Thorn Raven Sport Tour

[Martin]

Not wishing to upset people but I have been given a 2005 Raven Sport to try, I race so I am reasonably fit. Took the bike to Cornwall for a week, lightish touring, found it very heavy, killer on the hills I was spinning like a nutter. Like and dislike the Rohloff, 8-14 our nice gears but the ones below seem like you are spinning and nut moving, obviously I am not used to that cadence but even so there was a feeling that I was expending more energy than I was actually moving forwards.
I am really trying to like the bike, it is in black very understated which I do like, I have a couple of Scott’s to race on, which I know you cant compare, and a trek 7.5 for shopping etc, ride everyday. Just find the Thorn a bit heavy. Can you convince me, I want to be convinced

[Fred A-M]

If you don't like the RST (weight/gear-ratio-wise), why do you want to be convinced? 

It seems to me that you're an inexperienced cycle-tourist riding a dedicated touring bike.   It's a steel frame, so as you yourself point, your comparisons (expectations?) don't really have much credence.  If you want to be convinced, it seems to me that you start out with the basics of reading Thorn's own promotional literature and forum feedback ref pros and cons.

Ref gearing, you might as well suggest racing on a mountain bike to come to the same conclusions.  If you find the gearing not to your liking (e.g. too easy?), it's fairly obvious to say that you need to swap chain-rings accordingly, but there's plenty of feedback on the forum to suggest that the Rohloff isn't really suited to racing, but to touring.  That said, the world record for the quickest round the world bike tour was done with a Rohloff - reliability is the primary characteristic.

Suggest that you try non-rohloff/thorn (touring bike) alternatives, and then come to back to the forum to further inform to your own conclusions?   
 
 

[freddered]

I don't really understand the problem.

Why were you spinning so fast?  Change up a gear or two if the cadence is too fast.

A Thorn Raven Sport Tour will be a bit heavier than a road bike designed for racing, that's because it's a touring bike and designed to take more of a beating.

The gearbox isn't that much less efficient than derailleurs and, in 11th, is probably more efficient.

Are you comparing a drop-barred road bike with a flat-barred Thorn?  You can't compare in my opinion.  I found it hard to live with my flat-barred Raven so I had it changed for drops and it felt much more efficient (because I was in my more comfortable riding position).

Tyres make the biggest difference though.  There's no way you can realistically compare any 2 bikes ith different tyres.  The 1.5" robust Marathons on my Raven would make any road-race bike feel heavy and sluggish if you were used to 23mm tyres.

You need to compare apples with apples which means comparing it with another touring bike capable of touring around the world.

Try riding a Thorn Raven ever day over a winter and compare the experience with a derailleur bike.  I just oil my chain and hose it down.  My derailleur bikes usually require a strip down (cassette and mechs in white spirit baths ..etc).  Thorn's Rohloff bikes run as efficently in winter as summer (but they will never be as fast as a decent road-race bike over smooth roads).

[Relayer]

I think the review by Tim Wainwright, Arrivee Magazine, sums up the RST very well.

http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/thornpdf/ArriveeSportTourTestAutumn2006web.pdf

He quotes an all inclusive weight of 30lbs and used gears "slightly lower" for climbing.  I had to change crank lengths and chainring size on my RST (now 42 x 16), I seldom go under 6th gear and have never been under 3rd (except once to check they actually work!).  The top gear isn't so high, but once I'm doing over 24mph I am usually freewheeling anyway!  It is also taking me forever to convince myself I like straight bars, but the proof of the pudding is I reach for the RST a lot more often than I do my lightweight audax bike with drops.

While at risk of repeating points made in previous responses to this question, I would sum up that with the RST you get an unusual machine with character, supremely comfortable, very low maintenance, and brilliant if you want to enjoy the scenery rather than being stretched out over a racing iron looking at somebody's wheel.  The choice is yours ...   

P.S.  The photo of the green Raven in that article was what convinced me I wanted a RST.

[Martin]

Thanks for the replies, I am considering another option which is the Van Nicholas Yukon, I know it is streets away from the Thorn.

I like the unusualness of the Thorn, I like that everything I read is so positive and yes they are comfortable and seem to have the to be able to take on so tough off road, but with all my luggage in Cornwall the hills were a killer.

I have read about guys on here touring at about 15mph on a fully loaded Thorn, they should enter the Olympics.

[brummie]

Perhaps it was the Cornish hills & your luggage that was the problem - not the RST ??

[Martin]

Maybe it was but I do at least 200 miles a week so I am bike fit but I do think the Thorn is heavy

[Fred A-M]

Of course it's heavy in relative terms - it's a steel framed touring bike!!!  However, I don't understand why it was suuucchh a killer if you are soooo fit and found the gears too easy - your account simply doesn't add up! 

Just to hasten to add, I climbed an unpaved track to 10,000ft in Andalucia with the RST loaded with 12Kg, and found it perfectly up to the job, even as a 20 a day smoker!

Given your apparent ignorance of some of the most fundamental aspects of cycling, good luck in whatever you decide - you clearly know best! 

[Martin]

Why in any forum is there an idiot like you, what's up were you bullied and school and you are getting even. Thanks for those with the sensible posts, as for you get a life

[Fred A-M]

"I have read about guys on here touring at about 15mph on a fully loaded Thorn, they should enter the Olympics" - I think you should look closer to home when labelling anyone an idiot - insulting the majority of forum users whilst you so blatantly don't "get it!"

I'm entitled to point out blatant contradictions and your apparent lack of general cycling knowledge and voice my own conclusions by way of response.  Suffice to say that when it comes to knowing the right bike to choose to meet my needs, I'm one happy punter and you're clearly not - as I said, best of luck!   

[travelling]

I've been told that hussain bolt was offered cloggs to run in but as a racer realized the sillyness of that so chose trainers... Can you imagine

If you are chosing a thorn touring bike to race with I can only think you would also choose a Austin allegro to race in formula 1

[Blacksail]

Hi Martin

I, like others here, have spotted the problem, which was trying the RST, loaded, in Cornwall. I think if you'd loaded one of your Scotts for the same ride you'd have wondered what had gone wrong with your usually quick and responsive bike.

I would encourage you not to give up on the Raven so quickly, I have great fun on mine doing everything from short commutes to audax, hills to plains, loaded and unloaded (never raced it though! except when seeing tri athletes who I feel compelled to overtake) I always look forward to riding it and don't get off at the end of a long day feeling completely beaten up, which every other bike I've owned has made me feel like.

The low maintenance and reliability are a huge bonus but not what makes me smile when I'm riding it.

Stick with it and you'll soon be vehemently defending the Rohloff and the RST with the rest of us

[Fred A-M]

Admirable sentiments Blacksail and good points made ref the qualities of the RST, all true.

However, I do think you're wasting your time with our friend Martin who clearly thinks that he is someway superior to us non-olympian thorn riders. 

That said, given his apparent inability grasp the fundamentals of gearing, I'd like see to Martin race - I'd wager it would be quite an entertaining sight! 

[brummie]

I suspect he'll be quite quick considering his 200 miles per week !

[Fred A-M]

A future Olympian, no doubt!