A friend of mine has started his round the world bicycle trip. Day 2, he’s on the A83 by Loch Fyne and his back wheel has lost all spoke tension. Is there anyone handy with a spoke key nearby? I’ll pass on his number if you can help. THANKS!

I would go – but the car is not here, it is off with mrs_oab and in laws, not sure when they are back…..
He should try knocking on house doors – people are friendly folk out there, and someone may have – especially if he is at the loch fyne seafooods place.

(and he needs to get a spoke key!)

This does not bode well for the rest of his trip.

Expecting a similar post next week asking if anyone near by has a spare tube or patch kit. 😀

Hope he gets it fixed and makes it all the way around.

Really? Day 2? <sigh>

would be best with a bit more than just a spoke key if it’s all out of whack although it’s a start. belt drive as well..?

good luck and all, but – who sets off for a day trip without a multi-tool (that likely has a spoke key, let alone a world trip? – sorry to be negative fella

Now sorted 😉

Does this dude have a blog? Could be entertaining! 😀

Does this dude have a blog? Could be entertaining!

Apparently he has snapped the power cable on his PC

Does this dude have a blog? Could be entertaining

Yes but he hasn’t brought his tablet/ mobile device
EDIT Beaten by 4 seconds

Does this dude have a blog? Could be entertaining!

Yup. Here is tomorrow’s entry:

Day Two:

Sadly, I have had to cancel the attempt, as I got a puncture.

To say I’m gutted is an understatement, but unfortunately, there’s just some things you can’t plan for.

Hopefully, my attempt at crossing the Mediterranean next summer in a kayak made out of ice, should fare better.

I for one, would like more updates 🙂

I would put my house on this person finishing their RTW attempt after such a poor start.

Poor bastard.

But seriously… no spoke key? Jebus. Next you’ll be telling me he doesn’t have spare spokes taped to the chainstays?!?

Also:BUMP

EDIT: Belt drive?

Major alarm bells for a round the world trip! Wheels just don’t lose all tension, unless they have been built completely wrong. I assume he ran the wheels in before setting off? The bike in that picture does look very shiny…

Saw this on Facebook but didn’t notice the belt drive. Isn’t the key to such an attempt to have parts that can easily be fixed/replaced regardless of where you are on the planet?

Belt drive wouldn’t be my choice, but James Bowthorpe got round the world with it OK.
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/interview-round-the-world-cyclist-james-bowthorpe-23576/

No spoke key! FFS!

Has he remembered some spare tubes?

If you’re genuinely interested in checking out his progress then your best bet is probably his flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/duncanharvey which includes some shots of his previous cycle trip from Vancouver to San Francisco with these guys http://geographyofyouth.org/project

While I do agree with all the comments about having basic tools for a tour, Anne Mustoe managed to do multiple tours without any tools or puncture repair kit at all!

Aaah ‘done the Andes with a sprained ankle’. Bullshineometer goes off the scale… Good luck to im but really….

Glad he is sorted, followed on flickr for interest.

Pretty handy with a camera, many great pics in there!

Any news today? He should be blown back towards the East…

Why the comments about the belt drive? I understood they were essentially unbreakable and unstretchable – surely the ideal choice for a custom build around the world bike?

I bet 10p that he’s got a multitool with him and that multitool has a well concealed spoke key that he doesn’t know about. And not just because I’ve done that.

Why the comments about the belt drive? I understood they were essentially unbreakable and unstretchable – surely the ideal choice for a custom build around the world bike?

That is the theory, although MTQGraham of this forum has done some extensive real-world testing and pretty much concluded that in certain conditions they are actually a bit shit:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/belt-drive-i-t-may-be-time-to-admit-defeat

I guess there’s also the possibility of non-belt drivetrain failure (sprockets, maybe cranks, etc) which would be difficult/impossible to find spares for.

Tell to stay in Scotland – the world doesn’t get much better……….

There’s some utter morons on here.

So what if he needs a spoke key and hasn’t got one.

I’m envious of his round the world trip. spoke key or not, I know what I’d rather be doing today. Good luck to him

Mark Beaumonts back Rohloff equipped wheel went the same way, not built by the same plonkers by any chance? 🙂

Love his Flickr photos.

Why the comments about the belt drive? I understood they were essentially unbreakable and unstretchable – surely the ideal choice for a custom build around the world bike?

We’ve got one snapped in half in the ‘shop at the moment. Not the first one either… They are just another gimmicky idea for people who don’t want to get their trousers dirty…