New DIY gear

Preparation for Spain – Morocco no budget bike tour is in full swing. It’s the end of September already, time flies. In the mid-end of October it’s decided to hit the road to Morocco. Again limited money resources will make us cycle all the way towards South of Spain to cross the Gibraltar and enter yet unknown to us African continent.

For this trip we decided not to limit us with time, schedules and record breaking rides, but simply enjoy the trip as much as we can. It’s possible that when we’ll return back to Barcelona our squat where we live now won’t exist anymore. So why hurry?

New adventure comes with new gear upgrades. We still trying to pack light, but taking in count aspect that we’ll be there bike-bumming for unknown period of time so we better pack some extra luxuries and leave some extra space for recycled stuff and souvenirs from Morocco. Maybe a flying carpet will bring us home? My new DIY bikepacking bags will come in handy. Made from 100% recycled material (old bags, backpacks and carritos).

Our kitchen now has a new cook pot. 1L pot instead of 2,3L. It fits perfectly into frame bag. Saves weight, volume and our stomachs from overeating.

My second made frame bag is designed to carry whole kitchen stuff inside + extra tube/glue/patches. First prototype model is generously given away to Gita, although her bike frame is one size smaller, prototype bag fits perfectly. New model features bigger volume, easier attaching to frame thanks to velcros and no internal padding.

Rise bags – well, as name suggests they are made specially to carry rise or any other grains on tour. One side bag hauls 1Kg of grains = 8 meals. Designed to use frame space and free up space in other bags. In Morocco they will be known as cous-cous bags.

New back rack came to replace my old Rixen Kaul seat tube rack/bag with 10kg weight limit. Poor thing was carrying always extra weight and after 5 years and 3 extended tours finally aluminum frame broke. As long my KTM doesn’t have rack mounts and I don’t have money to buy expensive racks for race bikes came an idea to use friends abandoned aluminum front rack and fit it to backs of my bike.

I had to cut of some parts of, bend some stuff, hammer flatten few tubes, drill some new holes and use my KTM V-brake mounts and quick release axle to attach it. The result was more than satisfying. I hope it’ll last for some time. Already tested it on Beyond The Borders south France tour this June.

This rack is more rigid than previous one. I bet it easily can carry more than 10kg. My backpack it attached on top with bungee cords. New add-on for Morocco will be two extra stuff sacks bungied on both sides, to carry extra food/water/stuff. When empty – folded and packed away. Portatable panners.   

Meanwhile Gita is surfing internet to find people from Coutchsurfing to host us. We’ve decided to stay more in peoples houses around Morocco to feel more local culture and hear the stories from people…

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