KD5NRH

And solid steel too, not hollow tubing.

Happy Feet

Before this fancy modern expedition 4130 solid steel tubing came along some just filled their gas pipes with cement.

Admittedly acceleration was a workout but but the forward momentum, especially downhill, was amazing!

In fact, ordinary brakes would not work so the older bikes had a stick you could throw between the spokes.

saddlesores

the latest super high quality modern aluminium
techno-basement-warrrrrior expedition grinders
get the same effect by coming equipped with
massive racks and 28-spoke wheels.

jefnvk

If I were going on an expedition? I'd need more than my twelve pack of pint sized cans of ales that I had on my last trip. Thank god I wised up in Iceland and stayed in an area where there were some restaurants I could supplement my supply, or I'd have ran out

Actually, I'd probably have to consider swapping them out for some scotch. Even I found a dozen pounds in beer weight to be slightly over the top...

Cyclist0094

Yeah Steel is real but Oak is dope! Note the early Deore under chainstay U-brake!

pdlamb

Love the brakes. Yabba-dabba-do!

bikemig 

aren't those brakes original equipment on the surly long haul trucker? I'm fairly certain they come stock on the Trek 920 as well . . .

Squeezebox

custom made.

Look up wooden bicycle frames. Kinda interesting.

Cyclist0094

Since a tree is about 48% carbon. Here is your first carbon fiber expedition bicycle (cir 1816). Of course it later was supplanted by the much superior "expedition grade" 4130 steel.

LeeG

Or camo from Walmart for half the price.

LeeG

Gorilla tape mo betta

shipwreck

I do wish that I could take a tour somewhere that you might need to tape some Gorillas to something. The most backwards places I have toured was in Louisiana and Florida, and there were more ducts swimming around there than large apes.

indyfabz

During an expedition tour you are more likely to encounter guerillas. Is there such a thing as guerilla tape?

Squeezebox

Forget the gorilla tape or chicken wire. I went hiking last weekend and found a big patch of *****willow.

alan s 

These are prototype disc wheels now commonly used on TT bikes. And that's gonna seriously hurt when the dude's scarf gets wrapped up in the rear wheel.

BigAura

That's what I was thinking. It would be like Isadora Duncan.

Anyhow-->those bikes are awesome.

saddlesores

should be more concerned about the loincloth!

jefnvk

At least going downhill. I suppose the "I like walking uphill" crowd may enjoy them though!

mev

Are you deciding "expedition" by duration of the trip or location?

As far as duration goes, what I bring for a two week trip is not much different than on my longest trips of 10, 12, 13 (and counting) month long trips. Perhaps a few more spares like two tires instead of one or an extra disc rotor.

As far as location goes, there is a much wiser list of countries than "US and Europe" where if necessary it isn't too much of a bother to resupply with something you forgot/learned you need. For example, in both Perú and Western China I acquired a second lightweight sleeping bag after learning temperatures were colder than I had planned. Similarly if necessary, bike shops to be found in largest cities of a much larger set of places.

After that harder to generalize since things like: visas, immunizations, clothing, etc are very location dependent. Within a location, how you travel also differs, e.g. outback Australia on sealed vs. unsealed roads. Time of year matters, e.g. eastern Russia in summer vs. winter. Other factors make it much more important to list *which* location rather than generalize to *expedition* for everything that isn't US, Europe or similar easier places.

mev

In many places, shipping starts to get very expensive. Depending on country, navigating through customs with different language is also tough.

Read journals and you'll find a variety of approaches people have done for things like cracked rims. Most common though seems to be to get to a large city and a fix there. Also in my opinion, when people turn these discussions into frame material type conversations, that seems like a much lower probabilty event than broken wheels.

I did had a frame crack with rear chainstay in Australia. This was midway in an 12 month trip and I didn't have a repair/replace option I liked. I did have a spare bike back in US. At that point shipping a bike was ~2/3 cost of a round trip plane ticket for myself. So I flew back and couriered in the new bike myself.

Prior to my trip across Russia, I left behind a bike with friends, when I did a 1600 mile trip the year before. It was the "hot spare" if something really bad happened like a stolen bike. Only "a train ride" away. Fortunately, I didn't need it. A friend retrieved that bike after first using it to ride the Pamir Highway.

Squeezebox

Well that makes a lot of sense. Do you have anything to say about having things shipped to you vs waiting until the next large city, like your sleeping bag example.

mev

Unless I know something specific or have a local contact, I am much more likely to look locally.

The problem with shipping is that you are importing something into the country. Each nation may have different rules including duties for importing things. If you don't follow, they get stuck and then knowledge of both local language and procedures are important.

One can find imported goods everywhere, but I'd rather someone else do that than me in middle of a trip. If I am going to bring something in, then rather as part of my possessions or via a courier (e.g. friend visiting) than shipping.

Squeezebox

Interesting! Thanks!
What about shipping things home? Again like cold weather stuff? I really don't want to carry something like a down jacket for 4 months until I need it again. Anything about meds?

mev

I have fewer concerns mailing things home. I've done it from China, Russia, and New Zealand without any troubles. Particularly true if you don't care when it arrives. Russia was very bureaucratic and a bit of a hassle to get the right paperwork. China in the Beijing post office was very efficient including English language instructions, packing materials, etc.

I haven't done medicines.

Again this is likely very country-specific and searching for that country and mailing will give a lot of information. There are expat communities living many places and they have those similar questions on getting things inbound.

When I thought I might want to beef up my sleeping bag, I did some searches about shipping to Peru. Amazon ships to many places and one could try "poste restante" to pick up at a general post office and pay duties there. There were also companies that give you a US address, bundle all the mail/packages together and then send to your Peruvian address. So it might all have worked...

However, Peru is also a popular destination for tourists to go trekking/camping up in the Andes. In the largest tourist cities there are some shops that sell limited outdoor goods - and even some places that will rent you the right trekking gear. So I figured (correctly) that it wouldn't be too hard to find something in Peru's second largest city, Arequipa, However, even before I got there, some cyclists coming the other way gave me an extra light sleeping bag they no longer needed (much appreciated).

That is Peru. Other countries will be different.

jefnvk

I'm more likely to think if I've got the cash for an extended tour, I can probably afford to replace the down jacket. Take an old one and donate it to charity or a homeless person when you no longer need it. I left my sleeping pad in the freebie section of the hostel in Reykjavik, because I didn't want to deal with getting it home.

As a diabetic, I'd never try to ship my insulin abroad. Hand carry it, and if you can't take enough, make sure when you are getting to the end of the supply, you are in a country where you can visit a doctor and get a refill, get home to get more, or have someone bring it.