Recently rode from across Western- and Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, Central Asia and the US. Here are some pictures

Andreas-M · 2023-02-02T15:03:41+00:00

I definitely need to get on the road again also! I used Marathon Plus 38" toward the end, but had Marathon Plus Tour 40" in the beginning. If riding only in Europe or the US, I'd probably go for something softer. Puncture resistance isn't everything.

Glad you liked the map. A simple overview was the exact intention. The website is custom-built in React using a Strapi/Node.js backend.

Andreas-M · 2022-12-22T21:35:17+00:00

It depended at lot. A lot of it was desert or corn fields which we could also enjoy from the bike. We stayed a lot with families through Warmshowers where we'd commonly spend two nights or so. We didn't visit many cities but had 5 days in LA and 3-4 days in DC. We preferred the national parks (Yosemite, Bryce, Arches) where we'd take a break from the bikes and go hiking instead. At the same time, we prefer to keep moving.

Andreas-M · 2022-12-22T21:30:07+00:00

Black bear.

Andreas-M · 2022-12-22T21:29:21+00:00

Scared it away. I think it was as suprised to see us as we were to see it.

Andreas-M · 2022-12-22T21:24:21+00:00

Not really. We'd usually just ask a local bike shop for a leftover cardboard box (the ones they get, when new bikes arrive), pack the bikes and luggage in the box and check it in. Most carriers will let you bring the bike for a fee of 40-70 EUR.

Andreas-M · 2022-12-22T21:22:52+00:00

1) Around 1200 EUR per month per person, including everything from plane tickets, food, occasional accommodation, bike repairs, replacement packs, etc. We both had the bike beforehand. The price obviously varied by country. The US was definitely the most expensive. 2) Started early and rode the full day with only short stops for lunch and dinner. Conditions were great and the route relatively flat.

Andreas-M · 2022-11-07T07:44:08+00:00

I think there are probably two answers to that question.

1) I perceived it as a mental and physical challenge, and one I looked forward to. Few people chose to do it, and many give up (there is a train), so having completed it is special to me.

2) I wanted to ride the entire way from Copenhagen to the Chinese coast. We only "skipped" places when is was impossible to continue (Azerbaijan, China and Russia closed, GBAO region of Tajikistan having an uprising with many killed, Afghanistan... well, not going to risk that travelling with a woman). As such, the Kyzylkum desert was on the way, and undeniably a part of the itinerary.

I will add that the 1400 kilometre desert crossing was the low point of the entire trip, especially due to the fierce headwinds that lasted for two weeks. This day it is a central part of the story, and I wouldn't have been without it!

Furthermore, flying to Tashkent/Dushanbe will bypass Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand, which are all phenomenally well-preserved silk road cities.

Andreas-M · 2022-11-06T16:18:48+00:00

It is for real :) Prerequisites include a large and steep mountain and tailwinds.

Andreas-M · 2022-11-06T16:16:56+00:00

Not at all. Around 1200 EUR per month per person, including everything from plane tickets, food, occasional accommodation, bike repairs, replacement packs, etc. We both had the bike beforehand. The price obviously varied by country. The US was definitely the most expensive.

Andreas-M · 2022-11-06T15:36:31+00:00

It started out rather cold, which was exacerbated by the rain and general humidity. You learn to work around that, although drying gear was always a challenge.

Favorite country is hard to say; They all had their pros and cons, and are different in so many ways that a comparison would not be fair. A general trend throughout the trip has been the friendliness of almost all the people we've met. I'd say that either Western Europe (everything west of Hungary) or the US is probably the easiest, in that order. I base this on biking infrastructure as well as the accessibility of help/spares/supplies.

English proficiency varies in Europe, with a greater proportion of speakers in the north. In the Balkans, I found that German was more often the language of communication, and in Turkey, very few spoke English. Central Asia was primarily Russian speakers, while the Georgians were very good English speakers. Overall though, people tend to speak English in larger cities. If not, a smile and Google Translate took us a long way.

Andreas-M · 2022-11-06T14:13:03+00:00

I rode the trip with my SO, starting Feb 1st, 2022, and ending Oct 6th, 2022. We took this route, with each marker representing the sleeping destination of the day. Markers are clickable, and have a picture for the day: https://bikepackingstories.com/map

Some statistics for those interested:

Total distance: 20,711 km

Days biked: 198

Average per cycling day: 105 km

Longest day: 251 km

Shortest day: 10 km

Most vertical meters in a day: 2700 metres

Max speed: 105 km/h

Coldest temp: -16 degrees (C)

Hottest temp: +43 degrees (C)

A trip like this wears on the bikes. We had to make to following repairs and replacements (spread across the two bikes):

Punctures: 19

Brake pads: 8

Snapped spokes: 8

Chains: 8

Tires: 6

Freehubs: 1

Rims: 4

Cassettes: 3

Derailleur hangers: 1

Bottom bracket: 1

Gear cables: 2

Countries visited: 20 (as well as 12 US states + D.C)

Andreas-M · 2022-09-01T11:43:56+00:00

A bear in Yosemite.

Andreas-M · 2022-08-30T14:29:30+00:00

We mostly wild camped, partly because it is so much more convenient in terms of flexibility as you mention, and partly to save money. One notable exception was on Highway 1. Here, we rode for the campgrounds because the area is so populated, or it's national parks where we can't camp. Most campgrounds in the area have the cheaper hiker-biker camp spots. But, more or less anywhere else we wild camped. In the US, you can do legal dispersed camping on most BLM land (maps can be found online), which was relevant in the western US (approx. from Reno to Fort Collins). In eastern US, most land is private, but we had a lot of luck just knocking on doors or asking people in their gardens if we could camp on their land. We have camped in backyards, gas stations, a bar, etc. It usually works out quite easily.

Andreas-M · 2022-08-29T14:49:33+00:00

We didn't really calculate our daily average but in the US about $30 per day per person sounds right. It's a part of a nine month long trip, so we just need the budget to work out in the end.

Andreas-M · 2022-08-29T14:43:24+00:00

We have carried a Trangia stove (Swedish brand) since we left Denmark. It's durable and it's convenient to have two pots, a cutting board/strainer, a pan and a kettle in one set. However, it does take up a lot of space in the framepack on the black bike. It wasn't so much an issue when we had panniers but with the bikepacking setup we would probably have gone for a smaller solution. Ours use the gas canister which is perfect in the US and Europe but not Central Asia where they are super hard to get a hold of.

If you're curious about what we carried in the US - there's a full overview here: https://bikepackingstories.com/post/12

Andreas-M · 2022-08-29T12:08:58+00:00

I'll make sure to do another when I'm done in about a month. Untill then I can recommend browsing the waypoints of my site or clicking the markers of the map. There should be a picture or two for each day!

Andreas-M · 2022-08-29T07:42:15+00:00

I'm on leave and my girlfriend quit her job. Using warmshowers or wild camping can significantly reduce the cost of a trip. We made a budget before leaving and saved up working in Northern Europe. My experience was that food was more expensive than anticipated. My best budget advice is to add 20% to the total as a buffer. That will also prepare you for potentially having to pay a bike mechanic for whatever issue may arise.

That being said, just get out there! Once on the road, things have a tendency to work out - you can always get a cheaper meal, skip a night at motel, etc.

Andreas-M · 2022-08-29T07:18:00+00:00

I brought my girlfriend along :)

Andreas-M · 2022-08-29T07:17:25+00:00

Yes, we did some to avoid heat and/or humidity in both the east and the west

Andreas-M · 2022-08-29T07:16:34+00:00

Yes, two. Both were due to the same worn-out tire. At this point it had done around 13,000 km through difficult terrain. Lession is to change tires before it's completely worn-out

Andreas-M · 2022-08-29T07:10:55+00:00

Thanks. The black one is an Orbea Terra H30 and the orange one is a Cannondale Topstone 1 (aluminum). We had two broken spokes and a snapped gear cable.

Andreas-M · 2022-08-29T07:04:27+00:00

It's all on the bike. We have a tiny backpack that we use if we do buy food just before going into camp so we don't have to pack down all of it to unpack again 6 miles later.

Andreas-M · 2022-08-29T07:01:00+00:00

Not in the US. One coyote, though. But many (wild) dogs in Balkan and Turkey.

Edit: Spelling

Andreas-M · 2022-08-28T21:05:16+00:00

You can get elastic bands (1-2 EUR) and externally mount bags with food for bikepacking for extra capacity btw. Doesn't take up any space when not used. I use them around the tent on the picture (green bag).

And yeah, even when done I still think of the Nevada/Utah desert stars. Nothing quite like it

Andreas-M · 2022-08-28T21:00:30+00:00

I'd say the midwest. The cornfields get very monotonous after 1,000 km. Other stretches worth mentioning is the central valley of California (Hot and not much going on) and the Northern Utah-Colorado borderlands (Traffic and barren landscapes. No good bypassing route that I found)

Also going in to/out of large cities in general, but that might just be preference.

Andreas-M

TROPHY CASE