tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8425412733676709469.post7909755122260057405..comments2011-06-10T05:16:48.249-06:00Sween in SAmericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037610883457050020noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8425412733676709469.post-51049757471703210342009-08-26T06:07:01.601-06:002009-08-26T06:07:01.601-06:00It&#39;s good to see you found your blog again! Hope to see you in a few months. Love to you and Sue.<br /><br />WhitneyWhitneynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8425412733676709469.post-8020310672760803642009-08-24T21:34:53.165-06:002009-08-24T21:34:53.165-06:00Hi z (is that your real name?)<br /><br />Thanks for the comment - nice to see the site is spreading the word to budding tourers.<br /><br />Sorry to answer your question with a question BUT, what kind of tour are you planning? The short answer is that Thorns are amazing bikes. I ride one and so do 2 cyclists we are with at the moment. Sue rides a Novara Safari which we found at REI in the states. It&#39;s also a good machine, but probably not tough enough for long the term. We may change it when we get back to Blighty and probably for a Thorn.<br /><br />The reason I ask is that Thorns are built to handle the roughest stuff you can throw at them. The downsides are that that makes them both heavy and expensive. Mine is a Thorn Nomad and I ride it like I am trying to break it everyday - it never lets me down. I have a friend (who happens to be a lady) and she rides a Thorn ExxP, but reckons it&#39;s maybe overkill as it&#39;s very heavy and in a smaller frame - it&#39;s never gonna break. <br /><br />The Rohloff hubs are great and save a lot of hassle compared to ordinary gears. If you can afford it - I would definitely get one. Other brands to maybe think about are &#39;Rotor&#39; a German brand that Danni - the guy I rode with in Sth America had and was very good. Also &#39;Koga Miyata&#39; a Dutch bike that friends have recommended. Both do options for Rohloffs gear hubs.<br /><br />My email is martin.sweeney2@gmail.com and I&#39;m happy to answer more Q&#39;s as you think of them. <br /><br />The main thing is just to do it.... The glass world can look after itself for a while.<br /><br />Happy dreaming<br />SweenSween in SAmericahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08037610883457050020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8425412733676709469.post-58028580465783376682009-08-24T14:09:20.606-06:002009-08-24T14:09:20.606-06:00Funny thing, this &#39;t-internet&#39;...<br /><br />been thinking about getting a touring bike for a while and was browsing for some mikes designed (and made) in the uk when i came across your blog on the thorn cycles website <br /><br />naturally would like to ask is it up to the job and are both you and your girlfriend on &#39;thorns&#39;<br /><br />although female by birth and vocation, i am also a bit on the tall side and find ladies bikes do not suit me too well. so my question is for your girlfriend i suppose, which one is she using? <br /><br />you see all this would be a normal thing to ask given how i came across your website but to be honest and say:<br /><br />WELL DONE you guys!!!!<br /><br />read your profile and you mentioned you worked in Pilkington&#39;s. i specify and deal with that good ol&#39; glazing all the time but my feet are really, really itchy and the road to load!<br /><br />so in summary<br /><br />i envy you two as i sit here in london.<br /><br />(if you get a chance to review the bikes that would be grand too)<br /><br />in the meantime<br /><br />happy roads to both of you!<br /><br />zAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com