For cycling nerds.
Bicycle:
Frame:562L Thorn Raven Nomad S&S 969 Steel double butted.
Wheels: 26 inch Rigida Andra 30 Tungsten Carbide 32 hole.
Gears: Rohloff speedhub 500/14 CC speed gear with EX cable box.
Handlebars: Thorn alloy straight with bars ends.
Brakes: Shimano XTR M970 V-brake. XTR levers.
Tyres:Schwalbe Marathon XR Travelguard-26x2.25-(for off road)
Panniers:Thorn expedition rear. Cro Mo low loader front.
No mud guards!

Accessories:
Altura 56 litre rear panniers
Ortlieb front panniers
Ortlieb handle bar bag
Ortlieb 15 litre tube bag for camping gear.
Rear light
Pro Scio W.3.5 computer/temp/altimeter
Bar map holder
Topeak Morph Road pump.
3 1 ltr water bottles
2 ltr Camelback
4 ltr Orlieb water bag
Lock
Spare Panaracer Pasela 1.7 folding tyre
3 spare tubes plus 2 tyre repair outfits.
Camera/spare batteries
Sewing kit
Maps/book/diary

Camping:
Tent. Mountain Design Neutrino. 1.4 kilo
Thermarest semi-self-inflating sleeping mat.
Sleeping bag-RAB 750 Atlas. Duck down. 1.8 kilo.
Jet Boil stove
Cutlery set/mug
Petzl Tikka head torch
Swiss army knife
Maps/lighter/washing up kit/travel wash.
Passports/wallet/insurance docs etc
Ziplock bags.
Multiplex tool set/spare chain links/brake pds/cables
Wrenches/spare bolts. Tie backs/Duck tape.

Medical/Wash kit:
Soap/toothpaste/shaing kit
Microfibre towel/First aid kit
Sudocream/suncream/Ibrutrofen pills for pain!!

Clothing:
Helmet/gloves/bandanas
Columbia waterproof jacket
3 bib shorts/3 cycle shirts/4 cycle socks
leg and arm warmers
2 long sleeve baseliners
I gillet/1 light rain jacket
2 sun glasses/2 reading glasses (spares)
1 windtex jacket/1 waterproof shorts (if desparate!)
1 fleece/1 woolen hat
SPD touring shoes
Civvy shoes/2 shorts/ 1 long trousers/T shirts & underpants.

Training run on new Thorn Nomad

After testing out the Rohloff gears on the turbo over about 500 miles it was time for a maiden voyage.
With 84 lbs of 'water bottles and books' in the four panniers and camping gear the bike handled pretty well.
Managed to get up Bradshaw's Brae and Craigantlet- the steepest hill in the area- with two of the 14 gears to spare.
Brakes, balance and steering were excellent over the first 70 miles.

First entry. Ten week diet started '

OZTRIP

A tale of sweat and derring-do by an old fart.