I've recently become the proud owner of a
Thorn Raven Sport Tour. Overall, great bike.
However, initially the steering was really wobbly. I thought it was just me, but eventually discovered the wrong forks had been fitted. Instead of a 47mm rake, a 42mm rake fork had been fitted. It was replaced immediately.
With the 47mm rake fork it is more stable (phew!) by a factor of, say, 50%. (I understand that this goes against conventional logic which I can't explain!) However, how do I get to what I regard as real stability like my current Trek 7500FX. Ravens are supposed to 'run on rails'.
The Raven comes with a number of height sizes, each of which includes a 'long' and a 'short' version. I opted for a short version because I like a fairly upright ride, but now wonder if I would be better off with a long version, and with a shorter handlebar stem. So the question is, would a shorter stem (with a longer frame) provide more stability? Grateful for any thoughts.
Also, I'm not entirely convinced by the Raven's 26" wheels. Any opinions?
Best regards to all,
Frank Tompson, Bath