What is hidden in those bags?
Index
- Electronics
- Charging our electronics on the go.
- Sleeping stuff.
- How to keep our gear dry and organized.
- Cooking.
- Spare Parts.
- Clothes.
- Bikes (separate page)
Electronics
Blog.
The weekly blog is written on a HP Spectre laptop. Can only be charged by wall socket. Sometimes missing the possibility to both work at the same time.
Photo’s
I carry in my Ortlieb handlebar bag my Canon M5, mirrorless camera. With one lens: 18-150 mm. We contemplated on carrying our heavy Canon EOS 5 DSLR, but weight and risk of the mirror getting loose on the terrain we are biking was too high. Very happy with the M5. 4 batteries are sufficient to keep me going for a long time without recharging.
Frank is caring on his belt the Olympus TG5, great for panoramic shots and working in the rain or snorkeling. 1 spare battery is sufficient for him.
We also make some of the images with the 2 iPhone 6 we have. (Sunday selfies) We use them mainly for navigation and charge them through our bike.
Powerbank Trust is our back-up and can also charge the Garmin Montana (only used for recording, not recommended since too big and heavy).
Charging our electronics on the go.
- At the time we purchased our TM 2.9 there was not yet a reliable, integrated USB connector to charge devices. Frank first installed on his bike a Bush and Muller converter linked to the SON dynamo. After a few months we had to replace it because it was no longer working. We also installed one on my bike but the replacement and this one did not last longer than 3 months. Not recommended.
- On our TM 3+ we have two different systems.
- on Franks bike the Cycle2Charge. Only recommended when you are 90% of the time faster than 8 km per hour. In our case we are 80% of the time below this minimum resulting in on and off charging or not charging at all and a beeping phone when you bike too slow.
- on my bike I am super happy with the forumslader. Charges already from 6 km/hour and has a back-up battery thus no irritating on/off beeping if you bike too slow. Still performing well even after all the cold/heat/dust.
Bush&Muller 
Forumslader
Info on our bikes here.
How to keep our gear dry and organized.
Keeping our gear dry.
For the second part of our trip we looked at the possibility of a bike packing set-up instead of the traditional pannier set-up. As the pannier set-up never prevented us to follow bike packing routes and we knew we would still sleep in hostals many times, (hence you have to carry all your gear up several flights of stairs), we decided on keeping the pannier set-up. Maybe also because we still have to cater for all seasons.
To organize all our stuff in the Ortlieb bags I have been using the EagleCreek package system from the start and when Frank was jealous of the ease of finding and storing stuff, he also started using them.
Sleeping stuff.
During the first part of our trip a Nigor Dodo 3 tent sheltered us during the night. In Canada en USA we camped 75% of the time. Great tent, but no stand alone possibility.
For the second part of our trip we changed to a MSR Hubba Huba NX2, stand alone. Saving 1.5 kg but also reducing sleeping space as we changed from a 3 person to a 2 person tent. We have used the stand-alone possibility a few times now and are very happy with it. We do miss the extra sleeping and storage space, but we have been able to camp at spots we would not have been able to camp with the other tent.
Inside the tent we use Exped Comfort Sleeping bags, sleeping mattresses and for Frank an Exped pillow (I use my fleece from Action of 12.50 Euro also as a pillow).
Cooking.
Preparing our food.
- Omni-fuel stove Primus – https://www.kampeerwereld.nl/primus-omnifuel-ii-met-brandstoffles-multifuel-brander-p328988/?sqr=primus&
- Light My Fire plates and Spork (titanium).
- Robens titanium 3 part cooking set has proven its investment. Super happy with it!
- Lunch and dinner box. We both have one box which fits perfect under our rackpack between the rear panniers. Mine contains all lunch items except the bread, Frank has all breakfast material. During lunch we use the lid (upside down) as a table. When camping we use them as a seat. Brand Curver, 4 Litre Really Useful Storage Box. A4 size. External Dimensions L395xW255xD88mm. We found them in a supermarket in Belgium.
Spare parts.
Frank is carrying all spare parts.
- Screws and nuts of all different parts (used 3 until now).
- 2 spare belt drives as you won’t find them here (used one during those 28.000 km)
- Exchange oil set for the Rohloff speedhub, changed every 5-6.000km the oil
- Spokes & tool
- Patches: Frank was using in the beginning pre-glued patches but we had a lot of problems with them. Now only uses the one where you need to put glue on them
- Tools.
- 2 inner tubes (when puncture change inner tube and patch it in the evening)
- Sharpening tool for our knives
- Tie-wraps & duck tape
Clothes.
The only pair of shoes we carry to keep us hiking and biking. In the meantime we had to buy replacements and are now wearing hiking shoes.
Jacinta.
White bag: all my bike clothes
Blue bag: all other clothes except towel and bikini
Green bag: all underwear and socks
Red bag: clothes which have been worn but which I still can wear before they need to be washed
Rain gear: rain trouser (Gore bike wear), new rain jacket (Marmot) and old gore jacket which is now a wind jacket, are tucked in my left front pannier. Also my down jacket and 3 pair of different gloves, 2 hats.
One fleece which I have used almost daily during the last 105 weeks. When not in use: tucked on top of the rack pack.
- Bike wear (white bag):
- 3 x chamois.
- 2 RC Pro from Sugoi, my preferred chamois
- 1 Assos
- Had in the past also a longer one but I left this one at home.
- I try to wash (in a sink or rackpack etc) every evening 1 chamois which than can dry during the night and if needed on my rack pack the next day. It could work with only two for me but did not want to leave one behind. If I know I can’t wash my clothes during the next 3 days I would use a panty liner.
- 3 long sleeved shirts, 2 for in hot weather (old running shirt and 1 hiking shirt with hoodie, perfect to pull over your helmet when the sun in beating down). One merino wool, this one I can wear more than one day.
- Icebreaker legging: 99% of the last 8 months I started with the legging over my chamois, most of the time it was enough.
- 3 x chamois.
- Other things to wear:
- Gore long wind breaker bike trouser (I have not used it so much, mainly legging and rain trouser)
- 2 thermo shirts black. Only added the last 6 months the second one as it became too cold and the other one is not a very heavy duty one but I don’t want to leave it behind.
- pink short: have NOT used it during the last 8 months, and in the total 105 weeks maybe 20 times.
- Blue dress: perfect when you want to hike, visit a city, travel, especially in combination with the legging. Also perfect if you want to change outside your tent and there are people around.
- Green sleeveless T-shirt dress to sleep in or hang around when it is hot
- Underwear: 4 underpants, 5 pair of socks (2 thin icebreaker short, 1 falke hiking, 1 thick Icebreaker and 1 even ticker when it was getting too cold), 2 bras. My favorite is the Hanro because you can swim in it and also sleep with it (ideal if it is -10)
The ever-in-use fleece. 
Refelection vest 
New rain jacket which is big enough to fit my down underneath. 
One of the few days biking without fleece or jacket. 
The green dress (would have loved an other design but was happy with what I found). 
Morning outfit. 
Down jacket and own made mittens with hole so I could still use my phone. 
The blue dress.
Franks wardrobe does not have the dresses and only 2 chamois.
Spinning South. 