My Two Thorns

[Joe B]

I’ve been away from this forum for a short while but I thought I’d post a couple of photos of my two Thorns.
I picked up the Audax Classic second-hand on ebay in 2009. I’d been looking out for one for a while and when this one came along it was a perfect size and very nicely equipped, best of all I got it for just £360
The tandem was a chance buy last year from another Tandem Club member and again I got it for a terrific price.
Why post these photo’s now? Well both frames have just been re-sprayed by Bob Jackson cycles.
The paint on the Audax was in a bad way when I bought it; at the time I couldn’t afford a top class re-spray so I had a local car body shop blast and powdercoat it for just £20 by way of a temporary preservation job.
Although the tandem looks good in the photo there was some terrible rust, the forks, bottom brackets and bottom tube were particularly badly affected. 
Both frames are now finished and ready to be sent back to me. It might be a while before I can post photos of them both together and rebuilt as I work away a lot and won’t be able to spend much time at home over the course of the next few weeks. They will look lovely though, matching blue paint and Thorn details, the tandem a simple single colour, the Audax with some extra detailing on the head tube, seat tube and lugs.
I big thank you to the good folk at SJS. I know that all of us here already know how good their customer service is however I was particularly impressed when less than 24 hours after enquiring whether a new head tube badge was available one was popped though my letterbox completely free of charge.

2013-01-20 16.08.20 by Joe.Audax, on Flickr


2013-05-25 21.30.02 by Joe.Audax, on Flickr


2013-01-20 15.58.15 by Joe.Audax, on Flickr


P1020490 by Joe.Audax, on Flickr


2013-05-05 10.23.50 by Joe.Audax, on Flickr

[geocycle]

Awesome. Great pictures and locations. I love looking at folks shiny new bikes but one that has been resurrected like your audax has a special 'depth' to it.

[jags]

excellent a family on bikes nothing better,love that audax.

jags.

[Joe B]

Thanks for the complements to the Audax folks, it is a terrific bike and I can’t imagine ever getting rid of it. The powdercoat put on nearly four years ago served its purpose however rust has started to develop on the fork so I decided that now was the time to give it the treatment it deserves. The reception of Bob Jackson was cyclists porn shop. The frames hanging from the walls, (some their own others not) were a thing of real beauty. The guy I who looked after me there thought that my Raven Twin had probably been in their workshop before Thorn tend to send them frames for the fitting of S&S couplings. I’ve ordered a set of  Nitto Randonneur Handlebars which look lovely and are reportedly very comfortable, a rack for the Carrdice bag is also on the way.
 

[Danneaux]

Hi Joe!

My, what a lovely pair of bikes, and very nice to have you back again.

I remember you'd thought about respraying the Audax in red, but the blue is just stunning and couldn't have come out better. It is just a gorgeous bike and looks every inch the thoroughbred.

I can't wait to see photos of the matching tandem, now it has been resprayed as well. They just came out beautifully!

Equally nice is the stunning backdrop for the Audax; you've some very nice photos there, Joe.

Best,

Dan.

[nztony]

What a stunning backdrop for your second photo - I'd love to ride my Thorn up and down those roads.

[rualexander]

What a stunning backdrop for your second photo - I'd love to ride my Thorn up and down those roads.

Looks like the Rest & Be Thankful road here in Scotland, between Arrochar and Inverary.

[Relayer]

Great pictures Joe, I agree with rual, in fact I think all the audax pics look like they're taken in the wilds of Scotland.

You've certainly got a couple of bargains there, just goes to show that patience has its rewards.

Can't wait to see more pictures when the bikes are rebuilt.

[Joe B]

Hi Dan, the blue colour on the Audax is just the matt powdercoat I had done a few years ago as a temporary preservation measure. Hopefully I'll have photos of the newly sprayed and rebuilt bike by this time next week.

Well done for spotting the Rest and Be Thankful. The other photos are taken on the side of Loch Long near Cove and overlooking the Gareloch and Faslane Naval Base.

The last ride I did on the Audax was from Helensburgh to Oban with a return train ride. Not a ride I'd fancy doing again as the traffic and standard of driving was awful.

[Paulson]

The blue audax is a beauty.  I look forward to seeing the new paint job, but I'd be happy with it the way it is in the pics!!!

[Joe B]

Hi Paulson

The powder coat doesn't looks fine in the pictures but on close up inspection there is corrosion developing on the forks and the seat stays. I figure that the Bob Jackson enamelling will last a very long time and be worth every penny.

The funny thing is around the same time that the Audax was powder-coated I had my old mid 90's Trek MTB done. This is my every day knock-around on bike and see more use and abuse than the Thorn yet the powder-coating on it has not failed at all. That said it has a much courser finish so I suspect a thicker coat, were as with the Thorn they produced a much smoother coat, perhaps at the expense of durability.

Insistently I recall reading your excellent posts about your red Mk3 a few years ago, they certainly helped nudge me towards buying my Thorn.

Ok, not a Thorn but here's a photo of the Trek I had powder-coated with the Audax a few years ago. Not a bad job for £20.
I've had this bike for 18 years but one day (don't know when) it will be replaced, not completely sure yet what bike will replace it however is spite of surveying a wide section of the market I keep coming back to the Raven Tour. It occurred to me a last year when I picked up the Raven Twin that I could actually cut the cost of a Raven Tour quite considerably by having the Tandem & solo Ravens share a set of wheels until I can afford to get the Raven Tour a set of its own


P1030078 by Joe.Audax, on Flickr


P1030080 by Joe.Audax, on Flickr     

[jags]

my god a trek on the thorn forum and heres me trying to get my raleigh on this past 10 years

only joking  it looks great looking forward to viewing the new look Audax.

[Joe B]

my god a trek on the thorn forum and heres me trying to get my raleigh on this past 10 years

only joking  it looks great looking forward to viewing the new look Audax.

I think this one might be allowed. look closely at the logo on the bars

[jags]

  very good joe no thorn logo on my raleigh but everything on it came from sjs cycles well near enough.

[Chris M]

That blue Audax does look good, almost stealth like against the water backdrop as it blends in so well. Talking of water; I'd watch your glove next time, see Dan's Nomad thread  .

Sorry Dan, couldn't resist!