Thorn Cycles Forum

Community => Member's Gallery => Topic started by: geocycle on September 18, 2013, 03:58:31 pm

Title: Raven on the TdF
Post by: geocycle on September 18, 2013, 03:58:31 pm
Had a weekend away with the bike in the Yorkshire Dales.  Parts of the route are being used by the TdF as it kicks off in Yorkshire in 2014. The new road surfaces on the TdF sections are excellent.   Here are some shots at the top of Swaledale at about 520m and I finished by a well deserved Brewery trip.
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: Danneaux on September 18, 2013, 04:31:39 pm
Ohhh, pittsures!  ;D

Geo', the bike is looking wonderful in these shots, complete with Hebie Chainglider. Absolutely gorgeous countryside in your photos and so picturesque.
Quote
Parts of the route are being used by the TdF as it kicks off in Yorkshire in 2014.
D'you think the other competitors will protest your early pre-running of the route as an unfair advantage?  :D
Quote
The new road surfaces on the TdF sections are excellent.
Hmm. No coincidence there, methinks. D'you remember the hue and cry when the peloton encountered some real cobbles in Belgium? "Too rough!" they cried. Whatever happened to the Iron Men of Cycling that used to be? I know! They're not riding Thorns, bikes capable of handling rough roads without resurfacing!

Wonderful photos, Geo'; thanks so much for sharing. Just like being there for those of us far away.

Best,

Dan.
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: jags on September 18, 2013, 04:40:37 pm
Wow fantastic make me feel like jumping on me bike.the road surfaces here in Ireland are dire, Sean Kelly (ME BROTHER) said he liked training on the heavy roads of Ireland  made for fast cycling when  he hit the smooth stuff ;)
huh never worked for me :'(

excellent photos thanks for posting.
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: Swislon on September 18, 2013, 05:51:39 pm
Oh my thats just up the road from me!
Wonderful Geo. I must do the full route before next summer.
We have loads of roadies ending up here in Harrogate nearly every day having ridden the full route. Do they look knackered when I see them!
But have a really big smile on their faces.

I must get round to auctioning camping spaces on our lawn.......

Steve
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: jags on September 18, 2013, 06:03:12 pm
the second pic love to pitch a tent there for a few summer days and explore the area. ;)
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: geocycle on September 18, 2013, 07:44:24 pm
Yes, it s a great area and i was fortunate to be working near penrith so could make a weekend of it. I've not been across the pass from kirby Stephen to swaledale before (Nateby) but it is stunning as are the uppermost parts of the dale.  There are some challenging gradients and swooping descents. Had a great lunch at the dales bike centre near reeth.  After masham I was heading back west but diverted to Harrogate and took a train due to the change in the weather....
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: Matt2matt2002 on September 18, 2013, 07:48:47 pm
Great snap. As a fellow Raven rider may I ask about your chain cover, please?
Make model and opinion.
Matt
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: lewis noble on September 18, 2013, 08:29:09 pm
Hello Geocycle!!

Bike still looks good - you may remember guiding me out of Lancaster back in 2008 or thereabouts as I began the Trans Pennine Trail??  I am back on a Thorn again, a Ripio, very pleased with it.  The Raven I was riding that trip has been ridden to Cambodia or around there.

Regards

Lewis - Sheffield
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: geocycle on September 18, 2013, 09:09:20 pm
Great snap. As a fellow Raven rider may I ask about your chain cover, please?
Make model and opinion.
Matt

Yes of course! It is a Hebie Chainglider and followed a suggestion by Andre Jute who tested a range of chain guards with rohloffs.  See the thread here for detailed comments http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=6813.0. I've had it for about 500 miles and I am pleased to say it works well. It is very easy to fit and remove if needed. I didn't have to cut it at all. It is a loose fit and as the name suggest glides on the chain.  I don't notice drag. I am a bit OCD about noises and I find it tolerable.  Some of the time it is silent, at others there is a noise like a slightly rattling mudguard depending where the guard has shifted to.  It's covered in mud at the moment that would otherwise be on the chain.  I will remove it in a few weeks and see what state the chain is in.
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: geocycle on September 18, 2013, 09:11:49 pm
Hello Geocycle!!

Bike still looks good - you may remember guiding me out of Lancaster back in 2008 or thereabouts as I began the Trans Pennine Trail??  I am back on a Thorn again, a Ripio, very pleased with it.  The Raven I was riding that trip has been ridden to Cambodia or around there.

Regards

Lewis - Sheffield

Hi Lewis, yes I have been following your bike purchases with interest. Glad you are pleased with the Ripio. Is that another 26" wheel? Any plans for longer rides?
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: Andre Jute on September 19, 2013, 12:33:41 am
Beautiful scenery, especially the Black Sheep (!) Brewery. Every time I see your bike, Geo, I'm struck by how businesslike it looks. Attached as I am to sunflower yellow, black really is a super colour for a Thorn.
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: Fred A-M on September 19, 2013, 02:05:48 am
Great pics Geocycle - I know this route fairly well having cycled it a few times and will be there on the day in question.  Next year's TDF start brings together several strands of my life story as a Frenchman who moved to Yorkshire as a 3 year old (and since moved away, but not before having been fettered to a life-long bond of supporting Leeds Utd).  As a long-suffering TDF fan (from a french perspective at least), I've cycled many TDF climbs/roads in my time, but really look forward to seeing the TDF live for the first time ever - my step-uncle lives just down the road, literally 10 yards from the road in question, so will be spending the said day in a deck chair in prime position, with beer and camera in hand.  :-)
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: Danneaux on September 19, 2013, 02:11:11 am
Quote
...will be spending the said day in a deck chair in prime position, with beer and camera in hand.
Wonderful! Watch it in person for those of us who can't, Fred (and thanks in advance for the photos -- they'll be great, I know!)

All the best,

Dan. (...who also hopes a Frenchman can take the next Tour to even things out a bit)
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: Matt2matt2002 on September 19, 2013, 09:28:10 am
Many thanks. I recall that has far as having to cut the chain glider or not, one factor is the size of front and rear cog.
May I know yours, please? If they are the same as mine, then it could be an easy job.

Matt


Yes of course! It is a Hebie Chainglider and followed a suggestion by Andre Jute who tested a range of chain guards with rohloffs.  See the thread here for detailed comments http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=6813.0. I've had it for about 500 miles and I am pleased to say it works well. It is very easy to fit and remove if needed. I didn't have to cut it at all. It is a loose fit and as the name suggest glides on the chain.  I don't notice drag. I am a bit OCD about noises and I find it tolerable.  Some of the time it is silent, at others there is a noise like a slightly rattling mudguard depending where the guard has shifted to.  It's covered in mud at the moment that would otherwise be on the chain.  I will remove it in a few weeks and see what state the chain is in.
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: lewis noble on September 19, 2013, 10:34:56 am
Hello geocycle

Yes, 26 inch wheel, bike as a whole suits me well and I will be posting more about it - Snowdonia this weekend I hope.  Sloping top tube / crossbar suits me very well on unpredictable trail rides, joints getting a bit reluctant to get over 'level' top tubes, good range of gears, and with the mileages I do Dérailleur is fine.

Lewis
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: geocycle on September 19, 2013, 10:50:50 am
Many thanks. I recall that has far as having to cut the chain glider or not, one factor is the size of front and rear cog.
May I know yours, please? If they are the same as mine, then it could be an easy job.

Matt



I have gone to 42 x 17 (from 40 x16) to fit the chainglider specs.  The ratios are about the same.  A 38T version is also available.  Whether you need to trim the chainglider will also depend on the size of the frame, specifically the chain stays.  They are long on the raven tour relative to most bikes.  See Andre's posts for details.
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: Fred A-M on September 19, 2013, 01:52:38 pm
Wonderful! Watch it in person for those of us who can't, Fred (and thanks in advance for the photos -- they'll be great, I know!)

All the best,

Dan. (...who also hopes a Frenchman can take the next Tour to even things out a bit)

Thanks Dan, appreciated though taking pics of fast moving objects is an art in itself as I discovered when trying to shoot last year's Tour de Limousin - got maybe one decent pic!
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: Andre Jute on September 19, 2013, 11:07:52 pm
Rather proud of coming home with any photographs at all from the Tour of Ireland. At http://coolmainpress.com/BICYCLING.html see "Tour of Ireland with Lance and Andre". Of course, it wasn't easy racing Alberto and handling a camera at the same time....
Title: Re: Raven on the TdF
Post by: Danneaux on September 19, 2013, 11:22:25 pm
Quote
Of course, it wasn't easy racing Alberto and handling a camera at the same time....
...And you did it without EPO, Andre! Now doping is no longer the order of the day, the peloton should be very worried about the threat you pose.

Best,

Dan. (...whose money is on the man with the French name from West Cork)
Title: Re:[quote author=Matt2matt2002 link=topic=7309.msg46841#msg46841 date=1379579290
Post by: Andre Jute on September 20, 2013, 02:51:35 am
Many thanks. I recall that has far as having to cut the chain glider or not, one factor is the size of front and rear cog.

I've replied to this remark in the thead Factory lube/chaincase experiment (X8 chain, Chainglider, Surly SS & Rohloff) (http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=6813.0) on p3 at message 43.