Well, the bike just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it!
So nice to see the little changes as you go along, and I do hope the Brooks saddle will settle in quietly for you. I've found the source of creaks can surely be in the nose and also where the rails are swedged (riveted) into the rear flange. Inverting the saddle and applying a single small drop of oil sparingly to the joints can often do the trick and result in (blessed) silence for many months.
Seeing your bike once again with panniers reminds me Thorn's philosophy of maximum versatility runs across all their bikes,
including the "go-fast" ones. It is so nice to find an entire line of bicycles that not only allow but encourage taking a load appropriate to the design of the bike. What's more, mudguards are also encouraged to aid all-weather riding, making these true "working" bikes for those who really intend to use them in a variety of circumstances.
Thanks so much for posting this latest set of photos showing not only the bike, but it's "native habitat". That's some stunning scenery and countryside to ride through, and well captured in pictures. I was going to say Photo 3 was right out of a picture-book, but really all of them are! I enjoyed seeing the "open range" cattle and the self-portrait in the shop window with color-matched display is wonderful! Very nicely done and well-shared.
Best,
Dan. (...who is very much looking forward to More!)
