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Johnny Isaak | Adventure Cyclist

A compendium of adventure cycling chronicles, travel lore, tips, techniques, and tactics for the adventure cycling perplexed.

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Jones Loop H-Bar

Kiwi Odyssey: Bike Preparation

Kiwi Odyssey: Bike Preparation

by Johnny Isaak ·

Our Kiwi Odyssey in New Zealand is fast approaching, only three weeks away. We are busily reading ourselves and gear for what promises to be an excellent adventure.

Building on adventures to Japan last summer and fall, we’re making a few upgrades to our bikes in preparation for our Kiwi adventure. In conjunction with necessary bike inspections, routine maintenance, and tune-ups, each of us has made a couple of upgrades to our bikes.

[Read more…] about Kiwi Odyssey: Bike Preparation

Filed Under: Adventure Cycling, Bike Tagged With: adventure cycling, Almotion, bicycle travel, bikepacking, H-Bar, Jones Gnarwal, Jones Loop H-Bar, Kiwi, Mondial, New Zealand, Schwalbe

My Hybrid Long-Distance Setup

My Hybrid Long-Distance Setup

by Johnny Isaak ·

One of the most often asked questions I receive from the people I meet along the way and on my blog is, “What and how do you carry all of your stuff?”

To share with other riders who are interested in how other bicycle travelers, or at least how one other traveler sets up their/his rig, I’ve put together a few points on the kit I travel with, how I carry it, the basic method I used to determine the two in the hopes other riders will benefit.

[Read more…] about My Hybrid Long-Distance Setup

Filed Under: Bike Tagged With: adventure, adventure cycling, bicycle, bicycle travel, bikepacking, Co-Motion, cycle touring, Divide, Gravel Pack, Johnny Isaak, Jones Loop H-Bar, Ortlieb, Porcelain Rocket, Revelate Designs, Rohloff, Schwalbe, Speedhub

Adventure Setup for Kyoto Japan

Adventure Setup for Kyoto Japan

by Johnny Isaak ·

 As Shanghai sets into late autumn and golden leaves begin to fall, adventure calls.  Destination: Historic Kyoto, Japan.

Kyoto is an excellent cycling destination. Bicycles are an integral part of the residents’ personal transportation. Travel websites tout the city is one of the most bicycle-friendly in Japan. So, the cycling should be fairly relaxed and easy.

Below is a quick rundown of our base plan and the setup.

[Read more…] about Adventure Setup for Kyoto Japan

Filed Under: Adventure Cycling Tagged With: adventure, adventure cycling, bicycle travel, Co-Motion, cycle touring, cycling, Divide, Gates Carbon Drive Belt, H-Bar, Japan, Jones Gnarwal, Jones Loop H-Bar, Klamper, Kyoto, Mondial, Revelate Designs, Schwalbe, Speedhub

Ride to Za Pu: Adventure by the Sea

Ride to Za Pu: Adventure by the Sea

by Johnny Isaak ·

The great thing about China is an adventure is always near. As the longest continuous civilization on the face of the earth, there is always someplace to go, something to see. It was time to let the spirit run and see what there was to see. Destination: the coastal fishing village of Za Pu in Zhejiang province on the north shore of Hangzhou Bay.

After kissing my wife and daughter on the cheek, I pedaled my bike out the compound gate and down the street in a southerly direction. Gradually the concrete, steel, and glass of Shanghai fell away behind me. Traffic congestion easied and the riding became more relaxed. I considered the importance of time, our most precious resource. When the opportunity presents itself, ride.

[Read more…] about Ride to Za Pu: Adventure by the Sea

Filed Under: Adventure Cycling Tagged With: adventure, adventure cycling, bicycle travel, China, Co-Motion, Divide, Hangzhou Bay, Johnny Isaak, Jones Loop H-Bar, micro-adventure, microadventure, Rohloff, touring, travel, Za Pu

Exploring Ancient Xinchang Village

Exploring Ancient Xinchang Village

by Johnny Isaak ·

Fall weather is an excellent time to ride. The overcast skies and cooler temperatures typical for Mid-Autumn Festival make for pleasant cycling. It’s a great time to get out and it the road and spin those pedals, especially in China. 

For Mid-Autumn Festival, our family celebrated the holiday with a family lunch and dinner. In the evening there was an all-nighter playing mahjong for those who could hang. I wasn’t one of them. Besides, I would be playing on scared money anyway. Always wanting to work a bit of adventure cycling in wherever possible, decided to make a couple days of it by riding out to the ancient water town village of Xinchang near where we would be staying. 

[Read more…] about Exploring Ancient Xinchang Village

Filed Under: Adventure Cycling Tagged With: adventure cycling, bicycle travel, China, Co-Motion, Divide, Gates Carbon Drive Belt, Johnny Isaak, Jones Gnarwal, Jones Loop H-Bar, Mondial, Rohloff, Schwalbe, water town, Xinchang

Updating the Co-Motion Divide

Updating the Co-Motion Divide

by Johnny Isaak ·

Tweaking my bike’s set up is almost as fun as taking long bike rides. It’s a never-ending evolutionary process of trying to build a cleaner, more reliable ride produces the purest, hassle-free travel experience. Each cycling journey provides me with a few ideas on how I can improve the Divide’s set up. Last summer’s family cycling adventure around the island of Hokkaido, Japan was no exception.

After using some of my bike’s kit to outfit my wife and daughter’s bicycles for our trek through Japan’s northern most island. I was in need of a couple of new bags and pouches for the Divide, plus some minor tweaking to sweeten the ride. Here’s a quick rundown of what I came up with. 

[Read more…] about Updating the Co-Motion Divide

Filed Under: Bike Tagged With: adventure, adventure cycling, bicycle, bicycle travel, bikepacking, Co-Motion, Divide, Egress Pocket, Gates Carbon Drive Belt, Gravel Packs, H-Bar, Jones Gnarwal, Jones Loop H-Bar, Mag-Tank, Mondial, Ortlieb, Quad Lock, Revelate Designs, Rohloff, Schwalbe, Speedhub, touring

What’s on the Bike? Setup for an Australian Bike Adventure

What’s on the Bike? Setup for an Australian Bike Adventure

by Johnny Isaak ·

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My bags are packed. The Divide is ready to roll. Distant horizons of the burnt red sun of the Australian Outback call.

Setting up a bike and kit for a long journey is an ongoing ever evolving process of tweaking and changing, deleting this and adding that. For me, it’s just the nature of the beast.

Setting up my rig and kit for Australia was a pretty casual affair. In the Land Down Under, I’m rolling fairly light and not over thinking the gear. Other than protection from the elements, a few items to keep the bike rolling, and a camera and notebook to document the journey, not much more is needed.

[Read more…] about What’s on the Bike? Setup for an Australian Bike Adventure

Filed Under: Adventure Cycling Tagged With: adventure, adventure cycling, Australia, bicycle travel, Carbon Belt, Co-Motion, Divide, Explorer's Way, Gas Tank, H-Bar, Jerry Can, Jones Gnarwal, Jones Loop H-Bar, Klamper, Ortlieb, Paul Components, Revelate Designs, Ripo, Rohloff, Schmidt, Schwalbe, SON, Speedhub, Spyder, Stuart Highway, Sushi Roll, Tioga, touring, travel

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