Condition
You don't need to be an experienced cyclist yourself if you want to travel on a bicycle. It's not restricted to age. A normal condition and a good health is everything you need. Of cause it helps that you already like to cycle. More important is that you are mentally strong enough to overcome the, from time to time, the less enjoyable times.For us, starting our trip in Europe has worked out very well. This way we could get used to our new way of live, test our equipment en build up condition gradually and had already a considerable amount of km's ?in our legs? before it became really tough. And tough meant not only bad or steep ways. To cycle in a totally different country, with slums all around and people who look at your "expensive" bicycle in a manner which you do like asks also a lot off you mentally.
Health and insurance
You probably need some vaccinations before you can go. Certainly if go to the areas we haven been travelling. Start swift. For some decease?s you get more than one vaccination Sometimes with half a year in between. Also the number of punctures at one visit is limited. Having your first visit a year in advance is really not exaggerated.We took the following vaccinations:
Hepatitis A and B, Yellow fever, typhus, Meningitis Rabies and a BCG against TBC.Concerning malaria prolix be a bit sceptic. There are a lot countries on there list where malaria is very rare with only a few cases in the past often only in the wet season. In our situation the eventually described us to swallow Lariam for two years. Other travellers recommended to us to find out the need of profilax on the spot and when necessary buy it overthere. In General it? s also a cheaper solution.As a travel insurance we chose for the insurance "special ISIS" because you can extend this insurance up to three years. This insurance covers medical costs abroad, missed or damaged luggage and robberies and a few other things.
Wild dogs
It's a scaring image for every cyclist. You are for climbing or descending and suddenly there is no escape: Hordes sanguinary dogs are after you?. This was also the way we felt and therefore we decided to buy a "Dazzer". A gag witch makes an ultrasonic sound to scare dogs away. Unfortunately the thing is totally unnecessary and doesn?t effect every dog. Real wild dogs don?t show thereselfs. The dogs who come after you often belong to a house or a shepherd somewhere nearby. They will chase you but, of cause. But the moment you stop and start throwing stones at them, (something witch they probably know from there owners) they will draw back. You do not have to hit "bulls-eye" even the movement of throwing stones is often sufficient.
Choice bicycles
Eventually we have chosen for our "Worldtravellers" of Koga Myata. The leading Dutch brand . We had far too little knowledge and experience to know exactly what we wanted, witch gears etc and therefore we chose for a bicycle which was already made to travel the world. Thereby after, seeing these beautiful bikes, nothing compared to them.According to some, you have to have a steel frame with components even the blacksmith of Timboektoe can repair. But we prefer a bicycle so strong, on which this we can cycle beyond the blacksmith without having to make use of his services.Our bicycles have been carried out entirely in aluminium and assembled with the Shimano Deore XT group. It functions very well and complete reliably.That we both have the same bicycle is also a big advantage if you travel as a couple. My bicycle it is by far charged heavy and the moment something wear out accelerated you can always decide to exchange the parts with the other bicycle before it breaks down.Because we are in Holland with already 18.000km we decided to take advantage of the occasion. It?s a good moment to bring our bikes in top-shape again.. Outside the normal maintenance such as replacing the cassettes the chains and the tires, we liked to replace the saddles and needed new front low-carriers. By the selection of a different saddle there was only one brand we wanted and which is recommend to us also by other cyclist. It had to be leather saddles of "Brooks". After a ?introduction? period these leather saddles adopt the perfect shape and fit to you but. Ideal and in fact a must for each world cyclist!!The "AS" carriers assembled by Koga were both totally worn out . After some investigation we choose eventually for the Low-carriers of "Old man Mountain". They look very solid and we have high expectations of them. They are made of same aluminium that they use also in the aviation and have a livelong guarantee.
Cycling-bags
Because we will be on the road for quit a long time we only wanted the bests. We cycle with impermeable bags of Ortlieb (Front-/backroller classic). They are very strong and just in case, they are also easy to repair.
Transport bicycles
Some oppose against the use of bike-boxes. Certainly it is awkwardly and it takes some time. But many companies will not accept your bicycle otherwise than packed in a box, or you have to pay extra, or they do not cover for possible damage. So always inform at the company you are dealing with and find out what there regulations are. In most cases you can get an used box at a local bike-shop in the town you are flying from. Sometimes the boxes available are too small. But with what extra cardboard, some tape and the necessary bubbelplastic there is always a solution. Take Care of the vulnerable parts and give them some extra attention and cardboard. But, and this is maybe the most important thing; be prepared and start in time. You will not be the first cyclist who misses his plane. Furthermore: Release some air from your wheels and put your gear in the slowest position. Remove the Paddles turn the handlebars 90 degrees.
Budget
What does a worldtrip cost. First of all have you of course the costs of travel himself. Your lodging, food, transport and possible tours. For everyone this will be different how much he wants to spend on this.This is how we made our estimation.. Roughly we have planed a route and with the use of maps and a _map-distance-counter? we tried to estimate the total distance in a country. Assuming we would cycle in average about 50km a day we came at the number of days. Multiplied with the budget a day which we found on the web-site of Lonelyplanet? we finally got our total budget. After 15 moths of travel it is still accurate. Some countries have been cheaper, in others we have stayed longer but in the end it still works. Beside the costs of your travel and the equipment, bicycles etc. you have also the costs for the insurance and the vaccinations. Insurance did cost us Euro 1.60 a person a day and the costs for several vaccinations we spend EUR 550, = a person. This includes (Hepatitis A and B, Typhus, Yellow-fever, Rabies, Meningitis, and a BCG against TBC.
Tent, MSR Velo. It weights ± 4kilo but has the advantage that you can store your bikes inside the tent. At night and at absence it is really very comforting. And having much space in front of your tent is also very convenient if the weather is not that good. The tent is very strong and has even exceeded a strong storm without any problems. Because the sleeping compartment is easy too keep yourselves warm when it ?s freezing a few degrees. At warmer days you can open both sides of the tent.
Sleeping mattresses; Thermarest.
Sleeping bags: Northface to -7C
ground cover
Multi-fuel stove; Optimus nova. This stove regulates very well and easily to clean.
Pan-set, plates, mugs, knife, fork etc and a coffee pot.
Water filter: Kaladyn Comby. Of course you can purify water also your with drops or tablets. But when I see the polluted filter after a water-treatment I?m always glad we use a filter. Especially when you have to take water from a muddy river.
Foldable Water-bin, Vaude
Rope and pin
The bicycle-repairmen in the countries where we have travelled are so didn?t look good to us. Mostly they are used repairing "Chinese" bicycles and they don't have the required tools ore skills to treat your bike properly. So be prepared have the required tools at you and be sure that you can maintain the bikes yourselves. A bicycle isn?t that complicated and if you have doubts you can always take a coarse.
- Spoke-key **
- Allen-keys **
- Skrewdriver **, phillips and flat (* *:can also be combined as a combitool)
- 15mm spanner /chain whip. As far as I know it is not an existing combination but it's easy to make by drilling a hole in the back and assemble some old chains.
- Cassette-key
- Bottembracket key.
- Bacho, it seems heavy but I think it is very handy. Not only do I need it to take of the cassette but I also used it to bend back some twisted parts.
- 4 Spare tubes
- 1 Spare tirepuncture repair kitt
- Tie ribbons.
- Lubricants,
- Some rags and an old teeth brush
- 10 Spare spokes (5 front, 5 backwheel)
- Spare cables brake/gear
Clothing (by person)
- 2 Cycling tights
- 2 Cycling shits, (Odlo)
- 1 Long sleeved cycling shirt (Vaude)
- 1 Thin fleece 100 (Vaude)
- 1 Waterproof overcoat, (Gore bikewear)
- 1 Windproof and visible vest (Vaude)
- 2 Pare of trousers with off-zipeble pipes
- Underwear
- 4 pears of socks
- Lightweight towels
- Teva sandals
- Hat or cap
Remaining
- Travel guide
- Some books
- First aid kit
- Toilet-things, medicines, betadine-creme
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses, Camera and film
- Insect repellent with DEET
- Klamboe
Dairy
- Totch
- Pocketknife
- A firm bags where you can put all the byciclebags in during travel by other transport.