New Zealand

A coach, three flights ✈ a coach 🚌 and many hours, my Thorn Sherpa arrives, along with me. Thankfully in one piece to the little town of Owaka, The Catlins, New Zealand. Some minor superficial damage to the box, apart from that, it’s in good order. A cardboard box 📦over a bike bag any day!

Not sure how much time I’ll get to cycle here (I’m managing a backpackers south of the southern island), but knowing I’ve my bicycle with me, that’s enough! She slowly comes to life over the following weeks. I’m here for sometime, so no hurry!

I’m able to add the SKS P65 mudguards. Always very finickety to set up the SKS’s, but well worth it in the long run. Excellent fenders.

I’d considered a SON dynamo hub, but I‘ve perfectly good rims and wheels ☸ My present wheel set was hand-built, so I don’t wish to waste money and I‘ll stick with them until they’ve had their day. 

The Lezyne pump sits over the Trangia 1 litre bottle, with my trowel attached on the opposing side.

The Trangia is located in a Bike Buddy MK3. A unique, adjustable bottle 🍼 cage system, and a cool bit of English kit for the over-sized bottle.

I‘d contemplated using black Shimano Deore XT brakes, but glad I went for the silver. Nice addition against the black frame. Along with the Shimano M520 clipless pedals in silver too, adds a touch of ‘‘Je ne sais quoi”! 😋

On my previous build Orange P7 I used the Ergon Gp5 grips/bar ends. I thought them to be a tad overkill and considering the amount of time I’d used the bend, I’ve opted for the Ergon GS3’s. Quite a weight saving too.

I’ve opted for the 50mm Thorn T-Bar. Keeping the weight nearer to the frame, with the cables tucking in nicely on the stem-side of my Ortlieb bar-bag.

Also kept with my eXotic adjustable headset spacers. Ideal for fine height adjustments.

A tourer, isn’t a tourer until she’s loaded! Perhaps not fully ladened, but stuffed panniers for her piece-to-camera!

A recent addition to my luggage capabilities is the acquisition of an Ortlieb Rack Pack – 31 litre medium. A wonderfully simple piece of kit, that not only serves as extra storage (tent and sleeping matt) strapping to the Ortlieb Classic panniers, but also an excellent holdall. We like it!

Trowel for wild/bush camping duties!

All-in-all, I’m chuffed to bits with the way she looks … important!

It’s About The Bike 🚴‍♂️