xtc

[wezzywest]

Hi, anyboby out there got a Thorn xtc. If so what do you think of it, the weight and spec. etc. Thanks, Steve.

[ukko]

Hi Wez, I've had an xtc in Tasmania for a year now and covered about 8000k on it. In a nutshell it's the best bike i've ever had and the only thing I have changed is the bars,and that was because I hit a tree when I was playing cyclocross.It's been toured and commuted mostly. The frame is fantastic,the only bike with rigid forks I haven't got numb hands on,and I always seem to get where I'm going a little quicker than I expect. I mostly ride mtb and it's a bit weird to have a bike that just doesn't need fiddling with.What ever job I've wanted it to do it does with no fuss.
I have a stock bike plus rack and schmidt hub.It's not a light bike-but it rolls well,tha paint isn't very tough and the brakes are average in my opinion.The only way to stop my front brake howling is with a fork brace.Don't get me wrong the brakes do the job(Avid canti's) but I would chose v brakes with the dia-compe levers if I was doing it again.I intend to keep the frame indefinately(the longer the ride the more I like it) and plan to build up a lighter set of wheels without the schmidt hub for day to day riding because I feel like there is a fairly fast bike trying to get out. I can 100% recommend the frame,just chose the bits to suit your needs.

[wezzywest]

Nice one UKKO, GLAD THE BIKES A GOOD UN. Advice is most welcome. Thanks.

[Paul Grocott]

I have one. Live in Hungary. Cycle paths etc not great. Upgraded the wheels and brakes: great performance. As a 50 year old (and a smoker) averaging 20kpmh plus. Brilliant bike. Very comfortable. Responsive but not twitchy. I do think the brake upgrade is important, but then I weigh 90 kg.

[steve]

had my xtc for about 4 yrs now. With the Thorn rack.
Overall, a very nice bike. I pretty much agree with most of what you read in reviews about the design.

Things I don't like:
The paint work is very bad. It is almost as bad as my Thorn Discovery tandem. It's starting to bubble around the b/b and other places, as if it was not prepared correctly before spraying. Same applies to my Tandem.
Paintwork on the Thorn Rack is possibly worse.
The whole lot will need a respray next summer.
The brakes a very poor unless constantly tweaked. I find this a chore.
I have Suntour cantis' on Shimano rx100 levers. Good cables.

Things I like:
Design for:
- Comfort. I find it big, comfy and the big tyres give confidence
  commuting or audax'ing. Mine fits me really well, SJS seem good at
  this.

- Lighting. I have a double r.light plate on the thorn rack. Nice,
           tidy and secure.
           F.light is a good mounting and the B&M generator is good.
(4 winters, its now making noises and resistance is noticable now, and it blew bulbs regularly when newer for some reason. Now OK)

Personal things:
I like drop bars, but getting decent brakes seems problematic.
I like bar-end changers. Easily the best option IMO
I've got mine geared really low. (44/32/22 - 14-25cassette) so always find it a nice relaxed unhurried ride. Close ratio cassette means you always get right gear, triple gives range.

[JNDavis]

Yes, definitely specify a super tough paint when buying.  I previously haven't cared about paint jobs so just accepted what the bike came with and hate it.  Sometimes I think about selling the bike, despite its phenomenal handling, just because the paint is so ugly and fragile.  Also, the size of the XT front mech has caused problems.  The pump will not fit into its braze ons and mounting a second bottle cage looks highly problematic.

However, the xTc is a wonderful machine.  The frame, under the ghastly paint, is a work of art.  The handling is an absolute joy.  For the first time in my adult life I am enjoying descents.  The bike seems, and this is a bit contradictory, very stable but easy to put on a new line.  It will lean over to angles I would not try with other road bikes - loaded or unloaded.  I love riding this bike.

By the way, I have bog standard leg and torso dimensions but needed one of the short frames.  The long must be very long.

[flatpat]

Very interesting info - it's good to read opinions of those who have real experience.

I'm also very interested in an XTC - sounds like the perfect mix of sportiness versus rough country lane comfort & stability.

A couple more questions for you:

Is there any toe-overlap?
Are your panniers far enough away from your heels?

(these are two negatives of my current bike)

A question for Thorn:

How is the Raven Sport Tour (equivalent hub-geared bike with 853 tubing etc.) being sold at the same price.

Surely the XTC should be cheaper given it's standard drivetrain is significantly cheaper than a £700 hub?

(I guess you could view this as either a plea to reduce the XTC price or a plea to increase the price of a Raven Sport Tour!)

[steve]

Toe-overlap ? Not a problem. I've got sks mudguards too, which clear the tyre by quite a bit.
Pannier/Heel clearance ? Again - no problem.

Caveat: Mine is not the "ultra-short" wheelbased XTC though.

[graham]

quote:How is the Raven Sport Tour (equivalent hub-geared bike with 853 tubing etc.) being sold at the same price.

Surely the XTC should be cheaper given it's standard drivetrain is significantly cheaper than a £700 hub?

I don't work for Thorn but feel fairly confident about the answer to this one: Taiwan. In wan word.

In more words:
I think you'll find the XTC is an English made (fillet brazed?) frame, whereas the Raven Sport Tour is a Tiawanese TIG welded frame. Both, I'm sure, very nice. It's just that if you want an English craftsman rather than a Taiwanese one, you'll have to pay the higher wages.

I think the OEM hub as fitted to the Ravens is worth about £600. The £700 version is for retrofitting to a non purpose designed frame and comes with torque arms and probably chain tensioners, too.

[flatpat]

Thanks Steve - it's these little things that really make a difference but rarely get mentioned in the specifications. (although I'm sure Thorn are generally more thoughtful in their design than most)

Graham - that makes sense. Being as I'm on the verge of redundancy myself I'm feeling in particularly "buy British" mood at the moment.

Right then, now all I need to do is negotiate a day out in Bridgewater with my 8 months pregnant wife...