Replace this with a Thorn ... Nomad or xTc???

[hoogie]

[] ... nah, just 1.92m, or about 6'4" ...

yeah, that is one humungous headtube huh? ... looks kinds like I rode it into the back of a parked car ... squashed it fore and aft and extended it upwards! ... should look better once it is completed and the racks are on I think ...

I should post the pic of me standing by my Trek 520 touring bike ... it is a 25" model, and I make it look small too.

Sadly, there aren't many second bikes in my size, so I gotta buy them new ... but I can live with that! []

[hoogie]

Hi there again,
I have almost finished the Nomad! The bits I was waiting on finally arrived and I could complete building the bike up ... Must say that it rides really nice on the lightweight wheels I got second-hand [as pictured .. and yes, that is a radially spoked front wheel!].
More pictures and information on my webpages ...
http://www.hoogie.co.nz



The Nomad almost complete

[Istanbul_Tea]

Sweet ride Hoogie!!!

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!!!!

[hoogie]

The NOMAD is finished and ready for the road!  []

More info on the build including pictures are here ... http://www.hoogie.co.nz/bikes/nomad.htm

[hoogie]

I took the Nomad out for a whizz around a 20km loop I use ... it has a bit of everything ... smooth pavement roads through town, a reasonable climb, a wicked downhill, and some undulating country roads. It was hot and very windy.

All I can say is that I am impressed with the ride ... can't wait to try a longer one and to get it loaded!

cheers,
hoogie

[Mario]

Hoogie, your mail arrived here at 7:56:14 and I'd just got up. Envy set in immedidately - hot weather! Here it is grey and miserable. Yesterday frost, today mild and drizzle.
But your Thorn is lovely. Now, if you could afford colour-coordinated water bottles, say red like that on your tyres than the picture would be perfect! (Notice, how I always pick up on the really important aspects?)
Happy cycling, Mario

[Cephas]

Color coordinating accessories is nice. The alternative is to stick with a simple theme.

[Cephas]

If I may be so bold; What's the extra sticker on the seat tube?

[hoogie]

LOL ... I just grabbed the first three I could lay my hands on ... I do actually have a red one with "fossil fuel" and a picture of a dinosaur on it ... apt description with a pic of the owner on it!!! LOL
I have been told that if I bring home any more water bottles, I will be in trouble [again!]...

cheers,
hoogie
Yes, it has been really hot here lately ... over 30degC

[hoogie]

I should have looked at page two before answering !!!!
Thorn water bottles!!! yes, should have got a couple of those as well ... definite accessorizing ...

The extra sticker on the seat tube is one sent to me by a firefighter/chaplain in USA that i swap emails and stuff with. It is a helmet sticker work by NYC firefighters to commemorate the 343 firefighters that never made it back home when the twin towers fell over.
It is reflective and the yellow does actually look quite good against the balck.

I am a firefighter here in New Zealand, so have put it on my bike as a mark of respect.

cheers,
hoogie

[hoogie]

FIRST RIDE IMPRESSIONS

Been out for my first real ride on my new Nomad ... it was only a 40km loop, and included a 17km uphill trend grind into a headwind from 0ft to 970ft, with some gravel roads thrown in on the tops then a 16km downhill tailwind assisted sprint back to the cafe ...[]
the new frame is very stiff indeed ... just not sure if I am going to stay with the drop bars or move over to flat bars and v-brakes like all my other touring bikes ... the ride on the gravel was really impressive, bike handled well and wasn't squirrelly like my Trek 520 is [tyres? wheel size?? geometery??] and I didn't back off at all on the gravel.
Mind you my fastest speed ever is still on gravel ... 64mph on gravel [107km/h], only 102km/h on road, 88km/h on road towing a fully laden BOB yak trailer ... only about 75kmh with panniers [wind resistance??]
Definitley can't wait to get the Nomad loaded and touring though!

cheers hoogie
timaru/oamaru, new zealand
http://www.hoogie.co.nz

[hoogie]

NOMAD UPDATE

Hey there,

Noamd is largely completed, just some fine tuning to go and also a loaded tour.
Have swapped the stem for a shorter one, 120mm down to a 100mm.

More pics and full story on build here:http://www.hoogie.co.nz/bikes/nomad.htm


NICE!

cheers,
hoogie
timaru/oamaru, new zealand

[Chris Land]

Looks lovely.  Actually makes me jealous even though it is very similar to my own Nomad!  Probably something to do with it being loaded up for a tour, rather than another bloody commute to work [V].

[hoogie]

Seat post looks like it is leaning back a fair ways though in this pick ... very relaxed angles ... mind you, matches the relaxed attitude of the rider!!!!

cheers,
hoogie
timaru/oamaru, new zealand

[hoogie]

Have just come back from 3 days away touring on the Nomad ... took it over all sorts of terrain, from sealed roads to rail trail and it was no bother ... the Nomad actually handles and rides better once the weight is on it ... [] Still deabting the drop vs flat bars issue though ... am perservering with the drop abrs I have on there now, but think I may eventually end up putting on flat bars/bar ends ... I already have the 9sp shifters/brake levers/v-brakes as well to make the change as quick and painless as possible ... [8D]
I did take a few pictures, but looking at them today I seemed to have gotten the camera cord into all of them []
Ah well, guess it is a good excuse to go abck and do it all again! []

later then,
hoogie
timaru/oamaru, new zealand