I had a similar story to Midnighthour's when running a shop in London… girl comes in and says she's going to do a bit of touring, has no money and wants a cheap bike – we sell her a £350 Trek hybrid (I think it was a Navigator actually).

…. three months later she comes back into the shop for her first free service having ridden through the Himalayas. The bike looked like it was four years old, but was completely serviceable. She didn't even get a puncture! Nice girl though, she stayed after closing and we drank beers in the workshop whilst looking at photos and listening to stories.

Must have been fun riding that up hills – Im sure the slightest pressure on the pedals would make that slip.

…. three months later she comes back into the shop for her first free service having ridden through the Himalayas. The bike looked like it was four years old, but was completely serviceable. She didn't even get a puncture! Nice girl though, she stayed after closing and we drank beers in the workshop whilst looking at photos and listening to stories.

that is the sort of stuff that puts most of use to shame!

Scary part of the world. I've driven through it with 9 in the vehicle. Cameroon was great and I'd be happy on my own there. But Zaire/Congo had a bad feel in larger towns. Only place we went were you go the black market rate in the bank

Villages as evey where were great and people were very friendly and law abiding

My first rohloff cog looks like that, although it had three long spikey teeth that broke off as Alan from Riverside cycles struggled to removed it. Not bad value for four years use.

Amazing – in many ways!

My Rohloff is five years old, and it goes back to Germany every two years for 'driver bearings', and the last time re-shimming the gearing after some slippage, for the first time. It get's used a lot, and so far has only cost me a single one way shipping fee to Germany to have all the work done.

I'm still very happy with it, and missing using it whilst my frame is being repaired. Especially with this wet weather!

I wouldn't think twice about doing a mega trip round the Himalayas. Except that for some reason I have to go to work… 🙁

But yes, choose your kit carefully. I'd take a dérailleur on a trip like that becaues if it does fail, you can get it fixed. You could even carry a spare and fix it trailside with an allen key.