mdilthey

Jude, thank you so much for this blog. Bikepacking with a DSLR is the definition of my trip- this is hugely informative!

Losligato

Is your goal to cycle the entire way or do you intend to use the bike in the interesting areas then toss it on a bus. Both are perfectly valid forms of touring. You might consider a folder if your going to jump on and off buses.

mdilthey

If a bus can make the distance, so can I. I totally respect buses, but I think the only time I'll really want to take a bus is if I get stuck in a dangerous area. I'm considering bussing from Panama to Ecuador, but I don't know if Colombia is factually dangerous or just rumored to be dangerous. I definitely want to see some cities.

Chris Pringle

The whole thing of going slower on a 26" bike Vs. 29" is just non-sense. There hasn't been a true scientific analysis on the subject to support that a 26" is slower. There are many other factors to take into account other than just wheel/tire size. If you're over 6 ft. tall, you might be a little more comfortable on a 29er wheel bike which in turn could make you faster. The European bike designers, by the way, never bought the whole 29er concept on mountain bikes. Now suddenly the whole bike industry (Europe and North America) is pushing for smaller 27.5" tires (650b.) So if 29er are better and faster, the industry would not diverting from it after approximately five years of being really popular. So, do watch out for a LBS that might want to unload a few 29er bikes as they make room for 27.5" MTB that several manufacturers will be launching this fall.

Some things to consider on a 29" wheel bike:

* Subject to more torsional forces. A strong 29er will require at least 36 spokes to be built strongly Vs a similarly strong 26" wheel with 32 spokes
* 29" being larger - you'll carry more weight in material for the larger rim and more rubber (tires.)
* A few more spares to carry due to fewer bike shops carrying replacement parts (tubes, tires, spokes, etc.)
* The above translates into more weight than you'll have to haul around on your bike defeating the purpose of going "light and fast."
* Down time while you wait for parts being shipped from the U.S., clearing customs, and steep customs charges in many Lat. Am. countries. That ain't no fun! Why go through this if you can simply get these things locally with a 26" bike? In any country in Lat Am a nice bike shop located in a large city will be able to ship you parts within two days to any small town. Another thing many people do is to catch a bus to the nearest large city, get the bike fixed there and continue the next day with their tour.

I remember when a fellow BF member returned home early last year from her Pan American tour with her entire family. One thing she said she would have done differently was to ride a 26" bike instead of 700c.

As far as front suspension goes, it will definitely make a huge difference in comfort off-road, but it's one big expensive component to worry about. You might have a really good chance finding a 26" suspension fork, but on a 29er, good luck!... definitely cost prohibitive to replace a 29er suspension fork in Lat. Am., especially if it has to be shipped from the U.S. Bigger tires and a suspension seatpost (e.g., Cane Creek's Thudbuster) might be a better and simpler solution.

Is the bike proposed by your LBS built around carbon fiber wheels? What material for the frame?

Chris Pringle

Read bike tourist blogs avidly before your tour. The two countries most bike tourists LOVE are the countries with the worst international media: Mexico and Colombia. The countries that many have had safety issues in the last few years: Peru (an area just north of Lima) and a couple of countries in Central America.

mdilthey

Ok, that pretty much seals the deal then. The advice here is internalized and respected.

-I will be touring on a 26" hardtail instead of a 29"
-I will be using a tent instead of my beloved hammock

Thank you for the advice. Can anyone offer any insight into materials? Experience would be a plus.

Losligato

There are no roads between Panama and South America. You'll have to fly or float.

mdilthey

Well, yeah. I'm just thinking about Colombia, but maybe it's not so bad. it's assumed I'll take another form of transportation when there's a physical gap between countries.

I'm not missing the Yucatan, though.

Chris Pringle

Steel frame and racks simply because you'll be able to fix in Tzintzuntzán or Tarija (anywhere!) if they break. Alloy for wheels and all other components. As much as you might be tempted by carbon fiber due to its light weight, stay away from it like the plague for touring.

Bicycle Addict

Hi Paul here from NZ I have friends who are now in Mongolia were in South America 2 years ago with 29ers and they said they will never tour the sort of terrain they faced on anything but a 26". They are touring now on early 90's MTB frames with front shocks, they explained to me that they never really thought about the amount of flex the 29ers wheels went through compared to the 26" stuff they rode before and now again until they were far away from civilization. Another thing to think of is new does not necessarily mean it will suit your needs more. I see more Carbon frames broken than I do steel frames at work(I work part time in a bike shop) Steel also has more flex there fore it should take vibration better than the more rigid frames . Just my opinion.

mdilthey

Thanks Bicycle Addict, great advice!

AsanaCycles

I would start by looking here: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/l...octype=journal

AsanaCycles

I was deployed to Panama 12/89 for Operation Just Cause.
from what I know, you want to avoid the Darien Gap.
scan thru a book: "Our man in Panama"

AsanaCycles

great suggestion(s)

+1 on this one.

AsanaCycles

did you say this complete bike has to be around $1,300 new?

AsanaCycles

as I've read thru this thread
@ 6'1" and 160lbs, heck... sounds to me like you are apt to seriously make a run at some distances while on tour.

what I see in this thread, is money.

Mathew Lee's bike for the TDR is about 35lbs, complete with food, and camping equipment.
he used a Cannondale carbon Flash 29er.

from what I see in this plan, you are going to need very reliable support here stateside. money, possibly law, health, and of course technical support and being able to get things to you.
possibly you may want to carry a SPOT GPS transponder?
maybe some kind of communicator?

as you've realized there is a grey area when it comes to hardcore enduro adventure reliability vs fast and light.

if you have a resume that highlights athletics, adventure, etc... maybe even your photos, this scenario screams to me, finding sponsorship. perhaps the likes of WTB, maybe Jeff Jones? <--- I have no idea what kind of response you'd get from him.

maybe MOOTS?

seems to me ideally you'd find a sponsor to hook you up with an already established setup. Bike, packs and all.
so you have to kind of think who as this stuff?

I'm thinking the first step is resume.

it seems to me the sub 30lb 29er for $1300 complete could be a hard find.
I'd shout out to Salsa! an El Mariachi would be awesome!
even better if it were a setup that is already together, and maybe they'd simply help sponsor you.

cover letter, resume, over view, and action plan. to start.

depending on your "agenda". I think this scenario screams NETWORKING.

jurjan

We only did patagonia / tierra del fuego, but we did it on our trusty steel 28" tourers (Dutch, Snel Safari with LX parts), we took some innertubes and one outer tire with us.
never used the outer, I think we had maybe one puncture total between the two of us.
Yes ripio is not nice, but any GOOD bike / wheel can withstand it.
I do think the whole 26" vs. 28" or even 29" and higher is moot: just get GOOD handbuilt (and not brand spanking new) wheels and they all perform within a small percentage of each other.
just get what you like.

fietsbob

I do recall reading Ian Hibbel waded thru the Darien swamp for quite a while..

the hammock will be handy then as the water table
is above the ground surface in a swamp-bog..

axolotl

I have one other suggestion, since you mentioned that you've started learning Spanish. Near the beginning of the trip, I would urge that you spend a few weeks at a Spanish language school. Every Spanish-speaking country has some schools for foreigners, and certain places such as Antigua, Guatemala, have a profusion of them. I spent a few weeks at a school in Mexico, and also at a school in Costa Rica. I learned quite a bit quite quickly with the excellent one-on-one instruction. Generally, the lowest prices per week tend to be at schools in Central America, especially in Guatemala. The schools can usually arrange for inexpensive lodging with a local family, which also helps you to practice speaking.

mdilthey

@Asana re: Networking, someday, YES, absolutely. This time, maybe?

Sponsorship through a charity seems realistic. As of right now, I can make and break camp in minutes and I am not afraid of distances, but my history of athleticism is not quite there. I'm definitely strong and able, but I am not record-breaking able. I've been in my current biking shape for less than a year.

I'm still drifting wildly back and forth between 26" and 29". I was pretty convinced of 26" but jurjan confirmed what I kind of thought- careful riding means you never break something built to withstand the stress. But alas, better safe than sorry..? I'll keep researching just what kind of advantages I can expect on a 29".

As for learning Spanish, I can't do much better than the spanish professor at my school. Young, engaged, interesting, realistic, and pleasant. I would be satisfied with a basic working knowledge that lets me talk about what I'm doing there with locals.


I have great home support. Health insurance, rich extended family for paying off hostage scenarios, and I'll definitely be taking a SPOT.


And yes, this bike has to be around 1,300 new if possible. Obviously, I will save up a bit more if it begs necessity for a trip of this caliber.

Chris Pringle

DO NOT recommend a gringo or anyone to venture through the Darien gap. I lived in Panama for 15 years. Panama overall is a very safe country. The area of the Darien gap is barely traspassable but the worst part is really not nature. Due to its isolation, the Darien Gap is infested with drug labs and you run the high risk of being kidnapped (or worst!) for being taken as a DEA agent or spy surveying the area. If you're up for a little adventure, you need to get to San Blas (Porvenir) and catch a boat operated by the native Kuna indians to Turbo, Colombia. The San Blas area is gorgeous. Another way is to catch a boat from Colón, Panama to beautiful Cartagena, Colombia (the safest way.) I read somewhere there was supposed to be a sparking brand new ferry connecting these two cities some time this year or next year.

SparkyGA

Seriously try out a Surly Troll. The rougher the road, the better it rides Not to mention it takes just about anything between the wheels (2.2 " tires with 26", hearing rumours of smallish 700C tires, HG vs Derailers), Vbrake or Discs, and really decent on trail or pavement.... Affordable enough to lose. Can be loaded as heavy as you like too. And it's orange.

Chris Pringle

$1,300 is an OK budget if you were getting a used bike and components. For hardcore touring purposes like doing the Pan American highway with your requirements of going ultralight with a 25 lb bike and less than 15 lb gear, I think you'll be looking easily at $3,000 just for a new bike alone. Light frame and components add up very quickly. In the cycling world LIGHT = RACING, but this doesn't mean at all built sturdily for off-road expedition touring. For example, carbon fiber is out the window! This leaves titanium, steel and aluminum as the materials to use for your build. So, for your purposes you're going have to plan carefully on how you build your bike from the frame up. This costs money but if you have a year or so to plan, this is very doable! In the meantime, focus on finding the right frame and build your bike exactly the way you want it. If you have a great home support plus rich extended family, I would gather their moral and financial support. The fact that you already have some $ saved up for this might make it interesting for them to help you out in the form of gift or a long term loan.

By the way, how old are you?

Jude

About the hammock thing, your idea of using it as a bug bivy with a tarp over it is not bad. If you have a foam mat you can just put it on the ground, rig up the hammock's bug-net suspension to your bike and some other object, and put the tarp over it.

But a tent might still be the best option. And then bring a Grand Trunk Nano or similar almost-weightless hammock just for lounging or sleeping in when you can.

mdilthey

My family has my plane tickets. I'll get the bike.

I'm looking for at least Deore components, maybe a Deore XT rear derailleur. Not the top-of-the-line, but good reliable parts. I can service them and baby them on the road, but things like derailleur sway are issues I don't want to have to deal with. I want reliable springs back there.

I'll be 23 when I take the trip. I'm 22 now. My Ultralight definition here doesn't need to be as fine-tuned as someone who sets records for distance and time spent. Something like a Surly Troll is considerably more meaty than I need- a lighter frame can take the bike down to sub-30 without breaking my bank. I just need to find that perfect bike, and I'm still looking. Because my gear weight is so low and my body weight is average, a big, burly bike is overkill. I can buy a singletrack or cyclocross-style bike and never put too much tensional stress on it that might break it.

How awful is aluminum? Why do I need to avoid it like the plague?