The Kit

For all you inquisitive souls and any potential muggers out there, here is a list of the main bits of kit those magic coins provided me with:

Bike:
I had a bike custom made for the trip.  The idea was to get something strong and simple to repair, and with parts that are widely available across the world.  The spec is as follows:

• Surly Long Haul Trucker Frameset (sturdy frame to take the weight)
  
• Hand built 26" wheels (strong mountain bike sized wheels as this size is widely used in Asia so easier to get spares)
  
• Schwalbe Marathon Tyres (very puncture resistant)
  
• 24 speed gearing (XD-2 Triple chainset with Shimano HG40 cassette, Tiagra front derailleur and Deore rear derailleur, bar end shifters)
  
• Brookes B17 Imperial saddle (very comfy apparently when it has been broken in but not quite there yet)
  
• Shimano M520 pedals (shoes will clip into pedals for more efficient riding)
  
• Tektro CR720 cantilever brakes with Shimano R400 levers (simple and effective)
  
• Compact drop handlebars
  
• Tubus Racks (strong racks to carry the bags)

Bike Accessories:

• Ortlieb front and rear panniers
  
• Ortlieb handlebar bag
  
• 2x Alpkit Dry bags
  
• Garmin Edge GPS
  
• VDO Bike Computer
  
• SPOT (GPS tracker with help buttons)
  
• Bike Lights
  
• Bike lock
  

Bike Spares and Tools:

• 2 bike pumps
  
• Puncture repair patches, glue and sandpaper (plenty of)
  
• 3 spare tubes
  
• Leatherman (multi-tool)
  
• Allan Keys
  
• Spanners
  
• Chain tool
  
• Next Best Thing (lightweight tool to remove cassette)
  
• Spoke tool
  
• Spare spokes
  
• Spare nuts & bolts
  
• Spare cables
  
• Cable ties
  
• Gaffa tape
  
• Bike lubricant
  

Clothing (on the bike):

• 2x bib shorts (essentially cycling shorts with braces)
• Thermal bib longs (essentially cycling tights with braces - girls, please remain calm!)
  
• 2x cycling t-shirts
  
• Thermal cycling jacket
  
• Waterproofs
  
• Arm warmers and leg warmers (a bit like Fame but pulled up high)
  
• Scull cap
  
• Buff
  
• Face Mask (makes one look a little like Hannibal Lecter)
  
• Winter gloves
  
• Fingerless gloves
  
• Sunglasses
  
• Shoes with SPD cleats (so that they can clip into pedals - can also be used off the bike)
  
• Overshoes (for those colder days to keep the feet warm)
  
• 4x Pairs of socks
  

Clothing (off the bike):

• Trousers (with legs that zip off to make shorts)
  
• Long-Sleeved Shirt
  
• Windtex Vest Top
  
• Merino Wool Thermals
  
• 3x boxer shorts
  
• Flip-flops
  

Camping Equipment:

• Terra Nova Laser Tent
  
• Thermarest
  
• 4 Season Sleeping Bag (Mountain Hardwear Lamina 0)
  
• MSR Whisperlite multi-fuel stove (will burn petrol, diesel etc)
  
• Titanium Pots
  
• Knife, fork & spoon
• Washing up liquid and cloth
  
• Kataryn water purifier
  
• 3x standard sports drinks bottles
  
• Ortlieb folding kitchen sink
  
• Pedzl headtorch
  

Fun Fun:

• Amazon Kindle (electronic book)
  
• iPod
  
• x-mini speaker
  
• Camera
  
• Mobile phone
  
• Pack of playing cards
  

More Practical Items:

• Passport
  
• USB Chargers
  
• 2x solar chargers
  
• Bungee cords
  
• Carabiners
  
• Fishing wire
  
• Sewing kit
  
• Towel
  
• Soap
  
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
  
• First aid kit
  
• Sun cream
  
• Bum cream (for saddle sores)!