gettingready

Before going on a longer journey,...

... not only do you need to get the equipment together, but more important - learn how to use it! Even a weekend trip is a good way to find out what you can leave at home, and what is an absolute must when cycling and camping in the great outdoors. Most important is reliability, and to some extent weight. Most important are of course the bikes, but also some other gear is listed.

We've been doing all our trips on MTB bikes. They're sturdy and get you anywhere you like to, even that scenic by-way with a frightening drop on you left and pot holes big enough to swallow you whole. Both our bikes have front suspension, which makes them a little bit heavier but a lot more comfortable on bumpy roads.

Fitted with carriers at the back and front wheel, they're good touring vehicles, when stripped you can have a lot of fun on the circuit!

Merida - Dakar 670, now three years in service, a bit on the heavy side.

Front suspension and regular brakes. Both wheels exchanged for better ones - especially the regular MTB backwheel can be a problem with all the gear.

If at all possible get yourself a strong handbuilt set of wheels - saves you a lot of trouble.

Merida |

Merida - Matts Drifter
One year old, with front suspension and regular brakes

The aluminium frame makes it a strong, yet light-weight frame, when compared to Dakar 670. This saves energy on the road, and air-travel kilograms.

Without high-tech full sus-
pension, there is less chance of mechanical breakdowns.

Leica Coolpix digital camera

Digital camera's are smaller and more compact than a regular camera and easy to keep in your pocket. Get extra memory stick, minimum 64MB to be able to take all the photos you want.

Experiment, take alternative exposures and check the results in an instant!

Find the right camera for your trip here |

Canon XM-1 digital video, coolest camcorder on the planet

3CCD digital video camera that allows you to set shutter speed, diaphragma opening and focus manually. Sturdy but compact enough to be a trust-worthy companion.

Cycling as the travelling agent, Indian culture as guide and the Great Divide the setting, our movie combines outdoor sport with nature.

Cooking on a Trangia camping stove

Use methanol and the stove remains shiny and very efficient.

Buy a Trangia |

(Click on 'distributors' )

Front suspension, that feels good downhill

With front suspension, your arms doesn't have to catch all the bumps by themselves, the wheel stays longer in contact with the ground and required maintenance is still limited.

Make sure you don't need any special tools in the case that you want to adjust the compression.

Watercontainers

The normal waterbottles we use are just 1.5l softdrink bottles - gives you more water at hand.

Minimum drink water per person is 4l a day, plus any water for cooking and cleaning. To cover this in New Mexico, two MSR waterbags are employed - 4l respectively 6l. The MSR water-filter fits, and can also be used as a field shower.

Wheel & Tyres

The standard MTB wheels are often built more for light-weight than for the heavy loads of camping gear and water bottles.

Use tyres with knobs on the side only when going on asphalt. With trajects of more than a day on tracks with soft sand, mud or rock, choose a full profile.

Foldable tyres with strong sidewall-long life & easy packing