Thorn Club Tour or Galaxy Ultra?

[User482]

Seeing as someone mentioned Hewitt - have you not considered them? I've heard nothing but praise for their service and bikes, and they look to be better value than Thorn. I must admit that if I were buying a new bike, I'd probably go with them.

 

[Achilles]

I had thought of them - they are a long way to travel, and a bit more for a similar spec. I gather the frames are available elsewhere ( Byercycles for example) so you are probably paying for the fitting service? I am hoping my LBS can come close to this albeit without a Jig?

 

[User482]

I had thought of them - they are a long way to travel, and a bit more for a similar spec. I gather the frames are available elsewhere ( Byercycles for example) so you are probably paying for the fitting service? I am hoping my LBS can come close to this albeit without a Jig?

Hewitt do their own custom frames as well as the ones available elsewhere.

 

[simoncc]

One other factor thing that might be worth looking at is a Rohloff hub gear. It will add a few quid to the cost but that has to be the best system for touring. You are probably aware that Thorn has specialised in them to a large extent.

Rohloff hubs are wasteful of energy especially on the low gears, which are the gears often needed while touring in hilly areas with heavy loads of camping stuff etc. I find the best system for touring is a cheap, mid-quality 21 speed set up - something like Alivio or Deore. These systems are quite good and adequate for touring, and if I ever had a tourer built up from a frame I'd specify one.

 

[TheDoctor]

I had thought of them - they are a long way to travel, and a bit more for a similar spec. I gather the frames are available elsewhere ( Byercycles for example) so you are probably paying for the fitting service? I am hoping my LBS can come close to this albeit without a Jig?

Byercycles can also do full builds, which could be worth considering. Their handbuilt wheels are pretty good. They're a bit of a trek (oo-er) from Wiltshire though.

 

[nobby]

" I would opt for Thorn over Dawes due to the way they can tailor bikes to fit you,"

How long have Thorn been offering this?
When I enquired they were happy to try to shoehorn me on a limited number of presized frames.
Hewitt, Mercian, etc. tailor bikes to fit you.

 

[nobby]

Seeing as someone mentioned Hewitt - have you not considered them? I've heard nothing but praise for their service and bikes, and they look to be better value than Thorn. I must admit that if I were buying a new bike, I'd probably go with them.

I bought a Hewitt frame and had it fitted out at my lbs. It is superb and the back ache I used to get is gone. I told Paul Hewitt about the back ache and he adjusted the jig to compensate. It was well worth the long trip North. In August, September and October I did 1400km with camping loads ranging form 17kg to 22.5kg (dog blankets to compensate for a too cold quilt) and I was never uncomfortable on the bike.
I didn't like Thorn's attitude on phone or by email considering that I was looking to spend £1500. I thought that they were very interested in selling a bike rather than selling me the bike I needed. Other's experiences have differed.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

In my experience (which admittedly consists of reading similar forums to this one), Thorn's much - vaunted "personalisation" of bikes involves sticking hundreds of spacers onto the steerer tube. But perhaps I'm wrong about that, to be fair. I'd go for a Dawes, preferably an older one with the UK built frame.

 

[Achilles]

I am coming to that conclusion - and I get the impression Thorn would be happy to be a mail order company.(Rohloff test rides apart) The LBS and the Galaxy is looking favourite at the moment.

 

[Andy in Sig]

Rohloff hubs are wasteful of energy especially on the low gears, which are the gears often needed while touring in hilly areas with heavy loads of camping stuff etc. I find the best system for touring is a cheap, mid-quality 21 speed set up - something like Alivio or Deore. These systems are quite good and adequate for touring, and if I ever had a tourer built up from a frame I'd specify one.

I'm sure you've some technical evidence to support that view but I've experienced no probs in lower gears and would not now by choice go back to derailleurs. That said as a recumbent rider who lives in a hilly area I would one day like to get a Schlumpf mountain drive as a replacement for the bottom bracket to give me that extra bit of gearing for uphills but I would want to do that for a derailleur system too.

 

[Andy in Sig]

I am coming to that conclusion - and I get the impression Thorn would be happy to be a mail order company.(Rohloff test rides apart) The LBS and the Galaxy is looking favourite at the moment.

The cost of test ride would probably be a good investment as it would be a rotten feeling to have a go on a Rohloff equipped bike at a later date and then decide that you wanted one.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

The more I read and hear about other peoples' bike buying experiences, the more I appreciate making the effort to get down to Hewitts. For the same sort of money as a Dawes or Thorn:

- You get a perfect fit without having to swap parts or guess at alterations.
- You get a choice of styles from titanium light touring/audax bikes through to 26 inch wheel expedition tourers. (The Cheviot is only one of his offerings).
- You get any colour you want together with any braze ons and bits.
- You get the whole thing assembled by a meticulous, slightly anal, time served mechanical engineer.
- You get the best built wheels available anywhere that are way more reliable (in my friends experience) than either Dawes' machine built ones or Thorn's cart wheel style offerings.

You just have to trade off the hassle of getting to Leyland for the day for a measurement against the hassle free years that will follow.

 

[rich p]

The more I read and hear about other peoples' bike buying experiences, the more I appreciate making the effort to get down to Hewitts. For the same sort of money as a Dawes or Thorn:

- You get a perfect fit without having to swap parts or guess at alterations.
- You get a choice of styles from titanium light touring/audax bikes through to 26 inch wheel expedition tourers. (The Cheviot is only one of his offerings).
- You get any colour you want together with any braze ons and bits.
- You get the whole thing assembled by a meticulous, slightly anal, time served mechanical engineer.
- You get the best built wheels available anywhere that are way more reliable (in my friends experience) than either Dawes' machine built ones or Thorn's cart wheel style offerings.

You just have to trade off the hassle of getting to Leyland for the day for a measurement against the hassle free years that will follow.

There are other builders who may be closer to him and just as good!

 

[jags]

I Bought A Thorn Sherpa Frameset Built It Up With Shimano Xt,all The Usual High End Gear.what I Think About The Bike Is Super Smooth,strong Frame,not All That Heavy As Far As Touring Bikes Goes ,it's A Class Bike I Cant See This Bike Giving Any Problem's,im Well Impressed.

 

[simoncc]

I'm sure you've some technical evidence to support that view but I've experienced no probs in lower gears and would not now by choice go back to derailleurs. That said as a recumbent rider who lives in a hilly area I would one day like to get a Schlumpf mountain drive as a replacement for the bottom bracket to give me that extra bit of gearing for uphills but I would want to do that for a derailleur system too.

I've ridden a bike with one, and I agreed with my friend the owner that the hub saps energy in the low gears. As he lives in the Lake District he is a bit peeved, but he's loaded anyway so I don't feel too sorry for him. In the last CTC mag they did a review on a mountain bike with such a hub, and the reviewer said it ruined his hill climbing and felt like it sapped about a quarter of his energy in the low range. Good, reliable derailleur systems are quite cheap now anyway. There is no need to use XT or posh stuff like that on a tourer.