Thorn Nomad Mk1

In 1984, a long-haired, oil-stained mechanic Robin Thorn started running St John Street Cycles in Bridgwater, in England’s southwest, focusing on bikes and equipment for touring. In 1995, he started producing frames for longhaul and tandem riders. From 1996, Thorn models were available with both the newly minted Rohloff hub with internal gears and standard drivetrain. Soon, one model in particular, the Nomad Mk1, became the most in-demand expedition touring bike ever made. Why? “The bikes aren’t ‘blue sky’ concepts, aimed, by a committee of accountants, at a poorly market-researched demographic, where 90 per cent of design time is concerned with decals and paint colour,” says Andy Blance, the bike’s designer. “It enables you to fulfil your dream with the least possible chance of experiencing a mechanical failure.” This last point is essential to the bike’s success. The Nomad had 26" wheels and a steel frame deliberately made heavy enough to be welded back together in the extremely unlikely case that it should fail. Steel also allows for easy inspection for damage. Many bikes, even those for touring, are built without taking the actual demands of being loaded down into account. The Nomad was built specifically with carrying loads in mind and does not require counterbalancing the front and rear of the bike if rear panniers are used. Visiting the shop on St John Street became a pilgrimage for expedition cyclists, some of whom started their tours on newly purchased Nomads right there. The Nomad has circumnavigated the globe many times, crossed deserts, mountain ranges and continents. It remains, in its later Mk2 and Mk3 models, one of the most legendary machines in the history of expedition riding.— Davesmart