Due to a frame failure on my light tourer I was hunting around for a new frame and took the plunge with a Thorn Audax Mk3,this took a little deliberation as I wanted a British built(though I do admire Thorn for not making a secret of the fact that the frame is made in Taiwan,in fact theres a decal on the frame announcing as much) one but couldn't justify the extra expence as most of my/our riding is on the tandems.So at £299 the Thorn looked a good deal, especially as it came with headset fitted(FSA),seatpost (thorn branded)bottom bracket(albeit 110mm).
I ordered the frame at 2pm Wednesday and it arrived at 8.15am Thursday (quick or what!)well packaged in its own box and all for £5!what I wasn't prepared for was on opening the box I found every braze on had a s/steel socket head bolt of the correct length for its intended purpose fitted and the direct fit m/guard sockets all had hex head bolts fitted,all with three s/steel washers,on top of this a small bottle(with its own brush)of touch up paint,nice touch(up) Thorn.
If I had a niggle (and it would only be a small on) it would be the limited choice of colour which is either Red or Blue,I chose blue which is described as Cobalt Blue metalic by Thorn.I have to say the finish is very very good and looks tough too, though I'd be reluctant to test how tough.
I built the bike up with the parts from my dead Raleigh which are all a recent upgrade (9sp Ultegra).Then after a round the block test and a tweek of the gears have now covered a couple of hundred miles on it.
I can honestly say I really like it, it felt like an old friend from the start,its stiff yet comfortable and very predictable and stable, it feels like it would be so after hundred mile ride too.
All in all I'm very pleased with the bike and I'll give an update as to how I'm getting on with it after about a thousand miles
Theres some photos here http://www.flickr.com/photos/woodj38/
Thorn Audax Mk3 (frame and fork only)
Thanks for that. I have an original Thorn Audax (now badged "classic") which I've been very happy with, but it does have rather relaxed handling characteristics. Desirable when loaded up for touring, but a bit dull when going out for a 40 mile blast. I understand that the new Audax Mk3 is designed to have a sportier ride - how do you find it?
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AlbionLass
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reohn2
ransos wrote:Thanks for that. I have an original Thorn Audax (now badged "classic") which I've been very happy with, but it does have rather relaxed handling characteristics. Desirable when loaded up for touring, but a bit dull when going out for a 40 mile blast. I understand that the new Audax Mk3 is designed to have a sportier ride - how do you find it?
I wouldn't put it in a race bike class(twitchy) or touring for that matter,somewhere inbetween.As I said its stiff yet very predictable a bit sporty could describe it.
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reohn2
glueman wrote:It would be interesting to know how much the MkIII weighs. People use terms like solid and I'm never sure if that's a euphemism for over-weight. How does it compare to say, a 531C frame?
Its no lightweight but then its not meant to be, with the Ultegra gruppo and m/guards it weights 11kgs(24lb)but it feels lighter when being ridden
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reohn2
aesmith wrote:Reohn,
What gear range have you got there? It looks like a big front ring, and not that large a rear sprocket. (I like a tall top gear, but nowadays I make more use of the low gears than I used to)
Tony S
The c/set is 38/48.rear cassette is 14/26.I've never pushed a big gear.In fact I was only thinking the other day, I was in 48x18(which is the middle sprocket) at a comfortable cadence doing 22mph,I would need to be doing 28to30mph to turn the 14 over comfortable.I don't know where 52x12 comes into it all,not for normal humans anyway.
The 38X26 is a handy ratio though
if I want any lower than that I get the Dawes tourer out with a triple(26X26)c/set, its rare if I'm travelling light.-
reohn2
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reohn2
Reohn, sorry to butt in again. What size frame did you get? I notice that you have quite a lot of spacer under the bars, as well as quite a bit of seatpost showing. I'm trying to come to terms with the way these compact frames are sized - to my untutored eye it looks like you could have taken a larger size.
Mr Thorn's recommending a medium (55) for me, which would I think have a similar configuration once I'd got the bars where I need them. To confuse the issue, they're out of stock of that size until June.
Tony S
Mr Thorn's recommending a medium (55) for me, which would I think have a similar configuration once I'd got the bars where I need them. To confuse the issue, they're out of stock of that size until June.
Tony S
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reohn2
aesmith wrote:Reohn, sorry to butt in again. What size frame did you get? I notice that you have quite a lot of spacer under the bars, as well as quite a bit of seatpost showing. I'm trying to come to terms with the way these compact frames are sized - to my untutored eye it looks like you could have taken a larger size.
Mr Thorn's recommending a medium (55) for me, which would I think have a similar configuration once I'd got the bars where I need them. To confuse the issue, they're out of stock of that size until June.
Tony S
Its a 570 med/large,it was the top tube length(575mm) that settled it for me,the next size up was 595mm which I felt was too long as I'm used to 570mm on other bikes.I was worried about toe overlap but no need to and I'm a size 47 shoe.
I also ride quite upright,(55 year old,neck,back) hence the stack.
When I was younger the 'bars would have been 50mm lower.I could make the stack less by flipping the stem downside up but prefere the look of it like it is,and was prepared to if there were any flex when tugging on the 'bars whilst honking,but it was something else I needn't have worried about.
As for the seat post it isn't showing a lot for a compact frame I don't think.
PS I've just come in from an all day 61miles with Stan (hi Stan,waves)and the more I ride it the more I like it
PPS,I'm running it with 25mm Gators at the moment, it will be even more comfortable when I fit some 28's