april 4th, 2025 – Day 04 – 250 km
So what exactly does one take when cycling for a year? I actually don’t know, really, but I made sure to leave enough space to take my electric toothbrush with me. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Before we start, put on your nerd hat because we’re going to begin with the bike. Build up by yours truly —thank you, thank you, you’re way too kind— with the main focus being bombproof (hopefully), and getting there (eventually). So, by no means is it as fast as a bullet train, but neither am I.
Frameset
• Kona Sutra Ltd
Drivetrain
• SRAM NX/GX mix
• 32 x 11-51t gearing
• Shimano SLX 4-piston front
• Shimano SLX 2-piston rear
• Chris King Ceramic BB
(I don’t care about saving watts, I just want it to last)
• Shimano double sided pedals
Wheelset
• DT Swiss GR 531 – 32 spokes, triple butted – tubeless setup
• DT Swiss 350 rear hub
• Schwalbe Johnny Watts 356
29” x 65mm (29” x 2.6”)
Electronics
• Son 28 Dynamo hub
• Sinewave Beacon 2 front light
(Which is also capable of charging my electronics when cycling, which is pretty fucking cool if you ask me)
• The cheapest dynamo rear light
Racks
• Racktime lightit rear
• Bontrager carry forward front
Saddle
• Brooks B17
Bars
• Jones H-bar
Bags
• Agu half framebag
• Some Aliexpress food pouches (2x)
• Ortlieb 12,5L front (2x)
• Ortlieb 25L rear (2x)
• Ortlieb toptube bag 1,5L
(Ortlieb if you’re reading this: I will gladly accept your sponsorship)
Spares & maintenance
• spare brake pads front (3x)
• spare brake pads rear (3x)
• spare derailleur hanger
• spare shifter cable
• spare electrical connections
• spare chain
• spare missing link (3x)
• spare bike light (2x)
• spare tubeless valve (2x)
• tubeless plugs
• tubeless sealant (250 ml)
• needle & fishing wire
• inner tube (2x)
• tube patches
• chain splitter
• chain pliers
• hex key set
• torx T25 key
• presta x schrader converter
• lighter
• duct tape
• tie wraps
• tie down strap (4x)
• leatherman
• pump
• bright pink bike lock
Total weight fully loaded: 42,5kg
Then onto what’s inside these Ortlieb bags
(again: Ortlieb if you’re reading this …)
Off the bike clothing
• t-shirt
• long sleeve
• sweater
• shorts
• trousers
• socks (2x)
• boxers (3x)
• shoes (all stars, worn. It’s called fashion, honey)
• beanie
• cap
On the bike clothing
• merino t-shirt (2x)
• merino long sleeve (2x)
• merino sweater
• shorts (2x)
• trousers (warm/rain)
• merino socks (3x)
• merino boxers (4x)
• biking shoes (w/ SPD cleats)
• merino beanie
• merino buff
• rain jacket
• down jacket
• helmet
• hi vis jacket
(shoutout to sheep!)
Electronics
• phone
• backup phone
• wireless earbuds
• tablet
• digital camera
• bike GPS
• SOS beacon
• watch w/ heart rate monitor
• 20k mAh powerbank
• charger (2x)
• every-conceivable-cable-in-the-entire-universe (urgh.)
Camping gear
• 1 person tent
• inflatable sleeping mattress
• inflatable pillow
• down sleeping bag
• sleeping bag liner
• 2 person cooking kit
• knife (opinel #7, of course)
• food containers (2x)
• herbs & spices
• olive oil
• multi fuel stove
• washing kit
• 1-cup filter coffee kit
• coffee cup
• water filter
• water filtration tablets
• head torch
• extra tarp
• cord
• carabiner
• book
• mini harmonica (lol, thanks Toon)
Toiletries
• electric toothbrush
• trimmer
• tweezers
• nail clippers
• deodorant
• soap
• sunscreen
• chapstick
• towel (2x)
• wet wipes
• EHBO kit
• bug spray
• medicine
• ear plugs
• sunglasses
• spare glasses
Then at last a copy of literally every important document in your life —and that’s it really. Compact enough to fit inside these O-R-T-L-I-E-B bags (uhum?!) with room to spare, heavy enough to make life beautifully miserable in the mountains. Just the way God intended.
—
Many have asked about my itinerary, and I have simultaneously no clue while also knowing exactly what I hope to be able to see. So in short, as of today (but we’ll see how things progress and/or change):
Belgium – Germany – Austria – Czechia – Poland – Hungary – Romania – Bulgaria – Greece – Turkey – Georgia – Armenia – Iran – Turkmenistan – Uzbekistan – Tajikistan – Pakistan – India – Nepal
—and who knows what else.
Disclaimer: I wanted to make this fun map of the world with all of these countries connected —but, well, I don’t feel like making it, actually. So why wont YOU go look at a map and connect the dots.
love you,
tschüss!