Riding around the world: kit advice

[Skuhravy]

Are you really going next month? Good luck!

I'm not sure it's worth getting a dynohub at this stage - is it for lighting, or charging devices, or both? If the latter, then you'll need either one of the B&M Luxos lights which has a USB output from the light, or a thingamajig to convert the output from the hub - such as the B&M ewerk. It all adds expense and complexity, and all the systems have a bit of a learning curve and need some bedding in.

Are you actually going to Russia? Your route suggests Kyrgzystan, and the two most commonly-ridden routes that way are both through Turkey (interesting stuff happening there at the mo, though not on the same scale as Ukraine), then either the unreliable ferry across the Caspian to the flatlands of Kazakhstan, or through Iran and Turkmenistan.

Wild camping along the Danube is dead easy, though there are campsites even when you get further east (most cyclists on it don't go farther than Bratislava and Eastern Austria). Watch out for hunters - I was camping in the woods in Hungary and started hearing gunfire, so I crawled out of my tent to try to let them know I was there, then another shot cracked out, a dark shape in the trees slumped down, and a hunter walked across to drag the deer's carcass away, offering me a disgusted look and some muttered comment in Magyar as he passed.

 

[mmmmartin]

Sleeping.
I suggest a two season down bag, with a cotton liner. Anything by Rab is good, imho.
Then a goretex ex army bivi bag outside for cooler nights. Twenty quid on ebay. That will give you the option of extra warmth when needed, or not on warmer nights. Also you could kip on a bench in rain without putting the tent up. This gives flexibility.
Underneath the tent i use acoustatherm, a 3mm thick foam used in the building trade. It mean you can use it to sit on in wet grass, and under the groundsheet will provide protection from stones, thorns etc. It is bulky but almost weightless. Useful.
A thermarest is very comfy and worth the weight.
Your biggest problem will be choosing which stove fuel to use. The availability of meths or gas or petrol or paraffin varies so much from one region to another. Personally, i like meths stoves. Petrol is hard to buy in one litre quantities. Paraffin is available everywhere if you know where to look. Check on cgoab amd ask the authors a question if in doubt.

 

[hopless500]

Hello, I'm setting off with a friend in April to cycle around the world. Hoping I might get some advice on here about various bits of kit we're currently contemplating:
1) Dynamo charging hub - do they work, where can you get them, easy to fit?
2) Computer - what sort of laptop is most likely to survive in our panniers?
3) Ukraine/Russia - Obviously on dodgy ground at the moment but anyone with any advice for cycling through this part of the world?
4) Water - chlorine/iodine tablets are something else?
5) Wild camping across Europe/Danube cycle path - any advice?
6) Sleeping bag - just get a cheap synthetic one or invest in a down one?

Any thoughts really welcome. More info on our trip here: http://ridingforrhinos.org

Thanks!

Wouldn't take a laptop as it's too bulky.
For our Asia trip in Jan & Feb I was using my mobile and two of the others took tablets with them. I think the tablet option is probably the best - the bigger screen is handy for working out routes and stuff. I had ummed and erred before settling on just the mobile - next time I would also take my tablet

 

[Yellow7]

The Asus 1001 on my tour proved a crackin' little pc, only a 10" screen and quite light and compact, packed in amongst my clothes and withstood the rigours of some seriously bad....roads??
I expect the guys will be blogging (?) and personally think tablets are good for gaming, viewing photo's and routes but for prolonged typing - flipping between screen and keyboard find them too frustrating. But then again different horses.....

 

[L14M]

I'v not tour'd but ive done lots of camping!
Water - get bottle'd but keep a pack of water purification tabs in a small metal case you carry on you AT ALL TIMES. In this case : windproof matches, multitool / knife UNDER 6cm or it's illegal.
Laptop - my chromebook is great, cheap (encase lost/stolen) Fast, looooong batterylife (8hrs) and its light! I've done lots of traveling with mine!

Sleeping bag - depends on climate.

 

[young Ed]

i can help on the camping bag side oh things as i must have racked up several hundreds of hours or even several hundred nights outside

Synthetic-
often lighter
often cheaper

Down-
if it gets wet it looses all insulating properties
often heavier
often more expensive

more points could be added
personal experience with both

i would want to have things like all gear sorted by now if it were me

hope all goes well and please post a link to a website or blog?
Cheers Ed

 

[Octet]

In terms of a laptop, small and cheap which you don't mind getting damaged or stolen if worst comes to worst.

In a desirable world, one with an SSD as this won't be damaged by vibrations however assuming it is off when travelling then it won't be as much of an issue. Any sort of rugged laptop again would be desirable however when you consider these rack up to a few thousand pounds I don't think it is going to be an option?

I have always found Fujitsu Siemens laptops to be very good in harsh conditions. If you do get a tablet, make sure you either buy a screen protector or case because the screen is very vulnerable to being cracked.

 

[young Ed]

an otter box or defender case thingy is good for any electronics
FWIW i have an old toshiba nb300 and it still works and has never had smashed screen etc
Cheers Ed

 

[jhawk]

First off,

I offer my congratulations to you, Sir.

Though I can't be of much help, I offer my congratulations and best wishes. I'll be cycling across Canada next year, and then who knows!

Good luck.

 

[doog]

One post, two weeks back and the OP hasnt been seen since.

 

[Brandane]

One post, two weeks back and the OP hasnt been seen since.

Very strange that he is setting off next month (assuming it is April THIS year), and is asking about stuff that really should have been sorted out a long time ago! Either that, or a very laid back approach to this . Whatever is going on, good luck to the OP.. Can't contribute much in the way of advice, as the best I could muster was a week in France along the Loire valley .

 

[screenman]

Maybe a troll.

 

[CafGriff]

Hello, I'm setting off with a friend in April to cycle around the world. Hoping I might get some advice on here about various bits of kit we're currently contemplating:
1) Dynamo charging hub - do they work, where can you get them, easy to fit?
2) Computer - what sort of laptop is most likely to survive in our panniers?
3) Ukraine/Russia - Obviously on dodgy ground at the moment but anyone with any advice for cycling through this part of the world?
4) Water - chlorine/iodine tablets are something else?
5) Wild camping across Europe/Danube cycle path - any advice?
6) Sleeping bag - just get a cheap synthetic one or invest in a down one?

Any thoughts really welcome. More info on our trip here: http://ridingforrhinos.org

Thanks!

Good Good Luck!! Boys! Keep us in touch with the journey!!

 

[CopperBrompton]

I'm not sure it's worth getting a dynohub at this stage - is it for lighting, or charging devices, or both? If the latter, then you'll need either one of the B&M Luxos lights which has a USB output from the light, or a thingamajig to convert the output from the hub - such as the B&M ewerk. It all adds expense and complexity, and all the systems have a bit of a learning curve and need some bedding in.

I'd disagree with this. I have a SON dynohub, B&M lighting and eWerk USB power on my Brompton and it Just Works. I'd do the same on my trike in a heartbeat if it didn't mean swapping from hub brakes to disk brakes (adding to the cost and maintenance requirements).

On the computer front, I'd take an iPad if you want ultimate portability, or a MacBook Air 11 if you want something with more power and flexibility.

Sleeping bag-wise, down every time. Can't go wrong with RAB or Pipedream.

 

[mmmmartin]

Maybe a troll.

Yes, one post, never seen again. Asking about kit when should have been asking about visas, routes, Warmshowers, nighttime temperatures for camping, etcetc.