First Rohloff Oil Change

The Rohloff Speedhub on the Raven Nomad requires an oil change every 5,000 km to keep it running smoothly. Conveniently, I've just passed that mark before I go to Canada. So today I did my first Rohloff oil change.

Rohloff Oil Change Kit: Speedhub Oil, Cleaning Oil, Syringe and Drain Plug

It's quite an easy task, but looks a bit strange on the first look as the Rohloff Oil Change Kit contains a great big syringe! Is this bike maintenance or a medical procedure I'm about to perform on the Rohloff?

Ok, so it's a tiny bit late...

The first step is to use the Rohloff Cleaning Oil to help remove the existing oil from the hub. Draw the contents of the blue labelled bottle into the syringe. Then, after removing the small drain plug on the hub, connect the syringe and squirt the contents inside! (Then draw some air back out through the syringe to equalise the pressure).

Drawing the old oil from the hub before adding the clean stuff

Refit the drain plug and turn the cranks for a few minutes in gears 3 and 5. (This engages all the hub's planetary gears and ensures the Rohloff Cleaning Oil gets in all the nooks and crannies). Reconnect the syringe and leave with the syringe at the bottom. After 15 minutes draw the old oil out of the hub. Return the contents to the Cleaning Oil bottle for safe disposal.

Fill the syringe with about 15-20ml of clean Rohloff Speedhub Oil. Add this to the hub (then equalise the pressure again) and fit the new drain plug. Job done.

Continue riding, with a near maintenance free transmission system, for a further 5,000 km...

Initial Review: Click-Stand Max

I used my Click-Stand® Max for the first time this weekend. I was impressed with the product's functionality, ease of use and the simplicity of it's design.

Click-Stand Max - Portable stand for a loaded touring bike

A loaded touring bike is often very heavy and especially cumbersome when stationary. It is certainly beneficial to be able to keep the bike upright and stable while you load and unload it. A suitable wall or fence is not always conveniently available to prop the bike against, so usually some sort of kickstand (propstand) is used.

Traditional kickstands generally have a poor reputation. They normally attach to the bike's chainstays and the combination of a usually lightweight arm (or arms) and the low positioning below the bike's centre of gravity leaves the bike vulnerable to toppling, especially when heavily loaded. Sometimes chainstays are even damaged when using a kickstand, either from the clamping mechanism, the forces going through the kickstand while it's holding up the bike or as a result of the bike toppling over.

Four piece folding Click-Stand

Some frame manufacturers don't like kickstands very much because of the potential for damaging the frame, even through apparent normal use. Thorn, perhaps deliberately, don't provide a kickstand fixing plate between the chainstays of their bikes and they specifically state the frame's warranty is invalidated if you use certain kickstand models! (E.g. Pletscher ESGE KS11 Twin-Leg Propstand). This was enough incentive for me to look around for something different.

The Click-Stand is a clever bit of 'blue sky' thinking that solves the short-comings of a traditional kickstand. It is made of lightweight holllow aluminium tubing, very similar to that used in modern folding tent-poles and comes in either 4 or 5 sections. The sections are connected with an elastic cord which allows the Click-Stand to fold and unfold very neatly. The top of the Click-Stand has a U-shaped plastic attachment which supports the bike underneath the top-tube.

Closeup of U-shaped Click-Stand support

Click-Stands come in various tube widths depending on the application. I've gone for the heavy-duty Click-Stand Max which is suitable for loaded touring bikes and tandems. It is made from 11mm (.433") diameter Easton tubing. My Click-Stand weighs 125g which is significantly lighter than a traditional kickstand.

Each Click-Stand is custom sized. You specify at the time of order your bike's vertical standing height at the top-tube/seat-tube interface and the top-tube diameter. It folds up to about 20-25cm and two optional brackets are available to store it, either by the side of a water-bottle holder or inline.

Brake-Band used to pull the brake lever and lock the wheel

The secret of the Click-Stand's design is the Brake-Bands® that are supplied with the product. These strong elastic bands slip over the handlebar ends and are used to engage both brakes. This locks both wheels and when the Click-Stand is propped under the bike's top-tube, a very stable tripod is created. The Click-Stand attachment point also benefits from being above the bike's centre of gravity. This helps immensely with stability. It's simple physics.

So how does it perform in practice? Pretty well actually...

Conveniently folded and stored on the rear rack

Once the Click-Stand is engaged, the bike is remarkably stable. It can't be rocked or moved by pushing the bike in the direction of the Click-Stand and it's almost impossible for it to topple over, even if the front wheel swings around. It's also easily stable enough to load and unload panniers one at a time.

Saying that, the Click-Stand is not as easy as a traditional kickstand to use. You can't just get off the bike and flick the stand. I deploy the Click-Stand by first putting the bike in position and then Brake-Band both levers (the bands live close at hand attached to my handlebars). I unfold the Click-Stand (strapped to the top of my rack) and prop it under the Nomad's top-tube, leaning it about 30cm away from the bike (either side can be used).

Click-Stand - A simple and effective product

The Click-Stand works best on hard surfaces. For softer surfaces like mud and grass, the Click-Stand might dig into the ground and this could pose a problem (as it would a traditional one-legged kickstand, only more so). You could put a stone underneath the Click-Stand to prevent this. I think I'm just going to carry a small plastic bottle cap.

The only potential downside I can envisage is if you badly position the Click-Stand or the Click-Stand is accidently knocked, resulting in the (heavy touring) bike falling on top of it. Since it is semi-captive underneath the bike's top-tube, it could well get bent or crushed in the fall as the lightweight tubing is only really strong in one direction.

In summary, I like the Click-Stand®. It's a simple and effective product. It's keenly priced too. If you're in the market for a kickstand for your touring bike, I recommend you add the Click-Stand Max to your shortlist.

Thorn's Eccentric Bottom Bracket

I've adjusted the Raven Nomad's Eccentric Bottom Bracket (EBB) once so far, to re-tension my slightly elongated chain. It was a painless affair and took 2 minutes. I will have to do this about once every 1000 - 1500 km to maintain reasonable chain tension.

Although the first adjustments of the chain tension will be easy to perform, I'm not convinced (at the moment) that they will always be so. This is because of Thorn's choice of using a Set Screw EBB.

Thorn's Set Screw EBB

To lock the EBB after adjustment, you screw in two large semi-pointed set screws (bolts) underneath the bottom bracket. Once tightened, the set screws make indentations directly into the EBB casing enabling the screws to grip the EBB and keep it firmly in place. Every time you adjust a virgin EBB, you get two new (permanent) indentations. Over time, these indentations build up. I can think of some possible niggles with this method of locking the EBB.

Firstly, you will only be able to adjust the chain tension in quite coarse steps. If you try to make a very small adjustment, the set screws will engage the edge of the existing indentations and 'deflect' the EBB back to the previous position. (This has been mentioned on the Thorn forums). Not a big issue, but some people like to have a 'perfect' chain tension all the time and this is not achievable with a Set Screw EBB of this type.

Closeup of set screws underneath the bottom bracket

Once you've gone through one chain, you'll have a nice set of indentations in the EBB. When you fit a new chain, you'll need to reset the EBB. This should be pretty easy to do, as a new chain is of a standard pitch, so by naturally tensioning the chain you should 'find' the first EBB indentations again. After that, though, could it become more hit and miss? Unless you re-tension the chain at roughly the same slackness as the first chain (easy to judge?), the EBB will accumulate further indentations. Eventually, you could unintentionally deflect into existing indentations and move the EBB from your intended position. This might niggle if the deflection over-tensions the chain slightly, perhaps?

This could also happen if you use different combinations of chainrings and sprockets, on the same EBB, to develop different gear ratios (E.g. 40x16 and 38x16). Each ratio will require a different EBB starting position and probably, separate adjustment indentations.

Perhaps it's worth marking the outward face of the EBB, every time you adjust the chain tension, so that later at least you know where the existing indentations are?

There are other designs for an EBB. One design uses a split bottom bracket shell with 'pinch bolts' that clamp the shell around the EBB, rather like a brazed-on seat collar clamping a seat pin. Another (patented) design is the Bushnell Eccentric. Instead of using two set screws to lock the EBB, it has an allen key fitting, on the outward face of the EBB, which drives internal cams apart that spread the EBB inside the bottom bracket shell. Another similar design is the Carver EBB. The Gary Fisher EBB operates in a related way and looks like an oversized 'quill' stem! (Note, the Bushnell is 53.8mm in diameter and won't fit the current 51.3mm Thorn BB. The other 3rd-party examples probably won't fit either as Thorn's EBB seems smaller than 'standard').

The alternative designs certainly appear to offer a finer granularity of EBB adjustment and solve the potential niggles I've discussed, but perhaps introduce different compromises and problems? (I've read of some creaking and slipping issues).

What do people think? It would be interesting to know the underlying reason(s) why Thorn choose the older style Set Screw EBB ahead of other potential designs...

Raven Nomad Rack Mounting Bosses

In the advertising literature for the Raven Nomad S&S that I downloaded, Thorn made several statements about their rack mounting bosses being 6mm, highlighting, to me anyway, a clear advantage over standard 5mm bosses commonly found on other bikes.

They also have 6mm stainless steel bosses for our own heat-treated Cro-Mo carriers... The frames have ... oversize (6mm thread) upper carrier bosses... The forks have ... oversize 6mm stainless steel fittings for lo-loader carriers...

Raven Nomad Brochure Issue 2 May 2009

Although the literature was accurate in this respect, I thought it slightly misleading after I received my bike. I had assumed all the rack mounting bosses would be 6mm when in fact, the rack mounting bosses on the Raven Nomad rear dropout are actually 2 x 5mm.

Two x M5 Bosses on Raven Nomad rear dropout

My Thorn Expedition rack was fitted to the rear dropout with one M5 bolt and four padding washers per side. I was surprised by this. It could be argued that, of all the rack mounting points, this point will be under the most stress when hauling heavy loads!

After speaking to SJS Cycles, I gathered this was a legacy issue concerning Thorn's Rohloff specific OEM rear dropouts. The same dropouts are used across Thorn's entire Rohloff range, apparently because they are very expensive to manufacture. The current dropouts have two 5mm bosses for rack and mudguard fitting per side. I suppose it must be considered too costly to produce a separate 6mm bossed version for the heavy duty Raven Nomad?

SJSC has some cast dropout adaptors that convert the twin 5mm bosses into a single 6mm rack mounting point, but I was told these were mainly used to move the rack outwards to prevent fouling on disc braked equipped bikes. They don't usually fit the adaptor to bikes without disc brakes because to paraphase the SJSC contact I spoke to: "it's debatable whether it makes the rack fixing any stronger, as the rack legs have to be 'sprung' outwards to fit the adaptor".

 Cast End 2 x M5 to 1 x M6 Stainless Dropout Adaptors

(with 5mm lathe reduction of face)

I could also tap out one 5mm boss to 6mm per side (if I felt brave enough) as the bosses appeared to have enough surplus metal.

I was finding this 5mm boss 'compromise' a touch frustrating. Either you needed 6mm mounting points for 'expedition' racks on an 'expedition' tourer (as Thorn's Raven Nomad literature suggested) or you didn't!

So the options were:

• Continue with 1 x M5 bolt + padding washers per side;
• Fit the cast dropout adaptors;
• Tap out a pair of 5mm bosses to 6mm.

 Adaptor secured with two M5 cap-headed bolts

After some um-ing and ah-ing, I decided to fit the cast dropout adaptors. (I was sent them free of charge by SJSC). Crude reasoning suggested it would be better to spread the rack load, at the rear dropouts, over four x M5 bolts rather than two. I assumed the M5 bolt would continue to be the structural weak link under this setup. I didn't feel comfortable tapping out the boss threads on the bike's dropouts.

 

Rack secured to the adaptor with M6 bolt

In light of my conversation with SJSC over the adaptor's primary usage and the fact that I didn't run disc brakes, I asked my brother (who works in precision engineering) to lathe 5mm from the adaptor's face. This reduced the adaptor's width from 15mm to 10mm and meant that the rack legs needed to be sprung outwards by a smaller amount when fitted.

 

Rack now sits 10mm away from rear dropout

I don't believe I've compromised the adaptor (!) as it's still thicker than the bike's dropout bosses and I'm content with the final result. Time will tell...

(There was some discussion on this subject in this thread on the Thorn Forums during September 2009).

The Nomad does an Audax

I decided to introduce the Raven Nomad to Audax riding on Saturday and entered the 'Little Willy' 115 km event starting from Chalfont St. Peter, Buckinghamshire.

Nomad kitted out for an Audax

I arrived nicely in time, after packing the bike into the car and racing around the M25. I had a quick cup of tea, picked up my brevet card and was soon on my way, along with about 25 other riders.

The first leg was out to Pangbourne on a relatively direct route via Beaconsfield, Marlow and Henley. It was quite fast without any real hills. The roads were a touch busy and the winter weather had left the tarmac in a sorry state. I had no problems with the roads on the Nomad, of course. (I think the pot-holes were a bit scared, actually).

I tanked along feeling pretty good and I was still with the front group when we reached Lou La Belle in Pangbourne.

A great café, Lou La Belle. We timed it just right, with most of the riders from the 'Willy Warmer' 200 km already gone and not many locals around. Service was fast and after a cake and more tea, I was on my way again, accompanied by a guy from High Wycombe CC.

We chatted for a short while about my forthcoming Canada trip, but he was riding a racing bike and the Nomad's weight was beginning to take it's toll on me, so our pace wasn't matched. He'd slowly edge in front of me and then stop for some reason, allowing me to pass him. He did this several times and it affected my karma a bit...

The route back across the Chilterns, via Christmas Common (they actually grow and sell christmas trees there), Lane End, Flackwell Heath and Wooburn was comparatively lumpy, but nothing too serious except for Windsor Hill out of Wooburn. That had me grovelling a bit, as I was pretty tired by then! The Nomad's crawler gear range was engaged. There were also some stupendous pot-holes on the Flackwell Heath 'road' just before. Some looked a foot deep! One had even drawn a crowd of people as I passed!

I was very tired at the end, but pleased with my effort. I averaged just under 23 kph. The Nomad takes about 6 kph off my averages, when compared to the Seven, so not bad at all for January!

Thanks to Paul the organiser. I chatted to him during the afternoon, rather than rushing off and it was good. Great after-ride food as well, served up by his daughters. Thanks guys!

It was also good to catch up with Steve O again. I've known Steve for nearly 25 years. We meet occasionally at Audax events. We chatted at length about my trip, as he has also biked across Canada! I also found out he has a Thorn eXp Rohloff bike, so we had to have a long discussion about that as well...

A rather nice day, all in all.

Thorn Nomad Mk2

Thorn has published a brochure for the new Nomad Mk2 (PDF, 13MB).

(Update: The suspension version of the Nomad Mk2 is detailed in this brochure: Thorn Front Suspension MTB and Touring Bikes (PDF, 11MB)).

I've had a browse and this is what I think has changed compared to the Raven Nomad (soon to be known as the Mk1, I suspect):

Nomad Mk2 is now suspension fork compatible

This seems to be the main design change focus. The Nomad Mk2 has been designed to accept suspension forks (either 80mm or 100mm travel) as an alternative to the twin crown plate 531 touring forks. The new frame has a more pronounced sloping top tube than the Mk1 to accommodate the greater stand-over height required when using suspension forks.

The Mk2 frame also has a reinforcing "open ended gusset" at the interface of the down tube and head tube to supposedly provide additional protection when hitting obstructions at speed with a heavy load.

Nomad Mk2 is available with or without S&S couplings

All Mk1 Raven Nomads came with S&S couplings. Thorn acknowledge in the brochure that they weren't really sure whether people were buying the Nomad Mk1 because it had S&S couplings or inspite of. So now the S&S couplings are a £400 option.

Nomad Mk2 has different sizing options

The 2009 incarnation of the Mk1 was offered in five sizes (497L, 512L, 537L, 562L, 587L). The new Mk2 has six size options (510M, 540L, 560M, 565L, 590L, 620L). The following is apparent:

• The smallest frame size is now 510M. The extra-small frame has been deleted, the reason given that it would be incompatible with a suspension fork;
• There are two 'medium' size frames with different top-tube lengths;
• There is an extra-large frame (620L) suitable for very tall people (up to 2.03m / 6' 8" apparently). The 620L can't accept a suspension fork though, because of it's head tube length.
  

Nomad Mk2 has a new colour option

The Nomad Mk2 is available in a brand new colour Tonka Yellow and this appears to be a gloss coating. Matt Black is the only other option and both are powder coating finishes.

There's an interesting couple of paragraphs in the brochure, questioning conventional wisdom by discussing having a bike in a stand-out colour as a theft deterrent and as an aid to bike recovery!

Nomad Mk2 price

The Nomad Mk2 frame & forks package with S&S couplings is £899. This is £100 more than the 2009 Mk1. The frame & forks price without the couplings is £499. Interestingly, this option is exactly the same price as a Raven Tour.

The headline "complete bike" price is £1,899, reduced from the £2,099 charged for the 2009 Mk1 (included couplings then though).

Rohloff eXp continues, eXp R deleted

Thorn's "hand built in Somerset" eXp continues to be offered (with it's inevitable hefty price premium), but it is stated as not suspension compatible. The eXXp is apparently suspension compatible but the details are now contained in another brochure not available at the time of writing. (Update: That brochure has now been published: Thorn Front Suspension MTB and Touring Bikes). The eXp R appears to have been deleted.

New prices for the eXp: add £1,000 (without S&S), add £1,500 (with S&S). 2009 Mk1 equivalent prices were £700 and £1,200, respectively.

My comments

The Raven Nomad has been revised after three years and the changes, as they say, are evolutionary rather than revolutionary, perhaps indicating that the Nomad was already a pretty sorted expedition touring bike. Apart from the geometry change to accommodate the suspension fork option and an additional reinforcing gusset, nothing else appears to have changed materially.

It could be argued (and the brochure concedes this) that most Nomad Mk2s will probably be sold with conventional steel forks, thus making the most significant change the ability to specify the bike without S&S couplings, saving the customer £400.

It will be interesting to see if many customers go for the suspension fork option. I'm not sure suspension forks are desirable on a multi-month tour, but they could give you the flexibility to extend the Nomad's (already considerable) comfort range in some circumstances. I can see suspension forks being purchased at a later date perhaps.

I'm not sure why the custom build eXp isn't being offered with a suspension fork option? Maybe because of the 853 tubing? Maybe because the eXp and eXp R models have been merged and the eXp re-positioned slightly? The price premium for the eXp seems to have increased significantly as well.

I'm wondering about the apparent blurring of differences between some of Thorn's product range, the Nomad Mk2 and the Sterling in particular. Perhaps the Sterling is being re-positioned as a vanilla Rohloff MTB offering? (Update: The Sterling appears to be continuing in its multi-purpose format. See Thorn Front Suspension MTB and Touring Bikes). Also, the Nomad Mk2 and Raven Tour frames are available for the same price and both are described as capable of world touring.

Finally, I'd love to hear some statistics with regards to customers' decisions over suspension v. no suspension, S&S v. no S&S and most importantly, Tonka Yellow v. Matt Black!

Thanks to Stuart (www.lifecycler.co.uk) for the heads-up regarding the release of the new brochure!

Black is the New Green...

My bike arrived today, in a rather large cardboard box. Anticipation had been mounting for a week, following a phone call from Lisa at St. John St Cycles informing me that the Nomad was ready to be built up in the workshop.

A rather large cardboard box...

The call began ominously, though, with Lisa cheerfully delivering that old chestnut: "Well Shaun, there's some good news and some bad news". The good news was that they were ready to build my bike. The bad news was that they couldn't find my green 562L frame!

...with this inside.

Quietly, I sucked air through my teeth. I'd read about another customer suffering a very similar incident, not that long ago. My mind was racing ahead. I'd somewhat reluctantly ordered a green 562L after being told by Dan that it was the only Nomad frame left in my size for several months. And now they can't find it. Yikes!

"We've got a black 562L", continued Lisa, "...but it's got a couple of scratches...I can knock some money off for you...". "OK, I'm not fussed", I said, whilst quietly punching the air! I didn't care about a couple of scratches, the bike will pick up plenty of those soon enough. The money off will come in handy, but most importantly, I'd wanted a black 562L all along! Result.

Also quite heavy.

Before delivery, I also decided to swap the honey Brooks Saddle for a black one. So, the Nomad's turned up looking a bit stealthy...

Ordered a New Bike

I spent Tuesday morning this week at St. John Street Cycles in Bridgwater, Somerset, UK. I had an appointment there to talk to Dan about the Thorn Raven Nomad S&S (Edit: Link now for the Thorn Nomad Mk2), their Rohloff (hub geared) equipped 'adventure touring' bicycle. This is the bike I've ear-marked for this tour and hopefully, many more in the future.

The Raven Nomad is a cart-horse of a bike, designed specifically for tough adventure touring, capable of going virtually anywhere and doing virtually anything and not breaking in the process. In my opinion, it is to the biking world, what the Land Rover is to the automotive world.

I was already familiar with the bike on paper, as I'd downloaded the brochure (Edit: Brochure now for the Thorn Nomad Mk2) and studied it prior to the visit. Nevertheless, that was no substitute for seeing the real thing, so I spent quite a while looking over a shop sample and discussing some of the specification options with Dan. Seeing was one thing, but riding would be another thing again, so let's go for a test ride... 

I left the shop and headed west. My first impression was unsettling, the Nomad was extremely heavy. (No surprises there. The frame is heavy, the wheels are heavy, the tyres are massive and heavy and I expect the paint is heavy too. It's heavy for a reason though, to be strong enough to carry loads over challenging terrain). I fought the bike for the first few kilometres, trying to muscle it like a lightweight racing bike, but there was no instantaneous reward for my effort. The Nomad just rumbled along, soaking up my spirited efforts, but only slowly accelerating when asked.

After a while, though, this perception subsided as I adjusted to the Nomad's operating parameters and I started to enjoy the ride. Firstly, the bike was very stable, tracked around corners well and was generally easy to ride. The XTR V-brakes worked very well with very good modulation (no snatching at all), although the rear brake squealed a bit. Climbing hills was quite enjoyable and rewarding, too. The bike had enough low gears (even enough for a heavy load, I suspect), so I didn't need to strain. I just stuck it in a nice low gear, twiddled away and enjoyed the scenery.

Half way around, I stopped by a lake and watched some fishermen for a while. I also looked over the Nomad again. It's quite a nice looking bike, despite its purely functional remit and very well proportioned. It looked 'right' to me. The frame quality was high, with very neat TIG weldings and robust looking braze-ons. I liked the oversized (6mm) brazing points for the racks and the Thorn racks themselves were also chunky looking and thicker than other racks I've seen.

I reluctantly returned to the shop after an hour of riding. I met up with Dan again and we spent some time producing a specification and quote. I took this away and after making a few changes and checking everything in the evening, I returned to shop the next day and placed my order.

The bike should be ready in 3-4 weeks!