Africa by Bike
2004-2006

Gear List

This is a work in progress so please bear with us until we get round to finishing it off!

Bikes

• Thorn eXXp frames and forks (customised version of their eXp with the main difference being a longer wheelbase).
• Sun Rhyno rims,

Luggage and storage

• 1 pair each Ortlieb Backpacker Plus rear panniers.
• 1 pair each Ortlieb Front Roller front panniers.
• Agu Quorum bar bags (both 10 litre to start with, Luke's later replaced with a 6 litre model which is more rigid.)
• Karrimor 35 litre rucksack later replaced with a Berghaus 20 litre model, for use as a daysack off the bike, strapped across Anna's rear rack on the bike and used to stuff fruit, bread and other random things into.
• Ortlieb rucksack conversion kit so one of the rear panniers can be carried as a rucksack.
• Assorted Outdoor Designs stuffsacks and mesh bags for storing clothes, dirty washing, small Nalgene bottles etc.
• Assorted Outdoor Designs drybags for storing paperwork, manuals and batteries.
• Aquapac storage pouches for electronics and cameras.
• Assorted Nalgene bottles for food.
• 2 Outdoor Designs guidebook pouches - great for keeping books dry, clean and unscuffed.
• Mesh shoe bag, for storing Tevas in the open so they dry out and don't smell (so bad)!

Spares and repair

• 6 inner tubes
• 4 brake cables
• 4 gear cables

Camping

• Tent - Hilleberg Nallo 3 GT.
• Supplementary steel tent pegs (12) - the supplied aluminum pegs are great in sandy or soft ground but hopeless in baked clay.
• Tarpaulin - 2mx2m - for lining the porch or sleeping on when we don't pitch the tent.
• Lifesystems Duo Mosquito Net.
• 2 Thermarests.
• 2 foam squares - 50cmx30cm - for sitting on to eat our lunch!
• 2 RAB Ladakh 600 sleeping bags - sent home for the hottest stretch between Mali and Ethiopia.
• 2 RAB silk sleeping bag liners - enough on their own when it's hot.  Very light and quick-drying.
• Ortlieb 15 litre folding bowl - wins the "most versatile equipment award", great for washing up, washing clothes, carrying things, washing ourselves....
• Assorted Ortlieb water bladders - 10, 4 and 2 litre sizes.  We anticipated carrying 40 litres or more in the Western Sahara and in Chad/Sudan, but only ever carried a maximum of 25 litres or so including our bike bottles.

Clothing - Luke

• 1 pair Gramicci shorts.
• 1 pair Endura MTB shorts.
• 3 pairs Endura padded undershorts.
• 3 t-shirts - OutdoorScene make fantastic hard-wearing and uncreasable ones that are still going strong after a year on the road.
• 1 long-sleeved shirt.
• 1 short-sleeved shirt.
• 1 pair Gramicci trousers.
• 3 pairs boxer shorts.
• 1 pair swimming trunks.
• 3 pairs Endura bike socks.
• 2 pairs ordinary socks.
• Shimano M038 SPD shoes.
• Teva sandals.
• Marmot lighweight waterproof jacket.
• The North Face fleece jacket.
• 1 pair cycling gloves.
• Limar helmet.

Clothing - Anna

• 1 pair North Face Capri Pants.
• 2 pairs Endura padded undershorts.
• 1 pair Endura Coolmax cycling shorts.
• 1 pair light cotton trousers.
• Regatta zip-off travel skirt.
• 1 Craghoppers long-sleeved shirt.
• 1 Outdoorscene long-sleeved top.
• 2 t-shirts.
• 1 vest top.
• 2 lycra sports bras.
• Selection of off-the-bike underwear!
• 1 bikini.
• 2 pairs Endura bike socks.
• 1 pair ordinary socks.
• Shimano M038 SPD shoes.
• Teva sandals (later replaced with Teva flip-flops).
• Marmot lighweight waterproof jacket.
• Patagonia fleece jacket.
• 2 cotton head-scarves.
• 1 pair Girlgear cycling gloves.
• Limar helmet.

Electronics and Photo

• Psion Series 3C palmtop.
• Canon EOS 300D digital SLR camera, with 18-55mm F4-5.6 and 75-300mm F4-5.6 lenses.
• Canon IXUS 500 digital compact camera.
• Canon Speedlite 540EX flashgun.
• Selection of ND grad, UV, Skylight and Polarising filters.
• Cleaning materials for cameras.
• Hama Gamma tripod.
• Universal battery charger for li-ion and NiMH batteries.
• 9 x 800mAh AAA and 24 x 2300mAh AA rechargeable batteries.
• Spare battery for digital SLR.
• 2 Petzl Tikka headtorches.
• 1 Petzl Zoom headtorch.
• Sony short-wave radio.
• Portable CD-burner.
• Selection of CD-R and CD-RW blank recordable media.

Medical

• First Aid kit containing plasters, bandages, antiseptic etc.
• Lifesystems Dental First Aid kit.
• Medical kit containing antibiotics, painkillers, anti-malarials, antiseptic, antihistamines and other medication.
• Sterile needle pack.
• Bausch & Lomb contact lenses and solution.
• Mosquito repellent.

For more about the trip, have a look at our latest diary update.
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