Gear

Bikes

Thorn eXXp frames and forks (customised version of their eXp with the main difference being a longer wheelbase).
Sun Rhyno rims,

Luggage and storage

1 pair each Ortlieb Backpacker Plus rear panniers.
1 pair each Ortlieb Front Roller front panniers.
Agu Quorum bar bags (both 10 litre to start with, Luke’s later replaced with a 6 litre model which is more rigid.)
Karrimor 35 litre rucksack later replaced with a Berghaus 20 litre model, for use as a daysack off the bike, strapped across Anna’s rear rack on the bike and used to stuff fruit, bread and other random things into.
Ortlieb rucksack conversion kit so one of the rear panniers can be carried as a rucksack.
Assorted Outdoor Designs stuffsacks and mesh bags for storing clothes, dirty washing, small Nalgene bottles etc.
Assorted Outdoor Designs drybags for storing paperwork, manuals and batteries.
Aquapac storage pouches for electronics and cameras.
Assorted Nalgene bottles for food.
2 Outdoor Designs guidebook pouches – great for keeping books dry, clean and unscuffed.
Mesh shoe bag, for storing Tevas in the open so they dry out and don’t smell (so bad)!

Spares and repair

Camping

Tent – Hilleberg Nallo 3 GT.
Supplementary steel tent pegs (12) – the supplied aluminum pegs are great in sandy or soft ground but hopeless in baked clay.
Tarpaulin – 2mx2m – for lining the porch or sleeping on when we don’t pitch the tent.
Lifesystems Duo Mosquito Net.
2 Thermarests.
2 foam squares – 50cmx30cm – for sitting on to eat our lunch!
2 RAB Ladakh 600 sleeping bags – sent home for the hottest stretch between Mali and Ethiopia.
2 RAB silk sleeping bag liners – enough on their own when it’s hot. Very light and quick-drying.
Ortlieb 15 litre folding bowl – wins the “most versatile equipment award”, great for washing up, washing clothes, carrying things, washing ourselves….
Assorted Ortlieb water bladders – 10, 4 and 2 litre sizes. We anticipated carrying 40 litres or more in the Western Sahara and in Chad/Sudan, but only ever carried a maximum of 25 litres or so including our bike bottles.

Clothing – Luke

1 pair Gramicci shorts.
1 pair Endura MTB shorts.
3 pairs Endura padded undershorts.
3 t-shirts – OutdoorScene make fantastic hard-wearing and uncreasable ones that are still going strong after a year on the road.
1 long-sleeved shirt.
1 short-sleeved shirt.
1 pair Gramicci trousers.
3 pairs boxer shorts.
1 pair swimming trunks.
3 pairs Endura bike socks.
2 pairs ordinary socks.
Shimano M038 SPD shoes.
Teva sandals.
Marmot lighweight waterproof jacket.
The North Face fleece jacket.
1 pair cycling gloves.
Limar helmet.

Clothing – Anna

Electronics and Photo

Psion Series 3C palmtop.
Canon EOS 300D digital SLR camera, with 18-55mm F4-5.6 and 75-300mm F4-5.6 lenses.
Canon IXUS 500 digital compact camera.
Canon Speedlite 540EX flashgun.
Selection of ND grad, UV, Skylight and Polarising filters.
Cleaning materials for cameras.
Hama Gamma tripod.
Universal battery charger for li-ion and NiMH batteries.
9 x 800mAh AAA and 24 x 2300mAh AA rechargeable batteries.
Spare battery for digital SLR.
2 Petzl Tikka headtorches.
1 Petzl Zoom headtorch.
Sony short-wave radio.
Portable CD-burner.
Selection of CD-R and CD-RW blank recordable media.

Medical

First Aid kit containing plasters, bandages, antiseptic etc.
Lifesystems Dental First Aid kit.
Medical kit containing antibiotics, painkillers, anti-malarials, antiseptic, antihistamines and other medication.
Sterile needle pack.
Bausch & Lomb contact lenses and solution.
Mosquito repellent.