Touring - Announcement: Twins!

Rowan and Machka are proud to announce the arrival of twins on Monday 5 March, 2012. :)


Irridescent Blue is 533 mm, and weighs 3.45 kg including the fork with uncut steerer tube.

British Racing Green is 555 mm, and also weighs 3.45 kg including the fork with uncut steerer tube.


Our twin steel Thorn Club Tour frames will be built up over the next few weeks with Shimano components. We have a tentative maiden voyage tour planned for Easter.


And, of course, photos ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/machka-bb/sets/72157626350069999/detail/?page=2

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/6812710266_53c9c52948_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/machka-bb/sets/72157626350069999/detail/?page=2)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7055/6815442430_6c280351e1_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/machka-bb/sets/72157626350069999/detail/?page=2)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7041/6961618141_f1926f390d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/machka-bb/sets/72157626350069999/detail/?page=2)

Click for more ... and there will be more to follow!! :D

Ooooo and ahhhhhh! Very nice!

Fraternal twins. Congratulations!

Would be interested to hear how you decided on this frame, where you got them, etc. Weather looks nice where you are,btw.

Congrats! Cigars? Nah....

Looking good. I want to buy another bike, but my wife keeps telling me to wait. I say wait for what. Anyhow congratulations on your new twins.

Twin Smiles.

Would be interested to hear how you decided on this frame, where you got them, etc. Weather looks nice where you are,btw.

It's early autumn here. :)


Thorn's British ... SJS Cycles.
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/bikes-dept757_pg1/


Back in 2002, before I ordered Machak (my stolen Marinoni Ciclo), I narrowed my choices down to a small handful of companies ... Marinoni, Thorn, Seven, Rivendell, Waterford, and a couple others. I went with Marinoni, but the Thorns were definitely appealing.

Then, when we were looking for a tandem last year, we came very close to ordering a Thorn, but they had stopped manufacturing the type we wanted. Very disappointing! Although we are happy with the Santana we picked up.

So, when we decided to get new touring bicycles, we considered a few options. Marinoni was one of my top choices, but would have cost too much to ship here. But Thorn was high on the list ... and they had what we wanted. :)

Rowan and Machka, Nothing like the smell of a new frame, have fun on the build.

Brad

well you may not believe this coming from me but the very best of luck with the new twins there really class.and if i offended you guys in the past i sincerely apologise.
anyway good cycling.

Water under the bridge, antokelly. Water under the bridge (preferably on a nice tree-lined cycling route with little traffic, lots of sunshine, and that fresh air smell you can only get riding a bicycle).

We'll keep you all posted on the build which all depends on arrival of stuff from Ireland and England (Chain Reaction and Wiggle respectively), plus a few other places.

So SJS/Thorn dropped the Taiwan sourced frames,
and brought the production back home?

Congratulations!!

Looking forward to seeing what they look like when you add all the bits... :)

z

So SJS/Thorn dropped the Taiwan sourced frames,
and brought the production back home?

No, I think they're still making them in Taiwan.

So SJS/Thorn dropped the Taiwan sourced frames,
and brought the production back home?
As I mentioned in another thread some time ago, Thorn closed its frame shop. We were looking to source a tandem frame at the time, so it was at the beginning of last year. There is a sticker/decal on both the new frames that says: Made in Taiwan.

When I inquired about a smaller frame of a particular colour for Machka than the one we sourced, I was told it was not in stock and wouldn't be for six months. I don't think production of Thorn frames will be returning to the UK for some time, if ever.

Enjoy building them up and riding them :D

I hope they don't keep you up all night.

how are those twins coming along.

how are those twins coming along.

I'll bet Machka's is built first. :)

Brad

I'll bet Machka's is built first. :)

Brad

:lol::lol:should be interesting to see ;)

As a matter of fact ... mine is the one sitting on the trainer right now with wheels, saddle, handlebars, crankarms, pedals and rack. :)

However, that is for setup purposes ... some of that stuff is borrowed from other bicycles. We did the setup on my bicycle last weekend so Rowan could cut the steerer tube.

Most of the components arrived yesterday from Wiggle, so a lot more of the build can begin soon.

I'll bet Machka's is built first. :)

Brad
How perceptive of you!!

We are waiting on a handlebar and some fenders/mudguards plus a couple of other odds and sods from ChainReaction. The Wiggle package arrived yesterday with the LX brakes for each bike, and a new crankset for mine, plus all the cabling. But the brakes aren't much good without the travel agents, so we are awaiting those from St John St Cyclery.

I am, however, having extreme difficulty in getting any communication out of a local bike shop that parades (or should that be charades?) itself as an on-line seller. This is for the Mavic A719 rims, the two Shimano front dynohubs, and the rear LX hubs... do you think they will respond to my order or either of my two emails? It's Cecil Walker Cycles in Melbourne, and it just goes to prove that our LBSs here have a lot to learn about timely response to people's orders. I said to Machka yesterday that if the orders aren't completed by the end of this week, I will cancel and get complete Dyad wheelsets from Velocity through another bike shop. The wheels on Machka's Thorn at the moment are Dyads from my old Fuji Touring and they look quite good.

I am still hoping to have the bikes ready for a shakedown tour by Easter.

It must have been karma or something. Minutes after I posted the above, I received an email about my order from Cecil Walker Cycles. Again, it highlights the problems with bricks-and-mortar shops trying to play e-sellers. The shop doesn't stock the items on its on-line shop, and instead sources them per-order from the distributors. Now it seems the Mavics aren't in stock with the distributor either, although a shipment is expected this week. Maybe I will get the order late next week. Grrrr!!!

Sorry to hear of the glitches you´re having, but a BIG CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Almost a month old now! :D

Yesterday, I took my new Thorn touring bicycle for a maiden voyage of 3 km ... and I was out again today for 6 km. Feels good ... very smooth. :)

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/machka-bb/sets/72157626350069999/detail/?page=3

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7205/7041607243_ec1298d539_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/machka-bb/sets/72157626350069999/detail/?page=3)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7100/7041639277_e88de0e84a_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/machka-bb/sets/72157626350069999/detail/?page=3)

It's not quite finished - the wheel, tires, and rear cassette will be changed. But it is rideable! :)


Rowan's is underway as well, and should be rideable soon too.

hbar angle is ...curious.

how do you intend to ride in the drops without slipping off?

hbar angle is ...curious.

how do you intend to ride in the drops without slipping off?

That's my usual handlebar angle ... in fact, we tilted the handlebars up ever-so-slightly after about the first half kilometre. I'm more concerned about the top of the handlebars being comfortable. I rarely ride in the drops ... very rarely.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7100/7041639277_e88de0e84a_c.jpg[/URL]


This bike may have started out blue, but it is now red from embarrassment after having a picture of its non-drive side posted in a public forum!

z

This bike may have started out blue, but it is now red from embarrassment after having a picture of its non-drive side posted in a public forum!

z

My bicycles don't like to do things the conventional way.

Gorgeous bike from one of the most respected touring bike manufacturers, Machka! May it take you to many awesome locations around the globe and give you MANY years of riding pleasure. Looks like that one is a keeper! :)

Yes class bikes i was seriously considering selling my sherpa and buying the club tour mainly becauce of the 700c wheels.Will you try and add front panniers or are you sticking with just rear.the reason i ask that i'm going to be using front panniers for the first time on the sherpa i did do a test run and to be honest it never fazed the bike one bit.
anyway well done on the new bikes there really class safe riding.

That's my usual handlebar angle ... in fact, we tilted the handlebars up ever-so-slightly after about the first half kilometre. I'm more concerned about the top of the handlebars being comfortable. I rarely ride in the drops ... very rarely.


might be time to try a trekking handlebar.

might be time to try a trekking handlebar.

I've used bullhorn bars, and they're OK, but I like the bars I've got. I've been riding with them like that for years, and tens of thousands of kilometres ... and they're comfortable. :)

Yes class bikes i was seriously considering selling my sherpa and buying the club tour mainly becauce of the 700c wheels.Will you try and add front panniers or are you sticking with just rear.the reason i ask that i'm going to be using front panniers for the first time on the sherpa i did do a test run and to be honest it never fazed the bike one bit.
anyway well done on the new bikes there really class safe riding.

We'll just be going with rear panniers. Our usual touring setup is one set of panniers, rack bag, and handlebar bag. So ... we'll see how they handle with that setup.

The thread title did exactly what you hoped it would, to me. :)

I think that blue is the best color for a bike. I have one the same blue.
What bottle cages are those?

I've used bullhorn bars, and they're OK, but I like the bars I've got. I've been riding with them like that for years, and tens of thousands of kilometres ... and they're comfortable. :)


if you very rarely use the drops, and have your drop bars actually angled UP for more comfort as pictured, you would get more usable hand positions from a trekking bar, euro style, providing even more comfort for the next tens of thousands of kilometers.

@Bekologist, not necessarily trekking bars will fit those who like drop bars. I had butterflies and hated it, same for my wife. Those curves are actually stealing a lot of space from your palms.

@Machka, what's the tall fork steerer spacer are you using? Is it just a piece of an aluminium pipe painted black, or is it a stack of multiple spacers (can't see the little details on the photo)?

if you very rarely use the drops, and have your drop bars actually angled UP for more comfort as pictured, you would get more usable hand positions from a trekking bar, euro style, providing even more comfort for the next tens of thousands of kilometers.

Does it really matter as long as she is comfortable? She has ridden more miles than many of us even hope to do. The beauty of cycling is the individuality in personal set ups. There are thousands of opinions as to how things "should" be done but in reality there is no right answer other than what works for you.

Does it really matter as long as she is comfortable? She has ridden more miles than many of us even hope to do. The beauty of cycling is the individuality in personal set ups. There are thousands of opinions as to how things "should" be done but in reality there is no right answer other than what works for you.

I doesn't matter, but i'm making a constructive suggestion because of her handlebar tilt and mention she very rarely uses the drops.

Machka would get more usable, comfortable hand positions setting it up like a euro tourer with a trekking bar. she's got limited hand options right now. the drops are slightly hazardous for use in that type of a setup when there's that much droop at the end of the bar.

the drops are slightly hazardous for use in that type of a setup when there's that much droop at the end of the bar.

Not really. When I ran drop bars I had the tilt very similar to what is in the pic above and had absolutely no issues holding on in the drops

Not really. When I ran drop bars I had the tilt very similar to what is in the pic above and had absolutely no issues holding on in the drops

I think that's great, but recommended angle of the drops from most every manufacturer is zero to 5 degrees. Excessive droop in the drops is a sign of poor fit and increase the hazard of using the drops.

http://bicyclelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2011-01-22_1707-300x164.png



is the position of your road bike handlebar the sign of a poor fit (http://bicyclelab.com/is-the-position-of-your-road-bike-handlebar-a-sign-of-poor-fit/)

When I had mine tilted up like that it was not because the bike did not fit, it was because I felt I had more control descending from the hoods on rougher trails.

Most manufacturer claims are written by lawyers, not riders. Cross top levers even come with a sticker saying they are not safe when used alone because they lack the stopping power needed. Many kid trailers say do not ride over 15 mph, most bikes come with warnings that say check every bolt every ride, check spoke tension every ride, etc. The world if full of warning written by lawyers because of how sue happy this country is. Some people just prefer things a different way that others because people are just different.

again, i think your opinion is just great.

however, in the world of bike fits, there are certain truisms.

if machka went to get a bike fit, the bike fitter would be more than likely suggesting the same things I have been mentioning.

machka can ride with her handlebars in the flipped up, smoking a cigarette position if that makes her comfortable. as an observation on bike setup, as the bars are set up now, its a sign of a poor bike fit, outside most manufacturers recommendations, and considered hazardous to a rider when using the drops.

Rowan and Machka are proud to announce the arrival of twins on Monday 5 March, 2012. :)


Irridescent Blue is 533 mm, and weighs 3.45 kg including the fork with uncut steerer tube.

British Racing Green is 555 mm, and also weighs 3.45 kg including the fork with uncut steerer tube.


Our twin steel Thorn Club Tour frames will be built up over the next few weeks with Shimano components. We have a tentative maiden voyage tour planned for Easter.




That's a nice color for a touring bike.

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/9028/hpim3623smallrd9.jpg

however, in the world of bike fits, there are certain truisms . . . as the bars are set up now, its a sign of a poor bike fit, outside most manufacturers recommendations, and considered hazardous to a rider when using the drops.

Hazardous how, exactly? I'm genuinely curious, because on the one hand, we have alleged bike fit "truisms", and on the other hand, we have three actual posters with actual experience (Machka, nubcake, myself) who do or have in the past had their drop bars set at just about the same tilt, with no ill effects over thousands of miles (collectively) of riding.

I don't normally ride in the drops, but will often do so when I'm on one of those flat, devilishly windy Maryland Eastern Shore rides!!! As a result of riding in my oddly-titled handlebars . . . I've never crashed my bike, fallen off my bike, had my hands fly off the handlebars, annoyed the cows I've passed, or . . . anything.

Perhaps (as sometimes seems to happen in Bicycle World ;)) this is a case of a "truism" that applies mainly in the pack racing context being cited as gospel truth for all other forms of biking??

Hazardous how, exactly?

if you don't ride the drops, you won't notice your hands slipping off the bends when your HB tape is wet or you're tired.

drops with a lot of cant to them make using the drops less secure and a rider can slip off during sudden impacts, when fatigued, or when the tape is wet.

you're not holding the drops, you're squeezing the space between the drops and the brake levers.... not holding on tight.

The lack of secure grip should be fairly simple to grok.

the fit issue is a wholly separate deal from the safety concerns, but they are related.

Just what are you on about, Bekologist?

The guide when setting up drop bars like this is for the ends to be pointing down to the rear axle. Machka likes her hoods in the position as illustrated. Her desire has come from years of experience. She rides the drops without issues, wet, dry, windy or calm.

The issue of using the drops is related more to the saddle. But this is a touring bike... and after years of experience in all sorts of riding conditions, it is what is most comfortable for her, and especially as she now has shoulder injury issues.

You can debate all you like the virtues of one set-up over another, but the imperative is the individual's comfort, and in this case, that's how Machka wants her bars.

Mine aren't so much different, although the hoods aren't quite so high.

Oh, and as to fit. She did have a pro fit done when we bought the tandem. The dimensions we walked out from the shop with were identical to the set-up on her other bikes, including the upward ends of the bullhorn bars. Maybe we do know what we are doing.

I think that's great, but recommended angle of the drops from most every manufacturer is zero to 5 degrees. Excessive droop in the drops is a sign of poor fit and increase the hazard of using the drops.

is the position of your road bike handlebar the sign of a poor fit (http://bicyclelab.com/is-the-position-of-your-road-bike-handlebar-a-sign-of-poor-fit/)

I just read that very brief article because I was curious if it would tell me why any other handlebar position than the one in the image was a sign of poor fit ... and the article couldn't tell me.

The article tells me that if I don't set my bars up the way the manufacturer recommends, I won't be "using the bar to its full potential". It goes on to tell me that if my "bars are excessively tilted up it basically makes the drops unusable or extremely uncomfortable".

However, the article does not tell me anything about handlebar position as it relates to fit.

I've ridden four 1200K randonnees on two different bicycles, and heaps of other long rides on those two and another two bicycles, with my handlebars in the same sort of position as I have them on this new touring bicycle. If there were any upper body fit issues, I think they would have appeared during those rides. Instead, I've been comfortable on my bicycles. :)

As for the "hazards" of having my drops tilted like they are ... somehow I've managed to keep my hands on the bars quite comfortably during the occasions when I have ridden in the drops over the past decade of riding.

I have one of my single speed bikes with the bars just like Machka has in that photo. The tops are nice and high if my back is sore. down on the ends of the drops I'm lower, which is a huge help in a headwind with only one gear. And of course the deep part of the drops even lower for speed or headwinds. Suggesting that you can't hang onto taped bars in that position, is absurd. It's a great position for a long ride too. More of a difference between up on the tops and low in the drops.

I just read that very brief article because I was curious if it would tell me why any other handlebar position than the one in the image was a sign of poor fit ... and the article couldn't tell me.

The article tells me that if I don't set my bars up the way the manufacturer recommends, I won't be "using the bar to its full potential". It goes on to tell me that if my "bars are excessively tilted up it basically makes the drops unusable or extremely uncomfortable".

However, the article does not tell me anything about handlebar position as it relates to fit.

I've ridden four 1200K randonnees on two different bicycles, and heaps of other long rides on those two and another two bicycles, with my handlebars in the same sort of position as I have them on this new touring bicycle. If there were any upper body fit issues, I think they would have appeared during those rides. Instead, I've been comfortable on my bicycles. :)

As for the "hazards" of having my drops tilted like they are ... somehow I've managed to keep my hands on the bars quite comfortably during the occasions when I have ridden in the drops over the past decade of riding.

Only a decade? :)