The bike
So I knew where I wanted to ride to, and I knew why. With those hurdles cleared, I turned my attention to making that dream happen.
Now it would of course have been easier to attempt my journey using a standard bike. But having watched the inspirational videos of others that have cycle toured, and also read numerous touring books, I knew I wanted my journey to be one that I could share. Thus, my bike simply had to be a tandem!
What I was looking for:
- Steel frame
- 8 speed groupset or less (for ease of repairs in remote areas)
- Mechanical disc brakes if possible (for the stopping power, and because it would help protect the wheel rims from the wear that would normally come from rim brakes)
- 26″ mountain bike wheels (for strength and ease of repair)
What I got – The Dawes Discovery Twin:
This isn’t a purpose built expedition bike. It is actually one of the cheaper tandems available in Britian today.
- Colour: Silver
- Weight: 18kg
- Frame: 21″, Dawes Alloy tandem geometry
- Fork: Hi-tensile steel tandem specific
- Headset: Ahead 1.1/8″
- Shifters: Shimano ST-EF50 24 speed
- Rear Derailleur: Shimano Acera RD-M340
- Front Derailleur: Shimano FD-C051
- Chain: KMC Z51 & KMC Z-72
- Freewheel: Shimano CS-HG30-8 11-30T
- Front Hub: Alloy 48 hole QR
- Rear Hub: Alloy cassette 48 hole QR
- Rims: Double wall alloy CNC sidewall
- Spokes: 14G stainless
- Tyres: Tioga City Slickers 26×1.75
- Chainwheel: Truvativ Firex Front:38T 170mm, Rear 48/38/28T 170mm
- Bottom Bracket: Part of chainwheel with front eccentric shell
- Brakes: Tektro alloy linear spring V-brake
- Brake Levers: Shimano
- Handlebar: Front: steel riser Rear: steel riser
- Stem: Front: alloy adjustable ahead Rear: Adjustable alloy
- Seatpost: Front: alloy 28.6mmx450xx Rear: 30.4mmx450mm
- Saddle: Dawes comfort sports
- Grips: Kraton comfort
- Pedals: Alloy with black rubber grip
- Mudguards: Chromoplastic
The upgrades:
The basic specification of my tandem is incredibly good. The upgrades that I made were small in number, and cost – but have made a huge difference to the riding experience…
Handlebars: upgraded to BBB butterfly handlebars
Standard flat handlebars are all good for mountain biking. However, they are certainly not ideal for cycle touring. I added some butterfly handlebars which give me multiple grip positions – helping to avoid repetitive strain injuries from holding one grip for too long. The added bonus is that I can also mount all sorts of extras (speedo/video camera arm/wing mirrors), without losing any grip space.
Brakes: Upgraded to Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes
Disc brakes are great things to have on a tandem. They have amazing stopping power, reduce rim wear, and will still function even if the wheels go out of line. I got a great deal on a set of 185mm Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes from Dave at Single Track Bikes. Amazing stopping power, and unbelievably easy to maintain.
Panniers/bags: Blackburn MTN hi-rider up front, a Tubus at the rear, and a waterproof handlebar bag
The Blackburn MTN hi-rider is ideal for my type of touring. It sits higher up on the front fork, meaning that my bags don’t hit the ground when i’m walking down rutted farm tracks! (I’m sure this ability to ride on difficult terrain will prove invaluable as I head east). I also have a Tubus rear rack (tough stuff!), and a Rixen Kaul KLICKFix handlebar bag (this is great, because with just one click, I can remove the handlebar bag – great for when I’m leaving the bike to buy food etc!)
Pedals/shoes: Upgraded to Shimano M324 SPD pedals & Shimano MT22 shoes
The pedals are cheap, but they also have an added bonus. They have the clip-in option on one side, and conventional pedal on the other…giving me great flexibility over footwear choices. Very happy thus far with the MT22′s – they look like normal shoes, perform extremely well, and are very well ventilated.
Saddle: Upgraded to a Brooks B67 English leather saddle
They seem to be universally popular among cycle tourers…and for good reason! They look quaint and old; but they are simply THE most comfortable of saddles. The B67 has the added bonus of suspension springs – which helps lessen the tough ride provided by my aluminium framed tandem.
Spares:
- Replacement main gear cassette plus remover tool
- Two chains plus link splitter
- One tyre (Schwalbe Marathon Extreme), two inner tubes plus multiple repair kits
- Two sets of brake pads
- Two spare axles
- Spare spokes
- Assorted spanners, wrenches, allen keys etc.
(& many other things besides; I’ll list them all in due course!)
Other equipment:
- Tent: Wild Country Duolite (a really well designed tent – made by Terra Nova)
- Camping Stove: MSR Whisperlite (sounds like a rocket, burns like an acetyline torch, works with pretty much any fuel, and is also super reliable!)
- Sleeping Bag: Mountain Equipment goose feather (10 years old, and a veteran of trips to Peru, the Bahamas, JOGLE , and many other trips besides — still performing wonderfully well!)
- Roll Matt: Mountain Equipment inflatable mattress
- First aid kit
(& many other things besides; i’ll list them in due course)
A few interesting facts:
Biggest days cycle so far: 160km (cycling to friends in Civray, France)
Maximum weight of my bike/equipment: about 75kgs when heading down to Calais (I have since ditched a lot of equipment, including my trailer. To find out why, click here, or watch the video below)
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