Cycling Around the World, Sadly had to return for major repairs

[hoopdriver]

New South Wales isn't quite that big - it is about 10% bigger than Texas though.

 

[John Peel]

It's the wildlife, the flies and total lack of concept of green grassNSW!

Oh the flies! They were a pain, always seeking out moisture from anywhere on your face. In the 80’s I was a Breakdance instructor by night, even doing TV breakdancing adds for Liquerland, but by day I was on building sites as a bricklayers labourer, and the flies were the things I hated more than anything. They drove me crazy (crazier). I have to ask, it sounds like you choose off grid living as supposed to it being just situation. Is that right?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I have to ask, it sounds like you choose off grid living as supposed to it being just situation. Is that right?

Yes. We chose a rural location. I could easily have lived totally off grid. It doesn't bother me at all. I'm not one for coping well with people, houses or buildings around me. I need space. I found a little. I know my husband had taken a little more adjusting but he too now much prefers it. I think it was just the size of the roos and the need for roo bars (substantial ones) and extra lights that threw him initially, plus the 12 km each way of dirt roads to get to the property. But we have the hasn't of driving at 90kph on gravel and dirt roads now. Dust clouds do have their uses!

 

[User16625]

I posted this in response on a thread, but thought it would be interesting to post it here too. I've been told my vids are pretty crap, my blogs are dull, and I'm naive , so lets have it both barrels people, let me know how to improve my videos, my blogs, my whole approach maybe, I'm all new to cycling and cycle touring, but took on a world cycle all the same.



Cycle touring was never my hobby, and I rarely cycled, but I always liked the idea of cycling around the world, I thought it was the perfect speed, and to do it under your own steam too. I never thought I would ever get the chance of course, after all it would be a massive undertaking for “the average Joe”, and especially someone who has never so much as spent a weekend cycle touring.

Well after working hard and manually my entire life, bringing up 2 daughters, and putting myself last, I at last found myself at 54 years old with the opportunity to take on that crazy adventure, so I saved and made it happen.

I bought the KOGA because I knew nothing about bikes or bike mechanics, and just wanted the best bike I could afford, that would take me around the world, with very little in the way of repairing if I maintained it well.

I wanted to experience this whole thing as a complete novice, and maybe that was just a crazy idea, but at least I had the balls to give it a go, and it was what I wanted to do, so I set out. Aside from the pains in muscles I never knew I had, the mental side was really very tough.

My first 9 days were constant rain, day and night, hills were battering me, and the total weight of 206kg was proving very hard work. Strong in my work as a builder, this was a whole new thing for my body.

I started hearing a clicking and feeling it through my pedals. I took the bike to 2 separate bike shops as I travelled down to Portsmouth, and both took the bottom bracket out because I told them the noise appeared to be coming from there, and they cleaned everything and couldn’t find issue. Great people and neither shop charged me for the work.

At La Rochelle, I found a KOGA dealership. I took the bike in and was treated like a tw#t. I had never been treated like that in my life by a shop, I held myself back from dragging the lot of them outside, I need this fixed. 2 Days of trying to get them to deal with it, and on the second day they receive an email from Rohloff ( as I had contacted my dealer and he had been on the phone to Rohloff) on how to take the new splined carrier off and apply a thick grease to hide the noise.

It turned out that this was a known issue to Rohloff and KOGA, to do with the marriage of the new splined carrier / components, and the carbon belt. It turned out that Rohloff and Gates were working on a solution but didn’t have one yet, other than banging a load of thick grease in.

Grease in, and off I go. I cycle down the Atlantic coast to San Sebastian in Spain, then over Basque Country to Madrid, Madrid to Valencia, and then up the coast to Southern France. A total of 3329 km’s. Now look at that how you will, but to me, I had achieved quite something for a first timer, and an old timer, I was pretty proud of myself.

I made videos and took hundreds of photos, uploaded posts daily to keep those that were interested up to speed, and I experienced some amazing things and met some wonderful people.

Sadly, by the time I reached Marseille in France, the noise was back. After a number of phone calls, with the only help I was going to get was being mailed a tube of thick grease from Rohloff, I contacted Trading Standards.

I won’t go into that bit, but it resulted in my getting no offers of help from KOGA to return the bike for repairs, I hired a car in Marseille and dropped the bike off with my dealer in the UK.

I hope I’m not boring you up to now.

It turned out that the bad marriage of parts resulted in badly worn components, and it was just as well I brought it back, as I would not have got much farther on my tour. The older threaded carrier and components didn’t have this issue.

To best suit my needs, it was agreed that the bike will now be converted to a Rohloff chain drive system. Sprockets being 42 front 17 rear. A spare for each will be provided. Spare front and rear belt cogs provided in case I ever want to change back to belt drive, a new bottom bracket anyway, 2 new Schwalbe tyres and tubes, service, and tools so that I can change sprockets and carriers myself if need be.

I am sad to be back here just 3 months into my world cycle, but it could not be helped. I will now spend Christmas with my daughters and return to Marseille in the new year to where I left off, then I will continue on my tour.

Now it surely has to be refreshing to see an ordinary family guy with no experience, not too hot creating videos and blogging, get on a bike and attempt to spend a few years cycling around the world, solo, self-funded, self-supported, and just an ordinary Joe. Wish me luck anyway you lot. Cheers. Steve.

What I want to know is how do you fund yourself for this? I have a full time job, would be lucky to get 2 consecutive weeks off. So to do something like this would mean me giving up work, but that would mean no income either. For this reason, saving up wouldnt work as I would still have to quit my job.

 

[John Peel]

What I want to know is how do you fund yourself for this? I have a full time job, would be lucky to get 2 consecutive weeks off. So to do something like this would mean me giving up work, but that would mean no income either. For this reason, saving up wouldnt work as I would still have to quit my job.

I get it. I'm in my early 50's, working class, no college or University, a father and just a hard working ordinary guy, and I have had to make sacrifices to do this. At the same time, I wouldn't want it any other way, I have earned this. If you really want it bad enough, you will make it happen.

 

[John Peel]

Rohloff Speedhub and Gates Carbon Drive to Rohloff Speedhub and Chain

Bicycle on the back of my car. I didn't expect to see that for about 3 years .

The Gates belt has been replaced with a Campagnola Record 9 Speed chain, sprockets front and rear replaced to carry the chain of course. New splined carrier and clip installed.

Rohloff have also provided plenty of spares, at no charge including another set of rear sprockets, 2 more carriers and clip, and a new rear sprocket that will carry the belt if every I choose to revert back to the belt for which I still have. The hub has also been serviced and a fresh oil change, grease, tool, and chainglider also supplied. Cyclesense in Tadcaster carried out the work at no charge.

I also purchased other parts for other work I required, and Cyclesense carried out the work at no charge.

This included a new bottom bracket, 2 new 700x50 Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tyres, disc brake pads and bicycle service.

After a brief ride today, the chain drive didn't seem noticeably noisier than the belt drive, and it also felt just as smooth. Changing gears is still smooth and I now have one more extra lower gear it seems, which is great.

I will be giving it some testing through Jan and Feb, and I'm feeling confident I've got all the bad news out of the way early. I'm looking forward to my return, and in the meantime I have taken on 2 full days of bicycle maintenance and repair, including wheel building and truing.

And while I'm at it, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all, and thanks for taking such an interest in my adventure. Steve

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

Rohloff Speedhub and Gates Carbon Drive to Rohloff Speedhub and Chain

Bicycle on the back of my car. I didn't expect to see that for about 3 years .

The Gates belt has been replaced with a Campagnola Record 9 Speed chain, sprockets front and rear replaced to carry the chain of course. New splined carrier and clip installed.

Rohloff have also provided plenty of spares, at no charge including another set of rear sprockets, 2 more carriers and clip, and a new rear sprocket that will carry the belt if every I choose to revert back to the belt for which I still have. The hub has also been serviced and a fresh oil change, grease, tool, and chainglider also supplied. Cyclesense in Tadcaster carried out the work at no charge.

I also purchased other parts for other work I required, and Cyclesense carried out the work at no charge.

This included a new bottom bracket, 2 new 700x50 Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tyres, disc brake pads and bicycle service.

After a brief ride today, the chain drive didn't seem noticeably noisier than the belt drive, and it also felt just as smooth. Changing gears is still smooth and I now have one more extra lower gear it seems, which is great.

I will be giving it some testing through Jan and Feb, and I'm feeling confident I've got all the bad news out of the way early. I'm looking forward to my return, and in the meantime I have taken on 2 full days of bicycle maintenance and repair, including wheel building and truing.

And while I'm at it, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all, and thanks for taking such an interest in my adventure. Steve

Please let us know how your test rides go.

 

[John Peel]

Please let us know how your test rides go.

Will do.

 

[hoopdriver]

You are going about this in a very orderly professional way. I’ve no doubt whatever you’ll succeed.

 

[John Peel]

You are going about this in a very orderly professional way. I’ve no doubt whatever you’ll succeed.

Thanks for your confidence. Steve

 

[Blue Hills]

Congratulations on the new new bike. Seems you are all set. Out of interest what was supposed to be the advantage of the fiendish belt?

 

[Ticktockmy]

Well Steve Its good to hear you have your bike back and fixed, but frankly for what you paid for that bike, it should never have happened, a lack of good R & D on the part of KOGA. Not wanting to teach yu to suck eggs, but considering the total wieght of your build and equipment I would think your next problem could be the wheels, I would suggest that you include spare spokes because sods law says that when you least expect it one will break, often followed by more if you cannot replace the broken one fairly quickly. Spokes and a spoke key is something I have found a few fellow travellers have not bothered to carry and it causes a lot of inconvenience. Have a good Christmas and we look forward to your adventures.

 

[John Peel]

Congratulations on the new new bike. Seems you are all set. Out of interest what was supposed to be the advantage of the fiendish belt?

Thanks. The belt is supposed to last a lot longer than a chain, even many times longer. It is supposed to be cleaner having no oil to add to it. Clogging with mud is less likely because the belt runs on an angled track, pushing mud and dirt out to the sides. Quieter. And if the belt breaks you don't need to mess around with links and chopping chains, you simply remove a section of the dedicated bike frame to put the belt on in a continuous loop. Actually, I could probably still make use of the frame and set up a chain in a continuous loop in advance.

So lots of plus points, but unfortunately it's not working well with the new splined carrier to the hub, as you have seen with my experience. Tension has to be spot on, unlike a chain that can have a little slack or wobble, the belt has to be set perfectly otherwise it pulls at the sprockets and carrier causing problems, and the belt could be easily damaged if not set perfectly. There is even a phone app to use with the belt. You ping the belt next to the phone app, it listens and then tells you how much to adjust in which way. If it didn't need to be spot on, there would be no app I guess.

I think I would have no problem going back to the belt on my return for general commuting, and for even if I had a few weeks of a tour lined up if I knew I would be home soon and could just take it for repair if I needed to on my return, but it's out of the question for a world tour.

Oh yes, and another big problem is that when anyone sees the belt, they have to pull on it and twang it, twist it and mess with it. This is not good because it can't be twisted or the fibres will be damaged. Folding to the point of almost creasing it will damage it for good.

 

[John Peel]

Well Steve Its good to hear you have your bike back and fixed, but frankly for what you paid for that bike, it should never have happened, a lack of good R & D on the part of KOGA. Not wanting to teach yu to suck eggs, but considering the total wieght of your build and equipment I would think your next problem could be the wheels, I would suggest that you include spare spokes because sods law says that when you least expect it one will break, often followed by more if you cannot replace the broken one fairly quickly. Spokes and a spoke key is something I have found a few fellow travellers have not bothered to carry and it causes a lot of inconvenience. Have a good Christmas and we look forward to your adventures.

Yes, I found it amazing to be honest that the bike took my weight and all my gear, as when I set off at 151 kg's I recon I must have been the heaviest guy to ever attempt to cycle around the world , and maybe even now at just over 130 kg's. Also with my lack of cycling experience, cycling over some of the toughest tracks and trails, off-road and through huge bumps and holes I didn't see in advance. It really took a beating I have to say, and I expected the wheels to buckle and spokes break once I encountered that kind of terrain. But the 2 inch tyres and obviously great build quality of the wheels, got me through.

The rear wheel has much shorter spokes due the hub, so no doubt those spokes would take more of beating. That said, I carried 3 rear spokes and 3 front spokes with me. One day I set off in the morning and the bike felt like I was riding over a permanent cattle grid. I couldn't see what it was and thought I had buckled the front wheel. On inspection I noticed a bulge in my tyre, likely due to all the rocks and sharp gravel hitting the sides on the trails.

I cycled 80 km's that day to my campsite because nothing else was open on the holiday and I was lucky the tyre held out, but I had found a bike shop open near my campsite for the following day. My head was banging with the vibration, and it made me wonder what would have happened if I did have a buckled wheel or broken spoke and how would I fix a wobble, so in January I have booked a full days training on wheel building and truing, so that will no doubt sort that problem out. I have also booked a full day on maintenance and repair. Both with Bike Right in Liverpool.

Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you too.

 

[Ticktockmy]

Bulge's or cuts in the sidewall of a tyre can be a problem, I carry two boots that I have made by cutting the ends of plastic toothpaste tubes then cut them length ways and you have a very strong but flexable boot for those times you get a cut or bulge.