Snow bike // Micro Adventure // Gangneung, South Korea

Short rides=big adventure preparation.

Simple remedy for the winter situation in South Korea. Although the fresh powder is short lived on the northeastern coastline, we have a few perfect days to cut tracks and workout a sweat. I generally stay indoors in winter, since Fat Bikes have yet to arrive on the peninsula - I have to work it out with 26er mountain bikes already in the stables. Here is a sweet 1994 Kona Explosif hardtail Max-Or Columbus steel tubing that complete weighs similar to my 2012 Lynskey M240 hardtail. For winter kicks against the blues of overcast conditions, more clouds, rain, snow, winds and low temperatures, Micro adventures are solutions - in several hour blasts in the local areas. 

My friend and shop owner An Dae Gi (Gangneung Bike Mart) has been servicing these mountain bikes since we met in 2009. I love the Kona Explosif, a simple solution for adventures big or small.

 Rare mile markers, Outer Mongolia

 For the Mongolian adventure, I rode a titanium Lynskey frame mountain bike, assembled in Korea by Dae Gi at Gangneung Bike Mart. Ultra-smooth titanium steel is lightweight and extremely durable.

 Lynskey Performance, USA

Climbing out of the valleys. I would spend day after day on ascents and descents accumulating 40,000 meters (131,234 feet) of altitude change over the course of 38 days pedaling 2499 kilometers. Perhaps, I will go back and start a new Tour Divide in Mongolia - I would like to speak to other ultra-mountain bike endurance riders about it. It was a beautiful experience and brutally tough on the body. Bikepacking would cut a tremendous amount of weight, of course, this is a possible solution - Go fast, Go light, and recover faster. With my loaded MTB setup with racks and panniers, the weight of the equipment was severe for climbing. Mongolia's terrain has no switchbacks, it up and over. Probably similar conditions to the Continental Divide route now raced yearly from Banff, Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, USA (One Stage: 2745 miles, 4418 kilometers). The new record for the fastest time was set in the 2012 season by ITT (Individual Time Trial by Jay Petervary). Epic 15 days on his 2012 Salsa 29er, join the Facebook group for more updates on this incredible company.

 Open skies, some might say "Montana, USA" when they see some of these images.

 UAZ Russian vans transporting caravans of Mongolians on the National Highway network.

 Sacred place, the "Ovoo" when you finally reach the top again. 

 Looking back on the road less traveled, I lived and had no regrets I came here.

 Rolling titanium steel over Mongolian Gold, the Steppe grasslands and arid mountain regions.

 Anything to cool my blistered heels, insoles are Chinese shower shoes cut and fitted with a knife.

 Scored a few bottles, this is a rare occasion on this journey - extremely lucky.

Keep looking up when you have failed in life, the road is long and not always won by the swift, but won by those who keep on riding to their own destinations or expeditions in life. 

LIVE YOUR DREAM

DON'T LISTEN TO WIND IN YOUR EARS, KEEP POSITIVE!

DREAM.

EXPLORE.

301 Posts in the Korean-World! Bikepacking with Salsa Cycles and Revelate Designs

[Author notes:] Bikepacking trip in the Chequamegon National Forest, Northern Wisconsin, USA

Bikepacking setup for MTB Lite-Touring [Bikepacking.net]

Bicycle touring with Mountain Bikes (MTB) is nothing new. Since the design of frame bags that tuck neatly into the center triangle, or completely cover the triangle space for more equipment, slings for handlebar bags and Pods for behind the seat - everything you need for a weekend Micro Adventure, or a cross-country expedition can all be packed in there, with some extra kit placed on your backpack.

One major advantage of frame bags/packs is the elimination of heavy and sometimes expensive carrier racks that require the purchase of durable panniers as well, doubling the costs of equipment to set up panniers (high quality Tubus stainless steel racks are light, strong and expensive.) While frame bags and slings are relatively inexpensive, durable, light-weight and don't require attachment to rack carriers. In the photo (above), the MTB is also a FS - Full-Suspension, so the hard days of punishment on a hardtail frame...can be modified.

60kg fully loaded with 7L of water, 13"notebook computer, cameras, solar chargers, water filtration, stove, fuel bottles, medical emergency kit, clothing, repair tools/replacement chain,tire, survival blanket.
I used this setup through western China (Uighur Autonomous Region - Taklamakan Desert in photo; Aksai Chin Mountains; Sichuan-Kham and Yunnan Regions of the Himalayas; 38 days, 1988 miles, 3200 km)

For expeditions, the less suspension linkages (using a rigid hardtail frame, see above photo) and simple components (Avid BB7 cable braking, 203mm front rotor is okay for fully-loaded touring!) increases the all likelihood of dedicated mechanical, fail-proof performance. Although, I will continue to use Fox Racing air suspension forks in the future (RL32, 120mm...2008, same as in the photo above) with any frame I am currently using, they are tough and make riding easier in off road/rough terrain (Mongolia).

Micro Adventures (in this link, I carry everything for the Himalayas training in South Korea)

With Bikepacking, the advantages of packing light, making transport by plane easier (luggage restrictions) or going hard all weekend or in under 24 Hours the S24O (Sub-24 hour Overnight Adventure).

Enjoy cycling, wherever you ride, live the Dream!