Tuesday, 30 December 2014

The Bike is a Bit Heavy

Weighing in at 21kg as pictured here this is the heaviest bike I have ridden since I rode my dikwiel.
New additions are the Aero Bars, the GPS mount and the tube containing my hammock and bivy. 
The Aero Bars will double up as a luggage rack, should need be.
The handle bars have been shortened and raised thanks to the stem borrowed from my mate Frank. Good idea Frankie! You can't tell from this photo, but the cockpit feels a bit cramped. 
The bit of kit I'm most excited about, is this suspension seat post that has taken 4 months to land here due to the post office strike. My bike is a hard tail and I'm hoping this will make a difference to my derriere on these long trips.
You can see that I have opted for a spare tire instead of a spare tube, attached here to the back of my seat. 
A close up of my storage tube made from old waste pipe and end caps. This allows access from both sides.
Another idea I got from Leon on the Race2Rhodes, was the use of these thermos flasks. for keeping drinks warm or cold. They seem to fit in the bottle holders, but we'll see.
Also notice the flat pedals. I'm not using cycling shoes on this trip. This means I only have to take one pair of shoes.