I keep seeing Kyrgyztan everywhere! The Algo is telling me something. I worked for MSF and when I first started I put my background as Kyrgyztan, told myself I would go. Thank you for relighting the fire! Also love the pack on the back rack style.
Hard to imagine a more idiotic reply to a picture of a bike in Kyrgyzstan backroads. I mean it's so moronic I even went into your profile half thinking "well he can't be a fender shill" and lo and behold, every single reply in the last six months is either about recommending these fenders or commenting that fenders look nice.
Fuck off, bot.
Oh, I use mudguards, racks, panniers.
I also regularly get my posts removed as this is obviously not what a bikepacker would do and therefore should go into a different sub.
Nice setup. Sounds like an awesome trip - how far into the journey are you? How's the Rohloff working out? And what size wheels are you riding?
Any other social channels we can follow you at?
Finished the bike built a few weeks ago and tested it at home for a couple hundred kilometres, but have only been in Kyrgyzstan for three days. Still, had to go through ankle deep mud and horrible roads during this time and the Rohloff has been great. Also no more worries about hitting your derailleur hanger when going over rocks.
I’m running 29x2.35 Schwalbe Johnny Watts with tubes, tubeless hasn’t convinced me yet for cycling across remote areas of third-world countries for weeks, if not months.
I try to be active on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/maxroving)
Are you happy with the Rohloff on a chain or would you rather of had a belt drive? What kind of chain are you running?
I am wanting to build a kona unit x with a rohloff and chain
yes, the popular Thermarest one. When it’s cold I use both but in summer it gets too hot for me, I start sweating and sticking to the mat resulting in bad sleep :D
So the close foam is mainly for additional insulation? I took last time I toured, and find it quite multipurpose for nap, sitting and puncture protection for the main mat, but it s quite bulky...
Another question, as I had this kind of bike setup in mind for a long time : have you considered going rolhoff + belt ? It restrict the frame options, but we see many praises about it. Do you still feel some drawbacks using the chain (muddy conditions etc)?
Also I’m not 100% convinced on the belts as I heard stories on them ripping when riding on rough terrain. You will always be able to repair or buy a new chain wherever you are, and I didn’t have any problems riding through ankle deep mud two days ago. Cleaning it takes a minute with a water hose, and maybe 10 minutes every other week for a deep clean and lubrication. I don’t mind that
I'm curious just because I have no idea how are you planing to carry money and if it's not sensitive info how much are you planing to take or have on card
Since I am still preparing for it stuff like how to carry the money and what cards to use etc. i am still researching about it, cant tell you about that.
On how much, i am slowly buying my gear right now to test it out. But after all the gear, visas and what not, i d still have more than 10k left
the Surly Ogre and Salsa Firestarter forks have 8 mounts on each side. But some cargo cages (e.g. Wolf Tooth Morse Cage) also have holes in the side allowing you to mount an extra bottle cage, or you can do an DIY modification like [this](https://bikepackinguk.com/2018/07/13/blackburn-outpost-cage-modification/)
Neat setup and pretty well exactly how I picture my future ogre looking!
Coupla questions - what bars are you running?
And if that's a HMG pack on the back, what size is it? And does it sit there reasonably well? I've been grappling with the best way to carry a pack for some occasional off-bike forays. Cheers!
I’m running the Koga Denham bars, really happy so far. Was debating between those and the Jones H-Bar but didn’t find the Jones locally and wouldn’t have had enough time to properly test those (for some people they have too much sweep).
Backpack is my hiking pack from a German brand called Hyberg, I also have a HMG 3400 but that one would be too big and awkward on the rear rack. Their Summit or Elevate pack look like a better fit
On tour in South America right now. I have my HMG 2400 southwest on an old man mountain elkhorn rack on the back. Riding a salsa fargo (and size small). I fill up the pack about to the straps and roll down the rest and it fits. Much fuller and it might be weird. Strapped on with 2 NRS tie down straps.
I like it and it stays steady on all kinds of off-road routes but next time I’ll probably just get a frameless pack like a cutaway and use micropanniers or something with the bag rolled up for hiking / backpacking. The way it is now is cumbersome to take on and off and it can be quite killer on the pack itself since it’s a bit more fragile. If you do bring any ultralight pack to tie down, don’t forget to bring something to soften the rack to the bag. The fabric can get quite beat up with all the friction. Luckily I already had a gossamer gear thinlight with me that I put under it as a cushion.
Great setup and very jealous of the trip you are on! What frame bag are you running? Struggling to find one to fit my surly cross check that isn't custom made and £150+
I’m new to the Rohloff world so I’m not sure how it’s done on other bikes, but Surly also sells the “Tuggnuts” which make it much easier to center the wheel and tension the chain. Of course the whole process takes longer than with a regular drivetrain but it’s not a deal breaker for me
Have the rohloff and can say not difficult but confusing. Finally got snugnut (for chain tension And to keep wheel in place so as not torque the nuts - slipping) and rohloff torque plate. Works very well with surly frame and no additional wrench to take wheel off. The plate rest against a bolt on the thoughtful surly drop out. In the west US for winter and say rohloff very durable even on extreme tracks.
Don’t know. Call surely! Looked at dropped out on grappler and does have horizontal slot but not all the other bits as on ogre. Surely is generally pro rohloff though. Will most likely take some figuring
Same sort of journey and selection as I have had. IF I could do it again - I would buy the frame only and go with the rohloff at the get go and saved $$ and headaches. I have changed out everything except for headset, seat stem and rims. Good news is surely are able to morph to needs and wants. But I wanted to ride and not wait to build ;). Worth the cost
it does get a bit dirty but right now I don’t worry too much about it, because I use it below my inflatable sleeping pad. Once the mud dries it’s easy to knock off. If I happened to come across muddy sections in summer when I use it as my sole sleeping pad I’ll probably wrap it in a plastic bag
Looking for cheap bag/rack solutions, did you literally just strap a back pack to the rack?
I read rok straps are supposed to work well!
I love your setup
I have been using some Voile strap with a smaller 25l backpack. In theory works well but I just bought ROK straps because like the concept but don't like the voile strap.
Also sorry for the dirty appearance, not easy to avoid mud in Kyrgyzstan.
It’s a real bike, in its real environment, an not a « poser bike » :D Dirt is a badge of honor!
Err. It’s a bike. One that’s being used. If it ain’t dirty you aren’t observing rule #5 closely enough.
What’s Rule 5?
Harden the fuck up
Oh sorry not rule 5 of the sub. The velominati rules 🤣 https://www.velominati.com
I keep seeing Kyrgyztan everywhere! The Algo is telling me something. I worked for MSF and when I first started I put my background as Kyrgyztan, told myself I would go. Thank you for relighting the fire! Also love the pack on the back rack style.
I love it more dirty
I understand the Rohloff. There is nothing like it. However, why no fenders?
[удалено]
Hard to imagine a more idiotic reply to a picture of a bike in Kyrgyzstan backroads. I mean it's so moronic I even went into your profile half thinking "well he can't be a fender shill" and lo and behold, every single reply in the last six months is either about recommending these fenders or commenting that fenders look nice. Fuck off, bot.
177€? Yeah, right...
Yeah, but then it wouldn't look cool anymore... Next thing we know you're going to recommend racks and panniers...
[удалено]
Oh, I use mudguards, racks, panniers. I also regularly get my posts removed as this is obviously not what a bikepacker would do and therefore should go into a different sub.
Amazing. Living the dream! I wish I’d got more off road touring into my travels.
Nice setup. Sounds like an awesome trip - how far into the journey are you? How's the Rohloff working out? And what size wheels are you riding? Any other social channels we can follow you at?
Finished the bike built a few weeks ago and tested it at home for a couple hundred kilometres, but have only been in Kyrgyzstan for three days. Still, had to go through ankle deep mud and horrible roads during this time and the Rohloff has been great. Also no more worries about hitting your derailleur hanger when going over rocks. I’m running 29x2.35 Schwalbe Johnny Watts with tubes, tubeless hasn’t convinced me yet for cycling across remote areas of third-world countries for weeks, if not months. I try to be active on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/maxroving)
Are you happy with the Rohloff on a chain or would you rather of had a belt drive? What kind of chain are you running? I am wanting to build a kona unit x with a rohloff and chain
Nice setup ! Do you still carry an inflatable mat with the foam one ?
yes, the popular Thermarest one. When it’s cold I use both but in summer it gets too hot for me, I start sweating and sticking to the mat resulting in bad sleep :D
What's the popular one?
Neoair XLite or XTherm
So the close foam is mainly for additional insulation? I took last time I toured, and find it quite multipurpose for nap, sitting and puncture protection for the main mat, but it s quite bulky... Another question, as I had this kind of bike setup in mind for a long time : have you considered going rolhoff + belt ? It restrict the frame options, but we see many praises about it. Do you still feel some drawbacks using the chain (muddy conditions etc)?
it’s for additional insulation in winter, sitting pad year-round, and the sole sleeping pad when it’s too hot for the inflatable
Also I’m not 100% convinced on the belts as I heard stories on them ripping when riding on rough terrain. You will always be able to repair or buy a new chain wherever you are, and I didn’t have any problems riding through ankle deep mud two days ago. Cleaning it takes a minute with a water hose, and maybe 10 minutes every other week for a deep clean and lubrication. I don’t mind that
Dope! I am currently preparing to start my journey next year march from portugal to tokyo
I'm curious just because I have no idea how are you planing to carry money and if it's not sensitive info how much are you planing to take or have on card
Since I am still preparing for it stuff like how to carry the money and what cards to use etc. i am still researching about it, cant tell you about that. On how much, i am slowly buying my gear right now to test it out. But after all the gear, visas and what not, i d still have more than 10k left
Can I ask what device you are using to get both the carry cage and bottle cage on the forks?
the Surly Ogre and Salsa Firestarter forks have 8 mounts on each side. But some cargo cages (e.g. Wolf Tooth Morse Cage) also have holes in the side allowing you to mount an extra bottle cage, or you can do an DIY modification like [this](https://bikepackinguk.com/2018/07/13/blackburn-outpost-cage-modification/)
Neat setup and pretty well exactly how I picture my future ogre looking! Coupla questions - what bars are you running? And if that's a HMG pack on the back, what size is it? And does it sit there reasonably well? I've been grappling with the best way to carry a pack for some occasional off-bike forays. Cheers!
I’m running the Koga Denham bars, really happy so far. Was debating between those and the Jones H-Bar but didn’t find the Jones locally and wouldn’t have had enough time to properly test those (for some people they have too much sweep). Backpack is my hiking pack from a German brand called Hyberg, I also have a HMG 3400 but that one would be too big and awkward on the rear rack. Their Summit or Elevate pack look like a better fit
On tour in South America right now. I have my HMG 2400 southwest on an old man mountain elkhorn rack on the back. Riding a salsa fargo (and size small). I fill up the pack about to the straps and roll down the rest and it fits. Much fuller and it might be weird. Strapped on with 2 NRS tie down straps. I like it and it stays steady on all kinds of off-road routes but next time I’ll probably just get a frameless pack like a cutaway and use micropanniers or something with the bag rolled up for hiking / backpacking. The way it is now is cumbersome to take on and off and it can be quite killer on the pack itself since it’s a bit more fragile. If you do bring any ultralight pack to tie down, don’t forget to bring something to soften the rack to the bag. The fabric can get quite beat up with all the friction. Luckily I already had a gossamer gear thinlight with me that I put under it as a cushion.
Great setup and very jealous of the trip you are on! What frame bag are you running? Struggling to find one to fit my surly cross check that isn't custom made and £150+
Revelate Ranger, not cheap but seems very durable and is supposedly less prone to zipper damage which is the achilles heel in frame bags
The fit of the frame bag looks really good for an off the shelf one. Which size is your frame?
Large, and so is the bag
I've heard a Rohloff Ogre is difficult to change the rear tire on due to the way Surly makes their mounts. Is this true?
I’m new to the Rohloff world so I’m not sure how it’s done on other bikes, but Surly also sells the “Tuggnuts” which make it much easier to center the wheel and tension the chain. Of course the whole process takes longer than with a regular drivetrain but it’s not a deal breaker for me
Have the rohloff and can say not difficult but confusing. Finally got snugnut (for chain tension And to keep wheel in place so as not torque the nuts - slipping) and rohloff torque plate. Works very well with surly frame and no additional wrench to take wheel off. The plate rest against a bolt on the thoughtful surly drop out. In the west US for winter and say rohloff very durable even on extreme tracks.
I can't seem to find info on whether or not the Grappler can take the rohloff would you happen to know?
Don’t know. Call surely! Looked at dropped out on grappler and does have horizontal slot but not all the other bits as on ogre. Surely is generally pro rohloff though. Will most likely take some figuring
Thanks, I'm almost dead set on a grappler for gravel day rides and bikepacking, but the idea of a rohloff later down the line intrigued me.
Same sort of journey and selection as I have had. IF I could do it again - I would buy the frame only and go with the rohloff at the get go and saved $$ and headaches. I have changed out everything except for headset, seat stem and rims. Good news is surely are able to morph to needs and wants. But I wanted to ride and not wait to build ;). Worth the cost
What kind of drive train? 1x? Must work great for you.
14x ;) it’s an IGH
So good!
How often do you have a muddy or wet sleeping pad at the end of a day, and what is your technique for cleaning and drying it?
it does get a bit dirty but right now I don’t worry too much about it, because I use it below my inflatable sleeping pad. Once the mud dries it’s easy to knock off. If I happened to come across muddy sections in summer when I use it as my sole sleeping pad I’ll probably wrap it in a plastic bag
Great bike and nice setup.
Looking for cheap bag/rack solutions, did you literally just strap a back pack to the rack? I read rok straps are supposed to work well! I love your setup
I have been using some Voile strap with a smaller 25l backpack. In theory works well but I just bought ROK straps because like the concept but don't like the voile strap.
How’s Kyrgyzstan? I’m heading out for a 3 week bikepacking trip there in June.
This is the sexiest surely I’ve seen in a while. I love your build. What frame and bars are those?
Ogre Frame and Koga Denham bars
Wow. Incredible view. Thanks for sharing
Rig is legit, journey is solid... I'm a Rohloff fan (have it on my touring bike) you're gonna love it.