I can't even ride a bike, but I love watching both of you and your wonderful travels. I applaud your knowledge of all the components of your bikes. You are both brilliant!! Thank you for sharing your life with me. I am disabled (spine) so I don't get around too good. I know what titanium is....I have artificial joints, a titanium cage in my spine. Body hardware I can tell you stories about. LOL I have a titanium internal pain pump in my left lower abdomen and a titanium battery in my left hip that runs my internal spinal cord stimulator. Those to components help me with my daily pain. Take good care of your spine and joints. Blessings from above!! ❤😀
Thank you so so much for sharing your story, it means a lot to us❤️We are very happy you enjoy our videos and find them interesting😊We are sorry to hear about your pain and challenges. But also fascinating to hear the ways that technology can help you! We hope you are having a great day! Love from Senegal❤️
This is my dream for the past 30 years. After retirement, my son and I will pick up backpacks and travel around the world on bicycles. Because we also like travelling and cycling. Thank you for sharing the excellent travel experience when travelling through saharra.
Hello Nomad's Trails: Thank you for this great video about good touring bicycle equipment. Good rides for another 9 years!:-) I'm riding up to 30'000 kilometers a year alldays and touring on a regular bike. I've had more or less all components/group sets from Shimano. Tourney, Altus, Acera, Alivio, Deore, LX, XT and XTR. Also: Sora, Claris, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra and Dura-Ace. Only the "Revoshifter" fell apart, but besides of that no issues. If one is passionate about bicycle parts, one has to have Shimano XTR. It is very, very good. But for example the rear derailleur costs 10 times more as the Altus one - and is not 10 times better. If one wants to do many, many kilometers: the more steel is on the parts, the longer it lasts. Crank sets: Especially the cheap ones from Shimano (Altus, Acera, Alivio and so on) with steel chainrings last forever. Bottom brackets: SKF 600 series is great, but costs around EURO 150,-, but I've never had an issuse with the shimano ones: BB-UN55, 26 and 100, which are way less expensive. Do I have the choice, I don't put Octalink or Hollowtech II. Or Hollowtech II with a bottom bracket from Chris King, Hope etc.. But the standard ones, the 4 edge bottom bracket, are just great compared to the price. Hubs: Shimano hubs are fine, from the cheapest to the highest. I ride the cheap ones. Inside the hubs is more or less the same. Once there are well greased and adjusted, they roll and roll and.... Brakes: V-Brakes are the best. Everything counted: price, brake power, reliability, durability and maintenance. Cantilevers work good too, but the adjustment can be complicated. The brake power of disc brakes is super, but in general too many issues. Derailleurs rear and front : From the cheapest to the most expensive all Shimano one work fine. I prefer 7 or 8 speed (cassette, chainrings, chain..), because it lasts way longer than 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 speed. It is more durable. I swear on Shimanos HG 40 7/8 speed chain. Enough grease and oil on parts like the chain, the cassette, the chainrings, the wheels of the rear derailleur are very important. Motorex is the best grease and oil that I know. Rims: Ryde Sputnik or Andra 30 or 40 are the best ones. The tyre Schwalbe Marathon Plus is all in all the best for me. But: The good old normal Marathon made almost 20'000 kilometer, the new Marathon Plus ones wear out at about 3'000 kilometers. Schwalbe might have found out that the most of the customers do the 3'00 kilometers in years. So it works for the majority of the customers. Schwalbe tubes are the best in my opinion. Rohloff and Pinon are fantastic! But who really needs it? Shimanos derailleur systems work great. For one Rohloff or Pinion one can buy many, many, many Shimano parts. If you wanna go uphill, you need the right gear, for example 22 teeth chain ring front, 34 teeth rear. Or 32 t. front, 52 t. rear. The right gear (22x34, 32x52 t.) is very important, the group set is not so important. Cycling is not about group sets and parts, the most important thing is that you pedal as much as you can. It doesn't matter if you have Tourney or Dura-Ace on your bicycle as long as you go cycling. The whole discussion about bicycle parts is extremely overrated. One can experience good tours and rides on a bicycle for EURO 600,- with Shimano Acera on it, no problem. If you wanna do something good for your body and soul, if you wanna lose weight, burn fat, get muscles and a good strong heart and see the beauty of the world, then go cycling. It is one of the best activities and sports that you can do. Avoid E-Bikes, because no body training on a E-Bike. You just betray yourself. Stay away from it. And you don't safe the energy and the resources of the world. You just create new problems with the batteries, the recycling and the exploiting of the resources. If you wanna do an effective-efficient training, then cycle uphill on a normal bicycle. You breath, you sweat, your pulse goes higher - all very good for your body. And: You get mentally fit. Nomad' Trails, you are a very great inspiration!
Hello Angelo, thank you so much for your useful comment and sharing your idea with us. it was very nice to read your comment, a lots of good informations! with 100% agree with your idea about Bottom Bracket! 😊🙌🏽
Ah yes those bike are dirty to the grit meaning it served it's owners well running thousands of miles of treacherous road and daily abuse and still works fine.
I am a new sub from this video. Of all the bikes I have seen on RUclips this is the most practical one ever. Great work. Looking forward to seeing more from your family. Thumbs up from Kentucky mountains U.S.A
I think if I were riding around the world for 10 years I would want bikes with lower maintenance needs. Sorry but derailleur transmissions are high maintenance and they need constant cleaning and lubricating which can be a real PITA if you are riding every day in crappy conditions. Ultimately what you buy is determined by your budget. If you have a larger budget then you can afford better equipment. Not saying you still can't go bike touring on an old second hand bike, you can, but having better more durable equipment reduces the likelihood of your tour being cut short as your bike is knackered. For me it would be a proper touring expedition bike with either a Rohloff hub or Pinion gearbox with either belt drive or chain with a full chain guard. Expensive but the maintenance is far lower than cheaper options. I have the Surly Nice front rack. Very strong, but it's heavy around 1.5kg with all the mounting brackets and bolts. I prefer either Tubus Tara or Ergo low loader front rack or my current favourite Specialised Pizza rack which has nice large front shelf and side rails for mounting panniers. It is strong and light. 13mm tubing. Really like those collapsible click stands you use to support your bikes. As well as charging with your front Son dynamo hub, do you have solar panels as well? Surly LHT is a very capable touring bike. If you want a stiffer frame then perhaps aluminium frame is better in this respect - such as Koga make. I have both Surly Troll and LHT with Rohloff hubs and both are very good, very low maintenance and reliable. I too like you built them myself and didn't spend 3000€ on either of them, probably the price for both of them. But the most important thing is get a bike that FITS. Very thorough review. Thank you. Fair winds to you.
You are welcome Alex😊For us the maintenance is not a problem actually, we clean our drive train once or twice a week and don't mind doing it, it takes around 5 minutes for both bicycles. We did the same across the Sahara where our drivetrains were covered in sand and the derailleur system worked, no problem. You can follow our chain performance here: nomadstrails.com/follow-our-chain-wear/ I also copy our answer to another comment about Rohloff, I hope you don't mind: "Our philosophy is to have components on our bicycles which are durable and spare parts available around the world. We want to be able to service and fix it in middle on nowhere ourself. Rohloff doesn't fit in this category, we were uncomfortable with the fact that if a Rohloff breaks down we cannot fix it. Also dealing with post and sending packages back and forward, waiting for the mail. It can become a problem since our visas might not last for all that time. Plus the cost of all this waiting, also add the chance of having difficulties with the custom of the country. This is just not something for us on our trip. Even if both of the hubs would run smoothly for ten years we still need to arrange the oils for our oil changes. We have heard good and some bad stories about Rohloff on multi year tours. We really couldn't find a reason why not to go with a derailleur system? This system really works, it only needs to be cleaned. But so does the chain anyway. At some point when we are in Europe we would like to try it, but we wouldn't take it out of Europe for many years at a time." We do have solar panels and we really love them. We are almost independent from grid electricity since we arrived to the African continent, thanks to the strong sun! We do prefer steel frames and we are happy with our frames, Peyman had an aluminium touring bicycle for few years and it did the job, too. We prefer steel because it is much easier to find welding machine to weld steel. The braze-on threads also last better. You got a good deal on your bicycles🙌🏽We really like the philosophy of the Surly Troll frame, it is very versatile. Totally agree with you that the fit is the single most important factor with the bicycle. We wish you all the best and see you on the road! 😊
All good points but derailleur gears are available worldwide. I read an account of a chap doing a world tour on a Rohloff bike. He loved it until he had a hub failure in a remote part of the world. There wasn't an agent in the country so he had to ship the hub back to Germany. The repair was done free of charge but it held him up for 2 weeks. I'm sure it's rare for this to happen, certainly rarer than problems with a derailleur but if you're going off the beaten track I'd go for the simple option.
@@colinwellman9480 Well I beg to differ. One person, just one person you read an account of on the internet and the product is totally fooked. It's a useless pile of crap AVOID!!! What do you know about the exact cause of the problem with the Rohloff speed hub and was it owner inflicted or the wheel in which the hub was built was not built correctly. If Rohloff's instructions are followed the hub itself and the wheel build should be very very strong. Many owners have covered huge distances on their Rohloff Speedhubs. I have ridden almost 50,000 trouble free kms on my Rohloff hubs. The chains last huge distances as I have only replaced the chain once a KMC X1 for the Rohloff Speed hub. I have a full chain guard to keep it and the rest of the bike clean. How many problems do people have with derailleur transmissions? Many is the answer. Most people at some point on a long tour. Yes they are simple, low cost to manufacture and pretty crude open systems. Ok some are made of better materials than others, better specs, some are way more expensive, give way better shifting and then there is Di2 electronic shifting as well. And yes parts are available world wide, but to pretend you will be able to get the exact same replacement part for the one that has broken where ever you are is fantasy. You will be cursing that you gave your bike to some idiot who packed it poorly in the back of a bus mashing your derailleur or you take a tumble on a trail and it makes contact with a rock, bam smashed! Derailleur systems can be way more problematic than Rohloff speed hubs. Period. I have ridden Rohloff hubs for about 5 years now. I never ever hear criticism negative feedback from any one who actually owns a Rohoff hub. All seem to be pretty happy bunnies. Criticism always seems to come from people who don't own a Rohloff or some one who read something on the internet. Those who have never actually ever experienced riding with one let alone owning one. If your prized derailleur system which you got for a song in the end of season sale fails, Mr Shimano or Miss SRAM are not going to repair it free of charge gratis. Oh no. You are going to have to buy new and pay the going rate where ever you are for something that is likely to fail 100km down the road if fitted by a cack handed mechanic in a local bike shop if you are unable to do the work yourself unlike these guys here who can at least assemble and dis-assemble their bikes. For me it is Rohloff. I have toured many thousands of miles with mine trouble free - Europe, China and Australia. I used to ride with bikes with derailleur transmissions, but the maintenance became a very loathsome chore, not to mention the cost of replacing cassettes and chains too often, chain rings and derailleur jockey wheels when they wore out. Not to mention all the crap the open system would throw all over the rear wheel a fine grinding paste of lube, mud, grit, dust and shit. The elephant in the room is cost. For many the cost of a Rohloff speedhub is too high. I realise people have different budgets. My first Rohloff hub I really scrimped and saved to afford it, but so glad I did as it has paid for itself by the extremely low maintenance. All the time I used to spend cleaning and lubing the derailleur transmission is now my time to do other things to ride more. The oil changes are a breeze to do normally doing 2 each year maybe 3 depending on how many miles I have ridden. I recognise that people have different means. I am fortunate that I can now afford nicer kit, but I remember the times when I couldn't. But to simply say something is unreliable because one person on the internet might or might not have had a problem is bonkers. Quite a few people have had problems with derailleur transmissions meaning bodged repairs or fitting something of poor quality that will soon fail. For many the problems have been terminal meaning end of tour or new bike. The other favourite is worn out knackered rims from rim brakes although these guys are using CSS hardened rims which are very durable. Personally I prefer hydraulic disc brakes as the performance is so much better in wet grotty conditions than rim brakes. Sorry but they are. So my idea of an ideal touring expedition bike would be beyond the budget of most people. I am lucky and fortunate that I can afford to build one or buy one. I have two bikes with Rohloff hubs. I realise they are expensive and because of this many people cannot justify the cost so try to disguise this by finding the one person on the internet who has ever had a problem. I think if cost wasn't an issue for many, even more long distance cycle tourers would be using Rohloff speed hubs. I wish I had bought mine sooner than I did.
A 2018 participant in the Trans America Bike Race used a Rohlof hub and was happy with it until it started to south on him halfway across Kansas. He was unable to get the minor repair done. The device eventually failed just outside of Pittsburgh Kansas where he was stuck for upwards of 2 weeks waiting for parts. No, derailleur is still the way to go.
@@57ccrider You don't give any detail your anecdotal story why or what caused the Rohloff hub to fail and you certainly don't make any sense. What does "started to south on him" mean? RAAM is a very long distance endurance road race. I would point out that Rohloff never designed their hub to be used in a race scenario, and have that from Rohloff themselves, but providing it was used and maintained correctly I don't doubt that it could cope. Was the failure on this occasion down to the owner or a mechanical defect? When you know the full picture let me know. Rather than wait 2 seeks why didn't the competitor just get another bike? I have ridden 50k trouble free kms on Rohloff equipped bikes. Maybe derailleurs are for you, but not no longer for me. Do you actually own a Rohloff hub or have any experience of them or just trawling the internet to find the few cases where people claim to have had problems. It is a bit disingenuous as you do and others like your NEVER give any detail, just use these second third or fourth hand accounts to discredit the hub. It has been 100% reliable for me.
Sound solidly built fixable. Have touring mountain bike Reynolds 653 tubing XT mostly. But have Grip shift with Magura Tomac brakes. Went from cantilever to hydraulics....WoW fully loaded fast as possible downhill, Awesome power. Never needed any work on brakes in five years of use. 😊
Peyman and Matilda, wow, very impressive creativity and knowledge went into the selection of your framesets, components, and accessories to meet the needs of your grueling touring! Thank you for this excellent information!
...loads of really great stuff here. Just finished my 6000k (Camping wild) around the Iberian Peninsula and a bit of Morocco, too. I actually found that a 3-4ft piece of bamboo comes in handy as a stand, and also a good tent peg! Baby wipes were a great essential, too. My bike(Bikes) were all very cheap at $150. But I agree that a bike seat is essential, and make sure you lock it to the bike. Helmet is another essential, and many cyclist wear a base ball cap as well, underneath...Always stock up on water. At least 3 litres before the journey. And try setting off earlier. Especially around winter time. A solar pannel is a real must, so too, internet access. Usually cheap in many places...Of use Decathlon, Mc Donalds, etc. They also have great baby changing rooms in them to have a full body wash. I tended to eat lots of baguettes with spreads such as humus, pate, cheese and offcourse tomato. But don't put the tomato/cucumber etc in until the last minute to avoid being soggy. Another great item is tinned fish, peanut butter and a tube of fizzy Multi vit' tablets...
Wow amazing video, I’ve just finished building a surly disc trucker, you Teo are so luck to have each other to travel with, looks amazing 😉 nice set ups to
First time i am seeing your video i am a 23 years old , we have only one life and enjoying the life along with the life partner with same mindset is a precious thing, not everyone gets like this. Lovely couple ever don't worry god is with you
A distant relative of mine but you guys would really enjoy his book www.amazon.com/Around-World-Bicycle-Fred-Birchmore/dp/1887813128 In 1935 25-year-old Birchmore circled the globe via bicycle: Around the World on a Bicycle presents a lively armchair adventure which examines his many lively world encounters and the trials of visiting relatively primitive environments via bicycle. A fine blend of history and cultural insights: delightful and fun. -- Midwest Book Review “He is most famous, though, for his world bicycle trip in 1934 and 1935. The trip began in the summer of 1934 by touring Europe. Then he studied international law at Cologne in Germany, October 1934 through February 1935, after which he resumed the journey: down through the Alps, to Egypt, across Central Asia, then 1,300 miles down the Grand Trunk Road to Mandalay, below the Burma Road to the Malay Peninsula, through Thailand and French Indo-China. After taking Asian freighters to the Philippines and then to California, he pedaled across the United States back to Athens. Just about 25,000 miles
Thanks a bunch, nice review. Which brand GPS and odometer are you using? I could not see it under "Electronics" or elsewhere on your website. Don't forget Uganda on your trip, especially Jinja my home town. All the best and keep safe.
Personally. I splashed out and bought a Thorn Nomad Mk2 Rohloff . Probably came to a little more than the rides you have and as I am a heavy rider ( even on a light day ) I over did a few things. Not a fan of Shimano cup amd cone bearing hubs at all so opted for a 48 hole Phil Wood Touring Hub. I too have the Ryde / Rigida CSS Andra rims. You are right, they are bulletproof 👍💥👍 .....The Click Stand ? Never knew it existed. May well give one a try as you rightly observed ? Kickstands ? MEH.......I go quality solar panels over dynamo hubs. BOB Yak Ibex or ortliebs ...... either or. Good review of your gear a year into your trip. Brilliant to see a pair of youngsters out there going for it as opposed to having their face buried in mobile phones and walking into trees or getting hit by a bus. Keep ridin’ !!
Happy Cycling. Excellent for sharing. What's the total weight of each bike without your luggage ? ... do you lock your bikes ? and with which lock ? Thank.
Hi Peter, thank you! the weight should be around 23kg( approximate). nothing fancy, we use self made narrow 2 miter wire with an small padlock and a fishing line. it is a bit difficult to explain it here how we secure our bikes with the fishing line but we might publish a video about it. also we never leave our bikes alone😊
I just dove a bit into the Steel frame myth, namely that a bike is more "comfortable" because of the steel frame -- and it is mostly a myth. Comfort is achieved with correct bike sizing, seat cushioning and amortization, fork amortization and flex (officially not part of the frame) and tire size. Frame itself doesn't flex vertically no matter what tubes size, this has been debated and debunked on internets some few times. If it flexes sideways in cornering or pedalling then it is probably just a too weak frame. This latter however is just my 2 cents.
Thanks for sharing your opinion. Definitely Aluminium frame can do a good job and be comfortable on tour. All of those factors you mentioned are important for having comfy ride. Personally have cycled few years on aluminium frame and I can't complain saying it was uncomfortable. But I prefer steal frame and wouldn't go back to Aluminium. For me definitely ride with steel frame is a bit more comfy but the difference compare to Aluminium frame is not that significant.so we won't encourage any one to sale their aluminium bike and buy steel one 😊 we love steal because it is strong, possible to weld it if needed and it takes fatigue. Also it is kind to our planet to encourage people to use old frames(which are usually steel) and not encourage them to buy new aluminium frame 😊
Hi.i hope y re doing well. Here is my opinion about shimano Shimano acera is the cheapest one .... Shimano ultegra is good Shimano dura ace is the best. With the last one y ll never have problème..... Take care☺☺☺☺
Thank you so much for sharing your idea, but in our experience shimano Acera cassette is performing much better than XT. The reason is it is heavier and the cogs make out of steal. We tried XT and Acera cassette each for 4000km on our tour, and Acera was in much better condition than XT despite with Acera we have cycled 3000km in Sahara that mean drive train was often covered with sand 😊
Krazze...bad azz .ride oN ! Try velcro straps instead of the bungee cord on your brake lever ..Works really good . Also can you explain the rear fender mess .. why so so far apart . Ha ! Outstanding energy
Hello, thanks for your comment!😊, regarding your questions: we have thought about Velcro but we decided to go with spongy rope and so far, for more than a year has been working perfectly well. we don't like to replace something which is working but when these spongy ropes stopped working we can try the velcro. regarding mudguards: we did try to make space between Mudguards and tires so when we are in gravel road in rainy season will be easier to manage all the red mud which will stick inside the mudguard. Warm greetings from Gambia!😊
I would like to ask you a few questions. 1. Did you sell everything that you owned in order to go on this tour? 2. Do you no longer have any financial debts? What about any monthly bills? 3. Do you have any income coming in per month or week, for maintenance on your bicycles? 4. What and how do you eat while touring; please give me some extra details on this matter. I too would like to go on a long tour. I have a Catrike Expedition recumbent trike, with all my gear needed to do it. But need the above questions answered, and any other details that I am not aware of. Thank you very much.
1. Pretty much, but we still have some outdoor equipment like our snowboards, back in Finland. 2. We never had any debts, and only have out phone bills to pay. 3. We still have some savings, and our income is mainly our Patreon. 4. We eat a lot of different things, but as an example we like to cook beans or lentils and rice or potato, sometimes canned fish and bread if we don't have time to cook. Also a lot of fruit and veggies as snacks😊
Accounts like this are the best part of RUclips. Thanks so much for the information, but more so the inspiration. Like him I’m kind of a big boy (at ~93kg) and had reservations about building up a touring bike. Happy to report that after watching this among other vids and researching, I’m happily on an all-purpose ride and on the road! Love from Vermont, USA
King headset and Acera cranks... never thought I'd see a bike with both those at the same time, lol, in all fairness, if the cranks work they work. I have to say: nice rigs and great choice of shifters and gearing - those friction shifters are bullet proof - I've done the same thing on my own touring bikes. Best wishes!
I like that you learn't wheel building as well as building up your bikes. So important that you can fix your bikes on the road, especially where you're riding. Are your tyres a challenge to get on and off the rims? Are you experiencing any pain in the neck, arms, wrists or butt with the position you ride in?
Hi, thank you Stuart 😊, Wheel building is a art like painting, we really love it. There is so many small details which is so much fun to put all of those together. No we don't have problem with taking tires off and putting it on the rim But off course it is always a challenge to push shcwalbe marrathon plus tour tires out of the Rim Equality , we have tried all the tricks we know and suggested but this is very small so you don't feel it if you don't cycle over 30km/h. No we don't have any pain, bike fit are pretty good. But Peyman's frame is slightly in big side for him but unfortunately VSF don't offer slightly smaller frame than this. But this is not a problem with the adjustment we have made 😊
Hi Jakob, we have article about it on our website you are welcome to read it , i believe will answer your question :) nomadstrails.com/why-choose-a-derailleur-system-over-rohloff-for-a-long-tour/
If I can give you an advice, cut and cover the tip of the mudguard support, last summer the cover of the support went off and a guest of mine on a bicycle tour fell off and cut 15 cm of her leg!!! Be really careful... enjoy your trip
When you said that you have chosen the most durable and reliable components I expected something like ultegra and deore xt. Then you said acera. I died...
Hi, we have actually tried both xt cassette and Acera cassette in our tour for 4000km each, the result was Acera was in much better condition than XT after 4000km. The reason: Acera is heavier and has been made out of steal, Xt is lighter and the material is not as durable. 😊
Lol, so much knowledge and smart choices, but the bikes still look like they can fall apart any moment. No doubt in my mind that the bikes perform great, but somehow if it were mine, i'd try to make them look slightly more apealing aswell. But props to all the work that has been put into this!
Thank you😊, for us the looking of bikes is not important. our priority is to have durable, practical and comfortable bike to cycling around the world. also we need to mention, fancy looking bicycle attracts attention which we don't like it. wish you all the best😊
ok i have watched other bicycle world travel video but so far you guys are, in mu opinion on the overboard side. You build the bike from pieces litterally down to the spokes. i look forward to more uploads from you crazy people!
Rohloff 14 speed hub expensive but would be my choice pretty much fit and forget needing occasional oil change and the chain last longer than a derailure system
It was an option but we weren't comfortable with the fact if it breaks down we can't fix it plus few other factors we choice the derailure system. also the one big fact is derailure system works just some times might need more cleaning😊
I have a brooks and proofide every now and then, but I don't protect it from rain on my short tours of 1-2 weeks - I just leave it to get rain on at night - its seems ok and doesn't feel like its wet during the day. You emphasise the covers a lot but what are the risks of letting it get wet?
Did you choose your frames without having test ridden them? I am living in China right now and touring bikes are not very popular so it is hard to find any to test ride.
Peyman had ridden a bike with the same frame, and Matilda tried a size smaller of the frame she got. But you might need to try a few different seat posts and handlebar stems to get the bike to fit perfectly 😊
@@NomadsTrails Now you & Matilda can get some much needed rest in the Gambia! I've subscribed. I LOVE all of your videos! Take care, stay safe & I'll be donating soon.
Awesome stuff! We are pulling for you guys from Phoenix Arizona! This series is fantastic and my whole family is watching and you have inspired me to get the Surly Disc Trucker and train for a long ride. Stay safe you two!!!
sorry about your broken shifter. how about looking for old shimano or suntour thumb shifter and use friction mode? they come with 22.2 mm clamp alteady so you don't need the paul thumbies adapter. i use deore dx which has steel clamp, durable, but i use it for commuter not long touring like you
@@NomadsTrails glad to hear that! i admire your simplicity approach in problem solving. please make video adressing this issue if you have time, how did you choose the shifter, the problem, and the solution.. anyway, have a safe journey!
That is so nice to see! Thanks for that Video! I have been on many Tours throughout my life but the longest has been for 4 weeks, sleeping unders the stars, snow, clouds or rain, every night. My bike looked used after a couple of days but i could not reach that very very cool "MadMax-Look" in this relatively short period of time. Your Solutions are easy and impressing. I wish you all the best! PS: You asked for the Opionion and I agree with you! Especially the shifting: Frictionshifters are so universal and fitting on all things you can find if you have to replace something in emergency without beeing able to buy top of the range stuff. The racks are not the easyest but its more important to set on reliability and I think the more stuff you carry on the bike the less important it gets if the bike weighs 1 or 2 kilogram more. The only thing i never coped with were Butterflybars. I often went on my journeys with dropbar and wehen i chose a flatbar I always used Ergongrips and in the middle extra horns to have alternative grips but that is a matter of taste and personal prefernce. Brakes with cables are easy to repair as well! No hydraulic brakes abroad!....
Wow - just stumbled onto your channel and I am impressed! It's rare that bike touring channels geek out so much on bike details. You both seem very knowledagble. Love it! I'm mashing the subscribe button! 😀
For a few reasons: we like to be more independent if one of us wants to go to the shop alone for example, also if we have a mechanical issue we still have one working bicycle.
Hi, Hope you are keeping well and safe wherever you are. When you were assembling your bikes, did you consider a rohloff hub? What are your thoughts on them. Worth the money or to complex? Apologies if this has been asked before. Sending love and happiness to you both.
Hi, we are all well and hope you are too! We did consider using Rohloff hubs, but decided we rather go with a system that we can service ourselves 😊 There is an article about it on our website if you are curious to read more: nomadstrails.com/why-choose-a-derailleur-system-over-rohloff-for-a-long-tour/
@@NomadsTrails Thank you for the link. It is a hard. But I think for long term cycling you made the best decision for your trip. I have a lot to learn, but with help and pointers from experienced cyclists like yourself, one day I will start on my own adventure. Thank you again and stay safe my friends😊
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍hey guys....love from India.... How u r scheduling ur trip from normal life....please put a vlog.....on it....🤓🤓🤓please my dear brother...
i have no interest in touring the world on a bike but it was fascinating to watch this video. really quite good role models for taking what you love seriously
Great review of all your equipment, thank you. I've got a 1980 mt bike and am getting it ready for a tour. My first. Only doubt is about the wheels, think I should probably spend money and get 36 spoke rims instead of 32s. Enjoy the lands and the peoples you meet !
we believe the bikes will last for that time, but we might change them at some point and the reason is we would like to try different set up and components so we can give a proper and accurate review to people 😊
Hi, thank you! :) we try to think practical and avoid unnecessary and complicated technology and if the old designs works perfect why should we upgrade! it is just unnecessary use of resources 😊
Thanks for those quality information. It will help me on building my own bike. Im also planning a long term Biking trip on the western african route like you did.
Was wondering if you are happy with your solar panels? If so, what brand and model are you using? Quality and workmanship is inconsistent between brands.
Hi Tony, indeed we are very happy with it. Since we arrived in Africa we are almost independent from grid electricity. Panels are very durable and waterproof , We have build our solar system our selves. it is very very easy to do it, basically connecting 2parts. But we are just finishing an review article about pur panels and how to make it. Will be published on our website www.nomadstrails.com If it is ok i get back to you with the link in a week? 😊
Very informative. Thanks for sharing. I am looking at your recommendations. May I know the brand of your rim brake pads? You mentioned it's very durable. Thanks.
You guys awesome...6000km... Wow just wow... I bet a lot of things that you guys see on that ride.... Thx for sharing this to us... Wait! WHAT?! I just subscribe your channel and you both decided to around the world with that bike?! .... .... .... ... .... That's crazy... And awesome.... And cool.... But still that's crazy...
Well i think the rims you can finish faster based on your style of ride , i have the same rims but slowly slowy i start to consume it , because i also love to go fast down the downhill . I used much more the tires than the brakes so in the end are much more finished the marathon :D
You are totally right! The riding style is important factor here. Btw, I thought you have Ryde Andra 10rims or I am wrong? Finishing CSS surfaces of Ryde Andra Rims is a big job 💪😁, how many km you have on those rims? And do you use the special brake pads from Swiss Stop or Kool Stop for CSS rims? Ours after 10.000km is not showing any wear and we did around 3000km in Sahara where our bicycles often was covered with sand 😁, happy riding in Japan!✌✌🚲🚲
@@offcourseisofcourse-travel3264 yes you are right, rain and sand dose wear the rim out. is it your Rims CSS version or regular version? if you have CSS version of Andra rims you don't need to be worry about your break surface for at least 60.000km, but if you have regular version of Andra rim, then it will wear out much faster.
yes that is correct, but we build these bicycles in a way we can use them for years under the heavy load so in long term, actually will be cheaper for us. but if you go for a shorter trips you defiantly don't need to spend 3 lack on bicycled , you can go with an old mountains bike which can cost around 100 euro and you will have great time cycling😊🙌🏽
Thank you for this video! It's very nice to listen to you explaining why you choose this or that choice you've made about your gear. I have a bicycle and I'm planning to adjust it for longer trips and your DIY attitude is a great inspiration!
Schwalbe Marathon tyres are brilliant - Wish I had them back in my days of long distance touring... But short of that and works very well to make the tyre near bomb proof on a touring or mountain bike: Insert a strip of the nylon webbing strap between the tube and tyre. A bit awkward the first time. Never tried it on a road bike and it does change the ride a little, especially downhill in mountains, but not dangerously so. But you can ride over screws and nails no problem - Even had instances where self tapping screws got stuck in the webbing thru tire - no flat, just had to remove because it was hitting the fenders, etc.
Now y'all got me looking into getting a new front wheel with a dynamo hub! I couldn't afford it on my first tour in 2016, but for the next one... it would be nice to be able to charge up on the move rather than having to charge my battery bank in town.
I'm currently planning my France>Esatern Asia biking trip (hopefully starting in nov/decembre) I bought a second-hand bike with excellent wheels but dont' have enough technical skills right now to mount a dynamo on it by myself: what would u recommend me as video/books/whatever to learn this tricky skill? PS: just discovered ur channel few minutes ago> thank u, think I found a good stuff!! 😄
Well done you both. This is hardcore bikepacking! Pls do vlogs as it would let everyone to understand how fun and adventurous what you doing is. You deserve sponsors as you'd be using the stuff they send through rigorous conditions.
@@clacclackerson3678 you are totally right, idea of bike packing is to go for short trips and keep the weight low. Also cycling off road is easier with bikepacking set up because of the low weight and the way weight is balanced on the bike. 😊
Just got reason to live 9 more year. You guys are invited to my house when you reach Delhi India.
Ya'll crazy, but for some strange reason I love you both!
Haha I might have to agree😅Love to you too from Senegal!
😂
I can't even ride a bike, but I love watching both of you and your wonderful travels. I applaud your knowledge of all the components of your bikes. You are both brilliant!! Thank you for sharing your life with me. I am disabled (spine) so I don't get around too good. I know what titanium is....I have artificial joints, a titanium cage in my spine. Body hardware I can tell you stories about. LOL
I have a titanium internal pain pump in my left lower abdomen and a titanium battery in my left hip that runs my internal spinal cord stimulator. Those to components help me with my daily pain. Take good care of your spine and joints. Blessings from above!! ❤😀
Thank you so so much for sharing your story, it means a lot to us❤️We are very happy you enjoy our videos and find them interesting😊We are sorry to hear about your pain and challenges. But also fascinating to hear the ways that technology can help you!
We hope you are having a great day! Love from Senegal❤️
@@NomadsTrails , Thank you for your kindness. ❤🦋🌹
Also tell us about how u guys do safety ....
Your personalities made me subscribe 🤷♂️
Thank you 🥰
Me too
This is my dream for the past 30 years. After retirement, my son and I will pick up backpacks and travel around the world on bicycles. Because we also like travelling and cycling. Thank you for sharing the excellent travel experience when travelling through saharra.
Had to sub, cause your awsome ❣️
Hello Nomad's Trails:
Thank you for this great video about good touring bicycle equipment.
Good rides for another 9 years!:-)
I'm riding up to 30'000 kilometers a year alldays and touring on a regular bike. I've had more or less all components/group sets from Shimano. Tourney, Altus, Acera, Alivio, Deore, LX, XT and XTR. Also: Sora, Claris, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra and Dura-Ace. Only the "Revoshifter" fell apart, but besides of that no issues.
If one is passionate about bicycle parts, one has to have Shimano XTR. It is very, very good. But for example the rear derailleur costs 10 times more as the Altus one - and is not 10 times better.
If one wants to do many, many kilometers: the more steel is on the parts, the longer it lasts.
Crank sets: Especially the cheap ones from Shimano (Altus, Acera, Alivio and so on) with steel chainrings last forever.
Bottom brackets: SKF 600 series is great, but costs around EURO 150,-, but I've never had an issuse with the shimano ones: BB-UN55, 26 and 100, which are way less expensive.
Do I have the choice, I don't put Octalink or Hollowtech II. Or Hollowtech II with a bottom bracket from Chris King, Hope etc..
But the standard ones, the 4 edge bottom bracket, are just great compared to the price.
Hubs: Shimano hubs are fine, from the cheapest to the highest. I ride the cheap ones. Inside the hubs is more or less the same. Once there are well greased and adjusted, they roll and roll and....
Brakes: V-Brakes are the best. Everything counted: price, brake power, reliability, durability and maintenance. Cantilevers work good too, but the adjustment can be complicated.
The brake power of disc brakes is super, but in general too many issues.
Derailleurs rear and front : From the cheapest to the most expensive all Shimano one work fine.
I prefer 7 or 8 speed (cassette, chainrings, chain..), because it lasts way longer than 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 speed. It is more durable. I swear on Shimanos HG 40 7/8 speed chain.
Enough grease and oil on parts like the chain, the cassette, the chainrings, the wheels of the rear derailleur are very important. Motorex is the best grease and oil that I know.
Rims: Ryde Sputnik or Andra 30 or 40 are the best ones.
The tyre Schwalbe Marathon Plus is all in all the best for me. But: The good old normal Marathon made almost 20'000 kilometer, the new Marathon Plus ones wear out at about 3'000 kilometers. Schwalbe might have found out that the most of the customers do the 3'00 kilometers in years. So it works for the majority of the customers.
Schwalbe tubes are the best in my opinion.
Rohloff and Pinon are fantastic! But who really needs it? Shimanos derailleur systems work great. For one Rohloff or Pinion one can buy many, many, many Shimano parts.
If you wanna go uphill, you need the right gear, for example 22 teeth chain ring front, 34 teeth rear. Or 32 t. front, 52 t. rear.
The right gear (22x34, 32x52 t.) is very important, the group set is not so important.
Cycling is not about group sets and parts, the most important thing is that you pedal as much as you can. It doesn't matter if you have Tourney or Dura-Ace on your bicycle as long as you go cycling.
The whole discussion about bicycle parts is extremely overrated. One can experience good tours and rides on a bicycle for EURO 600,- with Shimano Acera on it, no problem.
If you wanna do something good for your body and soul, if you wanna lose weight, burn fat, get muscles and a good strong heart and see the beauty of the world, then go cycling.
It is one of the best activities and sports that you can do.
Avoid E-Bikes, because no body training on a E-Bike. You just betray yourself. Stay away from it.
And you don't safe the energy and the resources of the world. You just create new problems with the batteries, the recycling and the exploiting of the resources.
If you wanna do an effective-efficient training, then cycle uphill on a normal bicycle. You breath, you sweat, your pulse goes higher - all very good for your body. And: You get mentally fit.
Nomad' Trails, you are a very great inspiration!
Hello Angelo, thank you so much for your useful comment and sharing your idea with us. it was very nice to read your comment, a lots of good informations! with 100% agree with your idea about Bottom Bracket! 😊🙌🏽
Which Bike Frame better Steel or Alloy?
Steel lasts forever. It's comfortable. Welding is easy, if it would be damaged. I definitely recommend steel.
Inspiring info. Thx.
Ah yes those bike are dirty to the grit meaning it served it's owners well running thousands of miles of treacherous road and daily abuse and still works fine.
I am a new sub from this video. Of all the bikes I have seen on RUclips this is the most practical one ever. Great work. Looking forward to seeing more from your family. Thumbs up from Kentucky mountains U.S.A
you are welcome to Join us!❤️😊
Very nice bikes. It is fun to see how Matilda caught the Indian accent. Bon voyage!
😂😂, interesting Matilda has never been in India and Peyman is not from there. But good to know 😅🙌
I think if I were riding around the world for 10 years I would want bikes with lower maintenance needs. Sorry but derailleur transmissions are high maintenance and they need constant cleaning and lubricating which can be a real PITA if you are riding every day in crappy conditions. Ultimately what you buy is determined by your budget. If you have a larger budget then you can afford better equipment. Not saying you still can't go bike touring on an old second hand bike, you can, but having better more durable equipment reduces the likelihood of your tour being cut short as your bike is knackered. For me it would be a proper touring expedition bike with either a Rohloff hub or Pinion gearbox with either belt drive or chain with a full chain guard. Expensive but the maintenance is far lower than cheaper options.
I have the Surly Nice front rack. Very strong, but it's heavy around 1.5kg with all the mounting brackets and bolts. I prefer either Tubus Tara or Ergo low loader front rack or my current favourite Specialised Pizza rack which has nice large front shelf and side rails for mounting panniers. It is strong and light. 13mm tubing.
Really like those collapsible click stands you use to support your bikes.
As well as charging with your front Son dynamo hub, do you have solar panels as well?
Surly LHT is a very capable touring bike. If you want a stiffer frame then perhaps aluminium frame is better in this respect - such as Koga make.
I have both Surly Troll and LHT with Rohloff hubs and both are very good, very low maintenance and reliable. I too like you built them myself and didn't spend 3000€ on either of them, probably the price for both of them.
But the most important thing is get a bike that FITS.
Very thorough review. Thank you.
Fair winds to you.
You are welcome Alex😊For us the maintenance is not a problem actually, we clean our drive train once or twice a week and don't mind doing it, it takes around 5 minutes for both bicycles. We did the same across the Sahara where our drivetrains were covered in sand and the derailleur system worked, no problem. You can follow our chain performance here:
nomadstrails.com/follow-our-chain-wear/
I also copy our answer to another comment about Rohloff, I hope you don't mind:
"Our philosophy is to have components on our bicycles which are durable and spare parts available around the world. We want to be able to service and fix it in middle on nowhere ourself. Rohloff doesn't fit in this category, we were uncomfortable with the fact that if a Rohloff breaks down we cannot fix it. Also dealing with post and sending packages back and forward, waiting for the mail. It can become a problem since our visas might not last for all that time. Plus the cost of all this waiting, also add the chance of having difficulties with the custom of the country. This is just not something for us on our trip. Even if both of the hubs would run smoothly for ten years we still need to arrange the oils for our oil changes.
We have heard good and some bad stories about Rohloff on multi year tours. We really couldn't find a reason why not to go with a derailleur system? This system really works, it only needs to be cleaned. But so does the chain anyway. At some point when we are in Europe we would like to try it, but we wouldn't take it out of Europe for many years at a time."
We do have solar panels and we really love them. We are almost independent from grid electricity since we arrived to the African continent, thanks to the strong sun!
We do prefer steel frames and we are happy with our frames, Peyman had an aluminium touring bicycle for few years and it did the job, too. We prefer steel because it is much easier to find welding machine to weld steel. The braze-on threads also last better.
You got a good deal on your bicycles🙌🏽We really like the philosophy of the Surly Troll frame, it is very versatile. Totally agree with you that the fit is the single most important factor with the bicycle.
We wish you all the best and see you on the road! 😊
All good points but derailleur gears are available worldwide. I read an account of a chap doing a world tour on a Rohloff bike. He loved it until he had a hub failure in a remote part of the world. There wasn't an agent in the country so he had to ship the hub back to Germany. The repair was done free of charge but it held him up for 2 weeks.
I'm sure it's rare for this to happen, certainly rarer than problems with a derailleur but if you're going off the beaten track I'd go for the simple option.
@@colinwellman9480 Well I beg to differ. One person, just one person you read an account of on the internet and the product is totally fooked. It's a useless pile of crap AVOID!!! What do you know about the exact cause of the problem with the Rohloff speed hub and was it owner inflicted or the wheel in which the hub was built was not built correctly. If Rohloff's instructions are followed the hub itself and the wheel build should be very very strong. Many owners have covered huge distances on their Rohloff Speedhubs. I have ridden almost 50,000 trouble free kms on my Rohloff hubs. The chains last huge distances as I have only replaced the chain once a KMC X1 for the Rohloff Speed hub. I have a full chain guard to keep it and the rest of the bike clean.
How many problems do people have with derailleur transmissions? Many is the answer. Most people at some point on a long tour. Yes they are simple, low cost to manufacture and pretty crude open systems. Ok some are made of better materials than others, better specs, some are way more expensive, give way better shifting and then there is Di2 electronic shifting as well. And yes parts are available world wide, but to pretend you will be able to get the exact same replacement part for the one that has broken where ever you are is fantasy. You will be cursing that you gave your bike to some idiot who packed it poorly in the back of a bus mashing your derailleur or you take a tumble on a trail and it makes contact with a rock, bam smashed! Derailleur systems can be way more problematic than Rohloff speed hubs. Period. I have ridden Rohloff hubs for about 5 years now. I never ever hear criticism negative feedback from any one who actually owns a Rohoff hub. All seem to be pretty happy bunnies. Criticism always seems to come from people who don't own a Rohloff or some one who read something on the internet. Those who have never actually ever experienced riding with one let alone owning one. If your prized derailleur system which you got for a song in the end of season sale fails, Mr Shimano or Miss SRAM are not going to repair it free of charge gratis. Oh no. You are going to have to buy new and pay the going rate where ever you are for something that is likely to fail 100km down the road if fitted by a cack handed mechanic in a local bike shop if you are unable to do the work yourself unlike these guys here who can at least assemble and dis-assemble their bikes.
For me it is Rohloff. I have toured many thousands of miles with mine trouble free - Europe, China and Australia. I used to ride with bikes with derailleur transmissions, but the maintenance became a very loathsome chore, not to mention the cost of replacing cassettes and chains too often, chain rings and derailleur jockey wheels when they wore out. Not to mention all the crap the open system would throw all over the rear wheel a fine grinding paste of lube, mud, grit, dust and shit.
The elephant in the room is cost. For many the cost of a Rohloff speedhub is too high. I realise people have different budgets. My first Rohloff hub I really scrimped and saved to afford it, but so glad I did as it has paid for itself by the extremely low maintenance. All the time I used to spend cleaning and lubing the derailleur transmission is now my time to do other things to ride more. The oil changes are a breeze to do normally doing 2 each year maybe 3 depending on how many miles I have ridden.
I recognise that people have different means. I am fortunate that I can now afford nicer kit, but I remember the times when I couldn't. But to simply say something is unreliable because one person on the internet might or might not have had a problem is bonkers. Quite a few people have had problems with derailleur transmissions meaning bodged repairs or fitting something of poor quality that will soon fail. For many the problems have been terminal meaning end of tour or new bike. The other favourite is worn out knackered rims from rim brakes although these guys are using CSS hardened rims which are very durable. Personally I prefer hydraulic disc brakes as the performance is so much better in wet grotty conditions than rim brakes. Sorry but they are. So my idea of an ideal touring expedition bike would be beyond the budget of most people. I am lucky and fortunate that I can afford to build one or buy one. I have two bikes with Rohloff hubs. I realise they are expensive and because of this many people cannot justify the cost so try to disguise this by finding the one person on the internet who has ever had a problem. I think if cost wasn't an issue for many, even more long distance cycle tourers would be using Rohloff speed hubs. I wish I had bought mine sooner than I did.
A 2018 participant in the Trans America Bike Race used a Rohlof hub and was happy with it until it started to south on him halfway across Kansas. He was unable to get the minor repair done. The device eventually failed just outside of Pittsburgh Kansas where he was stuck for upwards of 2 weeks waiting for parts. No, derailleur is still the way to go.
@@57ccrider You don't give any detail your anecdotal story why or what caused the Rohloff hub to fail and you certainly don't make any sense. What does "started to south on him" mean? RAAM is a very long distance endurance road race. I would point out that Rohloff never designed their hub to be used in a race scenario, and have that from Rohloff themselves, but providing it was used and maintained correctly I don't doubt that it could cope. Was the failure on this occasion down to the owner or a mechanical defect? When you know the full picture let me know. Rather than wait 2 seeks why didn't the competitor just get another bike? I have ridden 50k trouble free kms on Rohloff equipped bikes. Maybe derailleurs are for you, but not no longer for me. Do you actually own a Rohloff hub or have any experience of them or just trawling the internet to find the few cases where people claim to have had problems. It is a bit disingenuous as you do and others like your NEVER give any detail, just use these second third or fourth hand accounts to discredit the hub. It has been 100% reliable for me.
I loved watching your video. The first gear review I’ve watched all the way through and felt like I learned a lot from it.
Sound solidly built fixable. Have touring mountain bike Reynolds 653 tubing XT mostly. But have Grip shift with Magura Tomac brakes. Went from cantilever to hydraulics....WoW fully loaded fast as possible downhill, Awesome power. Never needed any work on brakes in five years of use. 😊
Basically Shimano everything. Shimano is the best, 👍✌️. 🇦🇺🇫🇮🇦🇺🇫🇮🇦🇺
Yep, Shimano make quite reliable parts, plus they are easy to fix and spare parts are available✌🏽
ഇങ്ങള് പറയുന്നത് ഒന്നും മനസ്സിലാവുന്നില്ലെങ്കിലും ഞമ്മൾ വീഡിയോ ഫുൾ കണ്ടിട്ടുണ്ട് 🤩🤩
Peyman and Matilda, wow, very impressive creativity and knowledge went into the selection of your framesets, components, and accessories to meet the needs of your grueling touring! Thank you for this excellent information!
thank you Bruin, it was an interesting and fun puzzle and we are very happy with the result.🙌🏽
Great vídeo. Regards from Chile 🙌🏾🌱
So You'll just find a solution for everything to travel around the world Indeed, the journey is completed
...loads of really great stuff here. Just finished my 6000k (Camping wild) around the Iberian Peninsula and a bit of Morocco, too. I actually found that a 3-4ft piece of bamboo comes in handy as a stand, and also a good tent peg! Baby wipes were a great essential, too. My bike(Bikes) were all very cheap at $150. But I agree that a bike seat is essential, and make sure you lock it to the bike. Helmet is another essential, and many cyclist wear a base ball cap as well, underneath...Always stock up on water. At least 3 litres before the journey. And try setting off earlier. Especially around winter time. A solar pannel is a real must, so too, internet access. Usually cheap in many places...Of use Decathlon, Mc Donalds, etc. They also have great baby changing rooms in them to have a full body wash. I tended to eat lots of baguettes with spreads such as humus, pate, cheese and offcourse tomato. But don't put the tomato/cucumber etc in until the last minute to avoid being soggy. Another great item is tinned fish, peanut butter and a tube of fizzy Multi vit' tablets...
Many great tips! Hope you enjoyed your travels 🙌🏽
I don't know why I am watching this video. This is crazy. Love you both
😂, any way we hope you liked the video! love back from Africa!
Hii dear bicycle is good
Good night 😍🙌👍👋🌹🌷
Wow amazing video, I’ve just finished building a surly disc trucker, you Teo are so luck to have each other to travel with, looks amazing 😉 nice set ups to
thank you, i am sure you had fun and joy building your Surly, wish you a lot of fun adventures ! happy cycling!😊
First time i am seeing your video i am a 23 years old , we have only one life and enjoying the life along with the life partner with same mindset is a precious thing, not everyone gets like this. Lovely couple ever don't worry god is with you
Mình đã xem video rất hay
Xin chào ~ ^^ Rất vui được gặp các bạn Nhìn như bạn bè vậy
Hello you just popped into my feed I'm very happy about that. I look forward to following your adventures.
thank you Roland. you are warmly welcome to our channel!😊
I love watching your biking adventure's bco'z it makes me feel that i can go also on that places, watching from Philippines.
A distant relative of mine but you guys would really enjoy his book www.amazon.com/Around-World-Bicycle-Fred-Birchmore/dp/1887813128
In 1935 25-year-old Birchmore circled the globe via bicycle: Around the World on a Bicycle presents a lively armchair adventure which examines his many lively world encounters and the trials of visiting relatively primitive environments via bicycle. A fine blend of history and cultural insights: delightful and fun. -- Midwest Book Review
“He is most famous, though, for his world bicycle trip in 1934 and 1935. The trip began in the summer of 1934 by touring Europe. Then he studied international law at Cologne in Germany, October 1934 through February 1935, after which he resumed the journey: down through the Alps, to Egypt, across Central Asia, then 1,300 miles down the Grand Trunk Road to Mandalay, below the Burma Road to the Malay Peninsula, through Thailand and French Indo-China. After taking Asian freighters to the Philippines and then to California, he pedaled across the United States back to Athens. Just about 25,000 miles
Thank you so much for the link and all the info, we will try to read it 😊🙌
Hi beautiful couples super duper videos...... waiting each and each episodes... come india come kerala
❤️
Thanks a bunch, nice review. Which brand GPS and odometer are you using? I could not see it under "Electronics" or elsewhere on your website. Don't forget Uganda on your trip, especially Jinja my home town. All the best and keep safe.
thank you :) we don't use any Gps we just use our phones and Strava app.
Personally. I splashed out and bought a Thorn Nomad Mk2 Rohloff . Probably came to a little more than the rides you have and as I am a heavy rider ( even on a light day ) I over did a few things. Not a fan of Shimano cup amd cone bearing hubs at all so opted for a 48 hole Phil Wood Touring Hub. I too have the Ryde / Rigida CSS Andra rims. You are right, they are bulletproof 👍💥👍 .....The Click Stand ? Never knew it existed. May well give one a try as you rightly observed ? Kickstands ? MEH.......I go quality solar panels over dynamo hubs. BOB Yak Ibex or ortliebs ...... either or. Good review of your gear a year into your trip. Brilliant to see a pair of youngsters out there going for it as opposed to having their face buried in mobile phones and walking into trees or getting hit by a bus. Keep ridin’ !!
Thank you, and congrats on a great bike! Yeah, kickstands don't really work on heavily loaded bikes 😅Tailwinds to you! 🙌🏾❤️
Happy Cycling. Excellent for sharing. What's the total weight of each bike without your luggage ? ... do you lock your bikes ? and with which lock ? Thank.
Hi Peter, thank you! the weight should be around 23kg( approximate). nothing fancy, we use self made narrow 2 miter wire with an small padlock and a fishing line. it is a bit difficult to explain it here how we secure our bikes with the fishing line but we might publish a video about it. also we never leave our bikes alone😊
Visit Assam, the land of Tea Garden
I just dove a bit into the Steel frame myth, namely that a bike is more "comfortable" because of the steel frame -- and it is mostly a myth. Comfort is achieved with correct bike sizing, seat cushioning and amortization, fork amortization and flex (officially not part of the frame) and tire size. Frame itself doesn't flex vertically no matter what tubes size, this has been debated and debunked on internets some few times.
If it flexes sideways in cornering or pedalling then it is probably just a too weak frame. This latter however is just my 2 cents.
Thanks for sharing your opinion. Definitely Aluminium frame can do a good job and be comfortable on tour. All of those factors you mentioned are important for having comfy ride. Personally have cycled few years on aluminium frame and I can't complain saying it was uncomfortable. But I prefer steal frame and wouldn't go back to Aluminium. For me definitely ride with steel frame is a bit more comfy but the difference compare to Aluminium frame is not that significant.so we won't encourage any one to sale their aluminium bike and buy steel one 😊 we love steal because it is strong, possible to weld it if needed and it takes fatigue. Also it is kind to our planet to encourage people to use old frames(which are usually steel) and not encourage them to buy new aluminium frame 😊
Very interested bicycles adventures tours
Hi.i hope y re doing well. Here is my opinion about shimano
Shimano acera is the cheapest one ....
Shimano ultegra is good
Shimano dura ace is the best.
With the last one y ll never have problème.....
Take care☺☺☺☺
Thank you so much for sharing your idea, but in our experience shimano Acera cassette is performing much better than XT. The reason is it is heavier and the cogs make out of steal. We tried XT and Acera cassette each for 4000km on our tour, and Acera was in much better condition than XT despite with Acera we have cycled 3000km in Sahara that mean drive train was often covered with sand 😊
Positive attitude became u happy e g r u people
Krazze...bad azz .ride oN !
Try velcro straps instead of the bungee cord on your brake lever ..Works really good . Also can you explain the rear fender mess .. why so so far apart .
Ha ! Outstanding energy
Hello, thanks for your comment!😊, regarding your questions: we have thought about Velcro but we decided to go with spongy rope and so far, for more than a year has been working perfectly well. we don't like to replace something which is working but when these spongy ropes stopped working we can try the velcro. regarding mudguards: we did try to make space between Mudguards and tires so when we are in gravel road in rainy season will be easier to manage all the red mud which will stick inside the mudguard. Warm greetings from Gambia!😊
I would like to ask you a few questions.
1. Did you sell everything that you owned in order to go on this tour?
2. Do you no longer have any financial debts? What about any monthly bills?
3. Do you have any income coming in per month or week, for maintenance on your bicycles?
4. What and how do you eat while touring; please give me some extra details on this matter.
I too would like to go on a long tour.
I have a Catrike Expedition recumbent trike, with all my gear needed to do it. But need the above questions answered, and any other details that I am not aware of.
Thank you very much.
1. Pretty much, but we still have some outdoor equipment like our snowboards, back in Finland.
2. We never had any debts, and only have out phone bills to pay.
3. We still have some savings, and our income is mainly our Patreon.
4. We eat a lot of different things, but as an example we like to cook beans or lentils and rice or potato, sometimes canned fish and bread if we don't have time to cook. Also a lot of fruit and veggies as snacks😊
Very, very informative, I like it, very professionnal presentation...you go directly to the point. Best!
We appreciate that, happy you liked it! 🙌🏾
Accounts like this are the best part of RUclips. Thanks so much for the information, but more so the inspiration. Like him I’m kind of a big boy (at ~93kg) and had reservations about building up a touring bike. Happy to report that after watching this among other vids and researching, I’m happily on an all-purpose ride and on the road!
Love from Vermont, USA
most welcome! good luck with the building process it is a good fun!😊
King headset and Acera cranks... never thought I'd see a bike with both those at the same time, lol, in all fairness, if the cranks work they work. I have to say: nice rigs and great choice of shifters and gearing - those friction shifters are bullet proof - I've done the same thing on my own touring bikes. Best wishes!
Thanks 😊 Yes it might seem odd, but cheap doesn't have to mean poor quality! But the Dura Ace shifters we had to replace (see our lates vlog) 😕
What? No carbon frame bicycles? (Joking!) Wonderful!
😂🙌
I like that you learn't wheel building as well as building up your bikes. So important that you can fix your bikes on the road, especially where you're riding. Are your tyres a challenge to get on and off the rims? Are you experiencing any pain in the neck, arms, wrists or butt with the position you ride in?
Hi, thank you Stuart 😊, Wheel building is a art like painting, we really love it. There is so many small details which is so much fun to put all of those together. No we don't have problem with taking tires off and putting it on the rim But off course it is always a challenge to push shcwalbe marrathon plus tour tires out of the Rim Equality , we have tried all the tricks we know and suggested but this is very small so you don't feel it if you don't cycle over 30km/h. No we don't have any pain, bike fit are pretty good. But Peyman's frame is slightly in big side for him but unfortunately VSF don't offer slightly smaller frame than this. But this is not a problem with the adjustment we have made 😊
Why didn't you use ROHLOFF instead of a Cassette?
Hi Jakob, we have article about it on our website you are welcome to read it , i believe will answer your question :) nomadstrails.com/why-choose-a-derailleur-system-over-rohloff-for-a-long-tour/
If I can give you an advice, cut and cover the tip of the mudguard support, last summer the cover of the support went off and a guest of mine on a bicycle tour fell off and cut 15 cm of her leg!!! Be really careful... enjoy your trip
Thanks for the tip!
When you said that you have chosen the most durable and reliable components I expected something like ultegra and deore xt. Then you said acera. I died...
Hi, we have actually tried both xt cassette and Acera cassette in our tour for 4000km each, the result was Acera was in much better condition than XT after 4000km. The reason: Acera is heavier and has been made out of steal, Xt is lighter and the material is not as durable. 😊
I was expecting Dura Ace / XTR too but she's right! Acera's are mighty durable and can take a beating
good ohy bicycle adventure tour
good ohy bicycle adventure tour
Lol, so much knowledge and smart choices, but the bikes still look like they can fall apart any moment.
No doubt in my mind that the bikes perform great, but somehow if it were mine, i'd try to make them look slightly more apealing aswell.
But props to all the work that has been put into this!
Thank you😊, for us the looking of bikes is not important. our priority is to have durable, practical and comfortable bike to cycling around the world. also we need to mention, fancy looking bicycle attracts attention which we don't like it. wish you all the best😊
@@NomadsTrails Fair point as well!
You don't want it to get stolen.
NOMAD'S are back in action
when is your next vlog coming
always😄✌🏽 we are recoding the next Vlog now!🙌🏽
all these brands should sponsor your trip all the way down.... there's no better advertising chance for them to reach potential customers....
Hi, Muhammed, at the moment we have no sponsor for bicycle parts ( accept our chains ) 😅
ok i have watched other bicycle world travel video but so far you guys are, in mu opinion on the overboard side. You build the bike from pieces litterally down to the spokes. i look forward to more uploads from you crazy people!
Thanks!😊
"stops bike in a uphill"..i want it :D
very good bicycle adventure tour
Rohloff 14 speed hub expensive but would be my choice pretty much fit and forget needing occasional oil change and the chain last longer than a derailure system
It was an option but we weren't comfortable with the fact if it breaks down we can't fix it plus few other factors we choice the derailure system. also the one big fact is derailure system works just some times might need more cleaning😊
Top parabéns Al casal 👏👏👏👏🇧🇷
I have a brooks and proofide every now and then, but I don't protect it from rain on my short tours of 1-2 weeks - I just leave it to get rain on at night - its seems ok and doesn't feel like its wet during the day. You emphasise the covers a lot but what are the risks of letting it get wet?
The leather will stretch faster, and the saddle won't last as long 😊
Big thanks to you Peyman and Matilda.
This video guides me to collect my bike for making a long trip insha-allah.
Good luck on your travels!
had the same trip planned but covid happened >:O hopefully you made it to out before covid. Thanks for the info
Hi, you are welcome Eric.sorry to hear your trip being postponed. We are in the Gambia and waiting for the borders to open. 😊
Don’t give up plz
We are waiting for you
Peace
From morocco
cheers, we won't! all the best to you!😊✌🏽
Did you choose your frames without having test ridden them?
I am living in China right now and touring bikes are not very popular so it is hard to find any to test ride.
Peyman had ridden a bike with the same frame, and Matilda tried a size smaller of the frame she got. But you might need to try a few different seat posts and handlebar stems to get the bike to fit perfectly 😊
You guys are awesome! Subscribed!
Awesome! Thank you!
@@NomadsTrails Now you & Matilda can get some much needed rest in the Gambia! I've subscribed. I LOVE all of your videos! Take care, stay safe & I'll be donating soon.
Awesome stuff! We are pulling for you guys from Phoenix Arizona! This series is fantastic and my whole family is watching and you have inspired me to get the Surly Disc Trucker and train for a long ride.
Stay safe you two!!!
THATS REALLY COOL! i HAD FUN WATCHING IT AND SUBSCRIBE AND SEND A fb REQUEST
Happy to hear you liked the video and happy to have you with us 😊
Nice video! You planned to cycle for 9 more years? Did I get that right?
Correct 😊We set out in 2018 to cycle for ten years, but honestly we will probably stay on the road for longer than that 😁
sorry about your broken shifter. how about looking for old shimano or suntour thumb shifter and use friction mode? they come with 22.2 mm clamp alteady so you don't need the paul thumbies adapter. i use deore dx which has steel clamp, durable, but i use it for commuter not long touring like you
Hi , Thank you for your tips, now we installed a friction shifters from 1979 on our bikes 😁🙌
@@NomadsTrails glad to hear that! i admire your simplicity approach in problem solving. please make video adressing this issue if you have time, how did you choose the shifter, the problem, and the solution.. anyway, have a safe journey!
Really well inform. Blessed both of you. Love from karimunjawa islands
Thanks 🤗
That is so nice to see! Thanks for that Video! I have been on many Tours throughout my life but the longest has been for 4 weeks, sleeping unders the stars, snow, clouds or rain, every night. My bike looked used after a couple of days but i could not reach that very very cool "MadMax-Look" in this relatively short period of time. Your Solutions are easy and impressing. I wish you all the best!
PS: You asked for the Opionion and I agree with you! Especially the shifting: Frictionshifters are so universal and fitting on all things you can find if you have to replace something in emergency without beeing able to buy top of the range stuff. The racks are not the easyest but its more important to set on reliability and I think the more stuff you carry on the bike the less important it gets if the bike weighs 1 or 2 kilogram more. The only thing i never coped with were Butterflybars. I often went on my journeys with dropbar and wehen i chose a flatbar I always used Ergongrips and in the middle extra horns to have alternative grips but that is a matter of taste and personal prefernce. Brakes with cables are easy to repair as well! No hydraulic brakes abroad!....
I totally agree with your mentioned points! Thanks for sharing your idea and you are most welcome about the video 😊✌
Wow - just stumbled onto your channel and I am impressed! It's rare that bike touring channels geek out so much on bike details. You both seem very knowledagble. Love it! I'm mashing the subscribe button! 😀
Wow, thanks! Welcome aboard 🤗
Guys... just a suggestion.. why did not you think of Double Seat Cycle... we're it would help you for Up Hill..
For a few reasons: we like to be more independent if one of us wants to go to the shop alone for example, also if we have a mechanical issue we still have one working bicycle.
@@NomadsTrails Very True... Good Idea.. I never thought from that angle..
When u guys come to India... Don't forget to try Indian food
we love indian food!❤️
Hi,
Hope you are keeping well and safe wherever you are.
When you were assembling your bikes, did you consider a rohloff hub?
What are your thoughts on them.
Worth the money or to complex?
Apologies if this has been asked before.
Sending love and happiness to you both.
Hi, we are all well and hope you are too! We did consider using Rohloff hubs, but decided we rather go with a system that we can service ourselves 😊 There is an article about it on our website if you are curious to read more: nomadstrails.com/why-choose-a-derailleur-system-over-rohloff-for-a-long-tour/
@@NomadsTrails Thank you for the link. It is a hard. But I think for long term cycling you made the best decision for your trip. I have a lot to learn, but with help and pointers from experienced cyclists like yourself, one day I will start on my own adventure.
Thank you again and stay safe my friends😊
Salute! Admire your energy and determination, may you both have many more wonderful experiences and safe journeys
Thank you so much!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍hey guys....love from India....
How u r scheduling ur trip from normal life....please put a vlog.....on it....🤓🤓🤓please my dear brother...
Thanks for the video suggestion, we will keep it in mind! 😊
i have no interest in touring the world on a bike but it was fascinating to watch this video.
really quite good role models for taking what you love seriously
thank you Allan!😊🙌🏽
Great review of all your equipment, thank you.
I've got a 1980 mt bike and am getting it ready for a tour. My first. Only doubt is about the wheels, think I should probably spend money and get 36 spoke rims instead of 32s.
Enjoy the lands and the peoples you meet !
Good luck on your tour! 🤗 If you are not going super heavily loaded I'm sure 32 spokes will be just fine if the wheels are otherwise in good shape 😊
You r cool couple, i pray thatyou always safe on your jouney and always find happiness
Thanks 😊
Fantastic choices. Well done! Enjoy your trip.
throughout a good choice of parts-as rims and spokes are very important
for coping with the total weight🤙 🚴🏽💦
Thanks 😊, totally agree with you, trustable rims are great peace of mind to have on those gravel roads in middle of no where!👌
WOW I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! WAITING FOR MORE VIDEOS TO COME ^_^
Thank you! We are recording the next V log!😉
Please SHOW WHEN U R IN ASIA AND SPECIALLY INDIA
Do you think you guys will use the same bike for last 10 years?
we believe the bikes will last for that time, but we might change them at some point and the reason is we would like to try different set up and components so we can give a proper and accurate review to people 😊
It's funny to see how there are comments that give such importance to the price of the components. I love your way of understanding cycling!
Hi, thank you! :) we try to think practical and avoid unnecessary and complicated technology and if the old designs works perfect why should we upgrade! it is just unnecessary use of resources 😊
Hello dear, I'm from Brasil, love ride bike, thanks for share your trips. Always ahead
your are welcome Eliel!😊, have nice ride!🙌🏽
Thanks for those quality information. It will help me on building my own bike. Im also planning a long term Biking trip on the western african route like you did.
Was wondering if you are happy with your solar panels? If so, what brand and model are you using? Quality and workmanship is inconsistent between brands.
Hi Tony, indeed we are very happy with it. Since we arrived in Africa we are almost independent from grid electricity. Panels are very durable and waterproof , We have build our solar system our selves. it is very very easy to do it, basically connecting 2parts. But we are just finishing an review article about pur panels and how to make it. Will be published on our website www.nomadstrails.com If it is ok i get back to you with the link in a week? 😊
@@NomadsTrails thank you. I'll look forward to the upcoming review.
Thanks for touring on bicycle.... Tops...And...Cycle spares...Or equipment...
"Know thyself." And your bike. Great video! I still don't know how to repair a spoke so these kind of videos are very helpful, thanks
Very informative. Thanks for sharing. I am looking at your recommendations. May I know the brand of your rim brake pads? You mentioned it's very durable. Thanks.
Thank you for the post card, I've received it today! Love you guys, good health and back wind!
thank you for your support. good to hear the postcard did arrive! all the best to you from Senegal!❤️
You guys awesome...6000km... Wow just wow... I bet a lot of things that you guys see on that ride.... Thx for sharing this to us... Wait! WHAT?! I just subscribe your channel and you both decided to around the world with that bike?! .... .... .... ... .... That's crazy... And awesome.... And cool.... But still that's crazy...
Well i think the rims you can finish faster based on your style of ride , i have the same rims but slowly slowy i start to consume it , because i also love to go fast down the downhill . I used much more the tires than the brakes so in the end are much more finished the marathon :D
You are totally right! The riding style is important factor here. Btw, I thought you have Ryde Andra 10rims or I am wrong? Finishing CSS surfaces of Ryde Andra Rims is a big job 💪😁, how many km you have on those rims? And do you use the special brake pads from Swiss Stop or Kool Stop for CSS rims? Ours after 10.000km is not showing any wear and we did around 3000km in Sahara where our bicycles often was covered with sand 😁, happy riding in Japan!✌✌🚲🚲
@@NomadsTrails yes but if u ride under the rain and ride fast and loaded u consume much faster :D Yes i do have ryda andra . The best rims EVER!
@@offcourseisofcourse-travel3264 yes you are right, rain and sand dose wear the rim out. is it your Rims CSS version or regular version? if you have CSS version of Andra rims you don't need to be worry about your break surface for at least 60.000km, but if you have regular version of Andra rim, then it will wear out much faster.
Fantastic review...I am really looking forward to watching your new videos
Thanks so much!
Thank you so much .. can anyone tell me about any website who ships worldwide bicycle accessories and bicycles? Regars
These two shops ship basically worldwide:
www.bike-components.de/en/
www.bike24.com/
@@NomadsTrails thank you so much
In one line Bicycle worth 3 lack indian rupees
yes that is correct, but we build these bicycles in a way we can use them for years under the heavy load so in long term, actually will be cheaper for us. but if you go for a shorter trips you defiantly don't need to spend 3 lack on bicycled , you can go with an old mountains bike which can cost around 100 euro and you will have great time cycling😊🙌🏽
Thanks for the bicycle run down. You all are bicycle experts. This was all good information because I bicycle tour but just in the States. Om!
Thank you for this video! It's very nice to listen to you explaining why you choose this or that choice you've made about your gear. I have a bicycle and I'm planning to adjust it for longer trips and your DIY attitude is a great inspiration!
Glad you enjoyed it! 😄🙌🏽
Schwalbe Marathon tyres are brilliant - Wish I had them back in my days of long distance touring... But short of that and works very well to make the tyre near bomb proof on a touring or mountain bike: Insert a strip of the nylon webbing strap between the tube and tyre. A bit awkward the first time. Never tried it on a road bike and it does change the ride a little, especially downhill in mountains, but not dangerously so. But you can ride over screws and nails no problem - Even had instances where self tapping screws got stuck in the webbing thru tire - no flat, just had to remove because it was hitting the fenders, etc.
Sounds like a great tip, thanks! 🙌🏾
@@NomadsTrails Best of luck during these chaotic times!
@@chrissonnenschein6634 Thank you! 😊
Now y'all got me looking into getting a new front wheel with a dynamo hub! I couldn't afford it on my first tour in 2016, but for the next one... it would be nice to be able to charge up on the move rather than having to charge my battery bank in town.
It's definitely handy, and a nice feeling to produce your own electricity 😊
I'm currently planning my France>Esatern Asia biking trip (hopefully starting in nov/decembre)
I bought a second-hand bike with excellent wheels but dont' have enough technical skills right now to mount a dynamo on it by myself: what would u recommend me as video/books/whatever to learn this tricky skill?
PS: just discovered ur channel few minutes ago> thank u, think I found a good stuff!! 😄
I simply just fell in love with your bicycles ❣️❣️
Well done you both. This is hardcore bikepacking! Pls do vlogs as it would let everyone to understand how fun and adventurous what you doing is.
You deserve sponsors as you'd be using the stuff they send through rigorous conditions.
thank you!😊 , we have Vlog on our You Tube channel, we publish at least 1 Vlog per country , hope you enjoy of it!
Is this bikepacking or bike tourin?. Don't the bikepackers keep their gear to a minimum and only do short trips?
@@clacclackerson3678 😞 so there's a difference? Thanks for the enlightenment!
@@clacclackerson3678 you are totally right, idea of bike packing is to go for short trips and keep the weight low. Also cycling off road is easier with bikepacking set up because of the low weight and the way weight is balanced on the bike. 😊