Swithering over Audax and Club Tour

[jags]

part 2 class.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fKTR0Kx0xI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8C0Xy_mz64

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K61RQfZcUk

[horizon]

just some thoughts that might be useful to someone else trying to decide..

All really appreciated.

BTW which colour did you choose?? 

[Far-Oeuf]

BTW which colour did you choose?? 

joking aside, the Audax red, pink and blue are fantastic colours (in that order).   I'd not take the pink, but it's really stunning.

[CWM]

A bit late to this party perhaps as I think you've decided on the CT but thought I'd just say that I have previously owned a LHT which I sold as it was too long in the top tube (even after buying a smaller frame) and I currently own a thorn CT and a thorn Audax.  The LHT was a bargain. Had pretty much the same kit as a thorn but cost me £600 second hand (in good nick).  The CT was my favourite bike for a while but I became rather keen on 26" wheeled bikes and ran a Sherpa for a while.  My son has that now and I am mostly on a RST.   For faster riding, including a recent trip from Perth to Buckinghamshire I use the Audax. But before I did the trip to England  I removed the drops and put some flat bars on it.  That was a good set up and suited me well.  Especially with some SJS bar ends.  I recently weighed the CT, Audax and RST with pretty much the same kit. Brooks B17, rack guards all in place.   Results were

Audax. 26 lbs

CT. 30 lbs

RST. 30.5 lbs.  

Both the CT and the Audax have good wheel sets, can't remember all the  detail but both with narrow rims (Ambrosio on the CT and mavic open sport or pro(?)  on the audax).  Perhaps only key difference was the tyres.  Lighter on the audax (although 30mm) and heavier (marathons) on the CT though only 28mm.  All these bikes have steel forks.  I've been a fan of both bikes and even though I now mostly use the RST day to day, I'd be hard pressed to decide which to keep if I had to part with one.  

Re colour   I buy everything second hand so I have two bikes in red.  Which is my least favourite colour.  It still sounds better than your possible red and white mix though!

I liked the LHT but found that it only ever made steady progress.  All my thorns feel livelier.  Though if loaded up I'm not sure I'd feel the difference.  

Best wishes for the trip/training/race.  

[Far-Oeuf]

@jags, I mostly travel solo and I've done a couple of motorbike crossings of the Sahara.   I think that's where I fell in with the idea of the battle between the weaker half and the stronger half of your character.   I switched to cycling a couple of years ago (distance cycling).  You know, you ride a few hours and you start feeling a bit tired, it's time for a rest any way, and there's a petrol station/bar/cafe you can sit for just half an hour or so.   But that's just your weak half convincing your body to slow down.   You try to train yourself to be aware of yourself trying to convince yourself to take the easy option, it's a bit recurisive (looping)

Long distance is about overcoming this, and putting your stronger half in control.   Because you can ride a bit further, 10km at a time, even 1km at a time.   You just have to keep going.   10 hours turns into 11, 11:45, 12:37, 12:59, and you can actually make it to 15 hours.   It's the mental battle that's the appeal, the cycling itself brings the vistas and the glorious smells (pine forests, orange groves, fresh rain, etc) but it's overcoming the internal struggle that's the real challenge.

in all of this context, 750g of weight is nothing.

[Far-Oeuf]

A bit late to this party perhaps as I think you've decided on the CT but thought I'd just say that I have previously owned a LHT which I sold as it was too long in the top tube (even after buying a smaller frame) and I currently own a thorn CT and a thorn Audax.  

I wonder if the LHT frame is really designed with flat bars in mind, or half in mind.   Most riders I've met find them a little long, if using drop bars.    An interesting thing about LHT's is that I did a Barcelona-Edinburgh ride 5 years ago and never met any but on the same trip 2 years ago I met 5 LHT's.   They are becoming popular in Europe.   I totally agree that the LHT feels steady and consistent, quite far from thrilling but always capable.

So your difference between Audax and CT was 1.8kg, that seems to be about what I'm finding; not that huge a difference given all up weight.   My only knowledge of 'responsiveness' or 'feel' comes from motorbikes, where if you put a lightweight wheelset on the bike really feels better.   Not that you go any faster as a result, but it feels livelier which therefore feels faster.

cheers

[jags]

i think i would be taking the easy option to be totally honest,i'm a total softie.
ah credit where credit is due you guys are a different breed life is the challange,wheres the next mountain where as me i'm looking for the nearest hotel  with a nice soft bed and loads of hot coffee.
respect man and i still reckon the audax will be a better choice its a super comfi bike to ride all day.
look forward to the ride report hope you have a blast .

jags.

[Far-Oeuf]

respect man and i still reckon the audax will be a better choice its a super comfi bike to ride all day.

if the Audax had a disc brake I might well have gone for it.    I'm self-funded, but if I get into December/January and the CT is causing me discomfort I do have the option of switching frames.   

the guy at Thorn described the CT as "an Audax on steroids".   I hope he's right 

[jags]

aw there great bike to be honest.
i meant to ask before about cost,what do you reckon this race will set you back.
just curious.

jags.

[Far-Oeuf]

aw there great bike to be honest.
i meant to ask before about cost,what do you reckon this race will set you back.
just curious.

jags.

it would be an easy answer to say:

travel to the start (Edinburgh-London), plus overnight stay - £120
12 days on the road at £20/day - £240 (a generous guess)
Dover/Calais ferry (short notice, you want the first available) - £50
2 nights in Istanbul (booked at short notice) - £100
flight home from Istanbul (short notice) - £300
race entry fee - £180

total - £990 (+ any morale boosting hotels).

however....   It's difficult to pre-book things (cheaper), because you don't know when you'll finish the race.   You could sleep on the beach when you get to Istanbul, but...really?   Also, training for 6 months is going to involve a serious amount of food, and possible a transmission replacement.   How much is that?

I expect there'll be a few blogs from racers on this event, which will be pretty interesting.

cheers

[jags]

not to expensive so for such an awesome adventure
well just enjoy it no matter what happens,this will be some story to tell your grandkids .one day.

[honesty]

Out of interest I weight my audax last night. Current build without mudguards, bagman, barbag mount - 10.3kg. With those things - 11.7kg. I could get sub 10kg rather easily by changing out the heavy brooks saddle for a lighter one and seat post for a carbon one, and getting rid of the interrupter brake levers. Any further weight reduction would probably need a change of groupset.

[Far-Oeuf]

interesting.   I'll also be interested to get my CT on the scales, when I pick it up 

[horizon]

A bit late to this party perhaps as I think you've decided on the CT but thought I'd just say that I have previously owned a LHT which I sold as it was too long in the top tube (even after buying a smaller frame) and I currently own a thorn CT and a thorn Audax.   

I wonder if the LHT frame is really designed with flat bars in mind, or half in mind.   Most riders I've met find them a little long, if using drop bars.   

According to my current understanding that's mathematically impossible. The length of the top tube is adjusted at the rear by moving the saddle fore and aft - it's at the front where you will feel stretched out. A shorter/higher stem will deal with this unless the reach is too long. The reach on a LHT (26" and 700c) is identical to a Club Tour and Sherpa - around 39.5 cm.

The reach is the distance from a point vertically above the BB to the head tube. According to the information on the Surly website it is around 39 cm (and cannot be lower without toe overlap). We've calculated the reach for the Thorn bikes on this forum.

If anyone would care to verify this I would be very grateful.

[Far-Oeuf]

just put down the deposit on a CT4 with Audax compents (effectively).   4 agonising weeks to wait...