The gear

Spot X. This enables me to send and receive text messages when I don’t have mobile phone reception. It has a tracking function for friends and family to see my precise location every few minutes. It also has a SOS function.

I have Ortlieb bags for the handle bar, and front and rear racks to carry all of my gear.

Koga bike

Helmet with mirror

Flag

Spare tubes x 2

Pump

Spare folding tyre

Spare Gates belt

Repair stickers for tubes

Repair stickers for tyres

Gaffa tape

Koga multi tool

Brooks saddle wrench

Saddle cover

Zip ties

Pocket knife

Leatherman squirt multi tool

Spare bolts

Spare spokes & nipples

Spoke tool

Spare gear cables

4 x carabiners

2,3, & 4mm Allen key

Spare bike computer batteries

Phone holder for handle bar

2 x 1.5ltr plastic bottles

2 x 6ltr water bladders

1 x 1ltr water bottle

Fly net

Headlamp

Small occy strap

Clothes line

6 x pegs

Pen and notebook

Hilleberg Rogan tent with mesh inner

Ground sheet

Thermarest mattress

Sea to Summit Pillow

Sleeping bag and inner

Trangia

Lighter

Sponge

Mug

Knife/fork/spoon

1ltr methylated spirits

Electrical:

APPCON 3000 and charger lead

Phone and charger

Phone tripod

SPOT X and charger lead

4 x USB charger

Waterproof camera and lead

20,000mAh power bank

Toiletries:

Sun cream

Bushmans insect repellent

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Floss

Small deodorant can

Nail scissors

Razor & small bottle of shaving cream

Lip gloss

Ear plugs

Soap

Tweezers

Tissues

Needle

Medication:

Panadol

Imodium

Electrolytes

Water purification tablets

Bandages & Band-Aids

Clothes:

Wet weather socks, pants, jacket, gloves

Wool t-shirts x 2

Wool jumper (sent home after 1 week)

Running shorts x 2 (I won't be doing any running, yet I prefer these instead of lycra)

Wool socks x 2 pairs

Small towel

Wide brim hat

Sandals

Clip-in shoes

And lots of food and water

These are spare parts and supplies that Serena will bring or send to me as required.

Some stuff organised for when I know it'll be needed, like the oil change kits for the rohloff hub.

2 x 1 week's supply of food. They will be posted to different locations. This is required due to the very limited food availability in Cape York.

I've never carried a spare tyre or belt prior to this trip. Graham recommended I carry a spare tyre for The Gibb River Road.

And Lyle recommended I carry a spare Gates Belt.

I am heeding the advice of those more experienced than I. I'm grateful for their help. The below pics show where I'm carrying the items.

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Deleted AccountLooking forward to following your trip - good luck.

Andrew
Reply to this comment
3 years ago

Vince McCarthyThank you Andrew.
I'm super excited about it!
:)
Reply to this comment
3 years ago

Mike AylingWith a well built undished Rohloff you may never need those spare spokes!
Reply to this comment
3 years ago

Vince McCarthyTo Mike AylingI hope you're right Mike! Reading other journals where people have broken spokes make me a little wary. To carry a few extra grams gives me mind.
Reply to this comment
3 years ago

Lyle McLeodHi Vince,
Hope your ride works out this time! In the back recesses of my mind I’ve kicked around the idea of a ‘ride around Australia’ but I don’t know if I could handle the temps on a sustained basis. I’m Canadian and it was -35c where I live this morning. I can handle that, but put me in 40c and I don’t think I’d last.
I’m also a long term Rholoff geek 😎. We have a Bilenkey tandem with Rholoff and chains and both my wife (Kirsten) and I have Toute Terrain Silk Roads with Rholoff / Gates belt drives. We’ve used these on all our tours published here.
We did break a belt just outside Nantes on our EV6 trip in 2017. Long story but K’s rear cog had worn and was damaging/ cutting her belt. We each carry a spare belt. Less than 100g and about C$100. It took about 10 minutes to put the new belt on and we were mobile. Got her cog changed a few weeks later (another long story) and the belt is still going strong 10,000+ km’s later.
I would HIGHLY recommend that you carry a spare belt. It’s light and packs away so you won’t even notice it. Until you need it! Highly unlikely that you will need it, but the likelihood of getting a new belt quickly while on tour is even smaller! Very cheap and light insurance!!

As for spokes, if you have Ryde Andra rims (Rholoff recommends these) where the spoke holes are angled you should have no spoke issues. We had some breakage issues with our tandem and Velocity Aeroheat rims. When we changed to the Andra rims those issues disappeared.

Maybe TMI 😎, but as you can probably tell I’m a bit of a gear geeek!
Hope you have a great tour!
Reply to this comment
3 years ago

Vince McCarthyHi Lyle,

Thank you for the info. I can't imagine -35! Wowzsers!

You make a wise argument about carrying a belt and have convinced me. I've adjusted my gear list and put up a couple photos of where I've attached it.

Thank you
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3 years ago

Veronica JoinerLook forward to reading about your adventures.
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3 years ago

Vince McCarthyThank you my lovely auntie.
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3 years ago