October 31, 2024
The hardware
On my last trip in India, in early 2024, I rode a 1990s Giant Sierra MTB from Mumbai to Goa (see my rather unimaginatively entitled Journal ‘Mumbai to Goa’). It had 3 x 7 gearing, a rigid steel frame - and gave me no problems. Negatives were that the shortish MTB geometry made it a bit twitchy with luggage on the handlebars and the 3 x 7 gearing was limited in range. The gearing was my fault. I had owned the bike from new and at some point had fitted a rear cassette with road ratios. Perhaps not surprisingly, the original 1990s MTB saddle also became a little uncomfortable after five hours of riding!
This year I am riding a Mk I Thorn Sherpa which was built sometime around 2005. It is quite similar to the Giant: V brakes, 26” wheels, no suspension and a steel frame - but the wheelbase is longer and the forks are more raked so it is a little more stable when carrying loads, and the MTB 3 x 9 gearing has a good range of ratios. I have fitted my sprung Brooks Conquest saddle and as on the Giant I have a slightly larger sized tyre on the front to help absorb bumps (1.75” on the front, 1.5” on the rear, Schwalbe Marathons). The Sherpa’s front fork is made of Reynolds 531 curved steel tubes which should flex more over bumps than the straight MTB forks did on the Giant, but unlike the Giant there are no ‘lawyers lips’ to keep the wheel in place if the Q/R axle loosens.
Handlebars are secondhand Thorn Touring bars that are nicely cranked. I do not have bar ends fitted. With straight bars I always fit bar ends so I can move my hands between two ‘imperfect’ riding positions. The hope with the Thorn bars is that they will give a comfortable hand position so that gears and brakes can always be used. How ‘perfect’ that position is only miles and time will tell.
I bought the Sherpa about 18 months before this trip for £350. I think it must have been jet washed as the chain looked almost too perfect and there was water in the frame. Thankfully the water was clean with no signs of rust and after a week of drying I sprayed the insides with ACF50. I replaced the bottom bracket, front wheel and lower head bearings, the crankset and pedals, brake blocks and cables. The Thorn Touring bars were mounted on a modern steering head bracket to give a bit more lift and a Q/R added to the stem so I can easily remove the saddle.
A Ridgeback rack bolted on nicely on the back to take my 1990s Karrimore panniers and rack top bag and my Carradice handlebar bag was fitted at the front. I anticipate carrying only about 10kg of luggage, plus water.
During 2024, as jobs were done to the bike, I rode it for about 500 miles in UK to check things out. Surprisingly the NOS StrongLight triple crankset that I fitted had the middle chainwheel go wonky after only 50 miles so was replaced by a much older secondhand Shimano CT92 crankset that I happened to have but which was probably designed for 7 speed rear gears. I was going to change it for a correct 9 speed crankset but it seems to work OK and has little wear so has stayed. A new £7 Shimano 9 speed chain replaced the half worn one that came with the bike. I expect that the Indian dust will wear the chain and sprockets so they may all need replacing at the end of this trip.
A very short front mudguard was added to try and keep dirt away from the lower head bearing.
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To carry the bike on the aircraft I am using a cut down cardboard box that was designed for an ebike. It has double thick cardboard walls and just as I did on my 2024 Indian trip I have added little wooden wheels at one end to help me move it around.
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