Thorn Cycles Forum
Private Classified => Bikes For Sale => Topic started by: Overthehillmaz2 on August 28, 2021, 02:25:12 pm
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Hello,
I am new to this forum so my apologies if I have crossed any usual protocols. I'm trying to sell a Thorn Mercury on behalf of on behalf of the estate of a very good late friend; my recent attempt to sell the bike on eBay resulted in failure.
A member of this forum kindly pointed out the frame was made by K Sayles. The frame number is: 8091431 KS.
The bike is approximately 12-14 years old and in good condition but does have a couple of scratches that do go to the metalwork.
Dave Pountney (late owner) maintained the hub using the correct Rohloff Hub oil. The oil is due a change and 25ml of hub and cleaning oil will be supplied on purchase.
Measurements.
1. Seat tube. Centre of top tube to centre of BB is 450mm
2. Top Tube. Centre of seat tube to centre of head tube is 580mm
3. Head tube. Bottom of bottom race to top of top race is 130mm
4. Spacers of 100mm and stem stack of 40mm reaches top of steering column.
5. Top of saddle to top of pedal is 900mm when saddle is level with handlebars.
6. Stand over height at middle of top bar is 750mm and front is 800mm.
The owner of this bike stood appx. 5'9" tall.
Components.
Brakes, crank set and front hub are Shimano XTR.
Rims; front is Mavic Open Pro and rear DT Swiss (wheels were built by St John Street Cycles).
"Bespoke"
The frame is very unusual in that it has 700cc front wheel clearance front and 26" rear (max tyre width is done 32mm)
Rear wheel is mounted with horizontal dropouts so dispensing with the usual eccentric bottom bracket .
Unlike on eBay the bike will be sold with an Abus rear rack and pedals.
I am looking for offers in the region of £850 (less than eBa given no fees are payable)
I will happily supply photos to people that are interested in purchasing the bike. I live near Malvern and would prefer the purchaser to collect but postage can be arranged at a cost of £50 (UK mainland only).
Please send me a message if you are genuinely interested in the bike.
Many thanks.
Ron
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Doesn't sound like a Mercury, with horizontal dropouts and no eccentric.
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Hello, I can assure you it is a Mercury. If interested please ask for some photos. CTC folk that rode the Elenith 300k from Kidderminster and knew Dave Pountney will probably vouch for its authenticity.
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Might it be one of these http://web.archive.org/web/20070302172225/http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/mercury.html ? (note that the web archive can be a bit slow to load). To quote:
Thorn Mercury - from £2399
This very tight, sharp, ultra responsive... yet highly reliable, ultra-lightweight touring bike was designed to be the ultimate courier bike... the lucky few, that own a Mercury, agree that we’ve got it spot on! Expertly fillet brazed, to show standard, in Somerset by our master builder Kevin Sayles."
The serial number of the Rohloff hub will be a reasonable indicator of the bike's vintage http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=7767.msg50385#msg50385 .
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Hello, Thank you for bringing this to my and other people's attention. The serial number on the Rohloff Hub is: 111894
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Did Kevin Sayles go on to work with Woodrup cycles in Leeds UK?
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Hello, LinkedIn confirms he went to work for Bob Jackson before they went into liquidation and were absorbed by Woodrup: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/kevin-sayles-38a63117.
It may be worth a try for me to contact him when I get back from a four day cycle tour in the Welsh borders
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Did Kevin Sayles go on to work with Woodrup cycles in Leeds UK?
He sure did. I bought a Woodrup Chimera built by him a few years ago.
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I think, given its provenance, a photo would be well received here. 😃
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I think, given its provenance, a photo would be well received here. 😃
Indeed. Several would be even better.
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Thanks for posting. Some lovely paint work and little details to find. Loved the anti-cable rub strip.
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Hello, Thank you for bringing this to my and other people's attention. The serial number on the Rohloff Hub is: 111894
Interesting, that’s a 2009. I would have guessed the KS frame was older?
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Hello, Apologies for not replying earlier but I've just been on a short tour of the Welsh borders. I've attached a few photos and will tomorrow post a photo of the BB with frame number.
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Photo 2
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Photo 3
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Might it be one of these http://web.archive.org/web/20070302172225/http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/mercury.html ? (note that the web archive can be a bit slow to load). To quote:
Thorn Mercury - from £2399
This very tight, sharp, ultra responsive... yet highly reliable, ultra-lightweight touring bike was designed to be the ultimate courier bike... the lucky few, that own a Mercury, agree that we’ve got it spot on! Expertly fillet brazed, to show standard, in Somerset by our master builder Kevin Sayles."
The serial number of the Rohloff hub will be a reasonable indicator of the bike's vintage http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=7767.msg50385#msg50385 .
Looking at the photo here: http://web.archive.org/web/20080129184052/http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/enlargemercury.html which is the enlarged photo from http://web.archive.org/web/20070302172225/http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/mercury.html the bike shown doesn't seem to have sliding rear dropouts.
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Photo 4. Sorry for delay.
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KS = Kevin Sayles built.
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In the megabrochure (p14?), Andy Blance tells of Thorn having built bespoke Rohloff frames early on for a few customers whose insistence outmatched his scepticism. Might this have been one of those bikes? He also says that in one case, after he had learned more about the Rohloff from his own experiments, and having put a Rohloff model into production, Thorn gave at least one of those owners a new production frame, which would certainly have had the eccentric and vertical rear dropout.
I know Thorn model names have attached to evolving designs over the years. However I've not previously seen reference to Mercury prior to the first production run Thorn commissioned, which I had understood to be TIG welded in Taiwan like the current version.
Nice looking bike from the images, and possibly a significant piece of Thorn history. Not to be casting doubt - this is just a speculative question - but might it be an early frame with a later hub and adapted fork?
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Hello, I know that Dave Pountney (late owner)purchased the bike/frame as is. The only thing that did change was that the frame was immediately returned for a respray; he didn't like the multi coloured standard paint job. I can't say anymore as it would be speculation on my part.
I have today sent an email to Woodrup cycles FAO Kevin Sayles and they have kindly forwarded on my message.
When I have more facts I will come back to you. Thanks for your thoughts, Ron
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Hello, I know that Dave Pountney (late owner)purchased the bike/frame as is. The only thing that did change was that the frame was immediately returned for a respray; he didn't like the multi coloured standard paint job. I can't say anymore as it would be speculation on my part.
I have today sent an email to Woodrup cycles FAO Kevin Sayles and they have kindly forwarded on my message.
When I have more facts I will come back to you. Thanks for your thoughts, Ron
The mention of the multi-colour paint job reminds me of a "one - off lightweight " Andy B christened "The (Z?)XTCZ " - The only anomaly is the inclusion of 700c front wheel. Maybe Mr Sayles will shed more light on this once he's decoded his frame number.