While travelling by bike, you got a unique relationship with your vehicle. Sometimes a brave warrior, ometimes she´s a pretentious diva! But if you and your bike fit together and take care of each other this relationships brings you safe, healthy and individual where ever you want to go!
By travelling 15.000 km by bike, building several travelling bikes and living the passion I meanwhile got some good experience what makes the difference between the diva and the warrior. Which packing system is the best for you? Suspension or not? What tires to use and what equipment to carry? So many factors play a role while finding the best bike for your needs! It´s not necessarily about high-end components, but about finding a faithful partner for big adventures.
For me this quest is a passion.
Let me explain my opinion for choosing or building the right bike
Let me show some examples for solutions I built up in the last years
Iron Lady
The Iron lady combined mi through whole Europe. On our first trip with light baggage on the seatpost only. On the second tour fully equiped with front and back racks, aluminium fenders and Schwalbe Marathon tires.
In therms of transmission I always trusted in Shimano LX and was never disappointed with this! In her lifetime she overused 3 suspensions, 5 wheels, 4 chainwheels and a million of tires, but only one transmision kit! She was a real Mountainbike Traveller. Together we went to Greece and Portugal, we crossed Albania, the Perenees, the Alps and the Atlas before she finally died in the streets of Marrakech.
Sol
Sol was a budget bike to cross Europe from Portugal to Greece. Thanks to a few good deals and a lot of improvisation within two weeks we built up a Deore-equiped touring bike with Schwalbe Marthon tires, a solide rack and a handlbarbag for less then 350,-.Unfortunaltely due to visa restrictions for her rider, Sol never reached Greece, but Istanbul insteat. Meanwhile she´s somewhere in Asia and is still restless! Years later still with the same budget front rack and the same tires.
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Kaschpa
Kaschpa is the follow up bike after the Iron Lady. According to the circumstances he´s more a light tourer for smaler tours with only a few equipment. Discbreaks as only option limits his living environment to the developed world, but offer a perfect break response even with luggage.
Transmission is mix of Deore and Deore XT. A solide back rack and a Ortlieb handbar back are enough to carry more than 20 kg and Schwalbe Marathon Tour Plus make him a real roadracer if necessary!
Tweety & Silvester
A while ago I received a message from an old friend. She was travelling the world for several years and was up to return back home for a while. As her last step she decided to cross Europe by bike. When she asked my if I could provide her two travel bikes in about a year, I had some doubts. Of course I want, but who the hell knows where I will be in a year from today???Six month later I received another call, I was still in Lisbon and started two new bike projects:
Two super light travel bikes 26" tires, Schwalbe Big Apple & Marathon Tour Plus tires, Shimano Deore / XT transmission, disc breaks on one, v-breaks on the other.
Equiped with handmade panniers they are the guinea pigs for my selfbuilded bikebags on the way from Portugal to Germany.
Currently for sale:
Scott Aspect 650
Size M
Shifter: Shimano Acera (can be exchanged for Deore)
Front derailleur: Shimano Alivio
Back derailleur: Shimano SLX (new)
Crank: Shimano
Rims: Mavic
Tires: Schwalbe Marathon Racer
Breaks: Shimano V-breaks
