle wins later as it needs no petrol and does not pullute the environment in day to day use.
OK I am starting to lose focus again, it always happens if I type for too long!
More silly questions to come later I expect, thank you for making allowances for a "newbie".
Best wishes to all,
Barry.
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FWIW, I live in Australia but visit the UK about every 2 or 3 years and have made a habit of taking a bike with me. (I should leave one there, perhaps)
I've never wished I had S&S couplers when flying. A cardboard box with lots of bubble wrap is fine for flying my Thorn Club Tour.
I've actually taken my Moulton with separable frame twice, but haven't separated it, preferring to leave it in one piece in the bike box. (Much harder for luggage handlers to throw a box than two bags)
IMHO the separable frame comes into its own for other modes of travel; trains and buses.
Cheers,
pj
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Here is somebody who likes having the S&S couplers:
http://www.biketouringtips.com/showTipComments.php?tipID=1992 (http://www.biketouringtips.com/showTipComments.php?tipID=1992)
One of my dreams is to take my bike into some remote territory and then just do short rides from a fixed base. I think the couplers would work great for that. A smallish case for carrying the bike from plane to train to bus to four wheel taxi. But then having a great bike to explore the countryside, how liberating!
Whether I will ever do it, who knows! But the dream keeps me riding, and that's something!
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Hi Barry!
Now I know more about your future travel plans, I can better understand why the S&S couplers have appeal for your use. Jim's suggested article is a great one for learning more about the couplers' practical advantages and drawbacks over time and a variety of circumstances.
Barry...you may wish to check with Thorn to make sure the S&S couplers will allow the bike to be reduced sufficiently to fit inside an airline-standard 26inx26inx10in package for maximum savings. As I recall, if the steerer is left long, the fork/steerer will be too long to fit in a package this size. I do recall reading one independent owner account where it was made possible by shortening the steerer and using an adjustable stem to make up the lost height. Andy Blance gives his take on couplers on page 13 of the Nomad brochure: http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/ThornRavenNomadBroHiRes.pdf
You've some wonderful places to visit in your future plans, and I hope you and your future Nomad will get to visit every one of them together!
As for gearing -- yes! -- a single tooth can make a remarkable difference. Andy has updated his gearing recommendations to reflect Rohloff's endorsement of lower ratios. To see his recommendations and full explanations, go to pages 26-28 of his publication, Living with a Rohloff: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/thornpdf/ThornLivingWithARohloff.pdf There are charts on page 28 that show the differences by chainring/cog tooth.
I'm not sure of your location or circumstances, but would it be possible to visit Thorn in Bridgwater for a sit-down chat with them to fully define your needs and perhaps arrange for a test-ride of some models so you can finalize some details with the aid of firsthand experience before committing to buy? The Thorn FAQ speaks to this, with topics on...
Can I make an appointment to talk about my bike?: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/FAQ/appt.pdf
What happens at a bike sales appointment?: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/FAQ/happen.pdf
As for handlebar accessories, the sky is the limit governed only by cost, availability, space, and individual preference. Here are some suggestions to start:
Bike computer with at least the basics: Ride time, current speed, average speed, trip distance, and cumulative odometer.
A warning bell, perhaps required depending on local laws (supplied with your new Thorn).
I have a few more handlebar and T-bar accessories on my own Nomad, which you can see listed here: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4523.msg35115#msg35115
Best,
Dan.
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It is entirely crazy that a mere bicycle costs as much as a car.
I believe I posted before that our 2nd hand 4 year old Fiat Panda which we love was only £3200.
I think that is one of the key reasons. In my part of the world not too many cars will sell for anything close to the $A3800 it cost me to build up my Nomad.
BTW £3200 ?? Seems an awful lot more than what mine would have cost if I'd bought it complete from Thorn (about $A4,500-5,000), and I have a pretty similar spec ???
When you consider what vastly larger ammounts of precious metals and other materials are used for a car and how complex the engine and other components are it is hard to see a Rohloff hub at £1000 as good value.
Rohloff is a high-quality product, built (I believe) by a highly-trained workforce in Germany, and selling only low production volume numbers (currently about 160,000 in the past 20 years). If it was made by a basic labour force in Taiwan or India and sold a volume of 500,000 per annum the price would be much lower.
Re. your mudguard question. I run the P55 SKS guards with 1.75" tyres most of the time. I have used the same guards with 2.3" Mondials and the fit was fine, although being outback central Australia I didn't have any rain to test them out. But I did the same on a tour from Melbourne to Adelaide and Oodnadatta, and there was quite a lot of rain. The 2.0 Marathon XRs were quite OK with P55 guards.
Here are the 2.3" tyres with P55 guards.
(http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u666/petesig26/Red%20Centre%20Way%20and%20the%20road%20to%20Old%20Andado/P1020200_zps34f637a3.jpg)
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Hi Barry
It looks like you are progressing down the route with lots of good advice from many members.
There are many decisions to be made - some of them will be impossible to get right first time and you will find your requirements and taste will change over time.
My opinion would be the most important decision to make is getting the right frame and make sure you are comfortable on the bike. Things like correct gearing can only really be decided upon once you have put some miles on the bike and you see for yourself. Everyone has different comfortable cadence (speed of rotating the pedals) and different terrain they are riding on on a daily basis. A range of gearing combinations will be fit for purpose and my advice would be to go as low as possible and if you find you are running out of gears at the top end (over 40kmhish) you can always change it.
If you can afford it I would pretty much go with an identical spec to yours (basically one of everything please). If you feel you need to reduce the cost I would look at sacrificing some of the bolt ons rather than compromising on your wish for S&S couplings. If you have a use for them it is something that is much easier now than in the future.
Following Dan's advice I would definetly reccomend a visit to Bridgewater. Take a few bikes out for a ride and discuss your requirements face to face and get as much of it right first time as you can.
Not trying to say getting on for 4k is not a lot of money but if you where trying to spec an expedition vehicle (landrover etc) that was as capable or as reliable as a Nomad you would be looking at 10 to 20 times that sum. Breaking them up to get them on a plane is pretty difficult too.
Andy
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Thanks for all the comments.
Great link about the S&S couplers Jim, that looks to be a very neat solution with the solid case, still puzzled as to how he fits 27" wheels into a 26" box!
Dan and Andy I have already visited Thorn last September and had a look around the premises with Lisa who kindly allowed me to have a spin around the block on a Nomad. I enjoyed this but was unable to try it on any hills as Bridgwater is pretty flat.
I live in Street which is only about 13 miles away, I cycled in on my Ebike.
Naturally I will need to go to Thorn again for the personal consultation and bike fitting.
Looking at the Nomad PDF I think I would need either the 540L or 565M frame as I am quite short at about 5'6" tall with a quite short inside leg.
Thorn give the choice of front brake either side what is best? My Ebike has the front brake on the right side.
They also have different length pedals shorter again I suppose for shorter people?
A lot of people including Andy Blance use SPD pedals, I have never used them but can see the benefits in preventing foot slippage.
Normally I use walking boots on my Ebike as they are waterproof.
What do you use? SPD or plain platform?
Can anyone recommend the best current GPS device available?
I would primarily want it for the map reading side of things and not for the cadence, heart monitoring type of stuff.
Barry.
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Hi
13 miles away! I am sure you will be the envy of many (me included) - I have been banned from spending more than 500ukp on a bike without riding it first.
Pertaining to the side you have the front brake lever on there is no option that is better. It is normal practice in the UK to have it on the right and it is normal practice in the US to have it on the left.
I think there is some benefit to be had in having the best (ie front brake) on the different side to the gear shifter as you may find occasionaly (I have this every time I go out because I live on a very steep hill) you want to change gear at the same time as braking hard. It is not a big issue to change it over if you find your riding style would prefer the other way round.
Do you meen different length cranks as opposed to pedals? I am 6' and run either a 175 or prefferably 170. I would suggest you would be fine with a 170mm crank but as well as being effected by height it is to an extent by personal preffrence.
Regarding spd cleats - it is a bit of a hot potato and you will get options from both sides.
- they have their benefits and their drawbacks. I use normal shoes and strapless toecaps. I find these give me good location on the pedals but allows me to ride in any shoe. I ride most days and it can sometimes take a couple of days to dry shoes out so if I went to spd I would need a few pairs of cycling shoes. For my riding style the theoretical improved riding efficiency of spds doesnt really become practice.
Again it is an option you can easily play with for not a great investment.
For gps navigation I can nt help you much as I have not used one on a bike but Garmin seems to come up fairly often as a favorite when I have been looking
Hope some of this helps
Andy
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It is entirely crazy that a mere bicycle costs as much as a car.
Hi Barry - you're quite right. Cars should be much more expensive.
But as I'm sure you appreciate - or you will after you've had your bike a while - it's not so much about cost as value. A good bike like a Thorn requires little maintenance compared with a car. And it will last far longer. You won't get many services for the price of a Rolhoff hub. So look on it as an investment.
Take your time especially as you live so close. Go visit again. Trust the good folks at Bridgewater - they get it right more often than wrong. And as you've found there are some extremely knowledgable folks here too. You have the 100 day guarantee to fall back on if you're not happy.
I hope your dream turns into reality.
best
ian
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You will find that when you're used to the Rohloff you change gears much more frequently than with derailleur setups, or even with 8 speed hub gears like the Nexus. It makes sense to have the front brake, used more often, on the other side from the Rohloff shift. Most people have the Rohloff rotary control on the right but it can be fitted on the left if you wish. The front brake then goes to the other side. There's no technical reason not to have the brake on the same side as the gearchange, except convenience. You might also discover that the length of the Rohloff rotary control distances the brake fitting so far from your hand that it is a bit of a reach, so that the brake on controlled by that brake lever is not very controllable, another reason to have the most-used and most-sensitive brake on the other side from the Rohloff gear control.
Andre Jute
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You might also discover that the length of the Rohloff rotary control distances the brake fitting so far from your hand that it is a bit of a reach, so that the brake on controlled by that brake lever is not very controllable, another reason to have the most-used and most-sensitive brake on the other side from the Rohloff gear control.
Ergon GP5 Rohloff-adapted grips solve this (or just cut your regular grip 2" shorter). I find I laways have my hand on the shifter and it is quite OK to brake (lightly) and change gears at the same time.
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Not talking about the length of the handlebar grip but the length of the Rohloff Rotary Control. The brake lever must be fitted behind the rotary control, on the far side from the grip, so the length of the brake lever is important. Two finger levers are just too short to reach, four finger levers reach so-so. You get used to it, but it cuts into fine control. So it is smarter to put your front brake on the other side from your Rohloff gear control, where you can modulate the lever properly.
Andre Jute
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Yes, but as the grip is shorter you just run your hand up over the shifter barrel. I have no worries grabbing my brake lever with this set-up. I don't use wee little two-finger levers though.
(http://smile.webshots.com/images/e9b86030ef5d012f0b7512313f02e9da/jpg/800x600)
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Hi My bike is a 540L and I have build it up with the best of the best, "Tom" has to be the best Bicycle in the World :o
It's Love :-*
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4418.0 (http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4418.0)
Pete . .
8)
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Nice one Pete,
I wish I had your level of knowledge and experience of components/parts.
I am trying to learn about these things that's why I am so happy to be able to benefit from everyone's kind help and suggestions here in the Forum.
Your bike is really special.
Cheers,
Barry.
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Il padrone,
Forgive my ignorance, but what is the rotary-looking ring on the inside of your left grip? For a moment, I was confused as to which side had the Rohloff shifter. (Reading on my iPad)
BTW, thanks to you all for your informed commentary on these threads. I'm planning a Nomad build or buy, and have been lurking around here soaking up your knowledge for some time. I too have been grappling with decisions like whether to S&S, and even whether to pre-build one of the two bikes I want to pick up from Bridgwater after the last Ashes test in London this August. Mine will also initially be used to tour the UK and the continent, but set up to be able to tackle the Ozzie outback when I get them home.
It's a very pleasant obsession, this... ::)
Sam
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Yes, but as the grip is shorter you just run your hand up over the shifter barrel. I have no worries grabbing my brake lever with this set-up. I don't use wee little two-finger levers though.
(http://smile.webshots.com/images/e9b86030ef5d012f0b7512313f02e9da/jpg/800x600)
Looks like a Cateye Adventure on the bars? If so, please run through how to reset the accumulated altitude figure. I cannot make head nor tail of the instructions on this point. The few times I have tried, I end up resetting the whole flippin thing :'(
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Hi Sam
I think it is a rotary bell. It is discussed in a bit more depth in this topic :
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=6173.0
and is just another question for you to answer on you new bike build (to bell or not to bell)
Andy
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Hi Sam
I think it is a rotary bell. It is discussed in a bit more depth in this topic :
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=6173.0
and is just another question for you to answer on you new bike build (to bell or not to bell)
Andy
A Bell is a must.
Pete
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"To bell, or not to bell..."
Now THAT'S a question I hadn't even thought of asking! I usually just bellow! :D
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I never bothered with a bell until I started riding in a country where I dont speak the local language that well and not sure what is the norm to say to get the reaction you are looking for. Possibly a situation if you are looking at touring abroad.
Andy
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One finds that there's usually an etiquette with bells -- learned in the Netherlands this past autumn that it's Bad Form to ring them too much/too insistently/too whatever. Some places, they barely seem to exist--riding in NYC environs, for example, I was astonished to see how few there were.
I depend on mine--mostly to alert others to my presence, in a discreet, Canajan sort of way. Especially useful, maybe even critical, on mixed-use paths. In Austria, on the Donauradweg, I even had wandering tourist pedestrians thank me for using the bell.
J.