The Bike

I ride a Thorn Nomad Mk.1 that goes by the name of ‘Shermy‘. This moniker derives from her likeness to a Sherman Tank… she’s big, green and virtually indestructible. Should Shermy ever be incarnated into human form I always imagine her to be an indistinguishably sexed but ultimately female East German shot-putter from the eighties.

Frame Set:

• 537l Thorn Raven Nomad Mk.1 with SS couplings
• Thorn 531 Twin Plate fork (48mm rake)

Transmission:

• Black Rohloff 500/14, 14 speed gear hub
• Rohloff 14 Speed Handlebar Twistshifter Light
• Thorn 110mm, 5 arm black reversible chain ring (38T)
• Thorn chainset 170mm 5 arm cranks (73mm shell)
• Thorn triple solo alloy crankset (170mm)
• Rohloff 17T sprocket
• Chain – 8 Speed SCRAM, PowerChain 890
• Phil Wood Stainless steel Bottom Bracket (68 x 113mm, symmetrical with British thread stainless steel cups)
• Thorn Eccentric Bottom Bracket Insert
• Shimano PD-A530 SPD Single Sided Touring Pedals

Steering:

• Salsa Bend 2 Bar (23º) Handlebar
• Thomson Elite X4 Stem (10º x 110 x 31.8mm)
• Ritchey WCS 110mm Ergo Bar Ends
• Ergon GP1-L Grips (for Rohloff)
• Chris King 1 1/8 NoThreadSet Headset (silver)

Brakes:

• Avid Single Digit 7 V brakes
• Shimano Deore BL-M511 V Brake Levers
• Swisstop Blue Brake Pads

Wheels:

• Rigida Andra 30 Tungsten Carbide 26inch/ 559 ATB Alloy Rims (32 hole)
• Shimano Deore XTHB-M750 Front Hub (32 hole)
• Schwalbe 26 inch 559x20mm High Pressure PU Rim tape
• Schwalbe Marathon Mondial folding tyres 26 x 2.15 (55-559)
• Schwalbe SV13 Presta Tubes
• Sapim Race Stainless Steel butted spokes
• Sapim Polyax 14mm brass plated nipples

Saddle:

• Saddle – Brooks B17 Imperial
• Thomson Elite Setback Seat Post Black 27.2 x 330mm
• Cane Creek Seat Post Shim in 27.2 out 29.8

Racks:

• Thorn Expedition Steel Rear Pannier Rack (black powder coat)
• Old Man Mountain Pioneer Front Rack

Accessories:

• SKS chromoplastic 26inch mudguards (black)
• Thorn Accessory T Bar 105mm
• Profile Design Cages
• King Cage Top Cap Mount
• CatEye Adventure cycle computer
• Sigma Trail Blazer Rear light
• MKS Aero Bell

Shermy has endured her fair share of hardships since I picked her up from Thorn back in 2009. She has also gone through a number of incarnations as I tinker with set-up and my riding priorities evolve. Many of these changes are obvious in the two pictures below (the upper from July 2010 and the lower June 2013). As of October 2013 the only parts of the bike that remain from 2010 are the frame, seat post, brake levers, rear rack, Rohloff Speedhub, cranks and accessory T-bar. So watch this space!