Touring Bike Build.

Life is a journey we all travel - Cycle well at your own speed, it will serve you well in your old age. Keep going and never give up.

Home is where you wander cycle

We live on a beautiful planet that can be explored by bicycle and viewed with a perspective that cannot be achieved in a tour bus - Making it an incredible journey.

Travel slowly, while truly connecting to nature and appreciate the people you meet - The adventure that comes with travel.

"Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I have hope for the human race." - H.G. Wells

You can experience a life of freedom on the road, by escaping the daily grind.

Do you imagine cycling your way around the world or across a continent exploring at your own leisure, seeing spectacular landscapes and places where a tour bus never goes?



So before departing on an epic journey of a lifetime, you will need to have the right bike for your needs, that will last and be comfortable.

The Bike Build

The Adventure Fortitude , designed for multi-day off-road trips (Bikepacking) long road tours, as well as being a simple, fun mountain bike when unladen.

The Reynolds 725-framed Adventure comes with an impressive array of bosses and mounts. As well as three sets of bottle bosses – two in the usual locations, a third under the down tube – you’ll find rack and mudguard mounts at both ends. With three bosses on each fork leg. One pair of these can be used as conventional low-rider mounts for a front rack, or you can use two adjacent ones for an additional bottle cage.

The Shimano Alfine 11-speed hub gear has been chosen for reasons of low maintenance and ease of use. With no derailleurs the chain keeps the chain alignment straight meaning reduced chain wear. The hub works with a trigger shiftier and not a twist-shift (For flat handlebars) making it a pleasure to use. JTek & Microshift make aftermarket bar end shifters for drop handlebars. Shimano makes Di2 electronic shifters for both types of handlebars. When coming to a stop while riding you can click into first gear without pedalling.

Hub Service. Change the oil in the hub after the first 1,000 km and once every 5,000 km's or 2 years (whichever comes first)

29'er MTB tyres give the bike a comfortable off road ride, while 700c tyres can be used for long distance road touring.

This bike was a full build from the frame up including wheel building.

I bought the frame and forks in 2012 and built the bike as a bikepacking 29'er. Since then I have used the bike as an off-roader at bike parks in the UK, cycles National parks in Spain and general commuting. Now it's being set up for a touring adventure. It's a comfortable bike that has given me hours of off-road excitement.

I first learnt to build wheels at the age of 15 and still use the same wheel jig today, as I did back then. Wheel building is a skill and it's a job I enjoy doing.

The front wheel has a Mavic 'TN317' 32-hole disc rim, black anodized, Shimano SLX M629 29er front hub for Center-Lock disc, 32 hole and DT Swiss revolution double butted spokes 292 mm & 294 mm long with 12 mm brass nipples. This is a normal 3 cross pattern wheel build.

The rear wheel has a Mavic 'TN317' 32-hole disc rim, black anodized, Shimano Alfine 11 speed hub with Center-Lock disc, 32 holes and DT Swiss Competition spokes 268 mm on the drive-side and 270 mm disc-side with 12 mm brass nipples

Tyres. Photo shows front tyre Schwalbe Nobby Nic 29'er and rear Continental x king 29er 2.2
I also fit Schwalbe marathon tour 700 x 40c with full length mudguards.

Racks:

Breaking a rack can be a common problem for cyclists on long tours, that often become overloaded

Rear rack: Tubus racks are a must have.

Front rack: Atran Velo TOUR FRONT AM. Weight: 565g Carrying Capacity: 10 kg (22 lb)
Panniers: Keeping all your equipment dry, secure and easy to use. Ortlieb has been the trusted, most used waterproof panniers by cyclists for 30 years.

Bar grips: Ergon GP5

Mudguards: The SKS BLUEMELS STYLE mudguard 56 set, when using 700 x 38c Marathon Plus tyres. And SKS VELOFLEXX 65 SET 29″ for tyres up to 60 mm wide. 

Max load: Every expedition specially built bike frame and forks will be different and you will need to check with the manufacturer what the maximum load is. While the maximum load of up to 50kg is safe to ride, I wouldn't want to day after day. A bike is much nicer to ride with 5kg in each front pannier, and 15kg - 20kg evenly loaded on the rear (total of 25kg - 30kg), even less if staying in hostels/city, as less to carry in awkward situations. What you don't take you can always buy on your tour, if you take things you don't need you can sell or give away.

My bike spec and checklist

Home Bicycle Mechanics School
Want a beginners training session at your home/venue of your choice. I can arrange to make that happen.
Lost Traditions has teamed up with Park Tool. The Number 1 in bicycle Tools and we have created The Park Tool School Of Touring Bike Mechanics. As the name suggests, these courses are run at your home subject to being in striking distance to a Part Tool instructor. It’s a course designed by Park Tool and taught in the UK by a limited number of accredited workshops.

The course is aimed at the beginner and those with a little mechanical knowledge. After the course, you will have a basic knowledge and an understanding of how to look after your bicycle, do your own repairs while touring, what tools and spares to carry.

Meet & Ride
Those who are embarking on their first tour or who have already toured the world. Why not meet me for a ride and a chat about bikes. I am happy to give you tips on maintenance and specific tools for your bike in return for a coffee.

Specialist bike builders UK
Lost Traditions can build any type of bike for your cycling needs.
We have also partnered with specialist touring Bike builders

• Richard Delacour at Oxford Bike Works
  
• Simon Stanforth at Stanforth Bikes in Brighton