Thorn Club Tour

roguecycle

I am looking for a bike that will commute at pace empty ,do reasonable 6hr rides at weekend and the odd camping tour 2/3 times a year

would this fit the bill or other recomendations £500 - £1200

was thinking full Audax but worry over wieght.

Crapaud

I've done 1 tour on my Thorn Audax without any problems. I'm not sure how it would stand up to repeated, fully loaded, touring though. My solution was to have a touring bike made up, around a Specialized Hardrock frame, from recycled parts.

For a 'one bike does all', a tourer is probably the way to go IMO.

PHcp

How heavy is your camping kit and how much off road are you likely to do?
With lightweight kit and little off road an Audax bike should be fine. It would be a shame to compromise its primary use to accommodate a couple of weeks a year. An alternative is one bike and two sets of wheels and tyres, putting lighter wheels on my tourer transforms it.
I like my Thorn bike and the Club Tour was on my shortlist when I was looking for a tourer. I eventually choose a Paul Hewitt Cheviot which should also be on your shortlist. Look at the long thread on here for an indication of the service you could expect from him.

roguecycle

The tour just done 3 days was around 40lb (spring balance) laod for two ppl.

I currently ride a Giant TCR + a Giant Explorer cromolly Heavy.

I have lost the TCR to my son

the Explorer was used to do all the carrying has been fitted out with Deore XT running gear . The bike coped well on the tour.

Reason for looking for a tourer is to split the load on further tours.

New bike will be my do all and as I say to split the load on tours my son 14(and as big as me) will ride the light bike, me heavy.

please advise

andrew_s

I've done several camping tours on a Thorn Audax or close equivalent (Longstaff). It works fine provided you split the weight front & back, which basically means that low-rider bosses on the forks are required (this was an option when I got mine, don't know if it still is). The loaded handling isn't as good as a pukka touring bike due to frame flex, but you soon get used to it.
The main limitation I find with it is that the tyres are limited to about 28mm by the brakes, which is a definite handicap if you venture off surfaced roads. With a tourer, I could go up to about 37mm, which would be a definite advantage at times. However cantis take more fiddling than dual pivots to keep the braking up to scratch.

JoeLonghair

Got a Thorn Club Tour, really love the bike I always go fully loaded touring, wildcamp kit, and she handels all really well. The back brakes need altering and make sure you go with Sun CR Rims as oppose to mavick open pros. The bike is ideal for commuting, very comfortable and well balanced loaded with gear. I am just about to do Venice to London over the Alps with and I CANT WAIT.... 8) . The service with SJS is equally great, always ready to help, they replaced my Mavic open pro for the SunCR rims free of charge after I did 1000 miles in Italy and the mavics develpoed cracks. No quibble, an apology as I was ill advised they told me when I asked for a bike to ride to China fully loaded and I did not want the Nomad. Go with that you will not regert it I promise. Also get their back rack instead of the cheaper one, if you intend to go fully loaded touring..