Jonathan Hanson
Supporting Sponsor
Ages ago I started building up an English-made Thorn Nomad frame as a heavy-duty touring bicycle. Various things, mostly a knee operation and lack of funding, got in the way, but at last it's back on the stand and nearly complete:
For those who might not remember or know already, the Nomad is a steel-framed bicycle designed for long-distance use with heavy loads. The tubing is Reynolds 753, fillet-brazed, and there is every possible braze-on fitting one could want, including attachments for fenders, a generator, three bottles, and a pump. The racks (front low-riders to be mounted) are Thorn's own, and the strongest you can buy, period (also probably the heaviest . . .).
I'm making sure the rest of the bike is up to the same tasks as the frame and racks. The wheels are built on 36-hole Shimano XT hubs, with 26-inch Mavic XC717 rims and Swiss DT spokes. Tires are Continental Travel Contact. The crank is an XT, gearing will have a low of 18 inches IIRC. The rear derailleur is an XTR; haven't bought the front yet. Handlebar is the odd but incredibly comfortable Jones H-Bar. Brakes are Cane Creek Cantilevers, because I like the simplicity and instant adjustability of cantilevers, although I know I'll get arguments over that choice. Paul's Thumbies mount the Shimano shifters.
I'm still playing with the stem height, as you can see in the photo, before I trim the steering tube.
Next - fenders, probably Berthoud; panniers, almost certainly Ortlieb. If I can raise the funds, I'd like to replace the front hub with a SON generator hub.
This should be a bike capable of doing anything I'm capable of and a lot more, with absolute reliability.
For those who might not remember or know already, the Nomad is a steel-framed bicycle designed for long-distance use with heavy loads. The tubing is Reynolds 753, fillet-brazed, and there is every possible braze-on fitting one could want, including attachments for fenders, a generator, three bottles, and a pump. The racks (front low-riders to be mounted) are Thorn's own, and the strongest you can buy, period (also probably the heaviest . . .).
I'm making sure the rest of the bike is up to the same tasks as the frame and racks. The wheels are built on 36-hole Shimano XT hubs, with 26-inch Mavic XC717 rims and Swiss DT spokes. Tires are Continental Travel Contact. The crank is an XT, gearing will have a low of 18 inches IIRC. The rear derailleur is an XTR; haven't bought the front yet. Handlebar is the odd but incredibly comfortable Jones H-Bar. Brakes are Cane Creek Cantilevers, because I like the simplicity and instant adjustability of cantilevers, although I know I'll get arguments over that choice. Paul's Thumbies mount the Shimano shifters.
I'm still playing with the stem height, as you can see in the photo, before I trim the steering tube.
Next - fenders, probably Berthoud; panniers, almost certainly Ortlieb. If I can raise the funds, I'd like to replace the front hub with a SON generator hub.
This should be a bike capable of doing anything I'm capable of and a lot more, with absolute reliability.
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