Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Thorn General => Topic started by: ahconway on July 16, 2007, 06:51:25 pm
-
Being in the USA, I get my issues of C+ later than UK readers (if I get them at all, but that's another story). I just saw the ad by Andy Blance describing the forthcoming Thorn Audax Mk3.
Are any photos available to publish on the Forum? Pre-release photos have been posted of other Thorn models, I seem to recall. I'm most interested in the stainless steel features - I'm not sure I've seen that before.
I also wonder if the finishes will be of the same type that recent Raven ATs and other frames have used - I only ask because I know there have been issues with some of these.
Andrew C
www.velofellow.com
-
I haven't read the article but I'm really interested in the Audax Mk3.
Hopefully, the head tubes will be of a sensible length and not short like they are on some models.
-
Hello,
Funny you should say that! I enquired as I was definately going to get a Mk 3 frameset. But now I have been told the size I would need I think not. The sizes are not as I expected. Longer top tube for my stepover size. So will probably be the short head tube style again.
John.
quote:
Originally posted by The Raucous AUK
I haven't read the article but I'm really interested in the Audax Mk3.
Hopefully, the head tubes will be of a sensible length and not short like they are on some models.
-
No pre production photos yet, but soom i'm sure!
AndyB will be able to comment on dimensions next week when he's back.
I'm certain the Audax will be a winner, paint will be as Raven Tour, Sport Tour etc. I'm not certain that we have had any paint issues on these models from Taiwan, paint is harder and more even than our UK applied wet paint (stove enamel)
I'm off to Trowbridge festival later today so if anyone needs to continue any converstation with me about this (or any other) issue, don't post here but email me on robin@sjscycles.com have a good weekend all.
-
Andy B. sent me (via email) the text that appeared in C+. He thought that it would be August before they were available. I'm waiting to see if the head tube/stepover design is any different to the other Thorns.
I've spent some time looking at the various models but they don't suit me as I'm 6' tall with long legs and short reach so the short top tube models have too low a stepover height for me and the long top tube ones would be too much of a stretch unless I went for flat bars.
Presumably the current sizing system suits other people though - from Thorns perspective on selling them.
Dave
-
Longer head tubes and 130mm rear spacing please!
-
I do know that it is a multi purpose frame! Its......132.5 rear width! So one can use either or presumably both.
John
quote:
Originally posted by spinacilight
Longer head tubes and 130mm rear spacing please!
-
132.5mm rear spacing?
Seems sensible enough!
-
Any more news? I desperately need a proper winter bike and this is on my short list but I can't wait much longer!
-
It's still not on the website apart from a 'coming soon' type reference. Any more information RT or AB?
-
Perhaps they're having trouble cutting the head tubes down to "about 2cm too short".
Only joking, but some news would be nice!
-
Anyone seen one yet?
-
quote:
Originally posted by spinacilight
Anyone seen one yet?
They are out now - mine arrived today.
-
Any chance of some photos?
-
quote:
Originally posted by Norton
quote:
Originally posted by spinacilight
Anyone seen one yet?
They are out now - mine arrived today.
Thanks for the heads up on this!
-
Got mine today too! A business trip on the 'wrong' side of the Severn Bridge meant that a trip to SJSC was necessary... after making an appointment first of course! A nice welcome and then the chance to finally see one. Very impressive tig-welding (somewhere between what you'd expect tig-welds to look like and pucka fillet-brazing) and all braze-ons were present and correct so it was a quick choice on colour (red and blue - plain but both look good and tough) and a longer chat about sizing. I went for the medium which is 1cm longer on the top tube than my 545M Cyclosportif but also about 13mm taller on the head tube which is exactly what I wanted. I'd forgotten that they come with headset, bottom bracket and seatpin so I didn't need to buy anything else. I'll post some more pictures soon.
(http://snap29.photobox.co.uk/38173096ce3c63ecc98c993650245a52a3acf43bcba7057340461399.jpg)
Very Briefly.... Size: Medium 565mm top tube, 133mm head tube, 73 degree seat tube and 72 degree head tube.
-
For those who have been looking in the wrong place for details of the Mk3 Audax (like me) - you can find them on the components page here:
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Thorn-Thorn-Audax-Mk3-frameset-Blood-Red-14217.htm
Click on the double magnifier to get the big picture and frame dimensions. Sizing looks different other Thorn models. Looks very nice.
Dave
-
Amazing cross post there, within one minute and after a dearth of info! Anyway, as Thorn's pictures are better than mine I won't bother putting the others up now.
I'll build my frame up over the next few weeks. It's going to be my winter bike using the groupset off my Cyclosportif which is going to get a respray (only because of the non-matching fork).
-
How much will a complete Audax MK3 cost? Could be a real bargain.
-
Looks good doesn't it? Top value too! Anyone going for the carbon fibre fork option?
-
Brochure for complete bike online REALLY soon, please excuse us but we've lots of work and brochures take ages to do!
spec for £899.00 will be (example):
Thorn Audax Mk3 frameset Blood Red 550 (Medium)
Handlebar kit - 42 c-c drops
(Kitpart) Black Cork handlebar ribbon, with bar end plugs
(Kitpart) 42cm c-c 3TTT THE anatomic drop handlebars (black 44cm outside edge width)
(Kitpart) Thorn Bicycle and Tandem Owners Guide
(Kitpart) Zefal Ping bell - to fit bars from 22.2mm to 26.0mm - Ideal for drop bars in SILVER
(Kitpart) Wheel reflectors - Clip on type - universal fit through spoke - per pair
(Kitpart) Panaracer Pasela Tour Guard rigid tyre kevlar/aramid belt NEW TYPE 700 x 28 (28-622)
(Kitpart) 700x25-28C (25-28x622) Vittoria Ultralite Normal length Presta threaded valve butyl inner tube
Audax Mk3 27-speed STI gear kit -170, 30/42/52, CHOOSE CASSETTE
(Kitpart) Shimano RX100 BR-A550 Dual pivot brake calipers 47-57mm Deep drop Allen Key fitting - Front and Rear
(Kitpart) Shimano Tiagra ST-4500 STI levers gear/brake levers for drop bars - Flightdeck compatible 9 speed
Shimano Tiagra 4503 triple chainset 50/39/30 Hollowtech II (requires separate bottom bracket cups) with 170mm cranks
(Kitpart) Shimano Tiagra RD-4500 GS (Medium cage) 9 speed rear derailleur
(Kitpart) Shimano Tiagra FD-4503 9 speed Multifit (28.6/31.8mm) conventional band Triple front derailleur
(Kitpart) Shimano Deore & Tiagra HG53 9spd chain 114 links - New special rivet - Grey
11-32 Shimano Deore HG50 9 speed Hyperglide cassette MSRP £24.99
San Marco Rolls Classic saddle with leather top - Black
Shimano Deore FH-M530 QR 8/9 Speed Rear Cassette Hub - Black 32 Hole
Shimano Deore HB-M530 QR Parallax Front Hub - Black 32 Hole
Wheel build - spokes and labour (per wheel)
SKS chromoplastic 700c / 27in mudguards black 35(include fitting kit)
32h Mavic Open Sport Rim 700c - Black Anodised
Shimano Tiagra Hollowtech II English Thread cups 1.370 x 24inch per pair for FC-4500 ROAD
-
I suspect you will need to get assembling them as quickly as possible because that sounds (if it's remotely comparable with Audax 853 ride) like a great buy.
Can't wait for brochure and some reviews
-
The Audax 853 in red/blue (like your?) looks absolutely gorgeous in real-life, I rode alongside one on an Audax for a while. It doesn't look at all special in photos though. I can't figure that out.
Pity the Audax Mk3 doesn't come in same scheme.
-
Finally made a start on building mine up today. The FSA headset was already fitted by SJSC but the steerer measuring, cutting and star-fangled nut thingy all went sweet enough and the spacers and ITM stem and bars are all on. I've no need to watch the weight on this bike build and I've gone for ITM Super 300 bars and an ITM Forged Lite Luxe, both being 'oversize' because I've never tried them before and fancied giving them a go.
After work tonight I took out the redundant Shimano BB and stuck an FSA 'Campag' BB in there. The threads were perfect and the Shimano one came out very easily and the new one went in like a dream.
-
Right, all finished and here she is!
(http://snap36.photobox.co.uk/08960192524e3f3a9b5225ec496572b5db3b7c4a852903bf94249608.jpg)
It's going to be my winter bike and also next season's audax bike. I like a double chainset but found things a bit tough this year (my first season in audax) with 53/39 and 13-26 so I've switched to 52/39 and 13-29 using a Centaur medium cage rear mech, front mech and sprockets.
Apart from the 'new' 2003 Chorus Ergo's from Cycles Clement I already had all the components in stock by buying them off ebay earlier this year and the Centaur/MA3 wheels and Corus chainset were taken from my temporarily mothballed Thorn Cyclosportif with a 52t chainring taken from the spares box as were the Ultegra 57mm brakes.
-
And a little shot of the tyre clearance. That's a 25c in there so a 28c and mudguards will easily fit (the rear has the same clearances). Fitting mudguards can wait until tomorrow.
(http://snap36.photobox.co.uk/2821364945df3bf6786a908c214200951a195881ec9f47a59aa73e73.jpg)
-
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by The Raucous AUK</i>
Right, all finished and here she is!
(http://snap36.photobox.co.uk/08960192524e3f3a9b5225ec496572b5db3b7c4a852903bf94249608.jpg)
It's going to be my winter bike and also next season's audax bike. I like a double chainset but found things a bit tough this year (my first season in audax) with 53/39 and 13-26 so I've switched to 52/39 and 13-29 using a Centaur medium cage rear mech, front mech and sprockets.
<i>Hello,
Looks great. Can you tell me what size it is? Get those M/Guards fitted and go enjoy it.
John.
</i>
Apart from the 'new' 2003 Chorus Ergo's from Cycles Clement I already had all the components in stock by buying them off ebay earlier this year and the Centaur/MA3 wheels and Corus chainset were taken from my temporarily mothballed Thorn Cyclosportif with a 52t chainring taken from the spares box as were the Ultegra 57mm brakes.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
-
Hi John - It's a 'medium' size (565mm top tube and 132mm head tube).
-
quote:
Originally posted by The Raucous AUK
Hi John - It's a 'medium' size (565mm top tube and 132mm head tube).
Hello, Sorry for delay in response. Thanks for that but could you also for my benefit tell me the distance from the nose of the saddle to centre of stem where the bars go through? Plus of course stem length.I hope this not too much hinderance for you. Its just that the sizes of Mk3 seem in variance from other frames that I have and I am trying to work out if I could get one that I would be happy with.
John.
-
It's an 11cm stem. I'll try to get the other measurement when I pop home for lunch.
(burp)
OK it's 42cm from the nose of the saddle to the steerer bolt and then the 11cm stem so that's 53cm in total.
-
quote:
Originally posted by The Raucous AUK
It's an 11cm stem. I'll try to get the other measurement when I pop home for lunch.
(burp)
OK it's 42cm from the nose of the saddle to the steerer bolt and then the 11cm stem so that's 53cm in total.
You are a Star! Thank you. I will see if this equates.
John.
-
I had a short test spin last Sunday but had a much longer two-day unladen tour on it this weekend, doing about 70 miles each day over very varied terrain (a bit too hilly for my current condition!) and it handled really well especially on downhills when blasting around corners. The weight counts against it on longer climbs but only when compared to lightweight alu/carbon racers and I think I'll worry about the 28lbs around my midriff first!
First impressions are very favourable.
-
Brochure is now available on the Thorn home page.
Dave
-
En garde!
(http://img4011.photobox.co.uk/2708794258925afbb988beada1440fb4725890513765a4a5444b1eccc0d26b8a2da3ffd3.jpg)
There are mudguard bosses under the fork crown, on the chainstay bridge and under the brake bridge so I drilled out the rivets holding the front bracket on and drilled a small hole in the rear mudguard.
-
quote:
Originally posted by The Raucous AUK
En garde!
(http://img4011.photobox.co.uk/0787077942095055b83d25125947b51a991b5723b78ad31b209e4d63ad997bbc0f3f420f.jpg)
There are mudguard bosses under the fork crown, on the chainstay bridge and under the brake bridge so I drilled out the rivets holding the front bracket on and drilled a small hole in the rear mudguard.
Hello,
Yes thats the way to do it! I drill off the 'tops' of the rivets. Remove one completely and bash the other flat to cover its hole.
John.
www.pbase.com/john28july
PS Not riding-ill!!! Grr.....
-
I've just built mine too - but no mileage yet! It's equiped with comp triple gearset/chainset and veloce shifters.
(http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s75/novice_geek/bikes003.jpg)
-
Nice! What brakes are those AH?
-
Brakes are Shimano 600 (need to be long reach - 57mm drop - so no Campag brakes are suitable. Went for the best I could as brakes can be really important to general confidence and enjoyment.
-
Very smart Audax Hopeful - nice build.
I think you need to get a silver stem and spacers Alf - Loks a bit odd at the moment. Do you want to borrow a chain tool too, or is baggy all the rage in Putt Albutt these days ;-)
-
quote:
Originally posted by lb1dej
Brochure is now available on the Thorn home page.
Dave
Crikey! Looking at the brochure I now realise that I was served by Mr. Thorn himself.
-
Hi I had few questions regarding the frame.
As i am 5'4" tall, I am probably looking to get the Small (495) or Small/Med (525) size.
I couldnt find the following info in the brochure:
- Wheelbase:
- head tube angle:
- fork rake:
- Head tube length
- Frame+fork (standard steel fork) weight:
- suitability of upgrading to a Carbon fibre fork on Small size. The brochure mentions that the fork SJS sells is not suitable but is there any other fork that i could use?
cheers
nilay
-
Hi Nilay,
Your questions are very specific so unless someone here has those two sizes then you're best advised to e-mail Thorn or SJSC rather than post an 'open question' here as Robin and Andy don't dip into here that often and have also previously advised me that it's best to e-mail them direct. Unless the top tube is too long for you I'd guess that the small-medium would suit you best but accept that I'm not best placed to advice you!
FWIW I'm 5'8" and sized mine as a medium based on the head tube length and took 1cm off my normal stem length as the top tube was longer than what I'm used to riding.
I don't know what you intend using this for but I'm delighted with mine and just wish work and the weather would allow me to ride it! For what it's worth I reckon the steel fork is good enough for my purposes (winter bike and audax bike) and I can't see me bothering with a carbon fork now and I don't really dig the black fork thing anyway!
Good Luck.
-
well my intention is to run the bike with 2 different setups:
- a "fast and light" running slick tires (700cx23 or 700cx25).
- With a change of the wheels, brakes and fork i could convert it into a "touring" bike running beefy tires (650b-35 or 650b-38)
the "fast and light" setup is the primary setup and will have:
- a 50x34 chainset with 12x23 or 12x25, 10 speed cassette
- 700c (ISO 622) wheels built using shimano deore quality hubs (135mm) and mavic cxp33 or equivalent semi deep rims and possibly aero spokes.
- Shimano drivetrain, (casstte, chainset, derailers etc) with Campagnolo! ergo brake/shifters
- 57 mm reach brakes
- carbon fibre fork.
- weight target: 8 kgs but would be happy with 9 kg or less.
- cost target: 1000£ or less including frame and forks and rest of the components (----ebay rocks! ;-) ---------)
the "touring" setup is an experimental project with 650b wheels. If successful i will use this setup once a year. the setup will be:
- a 50x34 chainset with 14x32 or 14x30 10 speed cassette (custom cassette built using individual sprockets based on shimano 14-25 ultegra cassette)
- 650b (ISO 584 wheels built using shimano deore hub (135mm) and 650b rims
- Shimano drivetrain, (casstte, chainset, derailers etc) with Campagnolo! ergo brake/shifters
- 57 mm reach brakes or a centerpull brake
- the Thorn steel fork.
theoratically switching between these setups would reqire:
- swapping the fork (with a sealed bearing headset this should not be very difficult.
- swapping the brakes (if done carefully, this can be done without excessivly kinking or fraying of the cables)
- swapping the wheels (well if the above was successful this is will take a matter of seconds to do :-) ).
this is an ambitious DIY project including building 2 wheel sets, so i am quite excited about it.
-
Why not get two Audax Mk.3's! It wouldn't be that much more especially when considering that you get the headset, seatpin and bottom bracket for £299 and you're already planning on having two sets of wheels and different cassettes.
Without using exotica I don't think you'll get anywhere near 8kgs even with a carbon fork.
-
First, sizing: I wasn't sure of my correct frame size, couldn't decide between med and sma/med, so I went to bridgewater to have a look / discussion and was pleased to find both sizes of Mk3 Audax built up on the premises. After trying both (stationary) I chose the sma/med (Thorn staff agreed too) and I'm very happy now it's built - it just feels right!! BUT I'm 5'9" tall of average build, which would suggest at 5'4" you'll need the small. The most important measurement though is top tube length - if you can visit the shop do, if not definitely talk to and/or email the SJSC/Thorn staff. They really are good to deal with!!
Second, 650b wheels: I must admit I knew nothing about these so I've googled all the info I can find and I see what you're thinking. Thing is the Mk3 Audax is not a fully loaded touring frame - weight carrying recomendations are in the brochure (and are probably very conservative!) but with these in mind, why would you need to go to tyres bigger than 28c with guards ?? (without guards you can use upto 35c I think?). If you really want a full tourer perhaps the Club Tour is a better bet?? It looks to be a great bike at a similar price to Audax and takes 37c tyres without all the hassell of converting to 650b wheels!!
And as none of the Thorn bikes (afaik) have been designed for 650b wheels, why compromise the great design you're paying for by converting them??
Just my thoughts - you pays your money and takes your choice - but this forum is proof that Thorn design great bikes, so talk your requirements over with them and maybe try to get a test ride!!