Thorn Raven Tour O R Thorn Raven Sport Tour

[Horizon2]

Hello all

I am in final stages of deciding between Raven Tour and Raven Sport Tour.

I would appreciate very much every and all comments on main differences between the two.

Please, let us know why did   Y O U  choose Raven Sport Tour over Raven Tour (and vice-versa).

My cycling consists of year around commuting to work (average 120 miles per week).
Winters are hard here ... up to a foot of snow and -30C (Schwalbe Winter Tires).
I live in Rocky Mountains ... so there are huge elevation changes even on short trips.
My touring is usually around 100 to 300 miles trips (family responsibilities hold me back).

Thank you for your help.

Jan

[freddered]

I bought the Raven Tour because it's the nearest thing I could find to a 'do everything' bike.

It will carry heavier loads than the RST, it will accept bigger tyres (even MTB tyres) than the RST and yet it's not a slow bike.

The RST is supposed to be 'more sprightly', I can't comment because I don't have one but I do have a 'sprightly' derailleur tourer (531ST) that I haven't ridden in the 2 years since getting the RT (because it's no quicker and it's less comfy).

In my opinion a Raven Tour would seem to offer more options (than almost any bike)

[markazz]

I too am in the final stages of making/taking the plunge. My commute is only about 4 miles each way but through the middle of (potholed) London, my touring is limited to 2-4 day tours 4 times a year ranging from 150 to 300 miles. Since I'm going to be using it on the majority of days for my commute I've weighted my decision more in that direction so am going to plump for the RST, but from what I've read from the learned posters here they both sound like excellent bikes. The Tour sounds as though with limitied changes you could cycle around the world with it and as much as i'd like to do that there is no way that Head Office in her wisdom is going to let me do that in the next 20 years....so when that day comes I'll be straight down for the Tour until then I'll muddle through with a RST.

btw I'm a newby to this excellent site.

regards

markazz

[Cake]

I opted for the RT over the RST for a couple of reasons, the first of which was the greater weight carrying potential for future touring - i personally prefer to go over-equipped rather than under-equipped.  I also collect the odd log or two that i find for our woodburner!

The second reason was that the extra cost of the RST was ploughed into extras such as the Thorn rear rack (totally bombproof!) that i wouldn't normally have been able to justify spending such amounts on.

I find that my RT is as nimble as i need, despite the 1.75" tyres, so i presume even that could be sharpened up with narrower rubber.

All in all it is very personal choice and quite a difficult one to make based on the opinions of others.  I am pretty sure that which ever one you go for you will be well pleased with though!

Good luck!

[PH]

I went for the Tour as I needed a bike to carry weight, preferably camping but more commonly shopping.
If I hadn’t needed that capacity I'd have gone for the Sport.

[Fred A-M]

RST because I saw a picture of if and thought "I want that one!", pretty much buying blind: a total impulse purchase! 

I've not regretted it, the context being to date credit card touring to Andalucia (including light off-roading), Picos de Europa and Britanny and a daily commute of just 6 miles - wish it was more, sadly starting a job later this month where it's sadly a 25 minute walk, no justification for leaving my beloved RST unattended in London on a daily basis. 

I think the all important factor to consider is whether you'll need to carry more than 17kg (max weight on the RST, 12Kg back, 5Kg front) for any purpose.  I'm guessing that lightweight summertime camping is do-able on the RST, but for any touring that requires you to stock up on provisions, you're likely to need to carry more than this and thus a Tour is a necessity. 

There's approx 1Kg weight difference between the Tour and RST, the other plus of the RST being a more responsive frame and ride from what I can understand, though I've never tried a Tour!   

[Horizon2]

... thank you all for excellent points and views!

Tha scale is tipping (more and more) towards Raven Tour for me.

a. No such thing as "credit card touring here" ... complete wilderness
   where I go (you may try to use your VISA to fan-off cougars and grizzlies
   ... if you like) ... 
b. Winter is long a rough here ... need tank-like bike.
c. My goal is to sell my car actually and to make my bike 100% transportation
   (shopping and all ...).

I really appreciate to hear your reasons for choosing Raven Tour over RST!

Thanks to all,

Jan

[geocycle]

... thank you all for excellent points and views!

Tha scale is tipping (more and more) towards Raven Tour for me.

a. No such thing as "credit card touring here" ... complete wilderness
   where I go (you may try to use your VISA to fan-off cougars and grizzlies
   ... if you like) ... 
b. Winter is long a rough here ... need tank-like bike.
c. My goal is to sell my car actually and to make my bike 100% transportation
   (shopping and all ...).

I really appreciate to hear your reasons for choosing Raven Tour over RST!

Thanks to all,

Jan

The raven tour certainly ticks the tank-like qualities box very well indeed!  It's also ideal as an alround utility bike.  I use mine for the family supermarket run and carry ridiculous weights on the short run home. I could do 90% of what i want on the RST but for me the extra load bearing qualities and the slight cost saving swung it toward the tour. Both bikes are excellent and you won't regret the investment in the rohloff.

[ians]

in your case I'd probably go for the Tour.  I tried one down at SJS and was pleasantly surprised just how quick it was.  But went for the RST because I saw the pictures of Fred A-M's and it looked very cool.  And I didn't need the extra load capacity. 

But if I was having to choose again - Freddered's photos are pretty compelling ....

ian

[Fred A-M]

Hmm, seems like I'm the recipient of yet more gratuitous smiting for the above comment  - 3 smites alone for my above contribution - a vendetta it seems! 

Stutho, could you be so kind as to inform me as to whether this is from one person in particular?

[stutho]

Hi Horizon2,

Welcome to the list.

I own a RST my wife owns a RT.  Luckily for me we take the same frame size so I now have quite a bit of experience on both.  I did the build myself on both bikes - both frames are excellent. 
In answer to your question I chose the RST because the bikes main missions was as a fast rural commuter.  Until recently I was commuting about 80 miles a week.  I set up my RST with drops and skinny 1.25" tyres (below the recommended size), capable of 100psi. 

When I decided to get a RT for my wife (it was her birthday)  I was less bothered by speed and more with comfort and load.  The RT main mission (for me) is as a distance bike and a GREAT utility bicycle.  I often take my 4 year old boy to school in a child seat on the back of the RT.  With both bikes loaded the RT has more stability.  With the bike unloaded the RST has more speed - its as simple as that really!

I like the RT a lot but if asked for a preference I prefer my RST, it has an  indefinable extra quality to it (sorry I know this doesn't help).  In your circumstance, however, I would go for the RT or maybe the EXP??

Fred:
Believe it or not I can't see from who a smites comes.  I can however reset the counter or disable the feature entirely - I can't see it serves any good purpose.  I will email SJSC about this to see if they mind if I switch it off.

Stutho


 



 

 

[lewis noble]

I  own an RT, and am happy + + with it.  I would have thought that in your situation the ability of the RT to take larger tyres would have been quite important.  Good luck!!

Lewis

[Fred A-M]

Stutho

Thanks for your response, as I can't see how my contribution could be any way construed as offensive and leads me to believe that we have an individual conducting a vendetta: 3 smites in 3 hours.  

On the above basis, I personally think that this feature should be traceable, if only so that you can identify individuals who abuse the facility.

Cheers

Fred

[DavidH]

I've just bought a RST, and well remember the dilemma between the two. I think Stutho's comments are bang on the mark. The Sport Tour was (by comparison when I test rode both) more sprightly than the Tour. But whether that is the decisive factor in what you want, only you can answer. I had convinced myself that I wanted a Raven Tour, but came away from a trip to Bridgwater having ordered the RST. I justified the extra expense by cutting back on planned upgrades: you can't easily upgrade the frame, nor the wheels (or at least the rear) so it is best to invest in what you cannot upgrade later (that is the precisely opposite approach to Cake's). For me, I was initially going for the Raven Tour because it was cheaper, but in fact the RST seems to fit more of the uses I am putting the bike to. Having had a very lightweight sport tourer which I pretended was a mountain bike before, I was most concerned about the weight of both Thorns, and was initially sceptical that the RST was significantly lighter. In fact I found the responsiveness much more what I was looking for.

If you really can't decide, you could always buy both! I guess then the 100 day guarantee would come in handy, as you would likely find that you were less delighted with one than the other. I don't think SJS would be happy for many to try that as a way around the dilemma.