You live a dream. Not only you get to see those countries from non-commercial side but also your experiences and knowledge gained will give you perspective later on in your lifes.
Well, you guys are taking a big challenge to cycle around the World. But this isn't new because when I was a teenager in east Africa in Ethiopia there was a gentleman from England who rode solo in a bicycle around the World during the Vietnam war and he even visited Vietnam at that time and I remember when he said he was on his 11th bicycle since some of them where stolen in South America, maybe today times have changed. Anyway it is an adventure and you two have the right time in life to make it happen, you will remember it for all of your lives. Wish you all safety and good exploration, I will be following on your channel. Cheers to both of you.
Thank you! 😊 We are definitely not the first, many people have and are cycling around the world. And for sure times have changed, some places may have gotten safer, others more dangerous, and boarders have opened and closed over the years.
Glad someone else appreciates the horn bar ends for climbing. You get so much leverage off em and they feel so good to use uphill I was always confused as to why they died out on cross country mtb.
Thanks for sharing your experience with budget bikes! You are the proof that anyone can start touring with a bit of careful planning. Take care and good luck for the new set of rims!
I find much to admire in your philosophy. You seem to have found a sweet spot around riding budget but spending to maintain components. Wishing you well. :-).
I use disk brakes just so I don't wear out the rim sidewalls. Also, when braking hard downhill, the rims can heat up causing the tire pressure to go up and can cause the innertubes to explode or at least cause the tire bead to blow out. Great video. Thanks for all the detail.
Never heard of the temperature causing the tires to burst, maybe it's more of a problem with thinner tires that can't dissipate the heat as well. But the rims of course do get worn out, unfortunately!
Thanks for sharing another wonderful video! Love the “ simple is better “ philosophy just shows what you can achieve! Be safe, safe travels and look forward to your next video! Cheers 🍻
Danke für dieses wieder interessante Video in unglaublich schöner Umgebung! Daß des nun Lousias vordere Felge war, die gebrochen ist, hat mich schon überrascht! Bin sehr froh, daß ihr neue Felgen bekommen habt! Ihr seid halt tüchtige Fahrradmechaniker mittlerweile! Und hoffentlich kommt ihr wieder gut zu Kräften nach der Erkrankung! Safe travels and happiness for you both!
I have 2 touring flatbar bikes for 100km each way overnight rail trail touring here in Vic, Oz. I've found Mavic A-719 rims work very well, 700c x 25mm internal rim width, 36 hole, double wall, with eyeletted spoke holes. They've stayed true for over 8 years, Relatively light use vs what Tobi and Louisa get up to; but still some hammering on gravel with potholes and erosion gulleys. The rims were originally about $A115, plus $45 for XT hubs, and a local mechanic was great lacing the wheels with his French Mach-1 straight-pull spokes for $60; so about $220 tot per wheel (circa 2015 prices). Cheap bikes may economise on saddle, wheels and tyres; which fortunately can be upgraded.
Great video, lots of useful information. If you ride as many km's as you do, eventually things start to break... pedals, rims, derailleurs etc. So far you have been able to fix everything, so you made the right decisions with choosing these bikes. Maybe you are not aware, but it looks like you both lost some weight ! Not surprising, if you ride through the mountains on heavy bikes, and you were ill, if I remember correctly. But you are still going strong, that is great to see. Be careful and take care of your health, and I wish you many more exciting cycling adventures. Cheers.
Thanks! Yea, we were sick and have had some on-and-off intestinal problems for a few weeks now, so definitely lost some weight. And yea, also the hard riding the last weeks / months. But we've spent the last week in a city now and eaten a lot, so should be back at full strength again. :)
Very interesting! Taking care of your bikes can take you a long way. As with your second hand bikes! In 2018 I bought a 2011 Giant Roam XR1 ('hybrid bike') which I now ride more or less as a gravel bike. Between 2011 and 2018 I do not know how many Kilometers it did, but since 2018 I've now ridden it 18.500 km. When needed I've replaced brake pads (rim brake), tires, the chain and cassette. Recently for the first time I did a brake bleed (yes, it is hydraulic). Amazingly the rear derailleur still shifts perfectly (I've actually never adjusted it apart from some trimming after changing cassettes...) It still runs so smoothly, this weekend was sunny autumn weather in the Netherlands and I did about 120km on this 11 year old bike. Love it!
@@louisaandtobi Exactly! and a step I think some people miss is to identify what are consumable parts... A broken chain or worn out cassette is not the end of a bike, but I've seen people who think it is ... With many minor defects people are only within ~10 to 60 euro's (in EU) from a perfectly functioning bike...
That was really interesting. It's always fun to see other people's rigs are their solutions ot touring. I'm also a guitarist, and I was very interested in the guitar bag and rack. I've thought of buying a travel guitar in the past but the quality is not good enough.
Our travel guitar also isn't the best, but it's definitely good enough for what we use it. It would also maybe be a shame to take a really nice guitar on a tough journey, as the chances of it getting damage aren't too low. :D
Love the guitar but I couldn't do that for how often it would get played. I bought one of those plastic Waterman ukuleles for my Japan trip. Just strapped it to the top of my bags, didn't have to worry about it getting wet. In 6 weeks I played it maybe 5 times though.😂 At least it was small.
Great video is there a story about the rubber duck with an eight ball helmet? I also use the Redshift suspension seat post as well as the suspension stem. I have found if I am logging a lot of miles on a trip they make the ride a lot more comfortable. For my leather Brooks saddle I use a rain proof seat cover that allows trouble free rain miles. Keep rolling and thanks for taking me along.
Hi!!!! I started following your channel and really liked the tips, etc, etc. Now I really became a fan of this couple to see that you also make vegetarian food!!!!! I live in the extreme south of Brazil... I'm 50 years old now and have been a vegetarian for 35... and I've always thought about traveling by bicycle through South America. I've always been a cyclist, even a competitive one... now I'm planning this trip for the next few months, and feeling even more motivated watching your videos!!!!! Are you still traveling South America? Who knows, maybe one day we'll meet on the road! Huge hug and thank you!!!!!
Hey! Great to hear you are enjoying our videos. :) Yea, we are still in South America, in the south of Peru at the moment. Sure, would be great to meet on the road somewhere. :)
You guys just popped up on my TH-cam so I watch your video 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 And now I have to watch all your old videos and do some caching up 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗. I’m looking forward to this. Thanks for sharing ✊
I purchase a bike to take to asia Montague folding bike which had rims laced with 32 spokes. It was a disaster. Many broken spokes and troubles. I have since replaced the rims with Malic rims 36 spokes. Thanks again for posting your bike videos. cheers
Very interesting video, thank you. I would think very long and hard about changing to 1x front drivetrain, especially if you plan on doing a lot of road cycling! On a fully laden touring bike I personally wouldn’t do that. I would not be happy with the jumps between gear ratios, even with, say, an 11 - 46 cassette. Off-road on rough tracks the jump in ratios would be less noticeable though. It’s all personal though obviously.
The high gradation between the gears and generally lower range would be the main reason why we wouldn’t change. We haven’t decided yet, but will most likely upgrade to a 3x 10 speed instead. 😅
@@louisaandtobi I would stick to the 10sp because besides cost, 12sp chains get roughly half the life of 10sp chains, since they are thinner = less material/faster stretch. You could add a larger cassette, but that typically involves upgrading the rear derailleur. Both bikes are holding up remarkably well for what we MTB riders would call, base level components and the newly replaced rims will be well worth the expense.
I use a one by nine gear and I think it just feels great. For some reason it feels more comfortable than the typical 3 by something gear, and I don't have to think at all, its just up and down!
I would stick with the triple chainring. Also, if you have a chance, check out the Surly Cro-Moly racks. I busted my stock aluminum rear rack on my Trek 920 in the windy Navajo desert of Arizona. I switched to the steel Surly rack. It's a tad heavier but way more robust. I ran 44/33/22 in the front and 10(11-42) in the rear. It was way better than the stock 43/28 & 11-36. Happy trails.
Wie ich schon im ersten Video erwähnt habe.... das einzige was die alten Rahmen nicht wirklich hergeben sind die Scheibenbremsen. Die durchgebremsten Felgenflanken können wirklich zum Problem werden (Tatsächlich sind die modernen Mavic Felgen dafür bekannt, relativ schnell zu verschleißen)...... Passt auf Euch auf. Gute Reise!
Thanks for posting, I'm looking into getting a journey travel guitar. The neck removes making it easier to transport on the bike. I have used a Martin travel guitar when traveling in Europe and Asia but that guitar is not a full size guitar. I really enjoy your bikes and always look forward to seeing your next video. Thanks for posting and enjoy your adventure.
@@louisaandtobi Yes, Ive played a friends guitar and I like the sound. It doesn't have the earthy sound of a wooden guitar but the guitar I played was loud. I like the fact that the carbon fiber will have less of chance of warping in the extremes temperatures of sitting on the back of a bike. All the best in south america enjoy your adventure.
I think it was a wise descision to change all the rims, they are a wearable part of the braking system. And even if you had disc brakes they might develop cracks due to overloading and fatigue, so don't only blame your brakes.
Grim scratch brakes. LOL. What a farce. My first SA XL-FDD dyno DRUM brake now has 29,000 miles has been absolutely perfect in any weather, with ZERO fuss or worry. Impossible to break. My Dyad rims with 700 x 36 mm tires are not so great for those rocky hell roads, I don't want to go there anyway. My Rohloff14 has a cable TRP Spyre , stops on a dime too. I did 2 tours total 8,100 miles total weight about 290 lbs. No problem except the first fork was weak and broke 3 times. It's a custom bike like NO other.
My rim brakes/rims lasted 23000km, eventually the wet dirt roads led to the rims being very worn out, left them in ushuaia. All the way on 700c 32, with cantilevers
If you do a 1 x 11/12 ='s less maintenance/mechanic failure concerns and KMC bicycle chains are really good. As for brakes; Avid BB7's lhave strong and reliable braking power (if you decide to do disc brake system). These are not hydraulic but mechanical disc brakes (less maintenance). Germany has made an IGH called 3 x 3 (9-speed) which is supposed to be virtually indestructible. I am not sure if they are available through Europe yet but was informed they will come to USA in Spring of 2023 and they are about 20% the cost of the Rohloff IGH rear hub. ( around 200-300.00 range). Happy traveling :) There are also eyelet adapters that work with your rear axle. I am not sure about your tent, but these brands are good and lightweight too; Kelty, MSR, Big Agnes, Marmot, and Sierra Designs. (they are fairly priced too). Splined bottom brackets are reliable and have better pedaling power output compared to square bottom brackets. There are a lot of new innovations when it comes to camping and bike touring gear, I hope when you too have spare time you will do research as TH-cam often shares on upcoming new camp/outdoor gear on this website. MTB (mountain bike) wheel rims are solid some good brands are Mavic and WTB.
The simplicity of 1x 11/12 speed setups is the main reason we are considering them, although we may of course sacrifice some range / lower gradation between the gears. We've had a couple of KMC chains and they've been good, although we haven't notice any difference to Shimano / SRAM chains except the price. Mechanical disc brakes would probably be the best solution, but unfortunately our old frames can't fit them, maybe on our next bikes. :) Louisa has a new rear rack now with eyelet adapters so it sits on the axle, and so far its working great.
Did the pan American on a 79 Japanese built shogun, I converted it to cantilever and 700c ran marathon plus 32s (the narrowest tyres of anyone I met. Also using lx components, great for touring Love my tubas racks. Cracked the rear wheel in baja california, rebuilt it in Mexico City, broke one spoke in equador, but I think it was damaged on the boat from Panama to Colombia as it broke at the nipple. Wheels lasted all the way south, but we're very concave at the end. My headset bearings collapsed right as I rolled into ushuaia. Brought most of the bike back with me and have rebuilt it, a few changes, took it to Korea a few years ago
Changes were. Went a couple teeth lower and higher on my crank, maxed out the speed a couple times. Slightly shorter stem, a bit more upright. Cantilevers to v brakes, they grab quite a bit better. Some interupter levers on the bars for upright braking off the hoods. That's about it. I'm honestly going to convert it from 9 speed to 8 speed at some point. 8 speed chains were available everywhere, 9 speed was kinda hard to track down, it was actually easier to get modern 10 or 11 speed stuff as that was carried anywhere sport cycling was popular
I advise you to visit the Arab countries. It will be the most beautiful moment in your life. You will find generosity and good reception in a city or village, especially in rural areas. I am watching your channel for the first time, something beautiful and interesting,♥️♥️🌹🌹
I guys. Horacio from Canada. One thing I would like to tell you. But I think is a little too late. In Trujillo (by the sea) there is , LA CASA DEL CICLISTA. They tender to all that trvels thru, and provide all kinds of parts and knowledge also places to stay. Is not that far from Lima but is quiet a journey. Anyway nice to follow you, specialy from now that you are getting close to the country of my birth. Good luck and good winds.
I got a Rohloff Speed Hub, it has been perfect and i now have over 15k miles on it.. The key is to remember to change the oil at the same time once a year.. I have my mechanics set it up to get the tension correct/balances on the cables.. Love it.. Most dependable internal gear hub...
Can you make a video about your maintenance on tour? E.g. How do you keep your rim brakes clean in muddy/rainy conditions? How do you clean your drivetrain, etc.?
I did several long tours many years ago. My set up was not that much different other than much of the equipment has definitely improved. However one question I have is why did you not go for mountain bikes? I always figured if I did another long tour that is what I would use. My last tour (I guess it was 30 years ago now - I’m getting old!) I used a mountain bike to travel a rather rugged road in northern Canada. It worked very well. For my longer tours on what was then a touring bike, I always went with the racing bike handle bars. Lots of hand positions for the easy riding and we’re great for the tough climbs.
The main reason we didn't choose mountain bikes for this tour was their complexity. Mountain bikes, especially modern ones, have suspension forks / shocks that need to be serviced regularly, hydraulic brakes that can break, etc. This would amount to a lot of extra service over the time we're traveling. Furthermore, we didn't really plan to cycle so much off road before our journey, so mountain bikes wouldn't have necessarily made sense for the roads we were mostly planning to cycle. For future tours, especially more off road / trails with less gear, we will definitely get some form of mountain / trail bike though.
@@louisaandtobi Good point. The mountain bike I used had nothing fancy on it. Just wider tires and generally a more rugged design for the route I was doing. And back in those days, most of the mountain bikes still had steel frames.
I noticed that there were teeth on the freewheel and on the jockey wheels of the rear derailleur were worn to a point. You may need to change chain and gears perhaps crank also, soon. I really like and appreciate your detailed and knowledgeable review.
Yea, the derailleur pulleys are really worn out unfortunately, just a lot of kms on them already. We replaced chains and cassettes in Lima now, and wanted to replace the pulleys as well but couldn’t find any for our old derailleurs. We will probably upgrade to more modern derailleurs at some point soon.
SHIMANO bottom bracket BB-UN26 is a good one. It is not recommended to ride 1x11 or 1x12 - chains and sprockets are too narrow, and is good to have the 22 teeth chainwheel. You might think of a SHIMANO Altus Shadow rear derailleur and a "Goa Link" plus a cassette 11-42 or 11-46 teeth - all of course a question of availability. But these parts make climbing easy. Best rims RYDE Andra40. Which rear hubs do you have? A wise decision that you chose not too complex parts, it's much less hassle if something breaks - and not too expensive.
I love your channel, but i have to ask why did you remove video/review of IGS320 (link as well)? I hope that the new computer was not the reason for moving the video (IGS didnt bought you??? :( ). Because so far you have seemed really sincere to me. Otherwise you have an excellent channel!! keep going!!
Great...thanks for making a nice video....Ive done a lot of cycle touring and drover expedition trucks ascross south america...I would always pull over and feed 'you guys'....on the road...cable discs these days are pretty good....but i wouldnt personally recommend a 1x system....big ratio jumps..very expensive cassettes...very thin chains...and with the added flex of a steel frame small tolerance between gears can cause a lot of jumping on cassette....I had great experince with 3x9 and 3x10 but wouldnt go beyond that...its not like you will feel the weight saving!....anyway...much love to you both..
@@louisaandtobi I run a 1x10 on a titanium rigid mtb with carbon fork and its great...(38 front.....11 to 16 rear).....limited top speed but its just a fun bike on the steep hills around me (near wales)...but my heavy steel touring bike which I go shopping on is 3x10....22..34..44....11 to 36 on rear....its seen me through many countries....fully laden...around 60kg...now way would i want a 1x on that....just not suitable....anyway...have fun.....
whoops.....11 to 36 rear cassette on both.....ive toured with rum brakes all over asia...but now have cable discs....they work very well.....i used avid bb7s......3 sets of spare pads dont take up much space and both pads are adjustable......saves grinding down rims.....in wet and muddy conditions that noise of pads on rims always worried me......though I never had a rim crack......some cheap replacement pads are very abrasive....and can ruin a rim in just a few ks......you may enjoy banjos......up near the hot springs theres an old american guy/shaman who runs a massage place.....very interesting fellow!
Warm greetings from The Special Territory of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Tobi and Louisa. Come and visit our Regency when you plan to have a tour in Indonesia. There are lots of historical places to visit including The Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, The Borobudur and Prambanan temples.
Hello, thank you for another very informative video. I have been looking on your website for the brand of pedals that you are using and seemed to have had very little issues with, but can't find any info. on them. Please could you tell the brans please. Thank you.
They are from a brand called ZTTO, Chinese as far as we know. We picked them up in Ecuador. articulo.mercadolibre.cl/MLC-1037049122-pedal-ztto-nylon-rosado-cpines-mtbikecl-_JM?matt_tool=87690244&matt_word=&matt_source=google&matt_campaign_id=14571109164&matt_ad_group_id=138058099582&matt_match_type=&matt_network=g&matt_device=m&matt_creative=619545417482&matt_keyword=&matt_ad_position=&matt_ad_type=pla&matt_merchant_id=356508380&matt_product_id=MLC1037049122&matt_product_partition_id=1963292896204&matt_target_id=pla-1963292896204&gbraid=0AAAAADxxu6qCTUPxQmZ1bssYcr12DdkB1&gclid=CjwKCAjwjMiiBhA4EiwAZe6jQ2Grx215T7sqFHJ3SlrLnassbOtNgTEzQGWuojjVdrysv5QY7gKO9hoClskQAvD_BwE
Hello from Brazil. I have been following your adventure for a few months now. I am also an enthusiastic of bike turing... if you guys have plan to come to Brazil, let me know. I will be glad to help you here in Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais.
You didn't say what rims you changed to, but ryde andra and ryde sputnik ( andra with eyelets) are known for being strong and durable, though they are fairly heavy, if that's an issue. I can't see why it would be though.
Tobi has the Ortlieb “Sport Roller” and Louisa the “Back Roller” at the front. The Sport Rollers are definitely better suited for being at the front and is a good size.
i really enjoyed your video I am 71 i used to ride and I am getting a used bike tomorrow it a Marin 4 Corners triple ring Steel frame it comes with flared drop bars should i just convert it to a flat bar what are you thoughts
Why do you put a elastic band sort of wrapping around the rear brake lever? What is the purpose of that ??? Opps sorry I just watched your another early bike review video and the elastic band was used to keep the bike from moving away !!!
I would not go to a 1x system. You won't have the gear inches the 3x system will give you. Also the chains and cassettes won't last as long. Looked into the 1x system but decided against it. I run a 3x system still, down to 22-34. Enjoy your trip
Hello Louisa & Tobi, my wife and I love you guys' adventures but admire even more your courage and perseverance. It is our dream to do something like that, but the longest bike ride/touring we have done in one trip was 264 miles crossing Florida State from cost-to-coast. You guys are awesome. I do have one question if I may and it is regarding the recording of your videos. I also use a GoPro on my steering wheel but I get a lot of noise from the bike metal parts and I can hear even the gear changing and all. How do you do have the sound on your videos so pure and clean even when Louisa is moving the camera towards her and back to the front? Just curious. Thank you and take care guys. Looking forward to the next videos.
Hey! Glad you are enjoying our videos and sorry for the late answer. :) We use a combination of a GoPro Handlebar Mount and SP Gadgets Swivel Mount to attach our GoPros to our handlebars. In between the Handlebar Mount and the handlebar we have a little piece of rubber which dampens the vibrations from the bike a bit. But, most importantly, we use GoPro "Media-Mods" for our GoPros which add a better, external microphone to the GoPro, not only generally giving better audio quality but also filtering / dampening out vibrations, etc.
I'd rather afraid of the the 1 by drivetrain (on remote places) than a decent hydraulic (shimano) disc brake set. :) The chain jumping is not because of the spring retention but about the worn and destroyed chain and cassette. Keep your chain dry out side and lubed inside. You only need a rag and some chain lube. If you want long lasting pedals buy anything from shimano. If you want better and cheaper phone holder look for spigen gearlock. As good quality as the "blue" one you have and easier to mount and unmount the phone.
Why would you be afraid of a 1x drivetrain in remote places? It's exactly the same as a 3x, just with one derailleur / shifter less, so actually less that can go wrong... If you listen to what we say carefully, we don't say that the chain is jumping, the actual whole derailleur pulls itself to the front, so its most likely the spring retention. Especially because this also happens in mud / water / rain even when the chain is new.
Friction downtube shifters or thumbies would be more reliable than trigger shifters. On top of that, friction shifters are compatible with SRAM, Campy, and Shimanos. I would not recommend a 1X setup will require esoteric parts, especially the rear derailleur that can accommodate 40ish or even 50ish and hard-to-find cassettes whose largest cogs. Those cassettes and rear derailleurs are the mainstay of high-end mountain bikes and can only be found in high-end shops. The 3x with 22 lowest chainring is the ideal drive train. You can increase your largest cassette cog to 36 and if your wheels are 26", that'll give you something like 18 gear inches.
To be honest our trigger shifters have been super reliable. The rear shifter that broke on Tobi’s bike already came second hand with it, so no saying how many thousands of kms it’s done. We probably won’t end up changing to a 1x, it was just a thought, but not for the reason that parts wouldn’t be available. Before this journey we also thought that “high-end” components like Shimano Deore XT 1x or other 1x systems wouldn’t be available everywhere, and even if that once was the case, we haven’t found it to be true. Here in South America, and all the places we’ve cycled before, even smaller, more rudimentary bike shops will have pretty high-end stuff.
@@louisaandtobi every biggish city will have the high end shops, but in my experience through Albania, Romania, Turkey, and Mexico, once you get to the villages or more remote areas that make the trips more adventurous, the high-end shops disappear and you're left with bike shops that have rim brakes, 8-speed chains, and 26" or 700c tubes and tires. We had an incident in Romania where one of our companions had a 1x setup and his derailleur snapped via a branch in single track area. We converted to a single speed and hobbled through the forest into town. However in order to fix it, he had to miss a few days of nice riding by taking the train back to the biggish town. In Mexico, if the town is above 100k residents, then you can find these shops, otherwise it's all about 26" tires and rim brakes (especially V-brakes). This is just my experience within these countries. I've also been to Colombia like you and there were no issues there since the country is cycling obsessed. I take "around the world" to include these more interesting off-the-beaten path countries where cycling culture is not mature.
@@ZenoLee0 Sure, there are still enough bike shops out there that don't have high-end components, which is exactly the reason we have our bikes setup the way they are. But it's getting less. In Peru now, for example, where we've spent the last 2000+ km cycling off road and backroads, the problem was more finding any bike shop than finding a well equipped one. All the bike shops we came across in Peru had 1x drivetrains. And our experiences were similar in Turkey & Mexico. Furthermore, the likelihood of a catastrophic drivetrain failure is pretty low, so from our experience, we'd have no concerns about taking a 1x setup into more remote areas. In fact, only having one derailleur / shifter even makes the setup more reliable, as there are simply less components. The main reason we wouldn't change to a 1x is simply the reduce range / increased steps between the gears.
Hello from French Switzerland, I have successfully converted my belt-driven travel bike with V-breaks rim brakes. It was not easy but with a steel frame, you can also weld the system. For me, who does a lot of downhill with a load, the traditional V-breaks with BBB Tristops compounds are the best, they brake a little harder when it rains but I can easily loosen the cable if necessary. As for sticky plastic handles, I can't stand them. It's really rubbish and moreover it's unhealthy because these products penetrate our body. I replaced them with a synthetic product (imitation of wood) which does not stick and remains very durable (I can wash and brush them). Otherwise, I was lucky enough to find some real, beautiful profiled wood. It would have been expensive for me to have them made by a cabinetmaker. But real wood is so pleasant, e.g. when it's cold, it feels like the handles are warm... And above all, the wood doesn't move (over 10 years old). For the gearbox, I chose the cheapest Shimano which does not contain oil and which is in the hub (belt system). I have 8 speeds and that's fine, that's enough. I had bought everything used 10 years ago, and I still have this system that holds. The belt = no noise, at night it is very pleasant to approach wildlife 😊 No dirt, no special maintenance and it has a lifespan of at least more than 5 chains. So, when you have tasted the belt, there is no going back. There are still e-bikes with belt and V-breaks but only one brand does it. For the pedals, I chose the Shimano XT (a must) which are very wide and you can pedal barefoot (if you unscrew the spikes). You can pass a Velcro strap that pre-vents the foot from slipping forward. Finally, I recommend a fluorescent stick attached to a fenix flashlight. It allows you to see yourself from very far away, to fix it anywhere despite the bags and panniers. In addition, you can change the battery and it is versatile. Good road ^^
Thanks for the insight! We will most likely also switch to belt drive on our next bikes and on tours closer to home where it's easier to get replacements. The wood grips are a nice idea, we'll have to try that out at some point! :)
Spokes are breaking because of rim is deforming and cutting them off I had to replace rim with new Herbert Rim and old-new 36T Parallax rear hub. No problems since. Total bicycle weight is around 150kg
Do you have the vibration dampener for the quad lock? On my motorcycle the vibration killed the camera on my phone. I was thinking of adding a quad lock on my bicycle, but I wasn’t sure if I would need the vibration dampener.
No, don't have the vibration dampeners and so far everything is fine with our phones. But a bicycle doesn't vibrate like a motorbike with an engine does. Bicycles tend to rattle more, which of course brings other problems but at least doesn't kill the camera. Tobi did also use his phone with a Quadlock on his motorbike before the trip though, and the phone camera (iPhone 8) also survived that. So maybe the phones are also pretty robust.
For several reasons. First of all, we never intended to cycle such tough and long off-road trails before this journey, so we bought and customized our bikes to fit the type of environment we would mostly be riding. And this is mostly either asphalt or smooth dirt where a classic touring bike makes the most sense. Especially when carrying a lot of gear. Secondly, suspension (forks and shocks) need a lot of service if you want them to run smoothly for a long time, which would cost a lot when traveling for as long as we are. And, in many of the remote places we are traveling, you might not even have access to qualified technicians / bike shops who can service the suspension properly.
UPDATE: As of December 2023 we have done over 35,000 km on these bikes!
Our most recent bike review: th-cam.com/video/BuLHwpueOkw/w-d-xo.html
You live a dream. Not only you get to see those countries from non-commercial side but also your experiences and knowledge gained will give you perspective later on in your lifes.
Well, you guys are taking a big challenge to cycle around the World. But this isn't new because when I was a teenager in east Africa in Ethiopia there was a gentleman from England who rode solo in a bicycle around the World during the Vietnam war and he even visited Vietnam at that time and I remember when he said he was on his 11th bicycle since some of them where stolen in South America, maybe today times have changed. Anyway it is an adventure and you two have the right time in life to make it happen, you will remember it for all of your lives. Wish you all safety and good exploration, I will be following on your channel. Cheers to both of you.
Thank you! 😊 We are definitely not the first, many people have and are cycling around the world. And for sure times have changed, some places may have gotten safer, others more dangerous, and boarders have opened and closed over the years.
Glad someone else appreciates the horn bar ends for climbing. You get so much leverage off em and they feel so good to use uphill I was always confused as to why they died out on cross country mtb.
Yea, we really love them!
Thanks for sharing your experience with budget bikes! You are the proof that anyone can start touring with a bit of careful planning. Take care and good luck for the new set of rims!
Thanks! :)
I find much to admire in your philosophy. You seem to have found a sweet spot around riding budget but spending to maintain components. Wishing you well. :-).
Nice couple like the low key approach not fancy music and drone shots- good, down to earth information. Very good indeed.
Glad you enjoyed it 😊
I use disk brakes just so I don't wear out the rim sidewalls. Also, when braking hard downhill, the rims can heat up causing the tire pressure to go up and can cause the innertubes to explode or at least cause the tire bead to blow out. Great video. Thanks for all the detail.
Never heard of the temperature causing the tires to burst, maybe it's more of a problem with thinner tires that can't dissipate the heat as well. But the rims of course do get worn out, unfortunately!
Thanks for sharing another wonderful video! Love the “ simple is better “ philosophy just shows what you can achieve! Be safe, safe travels and look forward to your next video! Cheers 🍻
Thanks 😊
Danke für dieses wieder interessante Video in unglaublich schöner Umgebung!
Daß des nun Lousias vordere Felge war, die gebrochen ist, hat mich schon überrascht! Bin sehr froh, daß ihr neue Felgen bekommen habt!
Ihr seid halt tüchtige Fahrradmechaniker mittlerweile!
Und hoffentlich kommt ihr wieder gut zu Kräften nach der Erkrankung!
Safe travels and happiness for you both!
Danke! 😊
Посмотрите российского велотуриста Андрея Едунова, советую)).
Great video, and good advice about all details of your equipment. I admire you guys and wish you safe and joyful trip. Best of luck...
Thanks 😊
I have 2 touring flatbar bikes for 100km each way overnight rail trail touring here in Vic, Oz. I've found Mavic A-719 rims work very well, 700c x 25mm internal rim width, 36 hole, double wall, with eyeletted spoke holes. They've stayed true for over 8 years, Relatively light use vs what Tobi and Louisa get up to; but still some hammering on gravel with potholes and erosion gulleys. The rims were originally about $A115, plus $45 for XT hubs, and a local mechanic was great lacing the wheels with his French Mach-1 straight-pull spokes for $60; so about $220 tot per wheel (circa 2015 prices). Cheap bikes may economise on saddle, wheels and tyres; which fortunately can be upgraded.
Great video, lots of useful information. If you ride as many km's as you do, eventually things start to break... pedals, rims, derailleurs etc. So far you have been able to fix everything, so you made the right decisions with choosing these bikes. Maybe you are not aware, but it looks like you both lost some weight ! Not surprising, if you ride through the mountains on heavy bikes, and you were ill, if I remember correctly. But you are still going strong, that is great to see. Be careful and take care of your health, and I wish you many more exciting cycling adventures. Cheers.
Thanks! Yea, we were sick and have had some on-and-off intestinal problems for a few weeks now, so definitely lost some weight. And yea, also the hard riding the last weeks / months. But we've spent the last week in a city now and eaten a lot, so should be back at full strength again. :)
Great video to share your experiences. Greetings from Germany!
Very helpful video.. i wish someday I'll travel Around the World with my cycle
Good luck with your travels.
Very interesting! Taking care of your bikes can take you a long way. As with your second hand bikes!
In 2018 I bought a 2011 Giant Roam XR1 ('hybrid bike') which I now ride more or less as a gravel bike. Between 2011 and 2018 I do not know how many Kilometers it did, but since 2018 I've now ridden it 18.500 km. When needed I've replaced brake pads (rim brake), tires, the chain and cassette. Recently for the first time I did a brake bleed (yes, it is hydraulic). Amazingly the rear derailleur still shifts perfectly (I've actually never adjusted it apart from some trimming after changing cassettes...) It still runs so smoothly, this weekend was sunny autumn weather in the Netherlands and I did about 120km on this 11 year old bike. Love it!
Totally agreed, if you take good care of a bike and change consumable parts when needed, they essentially last forever.
@@louisaandtobi Exactly! and a step I think some people miss is to identify what are consumable parts... A broken chain or worn out cassette is not the end of a bike, but I've seen people who think it is ...
With many minor defects people are only within ~10 to 60 euro's (in EU) from a perfectly functioning bike...
That was really interesting. It's always fun to see other people's rigs are their solutions ot touring. I'm also a guitarist, and I was very interested in the guitar bag and rack. I've thought of buying a travel guitar in the past but the quality is not good enough.
Our travel guitar also isn't the best, but it's definitely good enough for what we use it. It would also maybe be a shame to take a really nice guitar on a tough journey, as the chances of it getting damage aren't too low. :D
@Rich Lowe I've seen those and definitely worth considering 👍
My transmission 3/48-38-28 and the cassette 9/11-42 works amazing
An improvement could be 3/44-32-22
Warm regards
Love the guitar but I couldn't do that for how often it would get played. I bought one of those plastic Waterman ukuleles for my Japan trip. Just strapped it to the top of my bags, didn't have to worry about it getting wet. In 6 weeks I played it maybe 5 times though.😂 At least it was small.
Great video is there a story about the rubber duck with an eight ball helmet? I also use the Redshift suspension seat post as well as the suspension stem. I have found if I am logging a lot of miles on a trip they make the ride a lot more comfortable. For my leather Brooks saddle I use a rain proof seat cover that allows trouble free rain miles. Keep rolling and thanks for taking me along.
The rubber duck with the helmet was a gift form Tobi's mom before we left... it's now our "good-luck duck" :D
I appreciate your philosophy! the KIS Theory: Keep It Simple! Thank You for sharing your experiences!
Hi!!!! I started following your channel and really liked the tips, etc, etc. Now I really became a fan of this couple to see that you also make vegetarian food!!!!! I live in the extreme south of Brazil... I'm 50 years old now and have been a vegetarian for 35... and I've always thought about traveling by bicycle through South America. I've always been a cyclist, even a competitive one... now I'm planning this trip for the next few months, and feeling even more motivated watching your videos!!!!! Are you still traveling South America? Who knows, maybe one day we'll meet on the road! Huge hug and thank you!!!!!
Hey! Great to hear you are enjoying our videos. :) Yea, we are still in South America, in the south of Peru at the moment. Sure, would be great to meet on the road somewhere. :)
You guys just popped up on my TH-cam so I watch your video 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 And now I have to watch all your old videos and do some caching up 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗. I’m looking forward to this. Thanks for sharing ✊
Nice! 😊
I purchase a bike to take to asia Montague folding bike which had rims laced with 32 spokes. It was a disaster. Many broken spokes and troubles. I have since replaced the rims with Malic rims 36 spokes. Thanks again for posting your bike videos. cheers
Just found your channel and subscribed, I love bikes and guitars.
I do play guitar to a sort of intermediate level. Great film, thank you. 👍👍👍
Very interesting video, thank you.
I would think very long and hard about changing to 1x front drivetrain, especially if you plan on doing a lot of road cycling! On a fully laden touring bike I personally wouldn’t do that. I would not be happy with the jumps between gear ratios, even with, say, an 11 - 46 cassette.
Off-road on rough tracks the jump in ratios would be less noticeable though.
It’s all personal though obviously.
The high gradation between the gears and generally lower range would be the main reason why we wouldn’t change. We haven’t decided yet, but will most likely upgrade to a 3x 10 speed instead. 😅
@@louisaandtobi I would stick to the 10sp because besides cost, 12sp chains get roughly half the life of 10sp chains, since they are thinner = less material/faster stretch. You could add a larger cassette, but that typically involves upgrading the rear derailleur. Both bikes are holding up remarkably well for what we MTB riders would call, base level components and the newly replaced rims will be well worth the expense.
Great video. I'm a cyclist myself. I commute on my bike everyday.
Gute Fahrt !
I use a one by nine gear and I think it just feels great. For some reason it feels more comfortable than the typical 3 by something gear, and I don't have to think at all, its just up and down!
A 400 euro bike to travel the world… that is so cool. abrazos desde holanda!
Thankyou. Your info is always very helpful 🫶🏻
Very good video, guys 😊 Thanks for all the information. 👍 Those panniers are NOT cheap 😮
I would stick with the triple chainring. Also, if you have a chance, check out the Surly Cro-Moly racks. I busted my stock aluminum rear rack on my Trek 920 in the windy Navajo desert of Arizona. I switched to the steel Surly rack. It's a tad heavier but way more robust. I ran 44/33/22 in the front and 10(11-42) in the rear. It was way better than the stock 43/28 & 11-36. Happy trails.
very good bicycle long adventure tour
Wie ich schon im ersten Video erwähnt habe.... das einzige was die alten Rahmen nicht wirklich hergeben sind die Scheibenbremsen. Die durchgebremsten Felgenflanken können wirklich zum Problem werden (Tatsächlich sind die modernen Mavic Felgen dafür bekannt, relativ schnell zu verschleißen)......
Passt auf Euch auf. Gute Reise!
Thanks for posting, I'm looking into getting a journey travel guitar. The neck removes making it easier to transport on the bike. I have used a Martin travel guitar when traveling in Europe and Asia but that guitar is not a full size guitar. I really enjoy your bikes and always look forward to seeing your next video. Thanks for posting and enjoy your adventure.
The Journey travel guitars look really good, also the carbon fiber one. Do you have any experience with the sound of a carbon fiber guitar?
@@louisaandtobi Yes, Ive played a friends guitar and I like the sound. It doesn't have the earthy sound of a wooden guitar but the guitar I played was loud. I like the fact that the carbon fiber will have less of chance of warping in the extremes temperatures of sitting on the back of a bike. All the best in south america enjoy your adventure.
Another great video :)
Good philosophy! Chains cassettes etc from Shimano are super reliable (Deore), available, serviceable.
I think it was a wise descision to change all the rims, they are a wearable part of the braking system. And even if you had disc brakes they might develop cracks due to overloading and fatigue, so don't only blame your brakes.
Yea, it was definitely the right decision. 😊
Grim scratch brakes. LOL. What a farce.
My first SA XL-FDD dyno DRUM brake now has 29,000 miles has been absolutely perfect in any weather, with ZERO fuss or worry. Impossible to break. My Dyad rims with 700 x 36 mm tires are not so great for those rocky hell roads, I don't want to go there anyway.
My Rohloff14 has a cable TRP Spyre , stops on a dime too. I did 2 tours total 8,100 miles total weight about 290 lbs. No problem except the first fork was weak and broke 3 times. It's a custom bike like NO other.
My rim brakes/rims lasted 23000km, eventually the wet dirt roads led to the rims being very worn out, left them in ushuaia. All the way on 700c 32, with cantilevers
If you do a 1 x 11/12 ='s less maintenance/mechanic failure concerns and KMC bicycle chains are really good. As for brakes; Avid BB7's lhave strong and reliable braking power (if you decide to do disc brake system). These are not hydraulic but mechanical disc brakes (less maintenance). Germany has made an IGH called 3 x 3 (9-speed) which is supposed to be virtually indestructible. I am not sure if they are available through Europe yet but was informed they will come to USA in Spring of 2023 and they are about 20% the cost of the Rohloff IGH rear hub. ( around 200-300.00 range). Happy traveling :) There are also eyelet adapters that work with your rear axle. I am not sure about your tent, but these brands are good and lightweight too; Kelty, MSR, Big Agnes, Marmot, and Sierra Designs. (they are fairly priced too). Splined bottom brackets are reliable and have better pedaling power output compared to square bottom brackets. There are a lot of new innovations when it comes to camping and bike touring gear, I hope when you too have spare time you will do research as TH-cam often shares on upcoming new camp/outdoor gear on this website. MTB (mountain bike) wheel rims are solid some good brands are Mavic and WTB.
The simplicity of 1x 11/12 speed setups is the main reason we are considering them, although we may of course sacrifice some range / lower gradation between the gears. We've had a couple of KMC chains and they've been good, although we haven't notice any difference to Shimano / SRAM chains except the price.
Mechanical disc brakes would probably be the best solution, but unfortunately our old frames can't fit them, maybe on our next bikes. :)
Louisa has a new rear rack now with eyelet adapters so it sits on the axle, and so far its working great.
Greetings from Cali Colombia South America
One of my bucket list ❤❤❤ awesome ❤❤❤
Did the pan American on a 79 Japanese built shogun, I converted it to cantilever and 700c ran marathon plus 32s (the narrowest tyres of anyone I met. Also using lx components, great for touring Love my tubas racks. Cracked the rear wheel in baja california, rebuilt it in Mexico City, broke one spoke in equador, but I think it was damaged on the boat from Panama to Colombia as it broke at the nipple. Wheels lasted all the way south, but we're very concave at the end. My headset bearings collapsed right as I rolled into ushuaia. Brought most of the bike back with me and have rebuilt it, a few changes, took it to Korea a few years ago
Changes were. Went a couple teeth lower and higher on my crank, maxed out the speed a couple times. Slightly shorter stem, a bit more upright. Cantilevers to v brakes, they grab quite a bit better. Some interupter levers on the bars for upright braking off the hoods. That's about it. I'm honestly going to convert it from 9 speed to 8 speed at some point. 8 speed chains were available everywhere, 9 speed was kinda hard to track down, it was actually easier to get modern 10 or 11 speed stuff as that was carried anywhere sport cycling was popular
Thanks for the insight, very interesting! We’ve actually also often found it easier to get newer 11x or 12x components than 10x, 9x, etc.
It needs a lot of efforts . Absolutely stunning man you might have steel legs .Hats off to you
Well informative good luck 👍
my greetings from Greece. Congratulations
Thanks for sharing I like your videos.
I advise you to visit the Arab countries. It will be the most beautiful moment in your life. You will find generosity and good reception in a city or village, especially in rural areas. I am watching your channel for the first time, something beautiful and interesting,♥️♥️🌹🌹
We plan to cycle through the Middle East at some point. 😊
Super interessant! Danke!
I guys. Horacio from Canada. One thing I would like to tell you. But I think is a little too late. In Trujillo (by the sea) there is , LA CASA DEL CICLISTA. They tender to all that trvels thru, and provide all kinds of parts and knowledge also places to stay. Is not that far from Lima but is quiet a journey. Anyway nice to follow you, specialy from now that you are getting close to the country of my birth. Good luck and good winds.
Thanks for the info! 😊
I got a Rohloff Speed Hub, it has been perfect and i now have over 15k miles on it.. The key is to remember to change the oil at the same time once a year.. I have my mechanics set it up to get the tension correct/balances on the cables.. Love it.. Most dependable internal gear hub...
Great video :)
You know 😅 everything about the bikes. It helps you a lot 😊
Can you make a video about your maintenance on tour? E.g. How do you keep your rim brakes clean in muddy/rainy conditions? How do you clean your drivetrain, etc.?
Yea, we’re planning to do a video like this in the future. 😊
Nice idea to use poles to prop the bike when parked! Are they ski poles?
Trekking poles :)
I like the grips and dynamo.
Just found your channel....Very nice👍🏻
excellent video how did attach the front rack to the fork
Really good tips
I did several long tours many years ago. My set up was not that much different other than much of the equipment has definitely improved. However one question I have is why did you not go for mountain bikes? I always figured if I did another long tour that is what I would use. My last tour (I guess it was 30 years ago now - I’m getting old!) I used a mountain bike to travel a rather rugged road in northern Canada. It worked very well. For my longer tours on what was then a touring bike, I always went with the racing bike handle bars. Lots of hand positions for the easy riding and we’re great for the tough climbs.
The main reason we didn't choose mountain bikes for this tour was their complexity. Mountain bikes, especially modern ones, have suspension forks / shocks that need to be serviced regularly, hydraulic brakes that can break, etc. This would amount to a lot of extra service over the time we're traveling. Furthermore, we didn't really plan to cycle so much off road before our journey, so mountain bikes wouldn't have necessarily made sense for the roads we were mostly planning to cycle.
For future tours, especially more off road / trails with less gear, we will definitely get some form of mountain / trail bike though.
@@louisaandtobi Good point. The mountain bike I used had nothing fancy on it. Just wider tires and generally a more rugged design for the route I was doing. And back in those days, most of the mountain bikes still had steel frames.
I noticed that there were teeth on the freewheel and on the jockey wheels of the rear derailleur were worn to a point.
You may need to change chain and gears perhaps crank also, soon.
I really like and appreciate your detailed and knowledgeable review.
Yea, the derailleur pulleys are really worn out unfortunately, just a lot of kms on them already. We replaced chains and cassettes in Lima now, and wanted to replace the pulleys as well but couldn’t find any for our old derailleurs. We will probably upgrade to more modern derailleurs at some point soon.
@@louisaandtobi lx derailleur? It's actually cheaper to just buy a whole new one, tho I did replace the ones on mine
You're living my dream!!?👍👍🇨🇦🇨🇦
SHIMANO bottom bracket BB-UN26 is a good one.
It is not recommended to ride 1x11 or 1x12 - chains and sprockets are too narrow, and is good to have the 22 teeth chainwheel. You might think of a SHIMANO Altus Shadow rear derailleur and a "Goa Link" plus a cassette 11-42 or 11-46 teeth - all of course a question of availability. But these parts make climbing easy.
Best rims RYDE Andra40.
Which rear hubs do you have?
A wise decision that you chose not too complex parts, it's much less hassle if something breaks - and not too expensive.
Thanks for the insights! 😊 Tobi has a Deore LX rear hub and Louisa one from the company “Sachs”.
A nice humble functional build, how was that Hercules frame so expensive, 500eur seemed to much
Maybe it was a bit on the expensive side, but it also came with some good components! 😊
@@louisaandtobi it's not a bad frame I just thought they were cheaper
I love your channel, but i have to ask why did you remove video/review of IGS320 (link as well)? I hope that the new computer was not the reason for moving the video (IGS didnt bought you??? :( ). Because so far you have seemed really sincere to me. Otherwise you have an excellent channel!! keep going!!
Hey, we're just constantly cleaning up our channel a bit and removing videos that not so relevant anymore. 😊
Great...thanks for making a nice video....Ive done a lot of cycle touring and drover expedition trucks ascross south america...I would always pull over and feed 'you guys'....on the road...cable discs these days are pretty good....but i wouldnt personally recommend a 1x system....big ratio jumps..very expensive cassettes...very thin chains...and with the added flex of a steel frame small tolerance between gears can cause a lot of jumping on cassette....I had great experince with 3x9 and 3x10 but wouldnt go beyond that...its not like you will feel the weight saving!....anyway...much love to you both..
Yea, the big gear jumps are the main reason we probably wouldn’t change. 😊
@@louisaandtobi I run a 1x10 on a titanium rigid mtb with carbon fork and its great...(38 front.....11 to 16 rear).....limited top speed but its just a fun bike on the steep hills around me (near wales)...but my heavy steel touring bike which I go shopping on is 3x10....22..34..44....11 to 36 on rear....its seen me through many countries....fully laden...around 60kg...now way would i want a 1x on that....just not suitable....anyway...have fun.....
whoops.....11 to 36 rear cassette on both.....ive toured with rum brakes all over asia...but now have cable discs....they work very well.....i used avid bb7s......3 sets of spare pads dont take up much space and both pads are adjustable......saves grinding down rims.....in wet and muddy conditions that noise of pads on rims always worried me......though I never had a rim crack......some cheap replacement pads are very abrasive....and can ruin a rim in just a few ks......you may enjoy banjos......up near the hot springs theres an old american guy/shaman who runs a massage place.....very interesting fellow!
Warm greetings from The Special Territory of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Tobi and Louisa. Come and visit our Regency when you plan to have a tour in Indonesia. There are lots of historical places to visit including The Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, The Borobudur and Prambanan temples.
We are planning to come to Indonesia at some point. :)
Hello, thank you for another very informative video. I have been looking on your website for the brand of pedals that you are using and seemed to have had very little issues with, but can't find any info. on them. Please could you tell the brans please. Thank you.
They are from a brand called ZTTO, Chinese as far as we know. We picked them up in Ecuador.
articulo.mercadolibre.cl/MLC-1037049122-pedal-ztto-nylon-rosado-cpines-mtbikecl-_JM?matt_tool=87690244&matt_word=&matt_source=google&matt_campaign_id=14571109164&matt_ad_group_id=138058099582&matt_match_type=&matt_network=g&matt_device=m&matt_creative=619545417482&matt_keyword=&matt_ad_position=&matt_ad_type=pla&matt_merchant_id=356508380&matt_product_id=MLC1037049122&matt_product_partition_id=1963292896204&matt_target_id=pla-1963292896204&gbraid=0AAAAADxxu6qCTUPxQmZ1bssYcr12DdkB1&gclid=CjwKCAjwjMiiBhA4EiwAZe6jQ2Grx215T7sqFHJ3SlrLnassbOtNgTEzQGWuojjVdrysv5QY7gKO9hoClskQAvD_BwE
Hello from Brazil. I have been following your adventure for a few months now. I am also an enthusiastic of bike turing... if you guys have plan to come to Brazil, let me know. I will be glad to help you here in Belo Horizonte, state of Minas Gerais.
Thanks for the invite! 😊
You didn't say what rims you changed to, but ryde andra and ryde sputnik ( andra with eyelets) are known for being strong and durable, though they are fairly heavy, if that's an issue. I can't see why it would be though.
We changed to "Shining MT-46" rims, the only good 36 spoke rims we found in Lima at the time. But they're holding up well. 😊
Amazing review, thanks for share
What about your cassette relation ?
Take care friends 😁
40-30-22T and a 34-11 cassette :)
You should come back to the US for summer.
What brand are your feed bags. Thanks
May I ask what size panniers you have on front forks? And would you go smaller? Thanks for your video.
Tobi has the Ortlieb “Sport Roller” and Louisa the “Back Roller” at the front. The Sport Rollers are definitely better suited for being at the front and is a good size.
i really enjoyed your video I am 71 i used to ride and I am getting a used bike tomorrow it a Marin 4 Corners triple ring Steel frame it comes with flared drop bars should i just convert it to a flat bar what are you thoughts
We don't have enough experience with drop bars to really compare, but for touring we don't really see the big benefit of drop bars.
I could advise a 1x11 or 1x12 drivetrain, it is so much easier cycling and more reliable.
Nope. Less range and bigger gaps in gear ratios. Also 11/12 speed chains are narrower and don't last like 9 speed drivetrain.
Was ein stolzer Meilenstein. Einfach zwanzigtausend Kilometer!
Why do you put a elastic band sort of wrapping around the rear brake lever? What is the purpose of that ??? Opps sorry I just watched your another early bike review video and the elastic band was used to keep the bike from moving away !!!
very interesting.
I am also bike lover because it is good for health and also friendly environment. I want to have bike like that as remembrance from you sir.
I would not go to a 1x system. You won't have the gear inches the 3x system will give you. Also the chains and cassettes won't last as long. Looked into the 1x system but decided against it. I run a 3x system still, down to 22-34. Enjoy your trip
Most likely we also won't change to a 1x, but mainly for the reason that the gradation between gears is greater.
I have a Wheeler too😀okay, mine is a electrical VTT
Welcome to Thailand
Hello Louisa & Tobi, my wife and I love you guys' adventures but admire even more your courage and perseverance. It is our dream to do something like that, but the longest bike ride/touring we have done in one trip was 264 miles crossing Florida State from cost-to-coast. You guys are awesome. I do have one question if I may and it is regarding the recording of your videos. I also use a GoPro on my steering wheel but I get a lot of noise from the bike metal parts and I can hear even the gear changing and all. How do you do have the sound on your videos so pure and clean even when Louisa is moving the camera towards her and back to the front? Just curious.
Thank you and take care guys. Looking forward to the next videos.
Hey! Glad you are enjoying our videos and sorry for the late answer. :) We use a combination of a GoPro Handlebar Mount and SP Gadgets Swivel Mount to attach our GoPros to our handlebars. In between the Handlebar Mount and the handlebar we have a little piece of rubber which dampens the vibrations from the bike a bit. But, most importantly, we use GoPro "Media-Mods" for our GoPros which add a better, external microphone to the GoPro, not only generally giving better audio quality but also filtering / dampening out vibrations, etc.
Thank you for your reply with the tips.
You a guys are AWESOME!!!! My wife and I just watched you guys riding thru the salt in Bolivia. Crazy…
great video!!! ey one question how heavy is your bike not loaded?
Thanks!!!
The bikes weight about 17-18 kg, with guitar rack and empty bottles.
I'd rather afraid of the the 1 by drivetrain (on remote places) than a decent hydraulic (shimano) disc brake set. :)
The chain jumping is not because of the spring retention but about the worn and destroyed chain and cassette. Keep your chain dry out side and lubed inside. You only need a rag and some chain lube.
If you want long lasting pedals buy anything from shimano.
If you want better and cheaper phone holder look for spigen gearlock. As good quality as the "blue" one you have and easier to mount and unmount the phone.
Why would you be afraid of a 1x drivetrain in remote places? It's exactly the same as a 3x, just with one derailleur / shifter less, so actually less that can go wrong... If you listen to what we say carefully, we don't say that the chain is jumping, the actual whole derailleur pulls itself to the front, so its most likely the spring retention. Especially because this also happens in mud / water / rain even when the chain is new.
Hi Guys, are you using walking poles as a bike stand.? Now tgats looks a great way to keep your bike off the ground.
Yea, we are! 😊
You need a complete inspection, tune-up and complete crank-chain-deraileur change. Go to a MicroShift 10X1. 😊
Friction downtube shifters or thumbies would be more reliable than trigger shifters. On top of that, friction shifters are compatible with SRAM, Campy, and Shimanos. I would not recommend a 1X setup will require esoteric parts, especially the rear derailleur that can accommodate 40ish or even 50ish and hard-to-find cassettes whose largest cogs. Those cassettes and rear derailleurs are the mainstay of high-end mountain bikes and can only be found in high-end shops. The 3x with 22 lowest chainring is the ideal drive train. You can increase your largest cassette cog to 36 and if your wheels are 26", that'll give you something like 18 gear inches.
To be honest our trigger shifters have been super reliable. The rear shifter that broke on Tobi’s bike already came second hand with it, so no saying how many thousands of kms it’s done.
We probably won’t end up changing to a 1x, it was just a thought, but not for the reason that parts wouldn’t be available. Before this journey we also thought that “high-end” components like Shimano Deore XT 1x or other 1x systems wouldn’t be available everywhere, and even if that once was the case, we haven’t found it to be true. Here in South America, and all the places we’ve cycled before, even smaller, more rudimentary bike shops will have pretty high-end stuff.
@@louisaandtobi every biggish city will have the high end shops, but in my experience through Albania, Romania, Turkey, and Mexico, once you get to the villages or more remote areas that make the trips more adventurous, the high-end shops disappear and you're left with bike shops that have rim brakes, 8-speed chains, and 26" or 700c tubes and tires. We had an incident in Romania where one of our companions had a 1x setup and his derailleur snapped via a branch in single track area. We converted to a single speed and hobbled through the forest into town. However in order to fix it, he had to miss a few days of nice riding by taking the train back to the biggish town. In Mexico, if the town is above 100k residents, then you can find these shops, otherwise it's all about 26" tires and rim brakes (especially V-brakes). This is just my experience within these countries. I've also been to Colombia like you and there were no issues there since the country is cycling obsessed. I take "around the world" to include these more interesting off-the-beaten path countries where cycling culture is not mature.
@@ZenoLee0 Sure, there are still enough bike shops out there that don't have high-end components, which is exactly the reason we have our bikes setup the way they are. But it's getting less. In Peru now, for example, where we've spent the last 2000+ km cycling off road and backroads, the problem was more finding any bike shop than finding a well equipped one. All the bike shops we came across in Peru had 1x drivetrains. And our experiences were similar in Turkey & Mexico.
Furthermore, the likelihood of a catastrophic drivetrain failure is pretty low, so from our experience, we'd have no concerns about taking a 1x setup into more remote areas. In fact, only having one derailleur / shifter even makes the setup more reliable, as there are simply less components. The main reason we wouldn't change to a 1x is simply the reduce range / increased steps between the gears.
You can re weld that eyelet fram
Yea, we thought about it, but we decided that putting the rack on the axle is the safer solution.
@@louisaandtobi yes it is but the problem if you want to puncture the rear wheel need to remove whole bags and language.
just to say i use the REDSHIFT ShockStop Suspension very good indeed you wont go far wrong with this expensive but you paid for what you get
Thanks for the insight! :)
Steel flexes more than Aluminium or Carbon??
Yea... steel is actually very flexible. Depending on the type of frame an aluminum or carbon frame is very stiff.
Hello from French Switzerland, I have successfully converted my belt-driven travel bike with V-breaks rim brakes. It was not easy but with a steel frame, you can also weld the system. For me, who does a lot of downhill with a load, the traditional V-breaks with BBB Tristops compounds are the best, they brake a little harder when it rains but I can easily loosen the cable if necessary. As for sticky plastic handles, I can't stand them. It's really rubbish and moreover it's unhealthy because these products penetrate our body. I replaced them with a synthetic product (imitation of wood) which does not stick and remains very durable (I can wash and brush them). Otherwise, I was lucky enough to find some real, beautiful profiled wood. It would have been expensive for me to have them made by a cabinetmaker. But real wood is so pleasant, e.g. when it's cold, it feels like the handles are warm... And above all, the wood doesn't move (over 10 years old). For the gearbox, I chose the cheapest Shimano which does not contain oil and which is in the hub (belt system). I have 8 speeds and that's fine, that's enough. I had bought everything used 10 years ago, and I still have this system that holds. The belt = no noise, at night it is very pleasant to approach wildlife 😊 No dirt, no special maintenance and it has a lifespan of at least more than 5 chains. So, when you have tasted the belt, there is no going back. There are still e-bikes with belt and V-breaks but only one brand does it. For the pedals, I chose the Shimano XT (a must) which are very wide and you can pedal barefoot (if you unscrew the spikes). You can pass a Velcro strap that pre-vents the foot from slipping forward. Finally, I recommend a fluorescent stick attached to a fenix flashlight. It allows you to see yourself from very far away, to fix it anywhere despite the bags and panniers. In addition, you can change the battery and it is versatile. Good road ^^
Thanks for the insight! We will most likely also switch to belt drive on our next bikes and on tours closer to home where it's easier to get replacements. The wood grips are a nice idea, we'll have to try that out at some point! :)
The water bottle can be used as a weapon to scare away the dogs. 😂
Spokes are breaking because of rim is deforming and cutting them off
I had to replace rim with new Herbert Rim and old-new 36T Parallax rear hub. No problems since. Total bicycle weight is around 150kg
i am about to reach 20k for about 4 years commuting from home to work yeah man
Nice! 😊
Not having a double wall rim with 36 spokes!?
What could possibly go wrong? :)
Yea, the single wall rim came with the bike, not ideal. But we’ve meanwhile exchanged all our rims, and upgraded it to a double wall.
Do you have the vibration dampener for the quad lock? On my motorcycle the vibration killed the camera on my phone. I was thinking of adding a quad lock on my bicycle, but I wasn’t sure if I would need the vibration dampener.
No, don't have the vibration dampeners and so far everything is fine with our phones. But a bicycle doesn't vibrate like a motorbike with an engine does. Bicycles tend to rattle more, which of course brings other problems but at least doesn't kill the camera. Tobi did also use his phone with a Quadlock on his motorbike before the trip though, and the phone camera (iPhone 8) also survived that. So maybe the phones are also pretty robust.
@@louisaandtobi Thanks for your thoughts. I have an iPhone 12 and and I had to replace the camera twice.
why don't you have some suspension on those bikes?
For several reasons. First of all, we never intended to cycle such tough and long off-road trails before this journey, so we bought and customized our bikes to fit the type of environment we would mostly be riding. And this is mostly either asphalt or smooth dirt where a classic touring bike makes the most sense. Especially when carrying a lot of gear. Secondly, suspension (forks and shocks) need a lot of service if you want them to run smoothly for a long time, which would cost a lot when traveling for as long as we are. And, in many of the remote places we are traveling, you might not even have access to qualified technicians / bike shops who can service the suspension properly.