dawes karakum to tour the world advice please?

[paddy1995]

Hi,

I am planning on buying a dawes karakum next week and hitting the road soon enough, i am getting the karakum for 700 GBP, 18 inch frame. I'm about 5,9 and 70kg.

the bike and specs can be seen here - Karakum Gents - Dawes Cycles Touring Tandem and Sportif bikes

the reason i am posting here is i dont too much about the techincalities of bike, i just love to pedal and im tryng to learn as much as i can recently about the specs, i have been doing research but still not up to speed so looking for some help please..

i know its aluminium so harder to weld but i am hoping it wont have to be welded.

i will have it loaded with panniers front and back but not plannin on bringing too much, will the spokes handle it for a year?

i am planning on riding the 24,ooo k in around a year (france to turkey via the danube, cross the pamir highway and on accross china, cyce around a bit of australia and then cross the USA), do you think the bike will last for one year? the gears, brakes, spokes etc??

it has v brakes will the rims become worn down and have tobe replaced at some stage do you think? Am i better off getting disc brakes fitted if this will be the case?

has 27 speed gears, will these be low enough for climbing mountain like the pamir highway?

32mm tyres? these should get too many punctures i dont think should they? i will mostly be on good roads.. i dont want to be plagued with punctures

 

[Cush]

After a year I fitted my Kharkum with butterfly bars because they were not standard, it is a great bike and I only changed it for a Nomad so I could have hub gears. Overall I think the Kharkum was the better touring bike. Not sure about disk brakes, I know if I manage to get another bike for touring in Britain I would have them fitted but maybe for abroad!!

 

[lowrider73]

I have the Karakum and a super touring bike it is too. Great for cycle-camping. The v-brakes are ok, but not too sure of disc brakes, which I would imagine be a lot better than v's. I've tried the butterfly bars, but went back to straights. The 27 gears should be a enough depending on your load. I would go for for 35mm. I'm using my Karakum for the double coast to coast bike ride in July. Take note, Vernon.

 

[Blue Hills]

I wouldn't worry too much about the rims.

Yes they will wear in time.

Just make sure to clean the rims frequently - you could easily do this on tour with an old toothbrush and a bit of washing up liquid.

And regularly check the brake-pads for debris the way you should check your tyres.

When the rims wear out, eventually, I'd get some handbuilt wheels from Spa Cycles on Rigida Sputnik rims. Bomb-proof.

Enjoy the bike.

It looks really nice though must admit I'm not over-enamoured of aluminium bikes - pity they don't do a steel version