Thorn Audax Mk1 refurb

[zerogravitas]

Re:

Ok, rather later than intended I'm done!

I've just been away on a tandem holiday and finished the Thorn just before I left to get me out to Oxford (and back) where the tandem is currently living. It rode really well and I'm very happy with the build, apart from my old bell which proved too rattly and had to be removed.

Here's the spec;

Frame & Fork - Thorn Audax (Mk1)
Headset - Stronglight
Seatpost - Nitto S83 (I found the seat tube was actually 27mm rather than 27.2 so sanded this to fit)
Seat - Spa Cycles Aire Ti
Stem - Nitto NTC-DX Technomic 190mm
Bar - Nitto Noodle 42cm
Bottle cages - Planet X Holdsworth Gran Sport (good inexpensive copies of the Nitto R)
Cables - Jagwire Road Pro
Brakes - TRP 957 long reach callipers
Front derailleur - Shimano 105 FD-5703
Rear derailleur - Shimano Deore XT 9speed (works with 10speed brifters + cassette)
Crankset - Spa Cycles TD-2 Triple
Bottom Bracket - Shimano UN55
Chainrings - Spa Cycles New Vision 48/38/28
Chain - KMC X10
Shifters - Shimano 105
Cassette - Shimano Deore XT M771 11-36 (should get me up anything even with the rack piled high!)
Wheels - 32h Mavic Open Pro
Hubs - Shimano Ultegra 6800
Tires - Jack Brown Mile Muncher Blue 30c
Pedals - Look Keo2 Blades (off my best bike til I dig out something a little less fancy)
Mudguards - Velo Orange 38mm Smooth 700c guards (lovely and solid, thanks for the advice in this thread) + home made flaps
Rack - Tubus Carry Ti
Pump - Zefal HPX #2

I had time to take some half decent photos today, hope you enjoy them.





Closer look;



Rack and pump details;



Headbadge;



All important Reynold sticker;





Finally, here we are in the middle of the Chilterns last week!

 

[garanti_construit]

Beautiful bike - turned out fantastically well. Thanks for the interesting thread - a really good read.

 

[Woz]

Really nice. Laser cut custom mud flaps too ..... what ever next will we see on Retrobike.

 

[minor_LEGEND]

A great read. I worked for Thorn/St John St cycles for a number of years & sold & assembled plenty of these.
I'm racking my brains as to who's initials are on the BB shell/frame no.

I definitely prefer these mk1 lugged versions to the later sloping top tube/brazed frames. You have done it proud anyhow.

 

[zerogravitas]

A great read. I worked for Thorn/St John St cycles for a number of years & sold & assembled plenty of these.
I'm racking my brains as to who's initials are on the BB shell/frame no.

I definitely prefer these mk1 lugged versions to the later sloping top tube/brazed frames. You have done it proud anyhow.

Glad you enjoyed the build diary! Let me know if you recall the builder of my frame. I agree in that there is just something that looks right about a well proportioned traditional tubed steel frame, and I say that as the owner of compact modern carbon frames.

 

[Ian Gow]

I have recently bought a Thorn Audax mk1 24 years old. Almost mint condition. Love it. Definitely more responsive than a standard 531 or 631 and just as comfortable.

 

[zerogravitas]

Wow, good find! The condition looks fantastic as you say. Certainly better than my frame when I got hold of it.

I've now put almost 6500kms on my Audax since finishing the build, it's still riding superbly. I should probably do a mini-update with my thoughts on the build and some pictures. Watch this space.

 

[JoeH]

Wow, great paint work - are you into painting as a professional?

 

[zerogravitas]

Thanks Joe; I worked as a professional modelmaker for a number of years so that's where my painting experience comes from. I'm sure I do things differently to someone used to automotive spraying but my approach works for these little projects!
One thing you spend plenty of time on in modelmaking is fiddly masking so that helped with this one.

 

[PeterPerfect]

If all Thorns looked like that, we'd all want one.

Outstanding.