fitting Magura hydraulic rim brakes - is it possible?

[Adam32]

I am about to become the owner of a Thorn Raven and wondered if it was possible to fit Magura hydraulic rim brakes?  I am a little confused about this, as some people say this is possible, but others say the V brake mountings are too high for proper pad alignment.  Does anyone know the definite take on this?

If the mountings are too high, would it not be possible to make a bracket that would make fitting possible?

[jags]

best ask Dave Whittle on this he will sort you out.
best of luck with the new baby.

anto.

[Adam32]

best ask Dave Whittle on this he will sort you out.

Thanks for your reply.  Who is Dave Whittle and how do I contact him? 

[Danneaux]

Who is Dave Whittle and how do I contact him?

Dave Whittle is Thorn's Workshop Manager and a Senior Member of this Forum. He monitors it for technical questions and kindly answers but may not always see a query quickly if it is busy season or if he's on holiday.

Best way to resolve questions prior to purchase is to email or call SJS Cycles/Thorn and ask. They are usually very responsive and will get back to you remarkably soon with a detailed answer. If there is delay, it is usually due to busy season or it may have been overlooked, so send another query if the first fails to bring a response.

Meanwhile, a quick check of the Forum search engine using the term "Magura" [no quotes] turns up the following:
http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=12451.0 Here, in response to a query about Maguras on a Thorn Nomad, Dave says...

Most Magura brakes don't fit Thorn bikes, to get the most mudguard clearance we position the V brake bosses as high as possible so that the block on the V brake is at the bottom of the slot, the problem is Magura HS series don't have the same vertical adjustment as V brakes so generally don't line up with the rim well enough.

Another related query here where someone got lucky and managed a fit on an older Raven Tour, predecessor to your anticipated Raven:
http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=549.0

I've transfered my 2005 Magura HS33's from my previous mount onto my Raven Tour and they work really well. Yes fitting the rear assembly is fiddly as you have to route the pipe through the braze on eyelets (this involved cutting the nipple from the end of the pipe and refitting a new one). All of this is covered in the workshop book with the Magura booklet. Worst bit is having to remove and refit the change cables so that you can attach the left hand cylinder (viewed from the rear). Take your time and it does work and the reward is in the stopping power.

There's more if you follow the search results to the end, but me? I would indeed float an inquiry to SJSC/Thorn and Dave.

Welcome the Forum, Adam! Can't wait to see photos of your new Raven up on our gallery.

Best,

Dan.

Danneaux, Thorn Cycling Forum Administrator