Bikepacking in Kyrgyzstan
Six days of ridding
The Bishkek Eastern Compass Route
The Bishkek Eastern Compass Route
Adam McAree:
July 20, 2024
by Adam McAree
by Adam McAree
Back in 2018, Mina and I found ourselves in Central Asia. We were in Urgench, Uzbekistan and I had spent the previous few weeks biketouring Europe with my dog, some good friends, and with the crazy idea of riding all the way to Uzbekistan. I only made it to Poland but I hit pause on the idea of riding in Central Asia. Plus, the idea of deserts and confusing Caspian Sea crossings was not all that appealing. Around that time the first Silk Road Mountain Race was happening and the media I came across blew my mind! I was forever intrigued. Unfortunately, I never did much riding in Western Uzbekistan and my bike was left behind during the frightening evacuation for Covid in spring 2020 when no one knew what would happen.
Fast-forward to January 2024. I am back in Central Asia for a year of Peace Corps Response Service. My assignment (Toktogul CBT) and counterpart wrote a lengthy letter to Peace Corps asking for assistance adding bicycle tourism component to their tour operations!
Since getting to site, I have been dusting off my old skills, I managed to get my bike from Bukhara, Uzbekistan to Toktogul ( $225 usd via some reluctant taxi drivers) This took months of requests and attempts! My first week of riding on some rental bikes from Bishkek allowed me to make an impromptu video of some French tourists who were using my counterpart’s company to see Kyrgyzstan. They did a day ride in Toktogul before heading to Ozgorush for two days of horsetrekking. I have been recording my rides on Ride with GPS, publishing to the CBT website I created and have been using only my phone and iMovie to make Youtube videos from the footage. It’s been fun using the bare minimum to make something – hopefully – useful to future tourists!
Since late January I have been interviewing/emailing all those I know (or have come across) in the bike world and even hoped to collaborate with the founder of that crazy Silk Road race! With Peace Corps I am eligible to “crowd source” from a variety of donors or take the $2500 minimum that has, to some degree, been pre-allocated to us as part of our service (very gameshow – I might add! )I am currently asking for money to support a couple of bikes for either tourists or local guide trainees, tools allowing for wheel-building, drivetrain overhauls, maintenace and repairs for modern bikes that most tourists will prefer to use. The grant would – ideally – create awareness for bikepacking as a sport, an option for tourists, a potential source of revenue, and provide valuable skills for guides who want to market to more specialized tourists, provide mechanical assistance, or better protect themselves in the backcountry.
Fast-forward to January 2024. I am back in Central Asia for a year of Peace Corps Response Service. My assignment (Toktogul CBT) and counterpart wrote a lengthy letter to Peace Corps asking for assistance adding bicycle tourism component to their tour operations!
Since getting to site, I have been dusting off my old skills, I managed to get my bike from Bukhara, Uzbekistan to Toktogul ( $225 usd via some reluctant taxi drivers) This took months of requests and attempts! My first week of riding on some rental bikes from Bishkek allowed me to make an impromptu video of some French tourists who were using my counterpart’s company to see Kyrgyzstan. They did a day ride in Toktogul before heading to Ozgorush for two days of horsetrekking. I have been recording my rides on Ride with GPS, publishing to the CBT website I created and have been using only my phone and iMovie to make Youtube videos from the footage. It’s been fun using the bare minimum to make something – hopefully – useful to future tourists!
Since late January I have been interviewing/emailing all those I know (or have come across) in the bike world and even hoped to collaborate with the founder of that crazy Silk Road race! With Peace Corps I am eligible to “crowd source” from a variety of donors or take the $2500 minimum that has, to some degree, been pre-allocated to us as part of our service (very gameshow – I might add! )I am currently asking for money to support a couple of bikes for either tourists or local guide trainees, tools allowing for wheel-building, drivetrain overhauls, maintenace and repairs for modern bikes that most tourists will prefer to use. The grant would – ideally – create awareness for bikepacking as a sport, an option for tourists, a potential source of revenue, and provide valuable skills for guides who want to market to more specialized tourists, provide mechanical assistance, or better protect themselves in the backcountry.
2014 Surly Ogre XXL (65cm). 3×10 11-36T rear cassette. 2.1″ Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires. Heavy!! No frame bags, panniers, or other useful things, so I have had to use what I can source locally. Luckily I brought my comfy Brooks saddle and a pair of Castelli bibs that have kept my ass pain-free for many many miles!!!
After sending a photo of my bikepacking setup to a friend of mine, Malik from bikepackingkyrgyzstan.cc, back in June he responded with an invitation to join him on a route planning expedition! Wow. I was merely “checking-in” and lettiing him know that I finally had a bike here in country. It seems the stars were aligning and I would be spending an entire week in the countryside, riding 12 hours a day, and developing ideas for collaboration.
We had talked about how my work with the Toktogul CBT and his plans to increase route awareness and make bikepacking more accessible throughout Kyrgyzstan with route options not requiring transportation to and from starting points. During previous Silk Road Mountain Races, Malik has ridden through Toktogul and was familiar with some of the surrounding areas, roads, valleys, and jailoos.
Route:
Early Saturday morning after an intense heatwave Malik and I met at a Globus grocery store where we could grab food/drinks before heading into more remote regions on the outskirts of Bishkek. We used gravel roads that ran alongside the canals on the Southern side of the valley, avoiding a lot of automobile traffic and getting us closer to those mountains you see watching over Bishkek from the South.
We had talked about how my work with the Toktogul CBT and his plans to increase route awareness and make bikepacking more accessible throughout Kyrgyzstan with route options not requiring transportation to and from starting points. During previous Silk Road Mountain Races, Malik has ridden through Toktogul and was familiar with some of the surrounding areas, roads, valleys, and jailoos.
Route:
Early Saturday morning after an intense heatwave Malik and I met at a Globus grocery store where we could grab food/drinks before heading into more remote regions on the outskirts of Bishkek. We used gravel roads that ran alongside the canals on the Southern side of the valley, avoiding a lot of automobile traffic and getting us closer to those mountains you see watching over Bishkek from the South.
Day 1: Hills were pleasant throughout the day with long descents and nice, steady climbs, until the end - one long ascent of to the village of Kashka. There was very little traffic and we had a variety of convenience stores (magazines) to get cold beverages, snacks, etc.
Day 2: Very little time riding our bikes but a long day pushing our bikes up (and down) steep, chunky gravel. Two shepherd summer camps(jailoo) and a farm at the end of the day where we had a water supply for camp. The yurts were a wonderful respite providing fried bread (bursok) and cream (kaimok), hot tea, jam, and a stove for us to cook our ramen! Such wonderful hospitality.
Day 3: Amazing sunrise and a descent to the main highway; 2 hour climb to the apex (2160m) a cold, windy descent to Kochkor Reservoir, Storm, and sunny approach to IssykKul along apricot farms and the lake! Best cornershop for food supplies; made camp in a local garden with the friendly old man; he gave me a spoon; I had a vegetarian chili, cheese, fresh vegetables, hot tea, fresh apricots (free), and we slept in a T-storm!
Day 4: I woke up in a puddle. Tired, grumpy, and with an upset stomach after the storm kept me awake. We rode South into Naryn through a valley with rivers, reached a village and had fresh Aryan (greek-style yogurt). This was a tough day. It started out with stomach issues, nausea, fatigue, doubt, and then dehydration. I am surprised I lasted until 3pm. The early camp and long sleep until 5:30am helped a lot and I was ready to go for Day 5. Thanks to Peace Corps Medical Team I had a good supply of dehydration powder in my first aid kit that I used to get “right.”
Day 5: Long pass to Kochkor through a valley + lunch in Kochkor(Lagman and tomato/cucumber salad) + Evening Climb to Kul Okuk + Sunset camp + Cold/Dry sleep = Excellent Day! I was feeling much better but tired.
Camping spot about 2.5 hrs uphill from Kochkor. I didn’t get a picture but when I looked up from setting up my tent a herd of cattle had surrounded us to watch we were their evening entertainment. These higher altitude meadows are cooler, full of green vegetation, and ideal for livestock during the summers here.
Day 6: Great sleep! 2 hr ascent to the alpine lake; chai with a CBT-sponsored Yurt camp, yurt build, and a steep descent to Kochkor. This was last day of riding for me (unfortunately); Malik continued up towards Kegeti, riding until dusk. Meanwhile, I devoured fresh fruit under a tree near the bazar and connected with Mark at his Guesthouse (I realized it was 4th of July) where we sipped lager, played cornhole, and ate lots of homemade food at his guesthouse.
Alpine Lake at the Ukok Kol. 10,000ft. We had tea at the yurt camp. It took us 4+ hours from Kochkor (uphill).
Challenges:
A lot more hiking the bike uphill than I’d imagined. Highest gear was barely enough and the rough terrain made steering nearly impossible for me. We walked a lot.
Food schedule. We bypassed a store that I was counting on for extra water and snacks on the first day. I missed my opportunity to grab extra water and an assortment of high-calorie snacks (snickers, chips, peanuts, etc)
I used all of my prepackaged meals early on. They were delicious (borscht, plov, cutlets with buckwheat) but I had planned to ration them. Having something to look forward to is highly important when your hungry, tired, and isolated.
I had a water filter, there were rivers and pipes to use but the slow trickle was slowly dehydrating me and I wasn’t drinking enough. This consolidated over time and caused a bit of concern.
Not enough sunscreen. I wish I’d brought a buff and my cycling sleeves! My hat was great, though!
Calories: Noodles are not enough calories for me. I long to have the ability to open a can of fish and let the oil seep into my mouth, eventually getting to my blood. While Malik was eating ramen and keeping an even keel. I was starting to feel nauseated and had difficulty eating enough. I was SO HUNGRY. Pelmeni, chai, koymoq, bread tasted great! Lagman too. I eat more at my host family home than I than I was eating on this ride and it was slowly adding up. By Day 4, my stomach stopped cooperating, my sleep was poor, my dehydration was noticeable, my appetite was low and all of this started a bit of worry.
I felt a little weak. This affected confidence and the nausea, dry mouth, lack of appetite added up. I opted to stop early, nap, take some dehydration salts and sleep.We lost 4 hrs of riding because of me! Luckily, the following day was solid and I felt mostly fine (minus growing hunger).
Food Options: I recently watched an excellent video made by a racer (Jakob Carlsen) who had done the SRMR in previous years. He got deep into his food successes.challenges. Dried ramen, canned fish, dairy, halva, locally available fruits and vegetables, and anything else he could find. Again, it’s having the stomach to consume these things when you’re pushed to the max physically that is a very real challenge. I find the level of detail helpful and fascinating.
A lot more hiking the bike uphill than I’d imagined. Highest gear was barely enough and the rough terrain made steering nearly impossible for me. We walked a lot.
Food schedule. We bypassed a store that I was counting on for extra water and snacks on the first day. I missed my opportunity to grab extra water and an assortment of high-calorie snacks (snickers, chips, peanuts, etc)
I used all of my prepackaged meals early on. They were delicious (borscht, plov, cutlets with buckwheat) but I had planned to ration them. Having something to look forward to is highly important when your hungry, tired, and isolated.
I had a water filter, there were rivers and pipes to use but the slow trickle was slowly dehydrating me and I wasn’t drinking enough. This consolidated over time and caused a bit of concern.
Not enough sunscreen. I wish I’d brought a buff and my cycling sleeves! My hat was great, though!
Calories: Noodles are not enough calories for me. I long to have the ability to open a can of fish and let the oil seep into my mouth, eventually getting to my blood. While Malik was eating ramen and keeping an even keel. I was starting to feel nauseated and had difficulty eating enough. I was SO HUNGRY. Pelmeni, chai, koymoq, bread tasted great! Lagman too. I eat more at my host family home than I than I was eating on this ride and it was slowly adding up. By Day 4, my stomach stopped cooperating, my sleep was poor, my dehydration was noticeable, my appetite was low and all of this started a bit of worry.
I felt a little weak. This affected confidence and the nausea, dry mouth, lack of appetite added up. I opted to stop early, nap, take some dehydration salts and sleep.We lost 4 hrs of riding because of me! Luckily, the following day was solid and I felt mostly fine (minus growing hunger).
Food Options: I recently watched an excellent video made by a racer (Jakob Carlsen) who had done the SRMR in previous years. He got deep into his food successes.challenges. Dried ramen, canned fish, dairy, halva, locally available fruits and vegetables, and anything else he could find. Again, it’s having the stomach to consume these things when you’re pushed to the max physically that is a very real challenge. I find the level of detail helpful and fascinating.
In IssykKul I was excited to find a ready to eat foil bag of chili! It was even labeled as vegan and tasted great. The portion was enough for both Malik and myself. Yummy. Until….
Shitting it the next day caused regret! What caused the problem? All of my meals were blending together so the nausea served no purpose in helping me avoid things in the future and only made eating more of a challenge. A lot of science tells us that our bodies react to things we’ve eaten days earlier. Your breakfast doesn’t just give you immediate energy, it works to supply energy for future days. A missed meal or dehydration can affect future energy levels so consistency really is key to sustained performance.
Bike and Gear
I noticed my rear wheel was really out of true despite having an alignment in Bishkek. No broken spokes. Hmmm. Upon closer inspection, I came to realize the rim had been splitting in multiple places near the spoke nipples! Had the tension been too high, tire pressure, too much weight on the extreme, rocky descents? I did crash a few times.
Shitting it the next day caused regret! What caused the problem? All of my meals were blending together so the nausea served no purpose in helping me avoid things in the future and only made eating more of a challenge. A lot of science tells us that our bodies react to things we’ve eaten days earlier. Your breakfast doesn’t just give you immediate energy, it works to supply energy for future days. A missed meal or dehydration can affect future energy levels so consistency really is key to sustained performance.
Bike and Gear
I noticed my rear wheel was really out of true despite having an alignment in Bishkek. No broken spokes. Hmmm. Upon closer inspection, I came to realize the rim had been splitting in multiple places near the spoke nipples! Had the tension been too high, tire pressure, too much weight on the extreme, rocky descents? I did crash a few times.
Luckily I had a simple aluminum hub installed for $50 in Bishkek. It’s wider, disc only, double walled and has offset holes so maybe it’s not too bad, if a little heavy.
I like my SPD Pedal/Shoe option for touring but I am glad I had my trail shoes for all the walking we did. They were light and grippy. My pedals did well and were wide/comfortable for my feet but I do have countless scabs across my shins and calves from the spikey screws that provide grip on these pedals. The combination with wool socks kept my feet comfortable whether waterlogged or dry and sandy.
No frame bags, bulky cookset, no gauge on pump; My drybag backpack handled the weather but I hadn’t figured out an optimal mounting system and it was a pain having to tie it down on a loaded bike each morning.
My brakes were squeaking alot and I was using them alot on the descents – feathering them to control my speed. I should have taken them apart and more closely inspected before departure. Also, my drivetrain had that “not so fresh” sound at times. Grinding. Having a good toothbrush, rag, and appropriate lube is quite sufficient for maintenance for road touring but the dusty, rocky, muddy backcountry requires some additional care.
Too much gear (including computer) that I had with me for Bishkek work. This was my first time wearing my bibs for consecutive days, using only baby wipes to stay “clean.” While not particular pleasant (for others) I was quite comfortable – no sores, rashes. My bum was no problem whatsoever during the week.
I think having down booties and a light pair of flip flops makes sense for camp. It’s funny how any extra step can slow things down exponentially, even if only mentally.
Learning/Insights:
Malik is an awesome guy and I really lucked out getting the opportunity to ride with him! He has completed the SRMR 3 times. He has a confident pace/sense of location. He can thrive on noodles (somehow). His Style/Gear/Bike/Maintenance is truly “dialed-in!”
I like my SPD Pedal/Shoe option for touring but I am glad I had my trail shoes for all the walking we did. They were light and grippy. My pedals did well and were wide/comfortable for my feet but I do have countless scabs across my shins and calves from the spikey screws that provide grip on these pedals. The combination with wool socks kept my feet comfortable whether waterlogged or dry and sandy.
No frame bags, bulky cookset, no gauge on pump; My drybag backpack handled the weather but I hadn’t figured out an optimal mounting system and it was a pain having to tie it down on a loaded bike each morning.
My brakes were squeaking alot and I was using them alot on the descents – feathering them to control my speed. I should have taken them apart and more closely inspected before departure. Also, my drivetrain had that “not so fresh” sound at times. Grinding. Having a good toothbrush, rag, and appropriate lube is quite sufficient for maintenance for road touring but the dusty, rocky, muddy backcountry requires some additional care.
Too much gear (including computer) that I had with me for Bishkek work. This was my first time wearing my bibs for consecutive days, using only baby wipes to stay “clean.” While not particular pleasant (for others) I was quite comfortable – no sores, rashes. My bum was no problem whatsoever during the week.
I think having down booties and a light pair of flip flops makes sense for camp. It’s funny how any extra step can slow things down exponentially, even if only mentally.
Learning/Insights:
Malik is an awesome guy and I really lucked out getting the opportunity to ride with him! He has completed the SRMR 3 times. He has a confident pace/sense of location. He can thrive on noodles (somehow). His Style/Gear/Bike/Maintenance is truly “dialed-in!”
Malik rides a Sonder bike with Alpkit, Oveja Negra, Stealth and a custom frame bag. His bike is much lighter than mine but he’s well prepared for weather, food, sleep, comfort and hydration!
While I sometimes feel a little “old” Malik is my age (1 year older) so I have no excuses!
We kept a tight schedule (getting up at 5 or 6:00am; riding until 7 or 8:00pm). It seemed to take a long time to break camp and get riding in the morning. Not sure what we could have done differently. Maybe sleep a little longer? Keeping a schedule is the best way to approach long days. This provides benchmarks, goals, and a bit of normalcy.
Cooking Food 3x per day feels cumbersome with my fancy, universal MSR stove; It is currently burning gasoline. The smell of the high octane gasoline started to nag at my soul and I didn’t like getting on my fingers each time I removed the pump from the bottle for transport. I am hoping to use a homemade alcohol stove for future trips. I am currently figuring out portions, heating times, and the most practical setup for future rides. You can find 100mL of ethanol at the pharmacies in Kyrgyzstan for 40 com ($0.50 usd)…this should boil 500ml (pint) of water four times.
Tea in the yurts was a great recharge; Riding with Malik meant I didn’t have to stumble through language barriers and could enjoy the time with shepherds
Despite a setback with the broken rim, minor health issues, and hunger, I impressed myself with a steady push come climb or descent. It felt great being outside all day.
Surprises/
Accomplishments:
Technically, this was a business trip. Both Malik and myself did this excursion in the hope that it will help build something: awareness, access to adventure from Bishkek, experiences that can be shared in different media. Malik wants to sell an an article to bikepacking.com and develop his Celestial Divide Route. I want Toktogul and other CBTs to have information and resources for bike tourists that may need a few essential ingredients to get them out into the wild! Without which they may miss out.
I feel stronger and more confident having completed 6 consecutive days of riding, despite not reaching Kegeti Pass, a little sickness, and a lot of hunger. I will modify my setup and strategy for the next time. The tooth, broken rim, and need for calories was enough to end my trip a day and one-half prematurely.
It was harder than I thought but for different reasons. The generosity among the people we met along the way was beautiful. I still cannot believe how natural it was to come into someone’s living area, drink hot tea, devour bread and sweets, use their water supply (or stove!) and then move on. All while smelling as ripe as can be!
I overcame the obstacles I could and accepted my limitations without too much turmoil. We kept on going (uphill).
These journeys have been done without fancy equipment for many many years. While a racer cannot miss any competitive advantage without the risk (or likelihood) of a penalty, this was an excursion – not a race. While it may have been easier to push ten less pounds up all those hills, I still would have pushed..and while it may have been easier to pack and mobilize in the morning with a more efficient pack-system, I would have had to struggle with the same food issues and sleep quality constraints regardless.
Wishlist:
Carbon wheels that are both strong and light ($800-1200 usd). Are they worth it? Would I notice a difference? I love the custom wheels (White Industries) on my road/gravel bike back home. I have never had to true them, they are light responsive, and feel fast. I had them built with 36 holes (tandem-spec) for my weight. The pair I am looking at has a weight limit (rider, bike, gear) of only 275 lbs! That’s a bit too close for me to even consider.
Tubeless tires could be a lighter option than my heavy puncture resistant tires but you still need to carry extra sealant and an extra tube ( just in case!) There is a new, nano tube on the market that may save a lot of space (and weight in my toolkit).
Bags that are less cumbersome ($400). Though, I did master the trucker’s hitch and the girth/zip-tie knots, it is annoying having to do this every morning while balancing the bike, but it worked! It would be nice to stuff things into their place and go. I miss my Ortlieb pannier setup. 4 bags. Waterproof, spacious. I used my frame bag for tools, hydration, snacks, and gloves. Easy.
Carbon replacements (seatpost, handlebars) ($500) Really necessary? I think if I were trying to win a race or drastically increase speed, maybe.
Seat bumper ($200). The bike is already quite comfortable and my wrists may prefer a suspension fork more than my ass would appreciate less bumps. There are stem suspension systems. They could, in theory, help reduce wrist fatigue without using a suspension fork. At some point it makes sense to simply replace my bike with a hardtail or full-suspension bike and go from there!
Lighter components ($500+ for a Shimano 1×12). The drivetrains need to be cleaned and maintained regularly. Cleaning and maintaining a single speed is much simpler and these “chores” add up over time. I never used by biggest chainring and I think a 32T front and an 11-51 in the rear would work great for the hills, extra weight, and peace of mind.
Constraints:
Why not just order this stuff?
My time in Kyrgyzstan is undetermined; all gear accumulated will have to be shipped/stored after service.
I like experiencing some of the realistic parameters. I felt like a bikepacker from the eighties! Using a steel frame, no suspension, and rope made me feel timeless out there. Obviously, if money were no object I could do whatever I wanted. Knowing in advance that I’d be “doing bike stuff” here would have impacted my packing priorities. I do think a hardtail would be ideal for this terrain.
Is cycling a hobby or an occupation? This framework has been in play since 2016 when bike equipment was 100% expensable for the tourism company
Conclusion:
I can’t wait to get back into the hills. I will modify my setup a bit and try not to spend too much money!
Is completing the Silk Road Mountain Race a realistic goal? I am still not sure. Nelson Trees told me that it is designed to be done without night riding and that riders approaching 70 have completed it. Encouraging. On the other hand, Malik rode until midnight most nights.
I am happy to have experienced a portion of the countryside. I learned a lot in a short time. I surprised myself. I still need some practice eating (as weird as that sounds) but I felt really alive and wild out there! Present. I want more.
We kept a tight schedule (getting up at 5 or 6:00am; riding until 7 or 8:00pm). It seemed to take a long time to break camp and get riding in the morning. Not sure what we could have done differently. Maybe sleep a little longer? Keeping a schedule is the best way to approach long days. This provides benchmarks, goals, and a bit of normalcy.
Cooking Food 3x per day feels cumbersome with my fancy, universal MSR stove; It is currently burning gasoline. The smell of the high octane gasoline started to nag at my soul and I didn’t like getting on my fingers each time I removed the pump from the bottle for transport. I am hoping to use a homemade alcohol stove for future trips. I am currently figuring out portions, heating times, and the most practical setup for future rides. You can find 100mL of ethanol at the pharmacies in Kyrgyzstan for 40 com ($0.50 usd)…this should boil 500ml (pint) of water four times.
Tea in the yurts was a great recharge; Riding with Malik meant I didn’t have to stumble through language barriers and could enjoy the time with shepherds
Despite a setback with the broken rim, minor health issues, and hunger, I impressed myself with a steady push come climb or descent. It felt great being outside all day.
Surprises/
Accomplishments:
Technically, this was a business trip. Both Malik and myself did this excursion in the hope that it will help build something: awareness, access to adventure from Bishkek, experiences that can be shared in different media. Malik wants to sell an an article to bikepacking.com and develop his Celestial Divide Route. I want Toktogul and other CBTs to have information and resources for bike tourists that may need a few essential ingredients to get them out into the wild! Without which they may miss out.
I feel stronger and more confident having completed 6 consecutive days of riding, despite not reaching Kegeti Pass, a little sickness, and a lot of hunger. I will modify my setup and strategy for the next time. The tooth, broken rim, and need for calories was enough to end my trip a day and one-half prematurely.
It was harder than I thought but for different reasons. The generosity among the people we met along the way was beautiful. I still cannot believe how natural it was to come into someone’s living area, drink hot tea, devour bread and sweets, use their water supply (or stove!) and then move on. All while smelling as ripe as can be!
I overcame the obstacles I could and accepted my limitations without too much turmoil. We kept on going (uphill).
These journeys have been done without fancy equipment for many many years. While a racer cannot miss any competitive advantage without the risk (or likelihood) of a penalty, this was an excursion – not a race. While it may have been easier to push ten less pounds up all those hills, I still would have pushed..and while it may have been easier to pack and mobilize in the morning with a more efficient pack-system, I would have had to struggle with the same food issues and sleep quality constraints regardless.
Wishlist:
Carbon wheels that are both strong and light ($800-1200 usd). Are they worth it? Would I notice a difference? I love the custom wheels (White Industries) on my road/gravel bike back home. I have never had to true them, they are light responsive, and feel fast. I had them built with 36 holes (tandem-spec) for my weight. The pair I am looking at has a weight limit (rider, bike, gear) of only 275 lbs! That’s a bit too close for me to even consider.
Tubeless tires could be a lighter option than my heavy puncture resistant tires but you still need to carry extra sealant and an extra tube ( just in case!) There is a new, nano tube on the market that may save a lot of space (and weight in my toolkit).
Bags that are less cumbersome ($400). Though, I did master the trucker’s hitch and the girth/zip-tie knots, it is annoying having to do this every morning while balancing the bike, but it worked! It would be nice to stuff things into their place and go. I miss my Ortlieb pannier setup. 4 bags. Waterproof, spacious. I used my frame bag for tools, hydration, snacks, and gloves. Easy.
Carbon replacements (seatpost, handlebars) ($500) Really necessary? I think if I were trying to win a race or drastically increase speed, maybe.
Seat bumper ($200). The bike is already quite comfortable and my wrists may prefer a suspension fork more than my ass would appreciate less bumps. There are stem suspension systems. They could, in theory, help reduce wrist fatigue without using a suspension fork. At some point it makes sense to simply replace my bike with a hardtail or full-suspension bike and go from there!
Lighter components ($500+ for a Shimano 1×12). The drivetrains need to be cleaned and maintained regularly. Cleaning and maintaining a single speed is much simpler and these “chores” add up over time. I never used by biggest chainring and I think a 32T front and an 11-51 in the rear would work great for the hills, extra weight, and peace of mind.
Constraints:
Why not just order this stuff?
My time in Kyrgyzstan is undetermined; all gear accumulated will have to be shipped/stored after service.
I like experiencing some of the realistic parameters. I felt like a bikepacker from the eighties! Using a steel frame, no suspension, and rope made me feel timeless out there. Obviously, if money were no object I could do whatever I wanted. Knowing in advance that I’d be “doing bike stuff” here would have impacted my packing priorities. I do think a hardtail would be ideal for this terrain.
Is cycling a hobby or an occupation? This framework has been in play since 2016 when bike equipment was 100% expensable for the tourism company
Conclusion:
I can’t wait to get back into the hills. I will modify my setup a bit and try not to spend too much money!
Is completing the Silk Road Mountain Race a realistic goal? I am still not sure. Nelson Trees told me that it is designed to be done without night riding and that riders approaching 70 have completed it. Encouraging. On the other hand, Malik rode until midnight most nights.
I am happy to have experienced a portion of the countryside. I learned a lot in a short time. I surprised myself. I still need some practice eating (as weird as that sounds) but I felt really alive and wild out there! Present. I want more.
Toktogul
Community Based Tourism
Voluniteer
Community Based Tourism
Voluniteer
Adam McAree
Follow Adam McAree on Instagram