Bought in August 2017 direct from Thorn as a bare frame, built up with the detailed spec below, including Shimano Di2 electronic gears. Converted to S&S couplings and powder-coated by Ben Cooper of Kinetics in Glasgow. The S&S couplings mean the frame can be separated and boxed small enough to avoid extra airline charges.
The bike is in excellent condition and used only for one tour of 1,220 kilometres (758 miles) in eastern and northern Thailand in 2018, and another of 809 km (502 ml) in southern France in 2019. it had less than 100 miles of bedding-in rides in the UK, in dry weather only.
Electronic gears were chosen to take pressure off my arthritic thumbs and worked superbly but as my arthritis has progressed I’ve been unable to ride it more recently.
Can be fitted with straight, curved or drop handlebars to suit the buyer, details below.
PRICE: £1,600 ovno plus delivery (or can be collected ). The parts for the Di2 gears alone cost £1,120 and the S & S couplings £700 (2017 prices)
Several pictures below and more available on request! Contact: email mail@cathyhowieson.co.uk.
The frame size is 475M for 52cm forks, reckoned by Thorn to be suitable for men or women from 1.49 to 1.57 m tall in bare feet (4'11" to 5'2"). BUT Thorn also recommended it for my 5ft 4in height, as I have slightly shorter than average legs. More relevantly perhaps, the height from ground to middle of the top-tube (ie the 'stand-over height') is approx. 71.5cm (2'4"). For a full explanation of their sizing, please message me for their brochure. If you can get to the Edinburgh or Kinross areas, then it will be possible to arrange a trial fit on an indoor trainer and/or a trial ride.
The frame is Thorn 969 double-butted, seamless, heat-treated, cold-drawn, Cro-Mo steel, with not a chip or other mark on the paintwork anywhere, even underneath the bottom bracket, chainstay. The blue paint on either side of the top tube is faintly yellowed but this is really slight and so is barely visible in the photos, however it’s only fair to mention it here (unclear what caused it but most probably sun-cream slightly tinting the paint).
COLLECTION / DELIVERY: if you cannot collect the bike, it will be sent by a courier service. In that case the bike will be supplied partly dismantled in a bike box (wheels off, pedals off, handlebar twisted round, or off, etc) so you will need to be confident about re-assembling it, or pay a local bike shop to do that for you. If you live within about 100 miles or so of Edinburgh, we will be happy to deliver it, fully built-up, for cost of fuel only.
* Security: as this is a valuable bike, it has a hidden, non-removable RFI 'Immobitag' which means if lost or stolen, police can trace its registered owner - registration will be transferred free of charge to the new owner. This is much more secure than the frame number. If sent by courier, a tracker will also be placed in the box.
Detailed specification:
frame & fork:
Thorn Sherpa MK3 Frame - blue - 475M for 52 mm forks - in 969 double-butted, seamless, heat-treated, cold-drawn, Cro-Mo steel. Frame number SH475M1603
Frame fitted with S&S couplers, special spanner included. Rear brake cable fitted with JTek cable splitter/coupler to facilitate disassembly and reassembly of the frame.
26" Thorn ST26 steel fork - blue - 52 mm offset
wheels:
26"/ 559 aluminium 36-hole rims in black: front MX Mach 1 Evo2 with Shimano Deore hub; rear KC Comp on KX hub
tyres: Schwalbe Marathon Supreme HS382 Folding Tyre - 26 x 1.60 Inch , 42-559
drivetrain:
3x11 speed ultra-wide gearing, 165 mm cranks, giving a huge overall range of approximately 17 to 108 gear-inches, more details below
KMC 11 speed chain with “missing link” connector, near-new and less than 1.5% wear (see picture)
Shimano XT CS-M8000 11 Speed Cassette - 11-40T
Spa Cycles 104/64 PCD triple crankset, silver, forged alloy 165mm cranks, 48/38/30T
bottom bracket: 68mm shell English thread sealed cartridge taper spindle
di2 electronic gear system:
Shimano SW-R671 TT shifters, chosen as they are easily operated with fingers, mounted on custom brackets and readily re-positioned to suit rider
Shimano FD-M9050 front derailleur, mounted on Shimano SM-FD905-H high clamp adapter
Shimano RD-M9050 rear derailleur, mounted on Wolftooth Roadlink to extend cassette capacity
Shimano DN-110A battery, mounted inside downtube just above lower S&S joint
Shimano SC-MT800 information display, handlebar mounted, shows selected gear, enables choice of synchro shift 1, synchro shift 2, or manual shift, plus wireless connection, battery charging port, derailleur adjustment etc
Shimano 4-port di2 junction B, mounted inside downtube just below lower S&S joint
Shimano di2 wires throughout, routed internally where possible, with extra protection for external cables (“spirowrap”, see pictures)
Shimano SM-BCR2 battery charging adapter and PC link interface – mains powered, USB socket for charging lead or connection to windows PC (leads included)
Shimano TL-EW02 wire connection/disconnection tool
brakes:
Shimano ST-MC12 mechanical brake levers, right and left, with mechanical gear-shifters removed
Shimano Altus cantilever brakes, front and rear, with Aztec brake blocks
SKS chromoplastic Mudguards - 26 Inch - P55 – Silver (a bit weathered but not cracked or split)
Blackburn alloy rear pannier rack in black