Thorn Nomad S&S For Sale

Thorn Nomad S&S

Update: Jim bought this frame from me and loves it but determined he needs the next size down.  So he is selling this frame to finance a new frame from Thorn.  If you are interested pls leave a comment on this post and Jim will get back to you.  The frame has less than an extra 500 kind miles on it since I sold it to Jim.

Here is what Jim says:

“I bought this frame in June knowing the frame was a little large for me. I bought the frame from a man who is 180 cm (5 ft 11 inches) high with a higher standover height than I. It fit him just right. I am 174 cm (5 ft 8.5 inches) high with a stand over height of about 83 cm. The bikes reach forward (Eff Top tube of 620) is just a little too long to be able to accommodate me. I thought I could get it to work for me but nope, it is just a too big.

So, I am selling this frame to get the same frame but the CORRECT size. I am absolutely sold on this bike frame. It handles better than anything I have ever ridden. And it fits my needs perfectly. This is a heavy duty steel frame specifically designed for use with the Rohloff hub [although other IGHs will work fine] and built to carry the heaviest loads over the roughest roads in the world. The frame is oversized steel tubing made with Thorn’s proprietary 969 tubeset and features the S&S couplers for easy transport and shipping. Ideal for airline travel. The fork is the same super strong double crown design used on Thorn’s custom EXP expedition bike. The bike can fit 2.25″ tires plus full coverage fenders with room to spare. All the rack brazons are 6 mm for much stronger rack attachment – no more broken bolts. The long wheelbase frame is very stable. The frame is in nearly perfect condition with less than 850 miles of commuting and a few weekend tours on it. As Vik said (the man I bought this frame from), “I’ve had the good fortune to test a lot of touring bikes and this Thorn is burliest most thoughtfully designed touring frame I’ve laid my hands on. It would be ideal for someone planning a long tour who wants to carry the kitchen sink or a Clydesdale tourist who finds typical touring frames too flexy for them.”

Below is my orginal for sale post.  I have updated the details at the bottom [in red].  You will buying the frame directly from Jim.  I am not involved in this sale other than to help Jim get the word out.

Due to cargo bike lust, limited storage space and the fact I have no expedition tours on the books I’ve decided to sell my Thorn Nomad S&S frame so I can fund a CETMA cargo bike.  This is a heavy duty  steel frame specifically designed for use with the Rohloff hub [although other IGHs will work fine] and built to carry the heaviest loads over the roughest roads in the world.

Rohloff specific frame...

The frame is oversized steel tubing made with Thorn’s proprietary 969 tubeset features S&S couplers for easy transport and shipping.  Ideal for airline travel.  The fork is the same super strong double crown design used on Thorn’s custom EXP expedition bike. I’ve really enjoyed riding this frame, but it’s overkill for bombing around on smooth asphalt.  This bike should be ridden fully loaded over a broken road in a remote section of thew Himalyas!

The Thorn Nomad grin...

The bike can fit 2.0″ tires plus full coverage fenders with room to spare.  All the rack brazons are 7mm for much stronger rack attachment – no more broken bolts. The long wheelbase frame is very stable.

The Nomad S&S frame has disc brake tabs on the rear as well and v-brake posts.  It can be run with the included Thorn rigid fork or a short travel suspension fork.

Super clean Rohloff drivetrain...

The frame is in nearly perfect condition with less than 1000kms of commuting and a few weekend tours on it.  I’ve had the good fortune to test a lot of touring bikes and this Thorn is burliest most thoughtfully designed touring frame I’ve laid my hands on.  It would be ideal for someone planning a long tour who wants to carry the kitchen sink or a Clydesdale tourist who finds typical touring frames too flexy for them.

Read all about this frame in Thorn’s Nomad S&S brochure PDF.

I am selling the frame only with the following components [please read carefully]:

• Thorn Nomad S&S frame and fork
• matt military green
• size 562L [eff TT = 620mm, standover = 795mm]
• S&S coupler and EBB tool
• FSA Orbit XL-II headset
• Thorn EBB with square taper BB installed
• Continental Travel Contact tires [26″ x 1.75″]

Cost is $1225USD

The frame will be carefully packed professionally by Free Flight Bikes in Marrietta Ga.  You will pay actual cost of shipping.

More photos of my Thorn Nomad S&S.

MEC Drencher Gloves

Waterproof seam sealed goodness...

This really isn’t a review since I haven’t put these gloves to the test, but I face a dilema with clothing. Either I tell you about it way too early in the game for me to say for sure how well it works or I wait until I know how well it works and the season you need the item for is over plus the manufacturer doesn’t make the same product next year.  *sigh*  Several times this year I’ve grabbed something I love from my closest and thought I’d do a review about it on this blog only to realize you can’t buy the same product any longer.  So I wonder why spend the time and effort to tell you in detail how great something is you can’t have?

So I’ve decided to do the same thing I did with shoes earlier this year – I’m going to pre-view gear that looks promising when I get it so you know about it when the information is actually useful.  I’ll follow up with posts that discuss how it’s working for me – hopefully early enough you can still get the product.

Okay so back to the matter at hand – literally!.  I’ve struggled with waterproof gloves for many years not really being satisfied.  Until recently I had not found a pair of waterproof gloves I liked for cycling..mostly because all the gloves I have owned were not actually waterproof.  This is due to the real challenge of sealing the many seams inside a glove.  Most companies don’t even bother trying and sell you gloves made of waterproof material that have a zillion holes from all the stitching.  This results in a windproof water resistant glove that eventually gets wet inside and stays wet for a long time – not uber useful.  Since a lot of my nasty weather riding has been warm/wet or cold/dry I haven’t killed myself to find a solution.  However, I’m now face with a lot of cool and wet conditions that demand an effective solution to keeping my hands comfortable or I am not going to be able to ride my bikes.

Fortuitously I came across these waterproof [seam sealed!] lobster shells at MEC recently.  The Drencher Glove offers a nice waterproof haven for your hands and any gloves you want to wear inside.  I like this a lot since I already own several pairs of fleece gloves I like and that I can quickly switch out gloves if they do get a bit damp from sweat or when I pull my over gloves off to do something requiring dexterity.I can also use thicker or thinner gloves depending on how cold it is.

For $29cdn they seem like a good product to try.  They are fairly minimalist in design, but they do have some reflective material and a snot patch on each thumb.  The lobster design is effective at allowing you to operate your bike’s controls while keeping your fingers warmer than conventional gloves.

Glove detail...

Here is what MEC says:

These lobster style gloves are a deadly catch for any cycle commuter or randonneur. Made of waterproof, breathable fabric with fully taped seams, they transform your regular cycling gloves into all-conditions handgear.

• Waterproof, breathable fabric with taped seams keeps water out.
• Shingle action cuff slides under your jacket to stop water from running in.
• Terry moss synthetic fleece sniffle patch.
• Nylon palm with silicone print for durability and a solid grip on wet bars.
• Reflective trim for low-light visibility.