Well with flights booked (November) it was about time I got off my arse and rebuilt the Nomad after its last adventure.. it amazes me each time I clean it up and service it how good the paintwork still is after 7 years of adventures.. a thick, black powdercoat that has proven to be pretty much bombproof. The only real changes to the bike from last time are the new rims I built onto the old hubs a couple of weeks ago (original post), a new outer chainring, new cables, cassette, chain and a new rear tyre. The old Marathon rear has plenty of life in it yet but I replaced it anyway as it did get damaged on the rail line to Atocha in Bolivia, the front, despite many 1000′s of km, still looks like good. The brakes rather suffered with the salt and grit in Bolivia but are back to working well having been flushed through with almost an entire can of GT85 and left to soak in oil for a day. The derailleur jockey wheels were shot too, I didn’t have any spares in my bits box but did come across a set of quite spangly Tiso alloy ones I vaguely remember acquiring years ago.. so those are on there now. Not sure how well they will last, I do remember seeing a post somewhere many years ago that compared them to a well matured cheddar in terms of durability. We shall see…
ready to roll once again
So, I really do enjoy tinkering with bikes and I’ve probably done more than was strictly necessary but being an engineer I cannot rest unless my bicycle is in running perfectly :-) There is just one job left to do.. replace all the primary load bearing bolts in the racks, I don’t want another one shearing on me in the middle of nowhere…
it weighs somewhere on the wrong side of 14kgs.. It rides nicely however
favourite Dura Ace 9spd thumbies
cheese..?
the Velo Orange saddle that replaced the worn out San Marco Regal.. looks a bit skinny on such a chunky bike.. but it's comfy.
So Mikey … Flights booked … but to where exactly … and what’s the itinerary? I’m itching to know!
oh nothing special, I realised I won’t stop thinking about Patagonia until I go back there and go as far south as I can, giving myself loads of time to climb mountains and stuff along the way. Middle East next year…
So itinerary.. fly to Santiago, pedal south as fast as possible until I reach my starting point of last year at Puerto Montt.. then keep meandering south hopping between Chile and Argentina until I reach the Beagle Channel.. or something :-)
Do we see you before your flight-out and taxi you to Heathrow?
Or are you being anti-social?
Shirley & David
oh I was thinking those very thoughts yesterday… ;-)
A lump of a bike and then some. I just looked on eBay and there are bike boxes/bags for just over thirty notes. At that price they are almost disposable. Is that a moment of genius or stupid? They even claim to be padded. Off for a bit of bushcraft in the woods today as I have to take too many spin classes next week and can not look at a bike –OOoo legs
hey, if making lots of flights get one of these http://mikesimagination.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/body-bag/
Mark, friend of mine is doing what you plan to do and is using one. When I’m not making lots of connections with bike legs in between I just pick up whatever crap I can… cardboard boxes etc. My bike came home from delhi a few years ago bundled in a cheap rug and gaffer tape from the market.
as for the Nomad, oh yes.. but it’s ace, the abuse it can take is unreal and it rides a dream.
enjoy your bushcraft. I have a cold so the beach cafe is as far as I’ve been today…!
cheerio!