• Commuter Bicycles of Santa Barbara, California, USA.
  North American distributor of Koga-Miyata World Touring Cycles.
• I would like to thank Eric for providing exceptional pre-service, consultation, and delivering an incredible bike for an expedition. Delivering a 2009 Koga-Miyata World Traveller cycling expedition bicycle. The complete expedition package with Tubus racks and an assortment of tools and spare parts. Thank You Commuter Bikes of Santa Barabara, California!
• Maker: Koga-Miyata
• Model: WorldTraveller
• Segment: Trekking
• Weight approx. 15,7 kg
• Frame size: 54cm
• Frame: Completely hand-built Super Smooth TIG-welded 26″ frame. Tubes manufactured in triple-hardened and triple-butted 7005 aluminium. Top- and down tube oval and super oversized for extra stability. Equipped with integrated headset, built-in attachment point for all accessories, integrated kickstand, disc brake connection in rear-end, and a replaceable rear derailleur hanger.
• Front fork Koga Wide Bone aluminium 1?”
• Head set Tange Seiki ZSLT threaded industrial bearing 1?”
• Color: Brush polish silver
• Handlebar ITM Lite Luxe semi-rise bar Black
• Stem ITM Trekking 4-Bolts adjustable (Quill) Black
• Grips Ritchey WCS Foam
• Brake (front) Shimano Deore XT
• Brake (rear) Shimano Deore XT
• Shiftlever (r) Shimano Deore XT
• Shiftlever (l) Shimano Deore XT
• Brakelever (r) Shimano Deore XT
• Brakelever (l) Shimano Deore XT
• Chain Shimano Deore XT 108 links
• Front Hub Shimano Deore XT
• Rear Hub Shimano Deore XT
• Tyres Continental TravelContact 47-559 with reflection
• Tube Continental 32/47-559
• Rims Koga KM21 559-21 36H Black V-brake
• Rim tape H.P. 650C 20mm
• Spokes Sapim Leader 2×36 Black
• Saddle Brooks Flyer Black incl. Brooks maintenance set
• Seat pillar Ritchey Comp Mountain V2 Black ø31,4x400mm
• Seatclamp Koga aluminium
• Crank set Shimano Deore XT 44x32x22T with chain guard
• Pedals Shimano Combi PD-M324
• Cassette Shimano Deore XT 9-speed 11-12-14-16-18-21-24-28-32T
• Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore XT
• Front Derailleur Shimano Deore XT
• Derailleur guard Koga Stainless steel CNC dropout (MDER1024)
• Pump Topeak Roadmorph Small
• Bottle Elite Lysso aluminium Silver 2x
• Bottle holder Elite Taki 2x
• Bell Widek Decibel II Black with Compass
• Mudguard (front) SKS P-50 26″ Duo Tone, Black outside/Silver inside
• Mudguard (rear) SKS P-50 26″ Duo Tone, Black outside/Silver inside
• Headlight Cateye HL-EL135 with Battery incl. mounting plate
• Rear light B&M DToplight XS senso
• Rear carrier Tubus LOGO Black
• Lowrider Tubus ERGO Black
• Low-rider kickstand JD Tranz X Black
• Rubber strap Widek Triobinder T Black
• Kickstand Pletscher Comp Black
• Ring lock AXA Defender RL Black, with folding key
• Saddle bag Koga Medium Leather look with straps

Other notes: Arctic 2 Argentina 2012-2013

The expedition kit has finally arrived (another story, to be told another time). The good news is, there is enough equipment to prepare for the next stages of winter training in Korea (and camping year-round too).

• Equipment list (updated, May 2011, HimalayasX2011 expedition completed 3200km, 50 days, 10 rest days/recovery. 3 provinces of western China)

1. REI -20 Expedition mummy bag *(polyester liner), do-it-yourself blanket folded over and stitched. Liner previously tested for 16,000km
2. Lightweight REI compression sack (for mummy), 20L size fits perfect.
3. Merino Smart Wool complete base layer (expedition tube socks, long underwear top/bottoms, balaclava). Substitute polypropylene or HEAT generic brand, save 90%, used synthetics in western China.
4. Snowpeak Titanium Multicompact cookset (very light weight pieces, robust like a stainless one-do-it-all MEC.ca but lighter weight in Ti). Tested-A+ however, unnecessary for western China expedition. Nan bread and oats soaked in water with raisins and apricots, water is enough. Otherwise 1 meal a day when available.
5. Northface tent, 3-season Tadpole, also footprint accessory. Assembly of poles is difficult in extreme conditions, tested at -20 with gale winds and caused numbness in the hands, recommend Hilleberg Nanno to others. Tent withstood high winds of the Taklamakan Desert (nights) but the protection from sand thrown through the screen roof wasn’t full-proof. Trapped moisture above 4000 meters, poles high quality, room enough for 1 person, 5 panniers and other shoes, etc.
6. Ortlieb Front-Roller, Ortlieb back-Roller Classic panniers (black). Lost 1 rack mount screw on HimalayasX2011 and replaced with television case screw removed in an old hotel. (: There are very robust and roomy panniers, carried 30kg of equipment and water in 5 panniers. German-made expedition quality right out of a catalog, love my Ortliebs.
7. Thermarest Prolite self-inflatable sleeping mat. (comfortable, tacks sleeping bag, good length/width). Tough and comfortable across the stones and rough surfaces protected with tent bottom, ground footprint for tent, and occasionally a ground sheet/sun protection blanket for thorns.
8. Blackyak Goretex low-cut hiking shoes/cycling shoes for cold weather. Footwear for cold climate cycling tested inadequate for -20 Celcius, would switch to platform pedals and Snow mobile boots if required to ride in winter conditions. Launch expected in summer, Pearl Izumi I-Beam shoes (20,000km or so, still holding together) using neoprene shoe covers only for 2012 and re-treaded soles with recycled MTB tires. SPD-compatible, good quality.
9. GoPro HD Helmet Hero Camera (modified battery kit*), Replaced with Hero2 HD camera, spare battery and 32GB, Class 10 SD memory card. Memory will outlast a single battery charge*
10. Brunton 26w Solaris power supply for all electronics. Cables went missing in China and remarkably replaced (free of charge) by Brunton’s headquarters in the United States. Powerful solar charging blanket, runs a 13″ Toshiba notebook computer at regular DC levels, while charging GoPro, Sony digital camera (TX10) and Samsung 4GB Mp3 player, Cygolite Expilion lighting, and Garmin eTrex GPS will also run on DC current without battery when attached to the notebook computer. NOTE: If the notebook PC goes down or missing, the entire network of charging would be out of usage.
11. 2009 Koga-Miyata World Traveller complete with Tubus racks and accessories for expedition. Untested, never ridden, no recommendations except what is known of Koga-Miyata quality. Nicholai Bangsgaard completed a 4-year expedition around the world; Heinz Stucke just reached 500,000km of world touring on his Koga-Miyata Signature (updated from the World Traveller with Rolhoff gear hub). They are reliable bicycles.
12. 1994 Kona Explosif complete with rear rack, Shimano XT rim brakes, Hayes Hydraulic front brakes/rotors (dual front braking). Steel frame inadequate for full pannier setup. Although, the Kona Explosif is now a collectors piece.
13. 2008 Blackcat MTB, a Korean branded bicycle, aluminum frame Made in China, 14,000km with replacement of all original components with recycled SRAM X9/X7 shifting and Avid Juicy Five hydraulic brakes, Bontrager Race Disc wheelsets, Fox RL front suspension fork 120mm travel. Components replaced for 2012 HimalayasX, Brakes: Avid BB7 mechanical with 203mm front rotor/160mm rear rotor; Shimano Deore LX rapid-fire brake lever/9-speed shifters, Shimano SLX 175mm crankset, Shimano LX/SLX long-cage rear derailler, Saddle: SMP Italia.
14. NOTES on Aluminum frame, rack carriers (front and rear)Aluminum frame/carrier-pannier rack comments -purely personal experience, not recommended for all expedition of longer durations]. Fortunately, these cheap products did not fail on the expedition, welding aluminum requires a Heli-welder, which is specialized equipment not widely available worldwide. Against all popular recommendations, I completed the build with an inexpensive – aluminum Topeak Super Tourist DX Disc rear carrier rack for Ortlieb Rollerback Classic panniers and aluminum clip-on front racks for Ortlieb Frontroller Classic panniers. Front racks are attached with one steel U-clamp per side and PVC Zipties. The Topeak Supertourist DX Disc rear carrier is made of aluminum but attached to the seatpost pin with steel connecting rods (very solid construction and fit) NOTE: Completed 3200km pounding in northern Himalayas of China, Desert crossing, and Sichuan and Yunnan China’s back country without mechanical or carrier rack failures.
15. NOTE: Rear 2008 BONTRAGER RACE DISC wheelset were all-mountain and used in 2011. The rear rim internally cracked 360 degrees on the double eyeletted wall (next to the tube). To repair this, I used a hammer and a piece of blunt wood, hammering the aluminum fray back into uniform shape around the entire rim. I then wrapped the internal rim (under the rim tape*) in a roll of regular PVC electrical tape and went on to ride another 1500km without issues. NOTE: Rear wheel realigned twice on expedition without need of replacement (lucky & strong!).
16. Cooking stove – MSR expedition stove & two fuel bottles. Tested in China burning ethanol and alcohol purchased in pharmacy or drug stores, inessential for summer expedition where local food was either available, or stomach was so upset or water tainted to keep meals inside.
17. Water filtration: MSR water micro-filtration system, simple and effective and strongly recommended. Only downside and having time to slowing pump and filter all water intake proved impossible. I resorted to Chinese tonic given to me in the Taklamakan Desert by water well stations.
18. Electronics: 13″ Toshiba notebook computer, Windows 7 PC version, 600GB HD, 4 GB ram. Essentially used to download video/photos from three electronic cameras. 1. Sony Handycan HDR-550V, 240GB internal memory, 2. GoPro Hero HD helmet camera, 3. Canon IXUS 90is.
19. Notebook PC carrying case: Kena Kai DRI bag for the 13″ notebook computer, reinforced with kevlar foam inserts and the Brunton Solaris 26 and also stowed inside to protect the computer. The waterproof Kena Kai DRI bag is carried inside the Ortlieb Front Roller Classic panniers, without loss or damage across the Himalayas and rugged roads of Sichuan and Yunnan, China and secure in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous Region, China as well.
20. All camera equipment was stowed in a flexible and rugged, padded nylon, Lowepro SLR camera hip bag from the 1990′s, strapped to the bicycle on top of the tent/sleeping bag over the rear carrier rack, strapped into place with a severed bicycle tube which is tied to the rack frame itself. Secured and easy to access. The Lowepro DSLR camera bag was repaired in South Korea, candle wax rubbed into the zipper, and the clasp tightened, the zipper is closed while the candle wax is melted with a lighter. Then the {shoe repairman} technician installed button snaps with a fabric hole punch, it’s excellent for 20+ years old.
21. Lighting: Cygolite Expilion 250 lumen (2011 expedition) and now a Expilion 350 lumen (2012) will be added to the bars. Both self-contained units, 3-settings with strobe flash function for the cities. USB-charged, compatible with notebook PC and USB-hubs.
22. Paper Maps. Essential.
23. A Personal Diary to keep daily log of distances, elevations and route changes. Also paper diary serves as a connection to guests who you meet on the road, collecting email or telephone contact numbers.
24. Passport, ID, Cash and spare Credit Cards in case some are lost or stolen.
25. Solar resupply, I will not be using Dyno-generator hubs, too costly to build and required modified wheels. Currently testing Solar recharge with Brunton Solaris 26watt blanket, company dispatched replacement cables free of charge from their headquarters in the United States. Nice service center. Calling them directly (instead of email) strongly advised.
26. Tires: Very important ingredient of an expedition cycle. I went with German-designed Schwalbe Marathon Tour Plus (1.1Kg each or 1100g) these are the heaviest of the Schwalbe touring line. Schwalbe has replaced the Marathon XR which were long desired by cycle tourers, especially in rough conditions around the world. The Mondial is new for 2012, that might be the next one. 3200km of expedition riding with 40kg equipment, 85-70kg rider and 20kg mountain bike with racks wore the Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour tires in 1/2 life used on rear, 1/4 life used on front.
27. Chain: Always running an Shimano, 9-speed, HG chain (XT) or Dura-Ace 9 speed when available. Otherwise, a cheaper chain with regular cleaning and lubrication (I had 10,000km out of the stock Shimano chain OEM using olive oil in South Korea…remember, smooth road conditions most of the time, and light trail riding). Carried a spare HG 9-speed chain, 6 spokes, and 2 spare tubes, 1 Schwalbe Marathon 26×1.5 spare tire.

Equipment that was eliminated (with reasons)

1. Touring Trailer (BOB Ibex PLUS vs. Extrawheel). Tested with Kona Explosif, Failed to carry equipment without fishtailing, overloaded. Also, when in use in China, due to the complex transfers using trains, planes or buses, a long Bob Trailer is ill-advised. Any transportation hubs required that I dismount all panniers and wheels and carry the bike through terminals. Extrawheel might be good, you can disassemble it and there would be a spare 26″ rim and spokes/nipples available if your rear wheel failed.*
2. SPOT device, GPS tracking for the wife and family. Have considered a costly Smart Phone, but use a 100 Yuan ($12) mobile with text messaging on the Himalayas expedition 2011.
3. Paper Maps definitely and possibly a GPS unit, like Garmin 705-805 series.
4. Rain tarp/ground protection for the tent
5. Bike cover for rain and all weather conditions. I used a thick, PVC plastic tarp, a piece found on the roadside in southern Sichuan. The dirtier, the stronger is definitely – Better.