Thorn Serials (forked from Raven Tour face lift)

[mickeg]

I think the answer is that everyone should put their bike info into one of the registries out there.

I listed a couple in my previous post, as far as I know bikeregister.com is UK specific and I do not know if bikeindex.org that I use is specific to USA, or if that has broader coverage.

And some day I need to get around to putting photos of my bikes on the registry that I use, I have not done that yet.

[PH]

The BB shell on Thorn bikes is SS, if you were so inclined there's no harm in stripping the paint from the numbers, or engraving them alongside.  There's talk about re-establishing them, but they haven't gone anywhere, they've just filled with paint. For the same reason powder coat will spoil the look of a frame with fancy lugs. I'd assume Thorn's frame builders used the same stamps for their DuPont painted frames and they are much easier to read.

[Danneaux]

A thoughtful member PM'd me after reading about privacy concerns tangentially related to the frame registry discussion:

If privacy is a concern, it is best to turn off location sharing/geotagging on uploaded photos or use an EXIF location stripper before posting online.

Good suggestion! Something I use care with myself, but neglected to mention for others.

Best, Dan.

[Andyb1]

We all value our bikes but as said above the reality is that most of them are now a few years old (and looking a bit worn?).  Perhaps we value them because of the freedom they give us rather than their resell £ or $.  In 2026 most are not that attractive for an organised thief.   I would worry more about a modern ebike / gravel bike / titanium or carbon  framed road bike being stolen from my home, if I had one.  So is there really much of a risk of being targeted at home?

Classic motorbikes like Vincents and Velocettes get stolen - perhaps to be broken for spares -  so owners are understandably cautious about details of where their bikes are stored being made public.  But would someone steal a Thorn to break for spares?

My concern is about loosing a bike is when I away from home, either locally or further afield, where the bike would be more visible and possibly more easy to steal by an opportunist…….who would then probably try to immediately resell it.  In that case a Thorn serial number registry could help me regain my bike if others here saw it being advertised.

It is also wrong to assume that everyone insures their bikes.
Even if you think your bike will be covered by your house insurance do you have all the information available which your insurers will ask for if it is stolen?  Will they really pay out what you think it is worth?  Or will they pay out a small sum and increase your premiums?  Insurance companies exist to make money for themselves rather than to act as benefactors.

There are limitations using a registry.  They certainly make a (yearly?) charge and seem to only operate in the country that the bike owner lives in.

My final comment is to ask why people send Dan PMs rather than posting to All?

[Danneaux]

My final comment is to ask why people send Dan PMs rather than posting to All?

I don't know, so only can speculate; probably for the same reason they PM each other. It has been a "feature" of my 14+ years as Forum Admin here and on other Fora I've administered. While it takes some extra time, I've found the direct interaction enjoyable when it occurred. I've always figured if someone contacts me by PM, it implies a certain level of anonymity or confidence, so I respect that if I reference it at all. I views PMs as a "Hey Dan" rather than "Hey All".

Some are friends of mine off-Forum as well who do this to ask my thoughts or share theirs directly. I would guess some are shy to post publicly or don't know how their ideas will be received. Sometimes they simply want to flag something for "Admin attention"/community good, a tech issue like posting photos, or a personal question about bike setup or advice. I've had to limit those last two, as at peak I was spending upwards of 35 hours/week gratis on direct correspondence, particulalry related to individual frame sizing/fitting questions for used Thorns before and after purchase. It has been an unpaid labor of love for me, but I do have other things so I'm a bit reluctant to take on extra projects.

Quite apart from this, when there are rare problems/complaints with Reported Posts or a member violating Guidelines ( https://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=26.0 ), I do my best to handle it off-Forum by PM. Sometimes people are having a bad day or misread something wrt intent, a limitation of text-based communication or a too hasty press of the SEND key.

Apart from that, there's the usual behind-scenes Admin tasks to keep a Forum running smoothly, to clear out spam, register new members, recover passwords, etc. In the course of those related PMs, people will use the opportunity to drop a comment or two on something topical without making a formal post.

Best, Dan.

[Andyb1]

As I have said before, your work is appreciated Dan.

[in4]

 :)Never to be replaced by AI, Dan.