My Raven Tour. 3500 miles on (11,000 miles on)

[freddered]

In case anyone was wondering what my Raven Tour would look like if I swapped Panaracer HiRoads for 26x1.5" Schwalbe Marathons.

[freddered]

Another 'marketing shot' of my lovely Raven Tour

[jags]

tyres look fantastic ,but what make  are the wheels
and is that saddle ,standard b17,,.

[freddered]

Sun CR18 (mid-weight rims I think)

Brooks B17 Champion Special (Copper-plated rails).

[lancer17]

nice looking bike, looked at it many times while i waited for mine to be ready, and wondering if i should have gone for drops rather than comfort bars

[freddered]

I made a mistake by going with comfort bars initially.

It turns out that my body has evolved into a postiion most comfortable on Drops.  Luckily it was a mistake that didn't cost me anything, thanks to the warranty on Thorn Bikes.

If you prefer Drops then go for Drops.

[freddered]

In case you were wondering what a Thorn Raven looked like from behind, with Ortleib Panniers and on a beautiful forest road (Savernake Forest Nov 2007), they look like this (me in the middle)

[freddered]

In case anyone was wondering what a Thorn Raven Tour looked like stood in front of a Fishing Hut on the river Test in December.  They look a lot like this.

[freddered]

In case anyone was wondering what a Thorn Raven Tour looked like after riding up to Danebury Hill Fort in Hampshire.  It looks like this

[lancer17]

How do they ride compared to the Panracers? I like the look of them

[freddered]

I won't be buying Panaracers for it again.

1) The Marathons look better (obviously a key factor) and have a great reflective sidewall.
2) They are better made so they talke High-Pressures better,  the Panaracer sidewalls started to crack.
3) They appear to last much longer
4) They have deeper tread pattern.  No way could I have cycled up the muddy/grassy path with the almost slick Panaracer Hi-Roads. Makes it a more 'go-anywhere' bike.
5) I haven't spotted any performance difference at all (I have a times 14 mile circuit).

All my opinion of course, not much science to back up my views.

I see them as hassle-free tyres for a hassle-free bike and they were only about £12 each.

[geocycle]

I agree with fred about the virtues of Schwalbe marathons.  I swapped from the standard Panaracers TGs after 100 miles when the sidewall ripped on the first off road venture.  The replacement marathons have now done another 3500 miles without further problems or serious signs of wear despite serious abuse.  Like Fred I think they are an excellent accompaniment to a hassle free bike and not significantly slower in my experience.  That said, I did like the squarer profile of the panaracer TGs and found them a very comfortable ride. I inflate to about 60psi on the front and 70psi on the rear although marathons will handle more.

Tyres and saddles are very personal choices but as I'd also had 10,000 miles on a previous bike equipped with marathons and had only 2-3 punctures I was always going to find it hard to be convinced by anything else. I went for the 1.5 inch standard marathons which are excellent on my commute and on-road tours.  They also handle offroad forest tracks OK and only really struggle in mud or seriously rocky mtb routes.  They have been a bit skittish in the recent ice where maybe a wider tyre would have helped.

[freddered]

In case you were wondering what a Thorn Raven Tour looked like after 400 miles of January rain and muddy roads whilst leaning against a woodland log-pile, they look like this:

[DavidH]

Thanks - I was wondering just that

Do the mudguards get clogged, particularly with the Schwalbe Marathons filling up more of the space?

What made you upgrade the brakes, and what were they before. I am looking for the LX brakes with carbide rims. Couldn't justify the XTRs for another £135 - that would be another month of waiting.

And is that Savernake again? Looks like a mix of Beech and Oak

[DavidH]

Is the list equally limited with cantilivers? - I say this as I expect I might end up putting the drops back on my old tourer, for when I want a different ride. I had canti bosses brazed on when I got it resprayed 12 years ago.

Your comments about left / right made me wonder when / if Rohloff would make a grip shift for us left handed cyclists. Its a little foible of mine to make a mental note of the occassions when right handed people make us left handed people alter what comes naturally. Chainsaws and photocopiers being two of my favourites  - and have you noticed how the text is written the wrong way round?

...xobpaos ym ffo kcab wohyna

Your saracen seems better cared for than my similarly aged bike. But is that a standard thorn raven saddle? I will be swapping my current B17 with the Selle Royal Travellite, and wondered if you've done the same

Don't know the Clatfords - is that the big stretch of beech wood near the 303