Thorn announce Nomad Mk 3

[Danneaux]

...and some more photos showing details of the Thorn Nomad Mk3 Step-Through edition.

Best,

Dan.

[martinf]

Thorn's Instagram account today announced a new Step-Through version of the Nomad Mk3.

Although this frame is meant for heavy touring, it could also be a useful option for heavier people that can't deal with a high top tube (might be me as I get older).

[mickeg]

Thorn's Instagram account today announced a new Step-Through version of the Nomad Mk3.

Although this frame is meant for heavy touring, it could also be a useful option for heavier people that can't deal with a high top tube (might be me as I get older).

I think the step through version for other models is limited to only the smallest frames.  We will know more later.

My Nomad Mk II has a lot of slope to the top tube.  You can see in the photo that I have a lot of seat tube showing above the frame.  Mine is a 590M size.  My Sherpa for comparison is a size 610S and has a lot less seat tube showing above the frame. 

I do not swing my leg over the saddle to get on, instead I stand immediately behind the handlebar and stem, apply the brake so that the bike does not move when I am on one leg, sharply bend my right knee and swing my right knee over the top tube in front of the saddle, not over the saddle. 

On a bike that is lightly loaded, I might lean the bike over to the side more to lower the top tube when I get on, but on my Nomad when it is heavily loaded I try to avoid leaning it to one side too much.

[martinf]

I think the step through version for other models is limited to only the smallest frames.

Very probably. But I can get a reasonably comfortable riding position on my wife's very small Raven Tour Step Through 390, on condition of fitting a long stem to get enough reach and a very long seatpost (if using a bike of that size permanently I'd fit a steel seatpost rather than aluminium).

Recent Raven Step Through frames are a tad higher at 420, and a fair bit longer, so I expect the Nomad 3 Step Through will be similar. The next version of the catalogue will probably have the height end length dimensions.

[Danneaux]

Like George, my Nomad is a Mk2 590M and I tend to mount the bike similarly. It has a pronounced downslope to the top tube I've found useful many times as I dismounted in really rough country and found myself suddenly needing the extra standover clearance. I can think of occasions where the extra clearance afforded by the step-through option could be pretty useful in similar circumstances.

The confluence of tubes just above the chainset might make a really handy grab handle for lifting and portaging the bike at train stations and across fallen logs. I often find myself reaching for such a point, missing on my 590M.

Best,

Dan.

[martinf]

I used the (very) low "top tube" on my wife's Raven Tour Step Through 390 yesterday, it was very useful when carrying the bike over some steps on a lock gate crossing.

[Ubert767]

My wife had her Mk1 Nomad modified by dropping the top tube/seat tube junction by 100mm to give better access. She had considered swopping out the frame for a Thorn ST but thought it to have "too many tubes" and the appearance to be less than pleasing. She would also have lost the S&S couplings.
The frame was sent to Bob Jackson Cycles for the modification, she's very pleased with the results and the improvement in ease of use.

Rob

[Jurr]

I think that makes this bike the only bike where rim brakes can be installed for two different wheel sizes.

No, Santos does it also on the Travelmaster 3+

https://www.santosbikes.com/en/bikes/travelmaster-series/travelmaster-3



Nice bike, the new Nomad mk3! Almost bought a mk2, but went for 650B+ instead.

[RHSJS]

There are a few others, but the Nomad is truly versatile and two bikes can now be built in completely varying spec.

There is a drop bar, 650B x 60mm, Hydraulic disc, 2x11 speed bike in progress for the show room too 

[mickeg]

The Mk III frames are posted on the SJS website with pricing, along with some remaining Mk II stock.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/thorn-nomad-frames/

They do not appear to offer an S&S option on the Mk III, at least not yet.

Mk III sizes include the long top tube version and a short top tube version.  Previously the Mk II version did not include a short version, but it did include a medium version. Thorn specifically recommended that the Nomad be fitted with flat bars, not drop bars. 

The Thorn bike list still does not list the Mk III, but lists the Mk II version.
https://www.thorncycles.co.uk/bikes

Since the short version in other models was designed for use with drop bars, I suspect that they have withdrawn that recommendation against drop bars for the Nomad Mk III.  I suspect most readers  know that I have drop bars on my Mk II Nomad. I have a Medium top tube size and the size of my frame is a bit smaller than I would otherwise take if they had made a short top tube version, for comparison my Sherpa is a 610S size and my Nomad is size 590M. 

I might be lucky that my frame is a bit smaller, I might not have been able to get the larger frame in my S&S Backpack case, the bike is a very tight fit in that case.

[Pavel]

What?  No Tonka Yellow?  Is that then really a Nomad? 

That was my first thought, when reading about the details, but after I saw that, now finally, I can have a Gates drive, I started to wonder if the Yellow "signature" was really that important, after all. 

One important question I have is if the maximum tyre size is any wider than the Nomad v2?  What is the max width for the 26 and the 27+ tyres?

[ipswichcycler]

The v brake fork is Sufficient clearance for use with mudguards and 26" tyres up to 2.35" or 650b tyres up to 60b.

The disc brake fork is
Sufficient clearance to be used with mudguards and;
- 26" tyres up to 2.8"
- 650b tyres up to 60b
- 700c tyres up to 40c

Sufficient clearance to be used without mudguards and;
- 26" tyres up to 3.0"
- 650b tyres up to 70b
- 700c tyres up to 50c

[macspud]

I am a tad confused by the geometry on the Mk3. I'm going by the size matrix here: http://www.sjscycles.com/Instructions/Thorn/Thorn_Nomad_Mk3_Frame_Size_Matrix.pdf
There appears to be less slope on the top tube and higher standover height measurements. The seat tubes are longer, the bb drop has been increased by 2.5 - 5mm but the seat tubes have increased by 65 - 95mm. The TT slope has been cut down from between 100 - 165mm on the Mk2 to between 70 - 100mm on the Mk3, also the size designations don't seem to add up. For example, the 620L Mk2 seat tube C to C is 520mm + top tube slope 100mm = 620mm, whereas the 61L Mk3 seat tube C to C 585mm + top tube slope 70mm = 655mm so what does the 61 in 61L signify? The 61L Mk3 has a 10mm longer head tube at 208mm as opposed to 198mm on the 620L Mk2, are the forks also 25mm longer making up the difference? At first, I thought it must be because of the seat tube and head tube which appear to protrude further above the top tube on the Mk3 than the Mk2 but no that can't be it, the measurements are C to C.
What am I missing here? First, it seemed strange and against Thorn's design philosophy for them to raise the top tubes.
Then, whereas the Mk2 range had 9 different lengths of seat tube with eight of the frameset sizes using Mega Oversized tubing and two frameset sizes being Standard Oversized tubing, all this was done for overall ride quality. Now the frame tubing is all Mega Oversized throughout the whole Mk3 range and with only 5 different lengths of the seat tube (the seat tube of both the S & L being the same length as each other for each size). That also seems to go against their stated design philosophy.
As I  said, I am a tad confused. I'm hoping better and brighter minds than mine will be able to explain it to me.   
 

[macspud]

I think the step through version for other models is limited to only the smallest frames.

Very probably. But I can get a reasonably comfortable riding position on my wife's very small Raven Tour Step Through 390, on condition of fitting a long stem to get enough reach and a very long seatpost (if using a bike of that size permanently I'd fit a steel seatpost rather than aluminium).

Recent Raven Step Through frames are a tad higher at 420, and a fair bit longer, so I expect the Nomad 3 Step Through will be similar. The next version of the catalogue will probably have the height end length dimensions.

martinf, there are two step through frame sizes of Nomad Mk3 40S/T & 47S/T http://www.sjscycles.com/Instructions/Thorn/Thorn_Nomad_Mk3_Frame_Size_Matrix.pdf

[martinf]

martinf, there are two step through frame sizes of Nomad Mk3 40S/T & 47S/T http://www.sjscycles.com/Instructions/Thorn/Thorn_Nomad_Mk3_Frame_Size_Matrix.pdf

Interesting. The 47S/T looks to be a very long frame for a step-through design. At 580 mm virtual top tube length, that's 5 mm longer than a Raven in the big 600S size. Seat tube is also reasonably long at 505 mm.

I reckon I could be very comfortable with the 47S/T if with advancing age I ever have trouble getting my leg over a standard frame.