Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Member's Gallery => Topic started by: spooley on March 08, 2008, 10:11:50 PM
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Here are a couple of pics of my new green Raven Tour. Just a dozen miles on it at the time of the photos, after I'd ridden it home from the office via a couple of Wiltshire pubs -- just to get the bike into the right frame of mind, you understand!
(http://home.spooley.me.uk/images/20080308_ThornRaven/slides/DSCN8486.JPG)
(http://home.spooley.me.uk/images/20080308_ThornRaven/slides/DSCN8497.JPG)
I transferred the saddle (B66) from my old bike, along with a Dutch Axa cuff-style lock on the saddle stays, by the rear brake.
There had been a couple of rain showers as I pottered transferring bits from the old bike but, undaunted, I set out for a little round-trip this afternoon and combined that with a trip to fill the panniers with the weeks shopping from Sainsbury's. So now the bike's received a splatering of muddy water from the roads, and proved itself with a moderate load.
The Raven Tour coped admirably: There's a comforting, low, rumbling growl from the gears in the low-half of the hub that is more felt than heard. I've chosen a very upright riding position, emphasised by the smaller wheels than I'm used to. But v. comfortable. The braking is phenomenal - I'm used to braking early and gently on the old bike. On the new bike I often found I'd come to an abrupt halt yards before the obstacle/target :-)
The bike seems very taut and frisky ... quivering with eagerness to go if you hold it stationary on the brakes.
Simon.
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simon well done the bike look's fantastic ,do you entend doing any long tour's on it ,keep safe and enjoy your new bike
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I have to ask this, are you sure you got the correct frame size?
The saddle height and the amount of spacers on the steerer make me think you got a frame that was too small.
Note. I am no frame builder.
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jags: I don't have any significant tours planned ... the bike will be used for commuting (12 miles/day), shopping, and occasional day-ride leisure trips. Maybe I'll build up to more ambitious trips but for the time being that will do me.
freddered: My Raven is a 587L frame size. When I visited Bridgwater to get fitted-up, we did consider the only larger size available (612, I think) but that is only available in short-top-tube variant. Maybe a larger frame would be better, but by then I'd got used to the idea and cost of a Rohloff Thorn and it does seem to work well in practise.
Thanks for the responses.
Simon