Since I sympathize with a movement called voluntary simplicity I decided to proof that everybody is able to travel with a low budget. I only bought a few things. I started my trip with a twenty year old sleeping bag, a simple new tent and a ten year old bicycle I had found in a dumpster. Rain clothes, tires, bicycle pants and wearing parts I bought new but they did not cost so much.
I own many bicycles (almost all from the garbage dump) and chose my Nevada, a 24-speed hybrid with 28" (700mm) wheels. I had to replace some parts and to buy some panniers for it. Here you can see a list of all my investments to get it fit for my first trip, the around the world trip:
This list is made in may 2012, when one USD was about 7,2 SEK.
The tires are from a Czech company and have Kevlar inside. They are called Hook and are marked with a Long Life sign and a Stop Thorn sign. 40 mm width. Actually they were very strong and durable. The rear tire I changed in Irkutsk (after 6500 km) and the front tire brought me to northern California (appr 14000 km!)
I also bought some spare brake pads and wires. I did not need to buy spokes because I found a sponsor.
Tools I already had in my house.
Besides from the costs above I had to invest in a travel insurance, vaccination and visa fees. In case you are interested how much, let me know!
In hindsight I can tell you that I had to exchange many parts along the way:
Here is a list of all parts I had to buy:
This list was made in June 2013, when one USD was 6,8 SEK
Explanation to the list: I do not exactly remember all costs and actually it was not so much because I got sponsored along the way by private persons. In Kurgan, Russia, I got two chains, in Kelso (WA) I got a (very expensive) saddle and two (not so good) tires. I also got about 25 spokes for free and I also "found" a pair of good pedals on a junk bike. About 25 spokes I also got sponsored by different bicycle dealers along the way. Actually I think I paid about 1800 SEK/265 USD less than the estimated value above.
The reason why the rims were so expensive is that I could not find a 28" rim in Irkutsk. I had to buy a whole wheel for 800 SEK/120 USD. Four weeks later when the front rim split up in Beijing, I could find a rim and used the same hub.
The reason why I changed my saddle twice is that my first one was not comfortable and my second was not good quality.
My rear panniers I exchanged in the end of the trip (in Cologne), because they were not waterproof any more.
Unexpectedly my cheap tent followed me all the way around the world!
For my second trip (to Nordkapp) I took the same bike but I bought a new tent at Decathlon, which costed about 270 SEK/30USD. (when one USD is 8,6 SEK) It was a similar pop-up tent but a little smaller and with a double layer. This tent was more water proof (I did not need bring a plastic sheet) and warmer. Another advantage was that the bag was smaller.
On this 4500 km-summer-trip I had no problem with my bike. The only thing I had to replace was a spoke. No puncture at all!
Total cost: about 50 USD (tent included)
Before I started my third trip (to Cape Town) with the same bike I replaced the rear casette and the chain. Still in Sweden I also bought a new tire. Then I did not need to replace anything except one wire and some spokes all the way to South Africa. And I did not have any punctures before Zambia!
Total cost for this 10 500km trip: 30 USD (tire and tube included).
I own many bicycles (almost all from the garbage dump) and chose my Nevada, a 24-speed hybrid with 28" (700mm) wheels. I had to replace some parts and to buy some panniers for it. Here you can see a list of all my investments to get it fit for my first trip, the around the world trip:
| the gear I bought | date of purchase | swedish kronor | US-dollars |
| new chain | 12-04-01 | 49 | 6,81 |
| rear cogs | 12-05-01 | 119 | 16,53 |
| tires (thorn safe) | 12-05-01 | 198 | 27,5 |
| tubes | 12-05-01 | 98 | 13,61 |
| patch kit | 12-05-01 | 19 | 2,64 |
| bicycle panniers front | 12-05-01 | 398 | 55,28 |
| bicycle panniers rear | 12-05-01 | 598 | 83,06 |
| strops | 12-05-01 | 10 | 1,39 |
| tent | 11-10-01 | 149 | 20,69 |
| total costs | 1638 | 227,5 |
This list is made in may 2012, when one USD was about 7,2 SEK.
The tires are from a Czech company and have Kevlar inside. They are called Hook and are marked with a Long Life sign and a Stop Thorn sign. 40 mm width. Actually they were very strong and durable. The rear tire I changed in Irkutsk (after 6500 km) and the front tire brought me to northern California (appr 14000 km!)
I also bought some spare brake pads and wires. I did not need to buy spokes because I found a sponsor.
Tools I already had in my house.
Besides from the costs above I had to invest in a travel insurance, vaccination and visa fees. In case you are interested how much, let me know!
In hindsight I can tell you that I had to exchange many parts along the way:
Here is a list of all parts I had to buy:
| sparepart | numbers of exchanges | estimated cost in SEK | cost in USD |
| crankset | 1 | 500 | 73.53 |
| derailler | 1 | 180 | 26.47 |
| extra chainring | 1 | 180 | 26.47 |
| saddle | 2 | 1200 | 176.47 |
| pedals | 2 | 200 | 29.41 |
| rims | 2 | 1200 | 176.47 |
| rear panniers | 2 | 760 | 111.76 |
| rear cassette | 3 | 600 | 88.24 |
| brake pads | 3 | 150 | 22.06 |
| tubes | 5 | 200 | 29.41 |
| chains | 8 | 1000 | 147.06 |
| tires | 7 | 1600 | 235.29 |
| spokes | 50 | 350 | 51.47 |
| patches | 100 | 50 | 7.35 |
| total | 8170 | 1201.47 |
This list was made in June 2013, when one USD was 6,8 SEK
Explanation to the list: I do not exactly remember all costs and actually it was not so much because I got sponsored along the way by private persons. In Kurgan, Russia, I got two chains, in Kelso (WA) I got a (very expensive) saddle and two (not so good) tires. I also got about 25 spokes for free and I also "found" a pair of good pedals on a junk bike. About 25 spokes I also got sponsored by different bicycle dealers along the way. Actually I think I paid about 1800 SEK/265 USD less than the estimated value above.
The reason why the rims were so expensive is that I could not find a 28" rim in Irkutsk. I had to buy a whole wheel for 800 SEK/120 USD. Four weeks later when the front rim split up in Beijing, I could find a rim and used the same hub.
The reason why I changed my saddle twice is that my first one was not comfortable and my second was not good quality.
My rear panniers I exchanged in the end of the trip (in Cologne), because they were not waterproof any more.
Unexpectedly my cheap tent followed me all the way around the world!
For my second trip (to Nordkapp) I took the same bike but I bought a new tent at Decathlon, which costed about 270 SEK/30USD. (when one USD is 8,6 SEK) It was a similar pop-up tent but a little smaller and with a double layer. This tent was more water proof (I did not need bring a plastic sheet) and warmer. Another advantage was that the bag was smaller.
On this 4500 km-summer-trip I had no problem with my bike. The only thing I had to replace was a spoke. No puncture at all!
Total cost: about 50 USD (tent included)
Before I started my third trip (to Cape Town) with the same bike I replaced the rear casette and the chain. Still in Sweden I also bought a new tire. Then I did not need to replace anything except one wire and some spokes all the way to South Africa. And I did not have any punctures before Zambia!
Total cost for this 10 500km trip: 30 USD (tire and tube included).
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