A quick hello.

[SafetyThird]

Hi all, I'm Jay, a new Thorn owner, I'm picking up a Raven in a few days from an eBay sale, looking forward to exploring on it and getting to know it's idiosyncrasies. I'm sure I'll be along with plenty of questions once I have it in hand. Always lusted after a Thorn Rohloff and never thought I'd actually end up with one. That's what late night eBay browsing will do for you

[JimK]

How do you plan to use the new bike, Jay? Are you an urban rider, or a long distance tourer, or???

[SafetyThird]

. I've not been a hugely serious cyclist, I commuted round London on a mountain bike because it was quicker than using the tube, lived in Holland for 3 years and cycled everywhere, obviously. Later I got into doing long course triathlons so it was all long distance road work. Then, 15 years ago life and work got in the way and I hardly got on a bike. A few months ago I decided I needed to get fitter again and, at 55, my knees don't appreciate me running as much as I used to so I pulled the mountain bike out, put some slicks on it and started doing the grocery shop on it and pottering around the local area. I live in North Devon now so it's a bit hilly but I'm slowly getting fitter.

I've also switched the old triathlon bike to a more road based setup and want to work up to being able to do the sort of distance/speed that would let me join a local club for some social riding. Need to be able to do 40-50 miles at 15mph apparently so it'll be a little while yet I think.

The mountain bike isn't the right size as a tourer type bike so I was looking to improve on that. I recently lost my little brother and it's made me think about how short life is. I'd always admired the Thorn bikes and idly had ideas to do some touring as I've done a lot of backpacking over the years and it would be a nice combination. So I was idly browsing eBay last night and saw the Raven Tour as what seemed like a pretty low price for a Rohloff bike and put a low bid on it. Was rather surprised to win it, if I'm honest.

First job will be to get it home, ride it around and probably put my on-one Geoff bars on it, depending on how comfy I find the current position. Put my current brooks flyer saddle on it too and get it set to fit me. Then probably do the Devon coast to coast ride in a few weeks, should be a 2-3 day trip and it's close enough to home to be able to bail if anything goes wrong.

My current bedside reading is France en Velo and I'm idly contemplating the St Malo to Nice route. Idle contemplation leads you to surprising places sometimes. Might even make it happen to raise some money for charity in memory of my brother.

I think it unlikely I'll ever be cycling the length of the Silk Road but, we can dream.

[lewis noble]

Hello Jay - good luck with the purchase, I'm sure it will look after you. 

Sorry to hear about your brother.  As you say, events like that . . . . concentrate the mind.

I've got that book! and yes, dreamed about doing the whole route.  I planned to do that in 2016, started off from St Malo, got about 1/2 way, then my knees gave more and more trouble - a recurring issue for me, currently in treatment.  I stopped off at a friend's house near Limoges, then got the train back to Normandy, riding the last 100 miles to Caen.  I was on a Sherpa, very similar in geometry to Raven, and probably around similar weight, very stable and reassuring on long rides.

Since then, I've done some of the sections in Provence as day rides, around the Ventoux plateau.  I had planned to go again in May, but . . . . . . everything locked down.

Best wishes

lewis

[Matt2matt2002]

I think it unlikely I'll ever be cycling the length of the Silk Road but, we can dream.

My Raven Tour took me across most of the Pamir Highway a few years ago.
In fact I should be there right now for my second visit but for the virus.
Fully loaded, no issues. They ride good unladen. They ride fantastic, loaded.

[martinf]

A few months ago I decided I needed to get fitter again and, at 55, my knees don't appreciate me running as much as I used to

I had knee problems in about 1980. Solved by a combination of :

1 turning low gears fast rather than high gears slowly.
2 keeping knees warm, i.e avoiding  cycling in wet blue jeans and wearing tights or tweed breeches rather than shorts when the weather is cool.
3 using shorter 150 mm cranks, which encourage 1.

[Andre Jute]

Lucky you, Jay.

About running and knees: My late pedalpal was a country doctor, familiar with all the muscle and ligament and joint problems of a farming community. In earlier years he ran every morning. But in later years he cycled because all those pavement impacts weren't kind his knees. He thought the knee-action of running and cycling are totally different, which seems right to me. For one thing, pedalling is a smooth action, and there are no impacts as there are in jogging. For another, jogging puts a repetitive sudden strain and release action on the muscles down your back, which cycling doesn't do.

[SafetyThird]

Thanks for all the helpful replies, particularly on dealing with knee issues. Keeping them warm has definitely been something I've tried to do when I'm out. I spent a decade living and working in hot countries and the past 15 years back in the UK has certainly been harder on the ageing joints that I'd like it to be. Still, as long as we keep moving reasonably gently, hopefully we'll keep moving for a good long while.

[leftpoole]

Hello,
Knees?
I have not been able (Doctors advice) to cycle the past week. I have had a second lot of Steroid (Oops!) injections in my knees. The is to deal with Arthritis which is at time very painful.
So far so good as I am hoping for a better result than that of six months back which seemed a little hit and miss and I never really could decide if the needles had helped.
Back on a bike at the weekend.
Before anyone starts telling me that shorter cranks and fast pedalling is the answer, I do have a number of poor health issues and I do not need health advice thank you!
A copy of my Doctors description on my Medical record. Just for fun of course! (Below)
Apart from which I do have a fairly swift cadence.
Regards to all,
John

Consultation
Patient advised that steroid injection may increase the risk of getting and or dying from Covid
Problem :
Osteoarthritis of knee
Procedure :
Discussion of alternatives to injection including: watch and wait, topical treatments, oral analgesia, physio, referral to clinic
Discussion of possible risks including: anaphylaxis, bleeding, infection, damage to local area, pain, failure to work, worsening of symptoms
Discussion of aftercare: rest the area for a few days, if swelling hot or reduced mobility call a doctor that day, phone practice in 3-4 weeks to leave message regarding how situation has developed. Signposting to information online regarding injection e.
Procedure: Strict aseptic non touch technique, area prepped and cleansed, gloves worn.
Discussion of intended benefits including: temporary reduction of pain and increased movement to help with rehabilitation
Local anaesthesia, by infiltration
Injection of steroid into knee joint
Minor surgery done - injection

[John Saxby]

Welcome, Jay, and congratulations on your Raven-with-Rohloff.  Matt will be your guy on the care and feeding of a Raven Tour, and a number of us have the "new" Raven.

I've had mine since the spring of 2014, and it's been an excellent bike, comfortable and reliable. It excels as a touring bike, and I use mine mainly for that. (I have a city bike for errands, and I don't like to leave my Raven locked up and out of sight. And, I have a light touring derailleur bike, slightly faster than the Raven, which I use for day rides.)

A followup to Martin's comments about lower gearing to ease the stress on your knees, spinning more gently but more rapidly in hilly country:  When I first bought my Raven, I used a 17T sprocket at the rear, with a 38T chainring at the front.  That was OK, but after a year I lowered the gearing about 5% by switching to a 36T ring at the front. (Switching chain rings on the Raven is dead simple.) I found the new setup much easier on hills above 8%. More generally, I spent more time in the upper register of the Rohloff, gears 8 - 14.  I live in a hilly part of Ontario, but was born in Dorset & have spent time in Devon, so I know that you'll be dealing with grades in double digits.

I've been privileged and lucky not to have any knee problems, but I have a lot of mileage on my body--I turn 73 in three weeks--and I've found that Lower Gearing Enhances A Feeling Of Well-being.

Other riders use higher gearing than I do, but I've found that the 17 x 36 works very well for me.

Good luck exploring your bike and the countryside!

PS:  i've heard tell that it rains in Devon, so you might want to look into getting a Hebie Chainglider to cover and protect your chain. 'glider devotees are a little cult within the church of Rohloff, and there's several of us here on the Forum who can tell you about the myths and the various chants and incantations.

[SafetyThird]

Well here it is, picked up yesterday and it's rained solidly since I got home.

I've put my Brooks Flyer on it, adjusted the seat post to fit me and given it a quick ride around. The bars are a little low for me so I'm going to fit the Jones Loop copies I picked up last week which were for the old mountain bike conversion before I bought the Raven. I have a 45° stem and that should bring it up a couple of inches and the angle/length of the bars should help with being a bit more upright.

I'll pick up an oil change kit and do that in the near future. Apparently these wheels/hub were off a Raven Catalyst and only have about 1000 miles on them but the Serial number puts it manufactured in 2007 so that is perhaps unlikely. The hub went back for new seals to Rohloff via SJS in 2018, for which I have the receipt.

I've registered the change of ownership with Rohloff and added my serial number to the

I currently have a cheap dynohub wheel, again bought for the mountain bike conversion. Has a 3w Shimano hub and was only £30 complete. I'll put that on for now but would like to either get the current front rebuilt with an SP or Son hub (most likely SP given the cost difference) or just buy a whole new wheel. Don't seem to be able to get the Sunrims cr18 in black anywhere in 26" so may go with another rim. I'm guessing all the spokes would have to be replaced so it's just the cost of the rim to add to the build.

I'm planning on getting an Axa Victory frame lock and chain. I have cable locks and a couple of D locks but they're always such a faff. The frame locks seem great for popping into a shop etc.

Spaninga front and rear lights will go on in due course and I have a power bug usb charger for charging battery packs/phone

I've attached a photo of the sprocket, am I right that this one needs the Rohloff tool to take the sprocket off and isn't splined. is it worth having it converted to splined?

After reading that Thorn don't like kickstands due to possible damage I'll be removing this one and getting a click stand at some point which seems to get great reviews though is a little more fiddly to use.

Sprocket setup is 38 front, 16 rear, which doesn't even appear in the table on the back of the 'living with a Rohloff' booklet. ]

I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions as I get used to it

 

[PH]

I'll pick up an oil change kit and do that in the near future.

Nice bike.
Do the sums, you'd expect the cost of oil changes to come down depending on the quantity you buy, you might be surprised by just how much.

Apparently these wheels/hub were off a Raven Catalyst and only have about 1000 miles on them but the Serial number puts it manufactured in 2007 so that is perhaps unlikely. The hub went back for new seals to Rohloff via SJS in 2018, for which I have the receipt.

Out of interest, would you mind saying how much that was?  My 2004 hub will probably need to go back at some point.

am I right that this one needs the Rohloff tool to take the sprocket off and isn't splined. is it worth having it converted to splined?

There's no advantage in changing it until you need to.  At which point it makes sense to swap for the splined carrier.  Rohloff have stopped making the threaded versions so you don't have much choice (Some old stock and third party ones)  You will need the tool to remove your current sprocket, try and borrow one or find a shop with one, once the carrier is fitted you may never need it again.

Sprocket setup is 38 front, 16 rear, which doesn't even appear in the table on the back of the 'living with a Rohloff' booklet.

If you want to work your gearing out, Sheldon Brown's gear calculator includes the Rohloff (Just google it) Your's looks on the low side, lower than I'd choose, but still well within the permitted ratio.
Enjoy your new bike.

[Andre Jute]

38x16 was the easiest-pedalling permitted Rolloff torque product for many years. The OEM hubs actually came with a 16t sprocket. Thorn fitted a more sporting 17t sprocket by special arrangement with Rolloff.

There are tables of various Rolloff setups at http://coolmainpress.com/BICYCLINGHebieChainglider.html

[martinf]

I'll pick up an oil change kit and do that in the near future.

I bought two of these kits, to have a "clean" syringe and a "dirty" syringe. After that I bought bulk, as it works out cheaper in the long run.

I currently have a cheap dynohub wheel, again bought for the mountain bike conversion. Has a 3w Shimano hub and was only £30 complete. I'll put that on for now but would like to either get the current front rebuilt with an SP or Son hub (most likely SP given the cost difference) or just buy a whole new wheel. Don't seem to be able to get the Sunrims cr18 in black anywhere in 26" so may go with another rim. I'm guessing all the spokes would have to be replaced so it's just the cost of the rim to add to the build.

I have SP dynohubs on some bikes, Shimano (mid-range) on others and SON on others. And I don't notice any difference in use. None have failed yet. So if the cheap Shimano dynohub proves unsatisfactory, I reckon you could also consider a mid-range Shimano as replacement. Mine are DH-3N72, probably no longer made, a modern equivalent is the Shimano Deore LX DH-T670-3N. If you are lucky, you might even be able to reuse the spokes and rim from the existing wheel. Or get a complete wheel on sale from German eBay, these are somtimes cheaper than the hub alone.

I'm planning on getting an Axa Victory frame lock and chain. I have cable locks and a couple of D locks but they're always such a faff. The frame locks seem great for popping into a shop etc.

I have ABUS frame locks on several bikes, with the "YourPlus" same key option. Very convenient for short stops, although I have other locks as well for longer stops, including a small cable lock to fasten the pannier bags to the bike frame.

Sprocket setup is 38 front, 16 rear, which doesn't even appear in the table on the back of the 'living with a Rohloff' booklet. ]

Same as my current gearing, which was fairly standard when I bought my Raven Tour. When the sprocket wears out I intend going a wee bit lower to 38x17, which will still fit my Chainglider.

[SafetyThird]

@PH the receipt I have shows 'free of charge', so I don't know what the issue was I'm afraid.

@martinf I have the bits from a used kit (syringe, tube etc) so will buy one more oil change kit to have the second lot and then buy bulk oil I the future.

I'll keep the change to splined hub until the current sprocket wears out and have it done then. SJS are only an hour up the road from me and will take it to them to have it done I think. Will ask their advice on changing the tooth count on the sprocket at that time, if the Current ones seem to have been a standard fit. I'll have a better idea of how it suits me by then.