11
Muppets Threads! (And Anything Else) / Re: Mothballing my Raven tour
« Last post by Jags on November 03, 2025, 04:54:59 PM »thinking of you Matt get better soon buddy.
regards
jags
anto.
regards
jags
anto.
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12
Muppets Threads! (And Anything Else) / Re: Mothballing my Raven tour
« Last post by John Saxby on November 03, 2025, 04:53:18 PM »Bravo, Matt! Good on yer, mate, for riding -- helps one's state of mind no end.
We had some Serious Scottish Weather here last week -- ripple effects of Hurricane Melissa -- so not much riding for me. If the weather gods relent, am hoping to get across the river & into the hills midweek.
Will be thinking of you on the 17th, and sending best wishes.
John
We had some Serious Scottish Weather here last week -- ripple effects of Hurricane Melissa -- so not much riding for me. If the weather gods relent, am hoping to get across the river & into the hills midweek.
Will be thinking of you on the 17th, and sending best wishes.
John
13
Thorn General / Re: Mid 1990's Club Tour Frame Size identification
« Last post by Jags on November 03, 2025, 04:50:27 PM »thats a beauty enjoy it.
dan will no doubt let you know what all those numbers mean.
i doubt its a 59cm frame 58 top tube.
dan will no doubt let you know what all those numbers mean.
i doubt its a 59cm frame 58 top tube.
14
Muppets Threads! (And Anything Else) / Re: Mothballing my Raven tour
« Last post by Danneaux on November 03, 2025, 03:42:29 PM »Matt!
Talk about a day-brightener! Fantastic news to hear you and your RavenTour have been out and about. Bound to raise the spirits and the extra fitness is never amiss. Six miles is stellar!
I recall in my darker days, after receiving a fatal prognosis and being in a great deal of pain, the "Tour de Neighborhood" at 16 blocks square meant everything in the world to me. Inflate the tires one day, ride the next was the norm, 'cos I had to choose. Still, being out on the bike was the nearest thing to actual flight and buoyed me for the rest of the week. I like to think there was an actual therapeutic component to it as well, 'cos look where I am now -- recovered from that, as I am sure you will too.
Good on ya, Matt. Will surely be thinking of you on the 17th as well as before and after.
ATB, Dan.
Talk about a day-brightener! Fantastic news to hear you and your RavenTour have been out and about. Bound to raise the spirits and the extra fitness is never amiss. Six miles is stellar!
I recall in my darker days, after receiving a fatal prognosis and being in a great deal of pain, the "Tour de Neighborhood" at 16 blocks square meant everything in the world to me. Inflate the tires one day, ride the next was the norm, 'cos I had to choose. Still, being out on the bike was the nearest thing to actual flight and buoyed me for the rest of the week. I like to think there was an actual therapeutic component to it as well, 'cos look where I am now -- recovered from that, as I am sure you will too.
Good on ya, Matt. Will surely be thinking of you on the 17th as well as before and after.
ATB, Dan.
15
Muppets Threads! (And Anything Else) / Re: Mothballing my Raven tour
« Last post by Matt2matt2002 on November 03, 2025, 01:48:09 PM »Hi folks.
Mothballs away!
I have been out around town on short 6 miles runs twice in the past weeks.
My date for surgery is now set for Monday 17th Nov .
I hope to manage a few more rides.
After 2+ months off the bike it was so good to get out again.
Many thanks for the support here.
It really does mean so much to me.
Surgery is for oesophageal cancer so fingers crossed.
Matt
Mothballs away!
I have been out around town on short 6 miles runs twice in the past weeks.
My date for surgery is now set for Monday 17th Nov .
I hope to manage a few more rides.
After 2+ months off the bike it was so good to get out again.
Many thanks for the support here.
It really does mean so much to me.
Surgery is for oesophageal cancer so fingers crossed.
Matt
16
Bikes For Sale / Thorn Rohloff Step Thru Wanted
« Last post by robbieonthenet on November 03, 2025, 12:05:50 PM »Dear Forum
I am still looking for a used Thorn Rohloff Step Through.
I have a Raven Tour now but needed a step through due to aging !
Anyone looking to sell one kindly contact me.
Cheers
Robert in Bournemouth
I am still looking for a used Thorn Rohloff Step Through.
I have a Raven Tour now but needed a step through due to aging !
Anyone looking to sell one kindly contact me.
Cheers
Robert in Bournemouth
17
Thorn General / Mid 1990's Club Tour Frame Size identification
« Last post by AdrianStone on November 03, 2025, 08:45:38 AM »Hello - a first time poster here as I've bought an elderly Thorn Club Tour. I've not cycled for years and wanted to start again as now retired and would like to get out more without taking the motorbike or dog. Just to explore our area (Dorset) more and go camping on a bike.
I understand the bike is a mid 1990's Club Tour, I can see no frame size stamp non the bottom bracket, there is a frame number, 595808, at the bottom of the seat tube - photo attached. Is it possible to identify the frame size from this?
Looking forward to getting out on this and hopefully restoring it as there's rust under the coating in several places in the future.
Thank you
I understand the bike is a mid 1990's Club Tour, I can see no frame size stamp non the bottom bracket, there is a frame number, 595808, at the bottom of the seat tube - photo attached. Is it possible to identify the frame size from this?
Looking forward to getting out on this and hopefully restoring it as there's rust under the coating in several places in the future.
Thank you
18
Transmission / Re: Fitting a Chainglider to a Raven Tour
« Last post by Andre Jute on November 01, 2025, 11:13:17 PM »Great post, Andy, clear and concise.
It is difficult to do damage to a Chainglider, so cutting -- a bread knife is good for this -- or rasping away a small indent with a wood file, needn't be terminal if one takes care to remove only a small bit between pauses to offer up the Chainglider to the frame to check progress.
I like your heating and reshaping innovation very much.
It is difficult to do damage to a Chainglider, so cutting -- a bread knife is good for this -- or rasping away a small indent with a wood file, needn't be terminal if one takes care to remove only a small bit between pauses to offer up the Chainglider to the frame to check progress.
I like your heating and reshaping innovation very much.
19
Transmission / Re: Fitting a Chainglider to a Raven Tour
« Last post by Danneaux on November 01, 2025, 07:29:58 PM »Thanks for the helpful writeup, Andy!
No disagreement, just to amplify a bit on the specifics of the splined Rohloff sprocket carriers, see...
https://www.rohloff.de/en/service/handbook/speedhub/assembly/crankset
One is the standard SPLINED HUB 500/14, Art.#8540 model that provides a chainline of 57mm. It accommodates the full range of sprocket sizes from 13t-21t
The other is the SPLINED HUB 500/14S model, Art.#8540s which is slimmer for applications where a wider chainline would cause rubbing. It offers a chainline of 55mm. It doesn't accommodate 13t or 14t sprockets, but 15t-21t work fine.
One caveat for other fitments, noted by Rohloff at the link above...
Best, Dan.
No disagreement, just to amplify a bit on the specifics of the splined Rohloff sprocket carriers, see...
https://www.rohloff.de/en/service/handbook/speedhub/assembly/crankset
One is the standard SPLINED HUB 500/14, Art.#8540 model that provides a chainline of 57mm. It accommodates the full range of sprocket sizes from 13t-21t
The other is the SPLINED HUB 500/14S model, Art.#8540s which is slimmer for applications where a wider chainline would cause rubbing. It offers a chainline of 55mm. It doesn't accommodate 13t or 14t sprockets, but 15t-21t work fine.
One caveat for other fitments, noted by Rohloff at the link above...
Quote
Current Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 models are equipped with our new splined carrier sprocket system which creates a 57mm chainline as opposed to the old 15, 16 & 17 tooth threaded sprockets which used a 54mm chainline.
Best, Dan.
20
Transmission / Fitting a Chainglider to a Raven Tour
« Last post by Andyb1 on November 01, 2025, 05:02:22 PM »Lots on here about Chaingliders but I could not find a thread on fitting them to Thorn bikes, specifically the Raven Tour.
The problems:
There are two problems with fitting a CG to a Raven Tour:
1. If a Thorn alloy chainwheel is still fitted it will need to be replaced as it is 5mm wide and the CG spec says the max chainwheel width is 3mm.
2. The seat stays on Thorn bikes are closer to the chain than on some other bikes. This is compounded by the fact that over the years Rohloff have increased their recommended chainline and Thorn bike frames were designed at the time of the narrower chainline.
Different Rohloff sprocket carriers require different chainlines:
- threaded (chainline 54mm)
- splined (chainline 57mm)
- threaded converted to splined with the thinner adaptor (chainline 55mm)
A narrower chainline gives more clearance between the chain and stay so a Rohloff hub with the earlier threaded sprocket carrier is best.
Solutions
1. The chainring - simply replace with a thinner chainring.
I used a 4mm thick Shimano STYX 38T alloy ring with Narrow / Wide teeth for no better reason than I have had one on another bike for 7500 miles with a CG. Being 1mm wider than ideal, however, it does make a sound like a squarking chicken when wet but I know this will go with time as the CG wears in (the chainwheel on the other bike did not not wear, it was the CG that wore down to size).
2. On my Raven Tour (threaded sprocket carrier and 537L frame) the closeness of the chain to the stay meant that the rear section of the CG was being pushed slightly inwards. Long term this could result in paint damage to the stay and the risk of the CG rubbing on the soft but expensive alloy hub.
My solution was threefold:
1. File off about 1mm from the top corner of the rear section of the CG where it touched the stay.
2. Heat the rear section of the CG in the area where it touched the stay with a hot air gun and push the now flexible material inwards maybe 2mm with a rounded piece of wood. The plastic appears to be ABS so becomes hard again once cooled. The geometry of the rear section of the CG allows this inward bulge to clear the chain.
These tweaks gave about a 1mm gap between the stay and the rear part of the CG.
The final detail was to stick a piece of clear plastic Gorilla tape on the stay to protect the paint, which reduced the gap slightly.
Different combinations of Thorn bikes / frame sizes / rohloff sprocket carriers may need different solutions, for example cutting away part of the rear section of the CG so it clears the stay.
The problems:
There are two problems with fitting a CG to a Raven Tour:
1. If a Thorn alloy chainwheel is still fitted it will need to be replaced as it is 5mm wide and the CG spec says the max chainwheel width is 3mm.
2. The seat stays on Thorn bikes are closer to the chain than on some other bikes. This is compounded by the fact that over the years Rohloff have increased their recommended chainline and Thorn bike frames were designed at the time of the narrower chainline.
Different Rohloff sprocket carriers require different chainlines:
- threaded (chainline 54mm)
- splined (chainline 57mm)
- threaded converted to splined with the thinner adaptor (chainline 55mm)
A narrower chainline gives more clearance between the chain and stay so a Rohloff hub with the earlier threaded sprocket carrier is best.
Solutions
1. The chainring - simply replace with a thinner chainring.
I used a 4mm thick Shimano STYX 38T alloy ring with Narrow / Wide teeth for no better reason than I have had one on another bike for 7500 miles with a CG. Being 1mm wider than ideal, however, it does make a sound like a squarking chicken when wet but I know this will go with time as the CG wears in (the chainwheel on the other bike did not not wear, it was the CG that wore down to size).
2. On my Raven Tour (threaded sprocket carrier and 537L frame) the closeness of the chain to the stay meant that the rear section of the CG was being pushed slightly inwards. Long term this could result in paint damage to the stay and the risk of the CG rubbing on the soft but expensive alloy hub.
My solution was threefold:
1. File off about 1mm from the top corner of the rear section of the CG where it touched the stay.
2. Heat the rear section of the CG in the area where it touched the stay with a hot air gun and push the now flexible material inwards maybe 2mm with a rounded piece of wood. The plastic appears to be ABS so becomes hard again once cooled. The geometry of the rear section of the CG allows this inward bulge to clear the chain.
These tweaks gave about a 1mm gap between the stay and the rear part of the CG.
The final detail was to stick a piece of clear plastic Gorilla tape on the stay to protect the paint, which reduced the gap slightly.
Different combinations of Thorn bikes / frame sizes / rohloff sprocket carriers may need different solutions, for example cutting away part of the rear section of the CG so it clears the stay.