Rohloff SPEEDHUB 500/14 Review

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‘How’s the Rohloff holding up?’

After building my bike and cycling halfway round the world, interest in the Rohloff SPEEDHUB has become an FAQ (more than the bike itself). So here’s my review to answer that question.

When I started considering the bike I would need for a world journey, there was nothing on the market appropriate and the only bike I was ever going to be happy with for the task was one I built myself.

I had … Read on »

Hilleberg Akto Tent Review

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My first tent was a two-person, four-season Wild Country. It was a shelter for serious adventurers and climbers and It was a big investment for a 14-year-old, but I loved it. Over a ten year period I spent more than a year of my life in it, but eventually it fell apart. The waterproof fabric perished under the harsh Australian UV rays and melded together in a rolled-up glob of sticky nylon.

Looking for a replacement in a camping … Read on »

Surly 1x1 Bike Frame Review

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Touring bikes withstand a lot of pressure and on crappy roads, take a lot of abuse. There are many options when it comes to frames but the most important considerations if you’re heading of the beaten track, is strength and repairability. That means weldability — steel.

Not so long ago, chromoly steel was the unsophisticated, bog-standard material that almost every bike was made of. Then aluminium worked it’s way down the bicycle ranks until almost every bike was made … Read on »

Surly Racks Review

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Trailer vs Panniers

When I started bike touring I used a Yak BOB trailer, which I thought was the best thing out there until I moved to Europe and I bought a cheap alloy rack and rear panniers to do some touring in Scotland. The weight savings (about 5 kg) and improved stability was a knockout! Since then, I’ve sold the trailer and kept the panniers.

Granted, there are some specific situations when using a trailer would be advantageous: … Read on »