Touring - My New Baby(Pt.3)--->>> Thorn eXp Completed!!

Well here she is... ready to get shipped across the Atlantic and into my waiting arms!! :D

Pic#1

Pic #2 :D

Pic #3 :D

I like seeing the insides of people's NYC apartments, seems the NYC ones have their own personality that I dig -- not the high priced hoity-toity lofts though... though they are nice... nice bike too... no saddle?

Pic #4 :D The men who built it... standing with my Thorn eXp. From left to right- Andy-Chief Designer/Adrian-Lead Mechanic and Robin Thorn-owner & namesake of the shop and bike.

I like seeing the insides of people's NYC apartments, seems the NYC ones have their own personality that I dig -- not the high priced hoity-toity lofts though... though they are nice... nice bike too... no saddle?

Actually that is the inside of SJS Cycle's shop outside London, UK where my bike was custom made. The bike has yet to be shipped to me... early next week.

I already received the saddle.... Brooks B-67 Black.

Well then, I guess its the nice old urban areas in general that have neat apartments, though, I haven't been as impressed with Boston apartments, though we're just as old as say NYC... But I still prefer it to the non-quirky styles of recent years.

Anyway, that's a lot of spacers! Do the inboard bar ends work well for yeh?

I'll be taking my time finding out where I want to cut the steerer!! They will also be sending me a couple additional stems to aid in that process.

Concerning the barends... don't know yet as the bike is still in the UK. But Robin Thorn did say a lot of his other clients really enjoyed them... I hope so because Thorn hand makes them out of carbon fibre and they were quite a bit of money.

Very nice! The frame looks amazing! The inboard barends are an interesting idea - I can imagine that they could be quite comfortable...

So what components did you spec on it? (sorry for asking if you've already posted that somewhere else....)

looking good! any plans for tours this year?

Very nice! The frame looks amazing! The inboard barends are an interesting idea - I can imagine that they could be quite comfortable...

So what components did you spec on it? (sorry for asking if you've already posted that somewhere else....)

Specs-

Headset - 1 1/8" threadless FSA Orbit XL II

Transmission- Shimano HG70 9 speed 11-32 cassette, Shimano XT M751 front + XT M750 rear mech, XT M751 HollowTech chainset 22/32/44, crank 170mm, Shimano ES70 splined bottom bracket.

Brakes- XT M739 V brake levers, XTR M951 V brakes, XT M750 shifter pods.

Cockpit:

Modolo Comfort bars - (designed in consultation with a senior physiotherapist) butted (3.0/1.8) 6061 T6 alloy, 18 O (allow easy adjustment of reach simply by rotating the bars)

Thorn anatomic 100% carbon bar ends

MKS GR9 platform pedals, including toe clips w/ Christophe Nylon Straps

Brooks B-67 Black Saddle

Thorn alloy micro-adjustable seat post


Tires/Wheels-

48 hole Sun Rhyno rims + Shimano XT Tandem hubs, plain gauge spokes with Schwalbe Marathon XR (rigid) 26 x 1.9" tyres with SKS P55 (extra wide) mudguards Black.

looking good! any plans for tours this year?

Just short training runs and then some 3-7 day outings.

We're debating when to begin the world tour-either Fall of this year or the first of 2005. Either way, once that begins we'll really see what the Thorn's are made of. Initial plans for Stage One of our tour is New Foundland to Alaska, to Mexico and then Stage Two is either over to Europe starting in England or continue on downward through South America.

In any event we have around 9-12 months to finalize our plans as we plan on being out for a total of 7 years.

Lots of work to do though first!

Couldn't help but notice that you said XT break leavers and Pods, though the ones in the picture are LX!
Hope you got what you paid for!
Anyway... bike looks fantastic

aokgk-

You're right, good eyes! Rechecked my invoice, I had changed the levers and pods to LX and Robin had noted it and adjusted my bill accordingly however I forgot it when I was asked here about specs.

Thanks! :)

Good to hear everything is in order.
My tourer is currently being built and i should be recieving it some time next week (fingers crossed), i'll be sure to post some picks when it arrives. i CANT WAIT so i know how you feel!

Cheers for the info you gave me, i looked into all that stuff but to be honest its alittle too pricey for me. Mind id like one especially after seeing your pjotos, it looks cool man good luck i bet your well chuffed, happy riding mate.

PS do you know anything about mavic t221 rims ie what size they are, if they are 27 inch and already on a bike does that mean that the bike could not take 26inch wheels, i need to know because i have heard of people having trouble finding tyres to fit in Sth Am. Fingers crossed it wont matter ive got a beauty maybe lined up. Ill keep you posted thanks again, nice one

Sounds good Dub. Yeah, if you're swinging down into South America(as well as other places)I think the 26 inch option is the way to go.

As to 27 inchers... if you're going to try and put them on something other than what they're intended for, you're probably opening up Pandora's Box with regard to problems and headaches.... fork rub, fender rub, brakes and brake pads not fitting, etc...

it seems like a really small frame, any reason in particular they didn't go with a bigger frame and a shorter seatpost and steerer stack?

I envy you. I dream about owning a bonafide British touring bicycle. Happy Miles!

Good thing paint jobs are done in the bicycle factory and not at the bike shop because I would NOT want that bloke with the technicolor sweater to paint my bicycle.

4130phile