maximum load for a Sherpa

[dick220369]

Hi All,

Does anyone know what the maximum recommended weight (rider plus luggage) that a Thorn Sherpa can carry?

Thanks,

Richard

[jags]

yip i can tell you that for certain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N0efg9A088

[AndyE]

33Kg, 36Kg or  40Kg depending on frame size and tube diameter. Check the size matrix out on page 4 of the Sherpa brochure.

http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/ThornSherpaBroHiRes.pdf.

Andy

[mickeg]

Their January 2012 brochure on page 16 says:

In the table on the left you will notice that the
smaller frames are made with Thorn 969
standard oversized tubing, these smaller
frames are more resilient but will not carry such a
large all-up load, 20Kg is the maximum load at
the rear and 8Kg is the maximum for the forks.
The larger sizes are made from Thorn 969 extra
oversized tubing, these are used to keep the
luggage carrying qualities of the Sherpa,
proportional to its size. These larger frames are
stronger but slightly heavier, they will carry in
excess of 25Kg at the rear and up to 8Kg at the
front.

But I do not know if things have changed since then, I think they have modified the frame since then.

EDIT:

After I posted the above and seeing that it conflicted with the information posted a minute earlier by AndyE, I checked his source.  It appears that he cites information from the Mk III model, I think my information is from the Mk II model.  Since the question did not specify a version of the frame, I am not deleting the information I posted above.

Since I think mine is the Mk II, (I have a pump peg on a seat stay) I have not bothered to stay current on frame changes.

[Danneaux]

This was a key question I asked when I shopped for my first Thorn (a Sherpa Mk2). I queried a number of makers, and very few had a ready answer because overall *cargo* capacity depends on rider weight. For example, I weigh 78kg and am 180cm tall, but a friend of mine enjoys touring and himself weighs just north of 175kg and is 200cm tall. As you might expect, this adversely affects the cargo capacity of any bike he rides, and is exacerbated because he requires a much larger frame size.

If you're near average weight for your size, then Thorn's recommended capacities are good ones. However, if you are unusually light or heavy for your size, that will affect how much the bike can carry (because it is also carrying you).

I would suggest weighing the contents of the items you will *actually* carry in the panniers and bags you will use (even empty panniers are surprisingly heavy) so you'll have a good idea of your actual cargo weight. If you have occasional need for extra capacity, be sure to figure that as well. For example, when I do my unsupported solo desert tours for extended periods, I must carry extra food and as much as 26l of water. 1l of water weighs 1kg plus the container, so on those occasions, I carry considerable extra weight compared to my tours in more benign regions.

All the best,

Dan.

[mickeg]

One time I packed my gear on the bike in a huge rush for time.  I was very sloppy in my packing, I expected the bike (Sherpa Mk II?) to handle terribly bad because one of my front panniers was much heavier than the other, but it handled pretty good.  When I got to the campsite at the end of the day, I was curious so I weighed my gear.  I have a size 610S frame.  I did not bother to include the three water bottles, each about 0.75 liters that started the day full.  Sorry I used pounds instead of kilograms, I am in USA so that is what my scale was configured for.  I was about 80 kg at that time I think.

14.48 lbs - Left front Pannier
 8.88 lbs - R Front Pannier
 7.04 lbs - Duffle on top in back
14.70 lbs - R Rear pannier
14.06 lbs - L Rear Pannier
 2.22 lbs - seat bag
 7.04 lbs - handlebar bag
68.42 lbs - total

[dick220369]

Well to be honest I currently weigh 105 kg. I am only 5' 7" tall and I know what most people will think without meeting me - I am clinically obese. But I carry a lot of muscle and this is what makes up most of my weight. 105 kg tends to be the heaviest I get with my weight normally fluctuating between 95 and 105. I'm always heavier during the winter months because I get out less but I still go to the gym almost every day. When I tour I normally carry around 40 kg of luggage.

So is 145 kg too heavy for the Sherpa to carry for a prolonged period of time? By prolonged I mean 2 weeks because I never tour for any longer. I recently cycled London to Aberdeen carrying 40 kg of luggage when my weight was sitting at 95 kg. I never felt as though the bike was straining with this load. However, I now have a very small dent in my top tube. My faith in the bike being able to carry that weight again has diminished. I have been thinking of two options to fix this dilemma:

1. Buy a new Sherpa frame and just move all the components across from my old bike.
2. Buy a new bike. I have sourced a touring bike that has a maximum load capacity of 240 kg. This means I need never worry if I am carrying too much for my bike to handle ever again.

[mickeg]

I think that conversation on dents would be best with someone at SJS.

If you do move your wheels from your old bike to a new frame, give your wheels a close inspection first.  And if it was me, I would re-grease the wheel bearings if they can be greased.

You have not said what version your Sherpa is, or what year it is from, or the size. 

For you, unfortunately, the Nomad is a Rohloff only frame, no derailleur hanger.  That is a very robust frame but the cost of the complete bike with Rohloff may be more than you want to spend.

[dick220369]

My Sherpa is less than a year old - bought in June last year. It's a 500L so quite a small size. I am leaning towards a new bike but I don't have room to keep two bikes so I would need to sell on the Sherpa. I really like the Sherpa but the dent in the top tube annoys me and I will never be happy as long as it is there. It probably wouldn't bother most people but I am slightly obsessive compulsive so it really stands out for me. Also, I was under the impression that the Sherpa frame is almost the same as the Nomad's so I wouldn't have though that it's carrying capacity would be that much more.

The main question is do I by a new frame which will cost me around £500 or a new bike for £2500? I know what the sensible part of me is saying but I don't normally listen to them.

[Peejay]

Hi Richard,

I own a Mk.2 Sherpa and regarding the total weight it can carry......The biggest influence is the wheels - I have 36 spoke Deore XT hubs with CSS Grizzly rims other than greasing the hub bearings every couple of thousand miles and checking spoke tension they have run 7000 miles OK. (I did have an issue with the rear rim cracking, but that was due to too much pressure in the tyre)

I'm a big guy at 6ft 5in and 120 kgs and have carried around 10 kgs in the rear panniers and it coped no problems, so 130 kgs in total. So depending on your weight - that should give you some idea.

Mickeg mentions Sherpa Mk.3 - as I understand the same as the latest Ravens frame wise. I have a Raven too and have ridden that with 32 kgs spread over front and rear panniers with no issues whatsoever. Admitted different wheels - 32 spoke Andra CSS rims with a Hope front hub and Rohloff rear. 152 kgs in total, again that should give you some idea.

Wheels are the main thing for me, and get some good load carrying tyres - the Sherpa is a really strong bike for sure.

Pete.

[mickeg]

WHen I bought my Nomad, SJS advertised one at a discount with a small dent.  SJS said it was cosmetic only, I thought about it for a few days and bought the one with the dent.  Am quite happy with it, and happy with the cost savings.  But before I bought it, SJS said that they were aware of people that had dents filled and resprayed.  If that dent in your bike is only cosmetic, perhaps a bit of fill and touchup paint would be adequate?  But you should talk to SJS about it to see if they think it is more than cosmetic.

And when talking to SJS, perhaps talk to them about your bike weight to see if they have any concerns about the Sherpa handling the weight.

... - I have 36 spoke Deore XT hubs with CSS Grizzly rims other than greasing the hub bearings every couple of thousand miles and checking spoke tension they have run 7000 miles OK.
...
... I have a Raven too ... - 32 spoke Andra CSS rims with a Hope front hub and Rohloff rear. ...

Since the Rohloff wheel is undished and the Sherpa wheel would be dished, according to Rohloff's analysis the 32 spoke Rohloff wheel would be stronger than a 36 spoke derailleur wheel.

My point is that for the Sherpa you would want 36, if not more.

[dick220369]

Hi All,

I asked SJS Cycles what the maximum carrying capacity for a Thorn Sherpa was and here's the reply I got:

The Max weight load limit of the Sherpa model is 40kg. It is not designed to carry any more especially on non-sealed roads. Rider weight is taken into consideration when specifying load limits but you have to remember the bike is designed to take a high amount of load straight through the saddle so rider weight does not denote what the bike can carry overall. I see in the personal data in your invoice notes you are or were 94kg and I would strictly state in this instance that 40kg is the max load of the bike.
 
The Nomad model we offer is the bike that can carry pretty much anything and go pretty much anywhere.

This reply puts me at ease with regards to my weight and the Thorn Sherpa's ability to carry me plus a full load. I'd love to buy a Nomad but since I already have a Sherpa I can't justify having two bikes. Well I could but I wouldn't have the storage for them. Plus I am not really sure I want a Rohloff - I can fix a dérailleur equipped bicycle without any issues but a Rohloff is far beyond my skill level. I know Rohloffs don't break that often but I'd rather take my chances with a dérailleur set-up.

So looks like I am going to order a new Sherpa frame, transfer all the components across, and keep my old frame (with a very small dent in the top tube) as a spare. My old bike is black so I am going to order a red frame. At least this way it'll give the impression I have a new bike - this is mainly for my benefit.

Thanks,

Richard

[mickeg]

Good that you got it sorted out.

When I go on a bike tour, I usually have a short piece of foam pipe insulation on the top tube held on with a short piece of velcro.  Then if I have to lean the bike against a post, or lock it against one, that protects the paint.  And when I am off the bike, the handlebars will easily turn to the side with either a handlebar bar end shifter or brake lever hitting the top tube.  So, I try to keep the foam at the part of the top tube to protect it from that too.

[dick220369]

Good advice about the foam, mickeg.  Unfortunately the bike got the dent whilst being stored in the house - something was dropped on it. I'll keep a piece of foam when the new frame comes and use it. Thorn frames are always well packaged - well my bike was so I assume frames won't be any different.