Author Topic: Thorn sterling  (Read 2092 times)

KDean

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Thorn sterling
« on: June 22, 2022, 09:23:40 pm »
I'm looking at one of these on Ebay , because it looks like it may be considerably lighter than my  Nomad Mk2 & ideal for rides like KAW only carrying light weight stuff . It also looks like I could swap my nearly new wheel from my Nomad into it as both have disk brakes & external gear box . Unless anyone knows different I'm having trouble trying to find a manual for it .

Danneaux

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2022, 10:08:22 pm »
For information...

Splash page here: http://web.archive.org/web/20110713075414/http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/ravensterling.html
Low-res brochure here: http://web.archive.org/web/20091007191718/http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/Thorn_Sterling_lowres.pdf

(They came up fine for me just seconds ago...).

As for the Thorn Owner's Manual, it was pretty stable/static for a number of years so should apply to the Sterling in broad terms. Available here...
http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/ThornBikeOwnerManual2Web.pdf

Best,

Dan.

PH

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2022, 10:18:19 pm »
It may be a bit more lively with a bit more spring to the thinner walled tubes and possibly the geometry, but in a similar spec it won't be considerably lighter.  Indeed any weight saving on the frame is likely to be eaten up by the sus fork.
That's not to say it isn't a great bike, I don't honestly know, just that if you motivation is weight saving you're likely to be disappointed, I'd be surprised if there was 500g between the frames of a similar size.

KDean

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2022, 07:28:01 am »
The seller has said it about 12kg   my  Nomad is 17kg  & I'd intend swapping the forks around for different rides .

KDean

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2022, 07:37:08 am »
For information...

Splash page here: http://web.archive.org/web/20110713075414/http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/ravensterling.html
Low-res brochure here: http://web.archive.org/web/20091007191718/http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/Thorn_Sterling_lowres.pdf

(They came up fine for me just seconds ago...).

As for the Thorn Owner's Manual, it was pretty stable/static for a number of years so should apply to the Sterling in broad terms. Available here...
http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/ThornBikeOwnerManual2Web.pdf

Best,

Dan.
  Thank you very much ...Looks like the MT Tura Forks are out of stock , I wonder if any other could be used for a fixed fork?

PH

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2022, 10:42:12 am »
The seller has said it about 12kg   my  Nomad is 17kg  & I'd intend swapping the forks around for different rides .
Yes, that's about the difference between my heaviest and lightest bikes.  The frame weight difference between those is 600g.


KDean

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2022, 01:56:40 pm »
After reading the manual it turns out that I'm just to big for this bike , Shame I thought I'd found the ideal bike for me .

PH

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2022, 05:12:39 pm »
That's a shame if it was what you wanted.
While waiting for your perfect bike to come along, why not strip down the Nomad and see how that handles such usage?  I haven't ridden the KAW yet, I've seen some video and although the surfaces are tricky in places, it isn't particularly technical.  I'll probably use my 16kg Surly Ogre, depending on the weather I might strip a kg or two off that, then of course the luggage which I doubt I'll get below 10kg. My tyre choice is the one thing that concerns me. Set up right I can't see your Nomad would be much disadvantaged in any way.
Nothing wrong with additional bikes of course, I'm in no position to criticise! My bike errors over the years, and there's been a few, have mostly resulted in too much overlap, even my current four" bikes could easily be two.  If I were looking for something from the Thorn range for light and fast non technical off road, it would be a 650b Mercury, stripped down to the minimal spec.  That would be even more so for a rider a bit lighter than myself.  My 700c Alfine Mercury comes in at 11.5kg, it's the largest 610L size and I wasn't really trying.

*I'm not counting my work E-bike and two folders...

KDean

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #8 on: June 24, 2022, 09:10:42 am »
Comparing my 620L to my Ribble I much prefer the ride , The only issue I have would be lifting it over things like gates etc . I'm keeping an eye on Thorns stock for now . Plus I just love the Rohloff .I've  got some top of the range Sram 1 x12 on the Ribble & the sound gets on my nerves .

Clive.

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2022, 12:59:56 pm »
Absolutely love my Sterling. I bought it for two purposes - it's my MTB (for the fairly easy and non-technical off-roading I do), which means I wanted discs, and was intended for a supported trip to West Africa, where luggage requirements were limited ie carried for me! and I was OK with discs given support would never be that far away. Anyway, covid stopped that, but I am delighted with the bike nonetheless.

I was intending to get a Mt Tura fork, but in the end I decided that I would never actually spend a half hour switching over (to include disc to V-brake) and back. SJS did have a couple left a year or two ago, but I can see all gone now.

The later brochures only show two sizes (S/M and M/L), but the earlier ones (as Danneaux' link) do include the L 610 - I wonder if low sales meant that the last production runs were the smaller sizes only.

Shortish chainstays mean I've never got a pannier to fit without heel-strike, but a Topeak rack and rack bag work well.
   

PH

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #10 on: June 24, 2022, 09:49:16 pm »
Absolutely love my Sterling. 
That's a pretty glowing recommendation.
Almost makes me want one!!

in4

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #11 on: June 25, 2022, 02:32:05 pm »
There’s a really decent chap who posts here about his Sterling. Think he’s based in Spain but you’ll have to search the forum for his name.

Danneaux

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Re: Thorn sterling
« Reply #12 on: June 25, 2022, 03:43:24 pm »
 
Quote
Think he’s based in Spain but you’ll have to search the forum for his name.
That would be Rafiki.  :) His posts can be pulled up using the Forum's search function. For a past reference, see...
http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=11851.msg86241#msg86241

Best, Dan.