Your bike trip videos are always so inspiring! Vietnam is one destination I am also familiar with. I cycled from Hanoi to Sapa through the semi off-road mountain paths some 5 years ago. It was after a few years later I learned that I should have travelled to Ha Giang before returning back to Hanoi. Keep safe, always!
. . Incredible. Thanks extended for a glimpse at this unique part of our world... In the us, it seems bikepacking, etc. now further over techs gear and gadgets and bike specs that would convince many a "road bike" would never permit this journey to happen alhough your trip seems to suggest . very specific interim destinations that permitted limited carry weight between stops... Thanks for sharing
Beautiful scenery and trip guys. In 2014/5 I rode 4,200 miles, up Vietnam to Mong Cai and 900 miles to Dafang and then bus to Chengdu. Only same miles were in Hanoi. I had a Rohloff14 pushing my 120+ lb bike. Double both of yours, LOL. I carried ALL the stuff I always take in my suitcase and tools. My front hub is a SA XL dyno DRUM brake, absolutely FABULOUS, now has 23,000 miles. It did break my fork 3 times tho. My lousy rear brake was irrelevant. I got a lot of up/down mountains north from Hechi, with clay muck for 40 miles too. SMP 35 mm tires, no flats too. I was the first bike over the huge Tan Son Nhat bridge opening day. Riding in the cities is SO much fun for me. HCM is too hot and noisy tho, more the roar than the beeps.
Dang, that's quite a different approach to theirs. Why did you need so much stuff? Did you have 30 lbs of photography gear or something? I think I'd go somewhere in the middle, with a 25-30 lb. bike and 35 lbs. of kit at most.
Ha Giang Province is kind of a diamond in the rough for all bikers. Even a honk from the other side of the road gets to be a good vibe here xD I recommend you all visit here at least once in your life! Thanks for your video :)
Nice footage and editing. Looking at how much you've put through those bikes, I'm almost sold on the exact same model if they just didn't have that proprietary stem-hydrolic reservoir thing.
It's not the nicest looking thing, but the brakes ARE excellent. You could switch the disc calipers to cable at less than $100 per end if it really bothered you.
This is a very inspirational video. I'm planning to go to Southeast Asia myself (including Vietnam) and was wondering if I could combine it with cycling - so I've found you. So yes, it's possible and the views are amazing. However I have some questions left which haven't been covered in your description / other comments: 1. Did you bring the bikes over from Australia or did you rent them? What company did you go for? 2. 5kg sounds like very few gear you took with you. Do you have a packing list? What was essential for that particular trip? 3. What did you use for navigation? Smartphone / GPS navigation or old-school maps? 4. Do you have any advice regarding safe cycling particularly for Vietnam? Thank you so much in Advance. Regards, Peter
When I cycled through Vietnam (Hanoi - Saigon) "a couple of years ago", there were hardly any cars but only pushbikes and motorbikes. Now there seems to be chaos.
September. 28mm is what we ran too, and it was perfectly adequate the majority of the time, but something wider would've been nice for a handful of sections.
Great video! Makes me wish I had been able to get into Vietnam when I was touring SE Asia several years ago. Looks like it would make for a better bike tour than using public transport though, so maybe I'll go that route if I finally get over there. Do you think the current touring bike setup you are using in South America would be a better option for this trip than the skinny tire road bike you used?
The road bikes were totally fine for the majority of the trip. It would've been nice to have lower gear ratios and wider tyres sometimes, which is where the Koga would have come in handy. But the Koga is also 50% heavier, so I'd suggest it's overkill given how little you need in Vietnam.
is it the marathon plus tires that you have? Do you ever opt for lighter tires or do you find the reliability of the marathon plus range more important than weight?
We used the Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard tyres for this trip - I don't know if any other 28mm tyre would have been able to handle the poor road conditions in Vietnam. Especially in the tyre sidewall and through the rocky sections of road. I much prefer to use a slightly more puncture resistant, but slower rolling tyre when I travel. Head over to CyclingAbout.com to see discussion around puncture resistance and rolling resistance (published a day ago). Also, check out the weight tests I've done (weight isn't really that important with regards to speed).
Thanks! I will get the Schwalbe Marathon tyres. 25mm would be good enough or better to get the 28mm? So it means a few km of gravel won't be an issue? (I had to ride about 10 km of gravel with my current smooth road tyres in Malaysia through a plantation and I felt a bit hammered after).
land mines if you are where the korean troops used to station there then be careful the M4 ANTI PERSONAL MINES were laid there so many that when they pulled out they could not unmined then they just left tjhere also where the american too
Seriously... there still is major landmine issue in Vietnam which is one of major negative legacies from the Vietnam War... 雷区 in Chinese means "mine area". Please be careful... I love your websites and videos too much.
Really well! We had zero punctures and zero part failures. The road endurance bikes were probably the fastest type of bike for this trip, which was important because we had to cover a lot of ground in a pretty short amount of time. They had a wide gear range (50-34t and 11-32t cassette) which got us up the ridiculous gradients, and the hydraulic disc brakes did SUCH a good job of slowing us down too. I don't think I would own a road bike without disc brakes anymore. :)
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Beautiful. Thank you for showing me part of my ancestors land that I have never seen.
You're welcome!
The Ha Giang loop is absolutely stunning - I've done it on a motorbike and it was one of the greatest adventures of my life.
I agree. It's one of my favourite places to ride a bike!
Your bike trip videos are always so inspiring! Vietnam is one destination I am also familiar with. I cycled from Hanoi to Sapa through the semi off-road mountain paths some 5 years ago. It was after a few years later I learned that I should have travelled to Ha Giang before returning back to Hanoi. Keep safe, always!
Thanks for the kind words! You'll have to go back to Ha Giang next time. 🤘🏼
It is good to see that the people there are getting their lives back together again.
.
.
Incredible.
Thanks extended for a glimpse at this unique part of our world...
In the us, it seems bikepacking, etc.
now
further over techs gear and gadgets and bike specs that would convince many a "road bike" would never permit this journey to happen
alhough your trip seems to suggest . very specific interim destinations that permitted limited carry weight between stops...
Thanks for sharing
How cute both guys you were !!!
Beautiful scenery and trip guys. In 2014/5 I rode 4,200 miles, up Vietnam to Mong Cai and 900 miles to Dafang and then bus to Chengdu. Only same miles were in Hanoi. I had a Rohloff14 pushing my 120+ lb bike. Double both of yours, LOL. I carried ALL the stuff I always take in my suitcase and tools. My front hub is a SA XL dyno DRUM brake, absolutely FABULOUS, now has 23,000 miles. It did break my fork 3 times tho. My lousy rear brake was irrelevant. I got a lot of up/down mountains north from Hechi, with clay muck for 40 miles too. SMP 35 mm tires, no flats too. I was the first bike over the huge Tan Son Nhat bridge opening day. Riding in the cities is SO much fun for me. HCM is too hot and noisy tho, more the roar than the beeps.
Dang, that's quite a different approach to theirs. Why did you need so much stuff? Did you have 30 lbs of photography gear or something? I think I'd go somewhere in the middle, with a 25-30 lb. bike and 35 lbs. of kit at most.
Ha Giang Province is kind of a diamond in the rough for all bikers.
Even a honk from the other side of the road gets to be a good vibe here xD
I recommend you all visit here at least once in your life!
Thanks for your video :)
I agree. It's a very special place that very few know about. 😊
Awesome guys on the awesome land.
Really enjoyed this! Thanks for sharing looks like an incredible trip.
Thanks Sam, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for this inspiring vid mate. You were right, Ha Giang is truly spectacular just need to work on my climbing ⛰
That looked amazing..
Looks like a great adventure
Great work guys!
Wish i woulda have found your channel earlier xD
Incredible!, thanks for sharing!!!
4K is amazing!
Enjoyed and inspired. :)
EPIC!
Nothing compared to Indipac. Enjoy the best roads in Aus! 👍
welcome to my country
Great video. Were you accompanied by a car as your gear seems very lightweight ? Planning a similar trip (but longer and slower 😎) this fall
No. We carried everything we needed.
nice video mate
Nice footage and editing. Looking at how much you've put through those bikes, I'm almost sold on the exact same model if they just didn't have that proprietary stem-hydrolic reservoir thing.
It's not the nicest looking thing, but the brakes ARE excellent. You could switch the disc calipers to cable at less than $100 per end if it really bothered you.
Inspiration.
Yes, EPIC
Can we get the gpx files? 😊 Going to Vietnam soon.
This is a very inspirational video. I'm planning to go to Southeast Asia myself (including Vietnam) and was wondering if I could combine it with cycling - so I've found you. So yes, it's possible and the views are amazing.
However I have some questions left which haven't been covered in your description / other comments:
1. Did you bring the bikes over from Australia or did you rent them? What company did you go for?
2. 5kg sounds like very few gear you took with you. Do you have a packing list? What was essential for that particular trip?
3. What did you use for navigation? Smartphone / GPS navigation or old-school maps?
4. Do you have any advice regarding safe cycling particularly for Vietnam?
Thank you so much in Advance.
Regards, Peter
Can you share your (Strava) route if you have it?
When I cycled through Vietnam (Hanoi - Saigon) "a couple of years ago", there were hardly any cars but only pushbikes and motorbikes. Now there seems to be chaos.
Hi! Which month did you do the trip, and what tire width/type do you recommend? I'm planning the loop in late September with 28mm slim tires.
September. 28mm is what we ran too, and it was perfectly adequate the majority of the time, but something wider would've been nice for a handful of sections.
Great video! Makes me wish I had been able to get into Vietnam when I was touring SE Asia several years ago. Looks like it would make for a better bike tour than using public transport though, so maybe I'll go that route if I finally get over there. Do you think the current touring bike setup you are using in South America would be a better option for this trip than the skinny tire road bike you used?
The road bikes were totally fine for the majority of the trip. It would've been nice to have lower gear ratios and wider tyres sometimes, which is where the Koga would have come in handy. But the Koga is also 50% heavier, so I'd suggest it's overkill given how little you need in Vietnam.
chapeau
is it the marathon plus tires that you have? Do you ever opt for lighter tires or do you find the reliability of the marathon plus range more important than weight?
We used the Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard tyres for this trip - I don't know if any other 28mm tyre would have been able to handle the poor road conditions in Vietnam. Especially in the tyre sidewall and through the rocky sections of road.
I much prefer to use a slightly more puncture resistant, but slower rolling tyre when I travel. Head over to CyclingAbout.com to see discussion around puncture resistance and rolling resistance (published a day ago). Also, check out the weight tests I've done (weight isn't really that important with regards to speed).
Do hydraulic brakes get affected when taking them on planes?
Nup, I've been on dozens of flights with them. All good!
I'm planning a bike packing trip to Vietnam next Feb. Having a carbon Giant TCR with v-breaks and 25mm tyres. Would this bike handle the terrain?
Yep. We are proof of that! Just get some Schwalbe Marathon tyres to prevent any slashes on the narrow width.
Thanks! I will get the Schwalbe Marathon tyres. 25mm would be good enough or better to get the 28mm? So it means a few km of gravel won't be an issue? (I had to ride about 10 km of gravel with my current smooth road tyres in Malaysia through a plantation and I felt a bit hammered after).
If you can fit the 28mm tyres - do that.
Sorry, another question. I have ultegra 6800 rim brakes. Will they handle the mountains of Ha Giang, especially if raining?
Of course! People have been using much worse rim brakes on bikes for over 100 years. 😂
land mines if you are where the korean troops used to station there then be careful the M4 ANTI PERSONAL MINES were laid there so many that when they pulled out they could not unmined then they just left tjhere also where the american too
which oakley sunglasses are those?
You guys realized it was a landmine sign at 10:20!?
Thank god nothing terrible happened...
Thanks for the concern! Although it looks dramatic, it's very much a tourist area at the Chinese border. ;)
Seriously... there still is major landmine issue in Vietnam which is one of major negative legacies from the Vietnam War...
雷区 in Chinese means "mine area". Please be careful... I love your websites and videos too much.
We were certainly aware of that fact. But this particular border section was VERY well trodden and photographed. :)
Nice! Could you post the gps route?
Check the description. :)
Wow, you did some climbing on that route 28 000 m! Great, thanks!
It's crazy hilly up in the north! If you're not going up or down, something is wrong.
How long did it take you to complete your journey
From memory, we spent about three weeks in Vietnam.
How did the bikes perform ?
Really well! We had zero punctures and zero part failures. The road endurance bikes were probably the fastest type of bike for this trip, which was important because we had to cover a lot of ground in a pretty short amount of time. They had a wide gear range (50-34t and 11-32t cassette) which got us up the ridiculous gradients, and the hydraulic disc brakes did SUCH a good job of slowing us down too. I don't think I would own a road bike without disc brakes anymore. :)
Thanks for that, Will be getting one myself soon
Hi, What types of bike and tire u guys used.......?
Bike: Giant Contend SL 1 Disc
Tyres: Schwalbe Marathon 700x28c
Thanks buddy, I should get one of them from contend line....
Should be titled "credit card touring vietnam"
Still quite cool though haha.
Max Krieger since it's really cheap and not particularly "fancy" in Vietnam so by the end of the day not so much credit card touring
Dude nobody camps in Asia
Owen Rees people do. I camped my sevens day while I cycled across korea from Seoul to Busan.