Nomasizwe,
the Bike:
On an adventure such as this, there are a number of items that can make or break the trip. One of the most important is the bike. Advice came from all over; use a steel frame as it is repairable; don’t use carbon as it won’t withstand the rigours of such a trip; aluminium is difficult to repair and needs specialized skills; titanium is light and indestructible, but expensive. The choice was eventually whittled down to steel or titanium. Steel is a lot cheaper than titanium and probably only weighs about a pound more. However, the cost of titanium is three to four times that of steel. Steel or titanium, titanium or steel, which is it to be? What ultimately convinced me to opt for steel was a simple question: if the frame got damaged beyond repair, would I be able to afford to replace a titanium or a steel frame?
Bicycle touring in South Africa is almost unheard of. Enquirers at the local cycle outlets drew a blank regarding the availability of touring bikes. A couple of friends, who had gone on tours, made a number of suggestions. This was the starting point in choosing a frame. The internet also proved to be a invaluable resource. Finally, I decided on using a Surly frame. This is a company based in Bloomington, Minneapolis, US. I liked what I saw on their website; now the choice remained, which frame?
One of my requirements was that the frame had to be able to accommodate mountain bike tyres; where I planned to travel might require some off-road touring and I wanted the versatility when I needed it. I must also be able to fit disc brakes onto the frame, plus racks and possibly fenders and all other nice things tourers fit on their bikes. The Troll and the Ogre fitted the bill. Next choice was 26" or 29" wheels. This to me was a no brainer to use 29" - even though it was against most peoples recommendations as 26" wheels are more readily available throughout the world than 29". To be able to justify my choice, I went on a wheel building course with Johan at Yellow Saddle. Hopefully, after having built my wheels, they will last; proof of the pudding.... The size of wheels made the choice for me - the Ogre would be my frame of choice.
One of my non-negotiables was the use of disc brakes. I felt the superior stopping power of disc brakes over the other types of brakes, warranted the slight risk of something untoward happening to the brakes. The use of disk brakes also strengthened my choice of using 29" wheels over 26" wheels. If I had a problem with a wheel that needed a replacement, with disk brakes I can use a 26" wheel to get me to a destination where I could get a 29" replacement.
The next big decision would be the drive train. I've read a lot about the merits of internal gears in general, and the Rohloff hub in particular. A couple of things steered me away from the Rohloff hub; the cost and the ease of maintenance of the hub. By ease of maintenance, I mean, if something has to go wrong, go wrong, go wrong ... Yes, the chances are small that something might go wrong, but it can happen. I heard of a tourer being stranded in eastern Europe for at least 3 weeks while the hub was sent back to the supplier and she was still awaiting the return of the hub. One of the criteria for my equipment is that it should be easily repaired, or failing this, there should be agents for the equipment in most countries, or at least a number of agents on the continents I will be traveling through - I have broken this rule for the dynamo hub that I have chosen, but more of that later. Both Shimano and SRAM have worldwide representation.
On my current mountain bike, I have a problem with the trigger shifts - it might just be the type I am using. I wanted something different and easier to operate. SRAM have just the thing - twist grips. If I were to use their twist grips, I would have to use their rear derailleur. In discussing my requirements with Colin from Bicycle Traders, my local bicycle shop, we decided that the X9 9-speed group of components would be robust enough for my purpose. Oh, by the way, I am also using the SRAM X9 front derailleur. That's settled the shifters and the derailleurs.
Now for the bottom bracket and the cranks. Having taken a lot of advice from various people that are in the know, I decided to use a bottom bracket with internal bearings. Johan, a man with a wealth of knowledge, suggested that I use square tapered spindle bottom brackets. After much searching, I managed to find that Shimano had such the unit that I was looking for - FC-M430 and the UN-55 bottom bracket. Drive train now sorted!
The wheels: I would need to be able to be as self-sufficient as possible; this would entail being able to charge whatever electronic devices I would take with me. While investigating the different dynamo hubs, I came across the Supernova range. These looked very exciting. The choice eventually came down to two; the SON or the Supernova. I decided to take a little bit of a gamble and went for the Supernova S hub for the front wheel. For the rear hub, I settled on the Shimano SLX 36-hole hub. The spokes was easy to decide on - DT Swiss double butted with brass nipples. For the rims, I needed something that is robust. I also needed rims that came in 32- and 36-holes. The ZTR Flow rim fitted these criteria perfectly. It is a bit heavier than some of the other rimes, but, on a journey like this, I would rather sacrifice a bit of weight for durability. I have hand built these wheels, so if anything goes wrong with them, at least I know who to blame!
Oh, the saddle. This was the very first item I decided on and purchased. I think there is only one saddle to get on a long tour and that is a leather saddle. And, the first name in leather saddles is Brooks. I was a little bit conservative here and opted for their tried and tested B17 model.
On an adventure such as this, there are a number of items that can make or break the trip. One of the most important is the bike. Advice came from all over; use a steel frame as it is repairable; don’t use carbon as it won’t withstand the rigours of such a trip; aluminium is difficult to repair and needs specialized skills; titanium is light and indestructible, but expensive. The choice was eventually whittled down to steel or titanium. Steel is a lot cheaper than titanium and probably only weighs about a pound more. However, the cost of titanium is three to four times that of steel. Steel or titanium, titanium or steel, which is it to be? What ultimately convinced me to opt for steel was a simple question: if the frame got damaged beyond repair, would I be able to afford to replace a titanium or a steel frame?
Bicycle touring in South Africa is almost unheard of. Enquirers at the local cycle outlets drew a blank regarding the availability of touring bikes. A couple of friends, who had gone on tours, made a number of suggestions. This was the starting point in choosing a frame. The internet also proved to be a invaluable resource. Finally, I decided on using a Surly frame. This is a company based in Bloomington, Minneapolis, US. I liked what I saw on their website; now the choice remained, which frame?
One of my requirements was that the frame had to be able to accommodate mountain bike tyres; where I planned to travel might require some off-road touring and I wanted the versatility when I needed it. I must also be able to fit disc brakes onto the frame, plus racks and possibly fenders and all other nice things tourers fit on their bikes. The Troll and the Ogre fitted the bill. Next choice was 26" or 29" wheels. This to me was a no brainer to use 29" - even though it was against most peoples recommendations as 26" wheels are more readily available throughout the world than 29". To be able to justify my choice, I went on a wheel building course with Johan at Yellow Saddle. Hopefully, after having built my wheels, they will last; proof of the pudding.... The size of wheels made the choice for me - the Ogre would be my frame of choice.
One of my non-negotiables was the use of disc brakes. I felt the superior stopping power of disc brakes over the other types of brakes, warranted the slight risk of something untoward happening to the brakes. The use of disk brakes also strengthened my choice of using 29" wheels over 26" wheels. If I had a problem with a wheel that needed a replacement, with disk brakes I can use a 26" wheel to get me to a destination where I could get a 29" replacement.
The next big decision would be the drive train. I've read a lot about the merits of internal gears in general, and the Rohloff hub in particular. A couple of things steered me away from the Rohloff hub; the cost and the ease of maintenance of the hub. By ease of maintenance, I mean, if something has to go wrong, go wrong, go wrong ... Yes, the chances are small that something might go wrong, but it can happen. I heard of a tourer being stranded in eastern Europe for at least 3 weeks while the hub was sent back to the supplier and she was still awaiting the return of the hub. One of the criteria for my equipment is that it should be easily repaired, or failing this, there should be agents for the equipment in most countries, or at least a number of agents on the continents I will be traveling through - I have broken this rule for the dynamo hub that I have chosen, but more of that later. Both Shimano and SRAM have worldwide representation.
On my current mountain bike, I have a problem with the trigger shifts - it might just be the type I am using. I wanted something different and easier to operate. SRAM have just the thing - twist grips. If I were to use their twist grips, I would have to use their rear derailleur. In discussing my requirements with Colin from Bicycle Traders, my local bicycle shop, we decided that the X9 9-speed group of components would be robust enough for my purpose. Oh, by the way, I am also using the SRAM X9 front derailleur. That's settled the shifters and the derailleurs.
Now for the bottom bracket and the cranks. Having taken a lot of advice from various people that are in the know, I decided to use a bottom bracket with internal bearings. Johan, a man with a wealth of knowledge, suggested that I use square tapered spindle bottom brackets. After much searching, I managed to find that Shimano had such the unit that I was looking for - FC-M430 and the UN-55 bottom bracket. Drive train now sorted!
The wheels: I would need to be able to be as self-sufficient as possible; this would entail being able to charge whatever electronic devices I would take with me. While investigating the different dynamo hubs, I came across the Supernova range. These looked very exciting. The choice eventually came down to two; the SON or the Supernova. I decided to take a little bit of a gamble and went for the Supernova S hub for the front wheel. For the rear hub, I settled on the Shimano SLX 36-hole hub. The spokes was easy to decide on - DT Swiss double butted with brass nipples. For the rims, I needed something that is robust. I also needed rims that came in 32- and 36-holes. The ZTR Flow rim fitted these criteria perfectly. It is a bit heavier than some of the other rimes, but, on a journey like this, I would rather sacrifice a bit of weight for durability. I have hand built these wheels, so if anything goes wrong with them, at least I know who to blame!
Oh, the saddle. This was the very first item I decided on and purchased. I think there is only one saddle to get on a long tour and that is a leather saddle. And, the first name in leather saddles is Brooks. I was a little bit conservative here and opted for their tried and tested B17 model.
I have used
drop bars most of the time, and am very comfortable with them, they would not
be suitable for the shifters I would be using. After much research, I came
across a different design handle bar made by Jeff Jones in the US. These have a
sweep of about 42 degrees and are wider than the normal mtb bars. In addition,
there is a loop bar that has, as its name suggests, an extra loop that is able
to accommodate extra equipment on the bars. Although very expensive, the added
flexibility of these bars was worth the extra cost.
Touring,
in my opinion, is about exploring and discovering new places. To be able to do
this, I must be able to walk around unimpeded. Cycling shoes with road cleats
will certainly not facilitate this. MTB
type SPD cleats, will to a certain degree enable me to walk around off the
bike. However, it would mean taking along another pair of shoes when not
riding. The best solution would be to cycle in shoes that could be used
comfortably off the bike. This would mean the use of flat peddles. I decided to
buy a good quality peddle from Hope.
Although Ortlieb are the arguably the number one brand of panniers amongst long-distance tourers, I needed something a bit different. I am not the most organised person and to lump everything into one bag, so to speak, would be asking for trouble. I need panniers with a few pockets so I can put items that I need on a more regular basis into these pockets. I liked the look of the Arkel brand, a Canadian company, that makes quality panniers. I did consider a myriad of other panniers, but finally settled on the Arkels. I also found a little company, Cycle Touring, in Lady Grey, run by Grant, that was able to supply me with a set of panniers for a reasonable price.
Like the frame for the bike, I need racks that are solid and will hold up to some of the harsh terrain that I am planning to transverse. Similarly, I want racks made of steel that can be easily repaired on the road wherever I made be. Although heavier than racks made of aluminum or other materials that I have come across, they are more robust. Tubus racks are well made and have proven to stand up to the rigours of a long trip - they also appear to be the preferred make of many tourers. After much deliberation, I have opted for the Surly racks, front and back. A couple of factors that swayed my decision are that they are solidly built and can be used on the Ogre with both disk brakes and fenders.
Although Ortlieb are the arguably the number one brand of panniers amongst long-distance tourers, I needed something a bit different. I am not the most organised person and to lump everything into one bag, so to speak, would be asking for trouble. I need panniers with a few pockets so I can put items that I need on a more regular basis into these pockets. I liked the look of the Arkel brand, a Canadian company, that makes quality panniers. I did consider a myriad of other panniers, but finally settled on the Arkels. I also found a little company, Cycle Touring, in Lady Grey, run by Grant, that was able to supply me with a set of panniers for a reasonable price.
Like the frame for the bike, I need racks that are solid and will hold up to some of the harsh terrain that I am planning to transverse. Similarly, I want racks made of steel that can be easily repaired on the road wherever I made be. Although heavier than racks made of aluminum or other materials that I have come across, they are more robust. Tubus racks are well made and have proven to stand up to the rigours of a long trip - they also appear to be the preferred make of many tourers. After much deliberation, I have opted for the Surly racks, front and back. A couple of factors that swayed my decision are that they are solidly built and can be used on the Ogre with both disk brakes and fenders.
To be able to charge my equipment, I would need a
regulator to convert the AC from the dynamo hub into a useable DC voltage.
While looking for lights, I found a front light by Busch + Muller that also incorporated
a regulator with a USB connector. This was perfect, as all my electronics
equipment can be charged via USB port. I was, therefore, able to satisfy two
requirements with one piece of equipment.
Camping Equipment.
I have numerous specifications for the tent I needed.
I would want a 2-person tent; as it would be home for my stay on the road, I
did not want to be cooped up in bad weather in a small tent. It would have to
have two entrances, with each entrance having a vestibule so that equipment
could be stored in some form of shelter in bad weather. This essentially
precluded the tunnel-type tents that are popular with lots of tourers. Another
non-negotiable is that it must essentially be free-standing. Of course, it
needed to be fairly lightweight and t the same time, robust. One of the tents
that fitted these requirements is the MSR Hubba Hubba NX.
I need a sleeping bag that is going to keep me warm
in colder temperatures, without being too warm. I also did not want to take a
down sleeping bag as it takes ages to dry when wet. I have opted for the Deuter
Isosphere -4 sleeping bag.
I would need to be able to cook food or boil water
throughout my journey. As gas canisters are not available everywhere I am
planning on visiting, I needed a more versatile cooker. My cooker would have to
be able to accommodate different types of fuels. As petrol is readily available
in many places, my cooker had to be able to burn petrol as well as white
spirits. The MSR Whisperlite International one of the cookers that is able to
do so. This is therefore, my cooker of choice.
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