Stunned

[hendrich]

Wow, sadly stunned. We had been working out details to purchase a new Thorn tandem in a few weeks. Suddenly, a new brochure has just been posted showing a dramatic reduction in offerings. Furthermore, nearly all previous sizes are sold out, and thus the size we need no longer exists. Poof! A monkey wrench in plans comes to mind. Perhaps an indirect consequence of Brexit and the decrease in the pound?

[John Saxby]

Mike, What. A Bummer.

Is this of any help? http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=12696.0

My knowledge of tandems is close to nonexistent, but: If you have any options for purchasing frame and forks, then you should be able to obtain a Rohloff online from Europe, and source other components yourself. Would SJSC still offer built-up wheels, I wonder?

All of this sounds time-consuming and headache-inducing, I know.

Cheers,  John

[mickeg]

Maybe contact Thorn directly if you want something no longer offered?

I do not recall if you are in USA or elsewhere.  The one on Ebay, is it to your liking and size?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Thorn-Raven-Tandem-Raven-Twin/112631631074

[hendrich]

Yes, I have contacted the ebay seller, unfortunately the frame is Medium/Small which is too small for us. When I saw the link, I had my hopes up since it is rare to see a Thorn tandem for sale in the US. 

I am waiting for a response from Thorn regarding the possibility of any remaining larger S&S frames.

John, did you visit Spokewrench in Toronto?  This seems to be the closest Rohloff center for us. Were they good and do they build wheels for Rohloff?

Thanks for the alert and ideas,
Mike

[John Saxby]

Thanks, Mike. I did visit Alan Wu, and asked him about his time with Spokewrench cycles. Alan said with a smile, "I am Spokewrench Cycles." He's modest, affable, and quick, and has enough history with Rohloff that they asked him to be their Canadian agent.

Here's the Spokewrench website: http://www.spokewrench.com/ You'll see from the "Categories" menu on the RH side of the home page that Alan does offer wheelbuilding services.

Let me ask, though:  have you considered Peter White in NH?  I should have thought that as a US-based shop, that option would be easier for you. Here's the link: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/index.html  He has a very good rep for wheelbuilding, sells Rohloffs and Rohloff-equipped bikes, and you'll see from his home page that he works on tandems.

While researching my Raven, I had looked into buying one of Peter's bikes, but the price would have been 40-50% more the ~C$4000 which I finally paid for my Raven. Much of the difference was due to duty + GST on the complete bike, plus the then-escalating exchange rate between the USD & the CAD

Hope that's helpful,

Cheers,  John

[Mike Ayling]

Yes only four sizes now available.

You could fill in the measurement chart at the back of the brochure and ask Thorn whether you could be fitted to the largest MM without a stupid length of seatpost sticking out of the frame.

I think they are pretty honest about their bike fit advice.

I like that orange colour!

Mike

[mickeg]

For a long time all Rohloffs were 32 spokes, but a few years ago they added 36.  For tandem use you might consider the extra spokes and maybe those ring things that reinforce the hub flanges.  I built up my Rohloff wheel with 36 and I would have considered the flange reinforcement rings if I was aware of them.  My bike is a solo, not tandem but I bought it for heavy loads on rough roads while touring so I wanted it built that way.

[hendrich]

Mickeg,
36 spokes rims (ride) I guess are not available  drilled at angle for wide flange. Did you instead use eyelets with non-angled rim holes? I would favor 36. And it appears  the ring things are now standard.

M/M is too small for us. I'm  sure Thorn knows their  market so apparently  the larger sizes are not worth it.

[Mike Ayling]

M/M is too small for us. I'm  sure Thorn knows their  market so apparently  the larger sizes are not worth it.

That is very disappointing.

Now what is your plan B?

Mike

[mickeg]

Mickeg,
36 spokes rims (ride) I guess are not available  drilled at angle for wide flange. Did you instead use eyelets with non-angled rim holes? I would favor 36. And it appears  the ring things are now standard.

M/M is too small for us. I'm  sure Thorn knows their  market so apparently  the larger sizes are not worth it.

For my Nomad Mk II I ordered Andra 30 rims CSS from SJS, 36 spoke, specified that one be drilled for Rohloff.  When I got the order, one rim had a tag on it with a hand written note that said Rohloff.

Visually the rims looked the same but I kept the tag on until the wheel was partly built to make sure I did not accidentally mix up the rims.

I used Sapim nipples.  I had difficulty finding Sapim spokes (not common in USA in 2013), I used Wheelsmith spokes and they worked just fine with Sapim nipples.  I think the nipples were 12 mm.

Since then I built up another pair of wheels for another bike with Wheelsmith spokes and Sapim  nipples, no incompatibility problems.  Those rims were Velocity Dyad for a derailleur bike.

[Andre Jute]

Seattle might be even nearer, and in Seattle is Aaron
http://www.rideyourbike.com/wheelbuilding.shtml
who built a 48 spoke Rohloff wheel for Chalo Colina, a toolmaker at Boeing and now in the bike business himself. It must be a good wheel because Chalo, not one to mince words, all 350 pounds of him, spoke well of wheel and builder. Aaron (or Mike, the actual builder of this trick wheel) also shares heavily photographed spoke lacing sequence instructions at
http://www.rideyourbike.com/lace48rohloff.shtml

I've noted George's difficulties in sourcing Sapim spokes in the States, and generally the Wheelwright spokes will do the business for most people. But some people need the Sapim Strong spokes, which were actually designed for Rohloff duty. Aaron of course stocks Sapim spokes. Essential to use Sapim Polyax nipples with them. These Strong spokes are butt-ugly, and I don't say that just to make a pun. They're the ugliest spokes since bicycles had wooden fenceposts to separate the rim from the hub, but the short, steep double butts of the Sapim Strong make them very strong indeed. Mine have gone 10K of what by lesser wheels might be considered abuse, and never had a spanner on them; an American is likely to consider my lanes unacceptably rough, and I don't ride around potholes when at speed on the downhills.

However, if you do manage to obtain a frame from SJS, it would probably save a lot of to and fro and possibly carriage costs to explain your requirements to SJS and have them build the wheel, and take responsibility for it right up to the frame's carrying capacity.