Thorn Raven Sport Tour

[Andybg]

Another ebay find

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160938816592

Cheers

Andy

[Andybg]

The frame size of the bike is a 561L

Andy

[in4]

Now I do like this bike. It looks well cared for, even after five years use. £1.4k? Good luck with that!

[Andybg]

I would say closer the 1100 mark but values are all perspective

Andy

[in4]

I think you are spot- on there. Its all down to what someone is prepared to pay for something. I was benchmarking against the mini-glut of goodies currently on the SJS website; I keep returning to that Sterling for a quick look ( forerunner of the Nomad X apparently ) but maintain a tight grip on my coin, for now 

[Danneaux]

I keep returning to that Sterling for a quick look...

Oh, the siren call of the Thorn!  "Iaaaaaan!, Iaaaaaan!" Uh-huh; it wants to come home with you.

The brochure copy for the Sterling read: "A high performance touring mountain bike, designed specifically for the Rohloff hub with the EX box. Utterly stunning off-road performance!"

To add to the sweet misery, here's a copy of the Sterling brochure:
http://web.archive.org/web/20090303074209/http://thorncycles.co.uk/Sterling2007/Thorn_Sterling_hires.pdf
...the full-res version of the brochure takes forever to come up, so here's the quicker-loading low-res version:
http://web.archive.org/web/20090612092012/http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/Sterling2007/Thorn_Sterling_lowres.pdf

Thorn's own Sterling sus-fork touring bike brochure:
http://www.sjscycles.com/thornpdf/Thorn_Sterling_lowres.pdf

Annnnd...a Bike Radar Review: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/touring/product/review-thorn-cycles-sterling-09-34835
From Singletrack: http://singletrackworld.com/2010/01/alfine-vs-rohloff-premier-content/
The Fuego Project: http://www.thefuegoproject.com/i_gear.html

That should be enough to know what's calling you!

All the best,

Dan. (Certified Bad Influence, indeed!)

[in4]

I hear the call, I hear the call!!!    Now I shall have to go trawling through those links.... and its got disc brakes too, I've never tried those. Think old style pinball machine in which the pinball is hurtling all over the place; I am that pinball! LOL

Thanks Dan!

[Andybg]

I certainly know that feeling. I had just finished explaining to the wife why I was not going to buy the eXp and the next minute I had decided to buy it. A bit like scottish weather. If you dont like the current situation, wait 5 minutes and it will probably have changed.

[Danneaux]

Aw, guys; No worries!

As my father is fond of saying, "Anticipation is two-thirds of the delight"!

All the "looking and deciding" is *also* a fun part of biking...the pondering and wondering and looking and dreaming and qualifying the bike and oneself for acquisition. It's nearly as much fun looking on from afar and offering thoughts and suggestions as it is to do so oneself.

Thanks for including the rest of us in the fun. It's always educational and interesting to see what another would choose, and why.

All the best,

Dan. (...who thinks hemming and hawing are useful exercises)

[Andybg]

Now up on ebay at 1100ukp

[leftpoole]

This bike has been withdrawn!

[ianshearin]

I was watching it, Im guessing someone offered the seller a deal outside Ebay.

[in4]

That lovely RST is re-listed. Nice New Year steed for someone who has had a very enjoyable Christmas.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rohloff-equipped-Thorn-Raven-Sport-Touring-bike-/160946387158?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item257926f8d6

[ianshearin]

Thanks for the link In4,
Its on at £1300, a tad too much I think.

Wonder what happened with the previous sale

Ian

[in4]

I think you are right re price. It does look cared for and it has ceramic rims too. Lets hope that the seller gets a buyer soon. Difficult to judge though. Yes its one of ours, yes it has a rohloff hub, yes it has upgrades but, it is five years old and the mileage is not specified.
As far as an investment bikes are not the way to go, similarly regarding their residual value unless they have provenance of some sort ie owned by Sirs Bradley or Chris or Dame Sarah or simply looked at by Victoria Pendelton LOL  Muse moment alert: I can just see it now, Strictly Come Cycling, Cycling on Ice, and on and on and on