Updates and improvements to the wheel technology
N 47°44'839'' E 009°08'824''
Day: 8-14
Sunrise:
05:57 – 06:05
Sunset:
20:59 – 20:50
Total kilometers:
311.20 Km
Temperature – Day (maximum):
21 °C
Temperature – day (minimum):
15 °C
Temperature – Night:
11 °C
Latitude:
47°40’558”
Longitude:
009°29’731”
We spend our days writing the first update, checking the bikes and talking a lot. “So if you want to drive on to Poland via the Czech Republic, you have to cross the Carpathians. That’s a high mountain range. I don’t think you’ll be able to get your heavy bikes over there,” warns Alfred, the owner of the house. “At your stable, I would travel from here to Ulm and from there follow the Danube to Passau and Vienna. Then you could continue to Hungary and cross the border into the Ukraine somewhere there. “On the way from here to Ulm, you’ll have to cross the Swabian Alps, but you can’t completely rule out the mountains,” he advises. “That would mean we’d have to scrap our entire travel plans,” I reply thoughtfully. Later I talk to Tanja. We come to the conclusion that we should consider the advice of Alfred and some other cyclists we have spoken to in the meantime. I use the time to order tickets from here to Budapest. Somehow this route also sounds interesting. Although the Danube cycle path to Budapest is one of the classics and is likely to be very busy, we give our bodies a chance to get used to cycling. We can also expect to get more interest in the new sport this way. The landscape is said to be breathtakingly beautiful and there are hardly any mountains on the Danube.
I talk to some sponsors and tell Heiko Müller from riese & müller about our problems in mastering the smallest climbs without descending. “We should have your gearing rebuilt and fit a smaller sprocket at the front. If you want, I can find one of our dealers in the area. I’ll send the parts there and he’ll do it for you,” he suggests. I am immediately enthusiastic about the idea and very grateful for the great support.
On further inspection of the wheels, I am shocked to discover that a screw on the trailer coupling has damaged the wheel suspension. “Another 300 kilometers and the rear end of our bikes would have been irreparably damaged. Bob Giddens from the Fa. Used immediately sends us another trailer coupling. The 14-speed tubeless hub results in special requirements on the rear triangle and especially on the suspension that we all failed to consider. It’s a good thing we did the test trip around Lake Constance. The heavy load subjects the wheels, including the trailer coupling, to extreme loads. So everything has to be perfect before we continue here. Shortly before setting off on Saturday, I realize that the new trailer coupling has made the quick-release fastener on the rear wheel too short. riese & müller and used send longer quick-release fasteners by express. This afternoon I will assemble everything and if everything goes according to plan, after an important repair and update stop, I will set off on Sunday or Monday at the latest. According to our current plans, as discussed with Alfred, we will first drive over the Swabian Alps to Ulm and from there to Passau. Then we will decide whether to take the route to Vienna or directly to the Czech Republic. Who knows today what the river of life will offer us tomorrow.
