Nomad review

[in4]

http://bikehikesafari.com/2015/01/18/bicycle-review-thorn-nomad-mk2/

Apologies if this one has already been posted but it was new to me and proved a good read/review of the Nomad Mk2

[mickeg]

I had not seen that before, thanks.

[Tiberius]

Yeah, cracking read...right up my street....Cheers !!!.....

The leaking 'Hoff would bother me and the seized EBB is exactly the reason why I have not bought a bike with an EBB. However, this bike has been well used and is not a 'garage queen'....fair play to the bloke AND the bike.

After all that lot he recommends it.....Says it all really.....

[David Simpson]

Thanks for letting us know about this review.

I think the cause of his Rohloff oil leak was that he had the bike on its side. Thorn have described this case in their brochures, and say that is it normal for some oil to leak out in that case. The hub's oil seals are not designed to be completely leak-proof.

Of course, there still may be problem with his hub, but he doesn't provide enough info for us to determine that. He did contact Thorn, who said that it wasn't a problem.

- Dave

[geocycle]

Good review and some nice pictures. I'd be slightly concerned about losing all that oil, a bit after a flight is understandle but it sounds like there has been a few occurrences. He does seem to push his equipment though, a seized eccentric, broken brooks and failed ortlieb pannier is an impressive collection!

[mickeg]

My thoughts on the oil was, wow, there was a lot of oil in that hub.  I suspect more than the 15 ml or 25 ml normal amounts. 

[David Simpson]

My thoughts on the oil was, wow, there was a lot of oil in that hub.  I suspect more than the 15 ml or 25 ml normal amounts.

I missed that photo the first time. Yes, it does seem like a lot of oil, and more than the expected amount of leakage. I think you're right about him overfilling it.

- Dave

[Donerol]

But he also says that nothing comes out when he does an oil change, suggesting that there is a constant leak.

[Dave Whittle Thorn Workshop]

But he also says that nothing comes out when he does an oil change, suggesting that there is a constant leak.

Or the cleaning oil mixture isn't being drained thoroughly enough, meaning each oil refill takes the hub into excess causing it to vent unwanted oil.

[Bill C]

sand worked it's way inside and shredded the oil seals? he had been riding on beaches
i know nothing of the hoff hubs but i know sand kills anything it comes in contact with eventually

[jags]

it's broke 

[il padrone]

Interested to read his review of some of the gear he used, and his experience with suspension forks.

Surprised that he broke an Ortlieb lower rail. I have found them to be remarkably tough gear in all respects over more than 10 years of touring. Just this January I was surprised to break a snap-lock buckle - no idea how, shall have to order a new one to repair it.

His experience with suspension pretty much gels with my opinion on this - really of minimal advantage, and it limits your ability to carry front panniers, thus impacting on bike stability. On our Outback Australian and Red Centre tours I did find a friend of mine, with front suspension,  travelled a little faster than me on some sections of bad road in the outback - large corrugations, and very rocky road (with 'baby-head' rocks). But these were less than 30kms of a 3500km tour, and less than 20 kms of a 1600km tour.

[mickeg]

...
His experience with suspension pretty much gels with my opinion on this - really of minimal advantage, and it limits your ability to carry front panniers, thus impacting on bike stability. On our Outback Australian and Red Centre tours I did find a friend of mine, with front suspension,  travelled a little faster than me on some sections of bad road in the outback - large corrugations, and very rocky road (with 'baby-head' rocks). But these were less than 30kms of a 3500km tour, and less than 20 kms of a 1600km tour.
...

I have used a suspension fork on my Nomad when I was pretending that it was a mountain bike.  Was not touring, only carrying water, lunch and a few spares and clothes.  I was really glad I had the suspension.  On one of those trips, I was the only one out of ten that did not have full suspension.

But all of my touring where I was carrying camping gear has been with solid fork.  This past summer I planned to do a tour with suspension fork but we concluded that the trail was too tough, instead car camped while we did daily rides on the trails.  In other words, I am not ruling out a tour with suspension fork.

This past summer I saw a group of three bike packers that were traveling on a mountain bike trail, they were packed very light with no excess weight, carrying only three days of food.  One was full suspension, one had hard tail with suspension fork, and one had no suspension.  I thought that was an interesting mix.  The photos are their bikes, I do not have mine in the photos.