Panniers

What’s in all those packs? I have been asked this so many times and I did intend to do a breakdown of our equipment list from the beginning of the trip…but I didn’t. So, here is the full-ish list.

Firstly, we are using Ortlieb Panniers. They have seen 13 countries, rough and smooth conditions, scorching sun, rain, sleet and hail. They are still waterproof, the roll top opening seal works perfectly and if you do puncture them, they can be resealed easily with seam sealer. The front panniers are faded with the UV light, and some of the rubber shoulder pads are soft and splitting a little, but the pannier material is still strong.

Sleeping – Rear Left Pannier

Sleeping is really important. Sleeping mats are crucial for comfort, especially in colder conditions. Currently, we are very happy with this arrangement. Sea to Summit Comfort Plus SI Mat (a little bigger, but is has insulation), Silk liner, Feather Down sleeping bag, Pillow that rolls up fairly well into a stuff sack. My wet weather thongs, Gore-Tex shell jacket and inexpensive plastic rain pants also find a home here as does my puffy down jacket and finally the soft Bike Bags for travelling on trains.

Clothes – Computer & charging Stuff – Right Rear

Packing cubes are awesome. Clothes, Undies & Socks, Computer charging cables and other oddities can be found in all manner of lighting situations within moments. Seriously, sometimes trying to find the Kindle charging cable whilst in a dark tent, at the bottom of an overfull random mess of stuff, that is somewhere inside a bottomless pannier, isn’t what I call an exciting moment. Packing cubes and small bags/stuff sacks, of different colors, are very important. Don’t get all black bags that look exactly the same, just don’t. We used whatever small stuff sacks we had lying around at home. The greater difference in design/colour, the easier it is to identify the correct bag and then the correct cable. K-Mart multi charger and power banks are AWESOME.

Computer for writing blogs and editing photo’s and generally doing computer related things. iPhones are great, but sometimes buttons just don’t work on the screen and we need to move back to the computer, especially when banking. Navigation is currently completely in the hands of MapOut, an app on the iPhone.

First Aid – Tools – Food – Front Left

The front Panniers contain the important stuff. Like food. So very important. As well as food, I carry 3 tubes, (2 Spokes and nipples on the frame of the bikes), Park tool with all the fittings and a tiny ratchet spanner, extension for these bits, tiny centre lock tool, Brooks tool, a 4″ adjustable spanner, cone spanners, peddle spanner, grease, squirt wax lube, seam sealer, scribe for digging out glass from tires, spoke spanner, chain brake tool, bike alarm spanner, tube repair kit, 32mm pvc for flying/train-ing when I have to remove the stem/handlebar, 20mm pvc to go in-between the front forks with a QR spike when the bike is in a bag/box, front pad spacers, nuts, bolts, washers, tap to clean threads, QR spike springs, nuts & zipties.

Kitchen – Front Right

The kitchen is very much a personal decision. We bring everything on a long tour to allow us to make food that we like on the road. The Trangia has been a faithful cooking system for us for 14 years. I have updated the burner to a gas one, rather than the methylated spirits burner. This allows for a clean burn and no carbon on the outside of the kettle or pans. Cups, plates, bowl, knives and forks are all Sea to Summit, a very sharp pocket knife, peeler, can opener, lighter, cutting up board, Ortlieb 10L sink/bucket and most importantly our Aero-press, to make better than barista quality coffee finish the kitchen. I did bring a second burner for this trip and it has faithfully sat in the pannier for the entire journey.

Handle bar bag – pump- and frame

Pump

You need a good pump. C02 cartridges can’t be taken on aircraft and they suck anyway because your tyre will just go down. An awesome pump is the Top Peak Road Morph. It turns from a single stick strapped to your frame, into to a track pump with a foot, a handle and a pressure gauge. It will also happily attach to both Presta and Schrader valves, by flipping around a plastic and rubber part in the valve clamp itself…smart.

Frame

The frame is an awesome and the only correct place to attach heavy water bottles. Don’t use a camelback when touring; anything on your back is BAD, really BAD. Your water bottles should be many in number and largest you can find in size. Keep hydrated people. You’ll need water for the ride, that night if you are wild camping and possibly the next day as well.

Spokes.

But I had a bullet proof- 26″ 36 Spoke wheel, with 2mm DT Swiss spokes and SS Nipples…..why did it break? They will. Truth to be told here, I have only broken one spoke whilst touring over the 13 years and I don’t know how many kilometres. We carry two spare spokes each on the frame with SS nipples attached. One long and one short, to account for the offset in the rear wheel.

Bar Bag

Money, Passport, Cards all in RFID envelops, Glasses, Personal Hygiene stuff and things, wipes, sewing kit, buff, antiseptic cream/Band-Aids, head bug net and finally, a head torch.

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All of that allows us to do this.

Giving Back

The last decade, plus a few years, have been extremely eventful. Initially, as a family we cycle toured with the girls through Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Japan. Later, Mandy and I toured within Australia, Tasmania and Flinders Island. This trip has included, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Netherlands, France and Spain on the bikes.

We believe it is time to end this chapter of our lives. It is very important to us that the cycles go to someone in need, someone who the cycles would help in life. We have decided to give the bicycles and panniers to a local cycle group, actually a couple, who actively build bikes out of wrecks, help out with spare parts and maintain bikes. They will ensure the bikes to go to someone who really needs them.

The Surly Disk Trucker (Sir Samuel II) and Vivente World Randonneur (Wendy) have served us well.

Thanks bikes 🙂

I tip my hat and raise my glass to you both.

I have been contacted by many people asking about this decision. Here is a text that I have used in reply.

It was time for the bikes to go. the rest of this trip will be by train, aircraft and car. Lots of reasons to give the bike to someone who can use them every day and make their life better. They will go to under privileged/struggling people/school kids

Lots of reasons for the decision. The bike have been really awesome for the last 14 years but the technology has moved on and there are better ways of doing it now.

26 Inch wheels may be very strong but they don’t roll as well off-road. Rocky riding was quite difficult with the fully loaded and heavy bike. We do enjoy the off-road trails/rail trails much more than riding on the road with the traffic. Our focus in the future would be more off-road or gravel orientated.

As you know, both bikes were built like a tank. Even though Steel is very compliant, alloy or carbon makes more sense.

Maintenance wise both bikes needed and new cluster and chain and gear set. For riding around town without many gear changes this wasn’t really a problem. However, the big climbs with weighted bikes it was obvious that they needed replacing. Bearings in my wheel had gone, the guy can fix that no problem. The bikes are still in good condition but it was just time for us to do it a different way.

One of the main decision-making aspects was that Mandy‘s frame is too small for her. It was plainly obvious this trip, as I took note of how she was riding.

Secondhand touring Bike market in Cairns is non-existent and we couldn’t bear to see the bikes just hanging in the shed rusting. Much better off here with someone who actually needs them. After all, we use MTB bikes at home all the time, rather than these touring bikes. Work is now too far away to ride daily on pushbikes and we take the motorbikes anyway.

Like I said there are lots of reasons but it felt right to help someone else out here who really needs it. So many people here are really struggling and we are privileged in our jobs to experience their country and their lifestyle. So if I can give something back, that felt right.