bicycles and gear for cycling around the world.

bicycles.

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Bikes

Bike Accessories and Repair Kit

2 Topeak Roadmorph pumps
Triangle tool (koga): the three most common Allen sizes
Cogset lock ring socket
Multi-purpose bicycle tool ‘Pedro’ – with spoke key, chain breaker and levers.
Second multi-purpose tool in case the Pedro breaks, is lost or stolen.
Extra chain breaker: the one on the Pedro Tool broke
Extra plastic levers for dismounting tires.
15 mm spanner (wrench) for pedals.
Zip ties
Spare tire: foldable is better. Our Continental Travel Contact tires wore well up to about 18,000 kilometers, so if you’re just doing a short trip don’t bother with a spare tire. Having one sent over is another option if you’re worried about weight.
Inner tubes (at least 3x) better bring a good supply as you’ll only find low-quality Chinese or Indian replacements in Africa.
Deore XT HG 93 chain (2x) The cogset will last longer of you swap chains every 3,000 kilometers. We replaced the cogset and chains after 22,000 kilometers.
Chainlinks: get special ones that can be mounted without a tool.
Glue and patches: take an extra tube of glue because it tends to dry out easily. Take at least 20 patches and stock up when you can while travelling through West Africa.
Shimano oil stored in a syringe-type container. Ideal for lubricating cables through cable housing and other tiny areas.
Old toothbrushes for cleaning drive train
Cable housing: we had to replace them because friction with the handlebar bag eroded the outer plastic and the rain rusted the interior.
Brake cables (5x) Keep in mind that if a rear cable breaks, you can often re-use it for the front.
Shift cables (5x)
Caps for cable housing ends
Extra screws & nuts
Insulation tape
Teflon chain lubricant : Classic oil tends to attract dirt so teflon is better.
Chain links and special reinforced pins – had more sent over
Spokes- 5 of each size. Remember that the ones on the cogset side of the rear wheel are shorter.
Brake pads (8 pairs).
Jockey wheels (derailleur): we didn’t take these but probably should have.
4 Elite Lysso Alloy Titan water bottles
Superglue
Spare cleats for Shimano SPD shoes (2x)
Seam Grip Seam Sealer: for repairing tent
Seam Grip Pre-Cleaner
McNett Aquaseal: great for sealing holes in panniers. Take a couple of small tubes because they tend to harden quickly once opened.
Ortlieb QL-1-rail long with mounting screws, w/o hooks for Back-Roller, Bike-Packer and Office-Bag
1 QL-1-rail short with mounting screws, w/o hooks for Front-Roller and Sport-Packer
Anchoring hook, 10 mm with lower rail, incl. mounting screws from model ´96
QL1 screw set (5 screws) from model´’93
Repair patches for Ortlieb waterproof stuff-bag
Ortlieb repair-set for PD 350 waterproof stufbag incl. glue, various colours
Tent pole repair kit : poles snap easily and then you’re really in trouble

Panniers

Tent

Amaya's Clothing

Eric's Clothing

Electronic and Photo Equipment

Koga Miyata Logo

Thanks to the generous support of Bikemax in Frankfurt we are now the proud owners of two top-class Koga Miyata World Travellers. This is a tough touring bike with a robust 26" aluminum frame. Koga bicycles are assembled by hand in the Netherlands and come fully equipped with everything necessary for a long tour over challenging terrain. Kogas are made with only the best materials and components, which means we won't have to worry about part failures or being stranded in some lost corner of Africa. We are 100% satisfied with our Kogas. There have been no serious equipment failures and regular maintenace has kept the bikes running smoothly with over 40,000 kilometers, many of them on unpaved roads.

kit.

Ortlieb front roller classic

Each bike is equipped with heavy -duty Ortlieb front roller and back roller panniers. We're very satisfied with our choice of panniers and they're still holding up well after two years of wear and tear. Be sure to buy a repair kit (aquaseal works well) and check regularly for any holes. Some people claim their clothes start smelling musty in waterproof panniers, but we haven't noticed any problems,--or maybe we're just used that smelly-sock odor permeating everything we own. Some cyclists go for the lighterweight panniers, but this usually turns out to be a mistake for anyone traveling for a long period of time, because the material simply doesn't hold up as well. Deluxe models with easy access outside pockets might be convenient, but could look tempting to curious children and petty thieves.

We could hardly believe how long these tires lasted: 20,000 kilometers! Continental Travel Contact tires are the way to go. Maybe 20,000 kilometers is pushing it to the limit, but these tires are excellent. Be sure to rotate between front and back to extend tire life.

Ortlieb Folding bowl

This versatile 10 liter folding bowl will make washing up and doing laundry a snap. We love our folding bowl, but perhaps a larger size would be better. 10 liters is a bit small for those big loads of laundry after you've been in the bush for awhile.

Packsack 350

Each of us is carrying a dry bag to store and protect our sleeping bags and mats. We've got large bags, which is good and bad. Good because we've got more capacity, and bad because we tend to fill the bags to the max with some 'non-essential' items--like yoga mats and pillows.

Primus Omni-fuel stove

electronics.

medion 96400 notebook computer

Medion 96400 notebook computerfor updating our web site while we're on the road and storing useful travel information. Our Medion quit on us not long after reaching Cape Town-- I guess it wasn't up to the return journey. This isn't surprising given all the jolts it took in West and Central Africa. We repalced it with a slightly larger Acer computer purchased in South Africa. A computer is actually quite useful for entertainment as well. We often watch movies on it or read articles we've downloaded from the internet. Plus we stock all the thousands of photos we've taken. As we approach Europe, we are able to have wireless internet access more and more often.