There's no denying that the Silkroad is a lovely piece of bike. The rack would indeed be lovely and rigid, but I'm so darn fussy about the shape of my rack that I actually swap them between bikes every-so-often, just for a laugh...
I've never had a probelm with the bolts on Thorn's EBB, but can't see why the Silkroad's would suffer any troubles: if it didn't work I'm sure they'd not use it!
The suspension fork option is wonderfully thought out. I want it. I want it bad...
Then again, every time I get on my Nomad, it's such a wonderful ride, I'd never feel the need to look elsewhere. Windowshopping's fun, but usually what you've already chosen is the best option for you anyway!
Thread hijack warning...
I've said it before (a long time ago) but I'll say it again: once you use disc brakes, you don't look back. They make so much more sense and work so much better all the time. If I was going on a seriously out-there tour, and thought that somehow I might bend a rotor, I'd just pack an extra rotor: it's small and flat and easy to stash in the rigid back of a pannier.
Hydraulic brakes generally are simply genius compared to cable-actuated. Mineral oil basically needs NO maintenance: even on my older MTB with no disc mounts I use Magura rim brakes, otherwise I have quite a collection of various (all brilliant) Shimano disc brake bits.
Wish list: 1) If only there was a way to have a disc brake on the front of my Nomad. 2) Hydraulic brakes for the Brompton...