Joy

Joy’s bike is an aluminium framed Marin Novato 2007 model, with disc brakes, and 27 Shimano ??? gears and (newly fitted) Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres. Joy uses an old gel saddle by an unknown manufacturer, which she is quite content with.

We bought the bike before we had agreed to go on this trip….. and given that it is aluminium, we’ll have to see how far it takes us before Joff badgers me into ordering a proper bike (like a Thorn, apparently….)

The rear rack is an aluminium Tortec expedition touring, the design, quality and material of which Joff is also concerned about.

Joy’s panniers are Altura 40 litre and the handlebar bag is a Topeak 5litre.

UPDATE May 2009

Joy’s bike didn’t last very long….. After I tried to accommodate the stretch in the brake cables, without success, and two bike mechanics also tried in vain, accepting that actually the design was rubbish, we decided to part-change it. We bought a Surly, a cro-mo steel framed American bike with Canti brakes and strong Alex rims.  We transferred the mudguards, rack and tyres, bought a Surly front rack - and bob becomes your proverbial uncle.

Joff

Joff’s bike is a steel framed Thorn Nomad 2004 model with Shimano Deore LX brakes and 27 LX gears. The saddle is a Brooks B17 honey – which is still really hard, even after 600 miles. The wheels are Sun Rhyno rims with LX hubs and newly fitted Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres.

UPDATE September 2009

 September 2009    My rear wheel rim cracked badly in Oregon, after over 5000 miles. A new Sun Ryhno Lite 32 spoke replaced it (though I really wanted a 36 spoke - which was unavailable.)

I felt that a handmade British bike would be about as good as it gets, and I’d heard a lot about Thorn before I bought the bike from their place in Somerset, in 2004. I did quite a bit of research and could as happily have settled for a Roberts RoughStuff or an Orbit (sadly no longer made). However, when I visited Thorn’s factory/shop in November 2004 I saw firsthand how good their production was and how knowledgeable their staff. It gave me confidence in their product even before I sat on one of their bikes.

I have Thorn front and rear racks and have complete confidence in them. My bags are Carradice Super C cotton Duck. The rear pair hold 54 litres, and the front universals 28 litres.