Sherpa - what to replace before long tour

[vlava]

I got a new Thorn Sherpa 2 years ago in anticipation of a long (up to 2 yrs or 40,000km, some rough roads) tour.   As it happens, life got in the way and the bike has only seen several short tours (Iceland, Spain, Vietnam, Burma..) with a total mileage of about 6,000km so far.   However, the big one might be back on the cards in about 1 year from now..

Pretty happy with the bike (photo attached).

My question is really, without over analyzing it, what components, other than the obvious (tyres, chain, cassette, pads..), is it worth starting with new?      Economics would suggest getting the most life from each component and replacing them as and when they wear out, but clearly there is some 'piece of mind' value in renewing components before embarking on a 4000km stretch with few services.



More detail on spec: 

Wheels:  grizzly CSS 36h rear, grizzly 36h front, LX hubs
BB: external Hollowtech II
Headset: FSA Orbit (I think)
Mechs: XT rear, Deore front, Dura-ace 9-sp bar end shifters
V-brakes:  XT with Tektro shifters

Thanks!

[geocycle]

Looks good to me, other than the levitating back wheel! Other than the drive chain I'd not look to replace anything. The saddle looks as if it could be tightened. The CSS rims will go forever although worth checking around eyelets. You might not need new pads as the Swiss stop blues last a very long time. Worth carrying spare cables etc but that's not what you are asking here.

[rualexander]

New headset bearings, and a spare set in your spares kit maybe, they don't take up much space or weight.
Same with bottom bracket bearings probably.

[mickeg]

As noted by Rualalexander, bottom bracket bearings.

I have zero experience with the external bottom bracket bearings, I think Dan has some pertinent experience with them.  He might have more applicable comments.

I specifically mention the bottom bracket bearings because a group tour  I did several years ago had a total of 16 riders.  There were two mechanical failures (not counting flats), one external bottom bracket bearing failure and one front derailleur had a broken spring or spring stop.  I could fix the derailleur for the rider with a piece of bunge cord as long as he did not pedal hard when upshifting, but I only use square taper bottom brackets so I was clueless on how to help on that.

A bike mechanic I know told me that he buys cartridge bearings at an industrial supply shop where they are extremely cheap compared to the replacement ones sold by bike component manufacturers.  (It passes through fewer hands that way.)  I however have not gone shopping for such bearings myself.

You did not ask about what spares to carry, so I am not elaborating on that.

[Danneaux]

As noted by Rualalexander, bottom bracket bearings.

I have zero experience with the external bottom bracket bearings, I think Dan has some pertinent experience with them.  He might have more applicable comments.

Agreed with George here...my long-term experience with Shimano external bottom bracket bearings has been disappointing. I found them poorly shielded, poorly lubricated, and lacking bearings (i.e. they could have been larger or more numerous). I solved the problem completely by fitting Phil Wood external bearings.

However, the Shimano units are inexpensive, pretty small, and easy to carry. Based on my experience, I would carry a spare set of Shimano external bearings for the bottom bracket and the tool needed to install them. That way, if the bearings go all "crunchy", you could simply replace them from your carried stock using any large open-jawed, adjustable, or socket wrench.

If you are running a 9-sp drivetrain, have found those lacking in longevity compared to 7sp and 8sp units, so yes, a spare chain and perhaps even a spare cassette if yours is marginal. Don't forget, you can mail parts ahead by the equivalent of General Delivery and have them awaiting your arrival.

That is a grand looking bike.

All the best,

Dan.

[Danneaux]

Oh! One more thing...

You may wish to carefully inspect your saddle rails for cracks before departing on a long tour. I see your saddle is set well back on the long-layback seatpost, so there are some substantial forces on the rails just outside the clamp...more if you will be bouncing along on rough, bumpy roads.

If your Brooks saddle has the black powdercoated rails (it appears to), you should be fine. I offer the caution only because I broke a number of *chromed* Brooks saddle rails (there was a problem with their chroming process for a time that left the steel brittle). It was no fun riding home standing up. After one incident where I rode home standing for ~200km, I developed achilles tendonitis from the changed posture on the bike and that was no fun for awhile until it healed.

All the best on your upcoming journeys.

Dan.

[mickeg]

Dan mentioned maybe carry a spare cassette.  Many cassettes that are a collection of sprockets and spacers and can be dissassembled.  Those cassettes are ones where each sprocket has the proper hole to fit on the standard Shimano freehub, such as the Sram 830 or 850 eight speed cassettes such as the ones I use.   The more expensive cassettes that have a spider that holds several sprockets is not the kind of cassette I am talking about.  My point is that I spend 90 percent of my time on the four middle sprockets of my cassette.  If I was going to consider carrying that kind of expendable, I would probably carry the middle four sprockets and not the spacers or outer sprockets.  Then if new chains started to skip I could replace only the offending sprocket(s).

[vlava]

Thank you for the comments everyone.

I may well upgrade to a Phil Wood external BB, seems sensible.

Carrying spare headset bearings - yes that's a good point.

It's a 9-sp drivetrain yes, so I'll replace chain, cassette and probably some of the front chainrings (if not the whole crankset).   Spare cassette still undecided - it depends on the route (still an open matter) etc.

The saddle is a Selle Anatomica X series with 1000km on it - from some reviews I am a little concerned about the overall durability of this saddle (as opposed to a Brooks) but we'll see how it goes..  having tried quite a few saddles it's the best to date though still not perfect..   anyway I will make sure to check the rails for cracks.

[mickeg]

I can't comment on Selle Anatomica saddles, but I am very quick to put a rain cover on my Brooks at the first sign of rain.  And put the cover on every night in event of dew.  Before a trip I make sure that there is enough Proofide (top and bottom) on it to make it as water repellent as practical.  Some waterproof covers loose some of their waterproofness over time, I have used a thin plastic bag under the water proof cover if I had a leaky cover.  That way the cover protected the more fragile plastic bag.

Is there some reason that you do not use fenders (mudguards)?  I did not use them on my Iceland tour because I could not fit them in my case.  But, I wished I had them on a rainy day on a muddy road (see photo).  I used fenders on all of my other travels.  It is not obvious in the photos, but there was a rain cover on the saddle that day.

[vlava]

Thanks, I do indeed use a rain cover when it's appropriate.

Fenders, yes I have them off for the time being - currently the bike is being used for the occasional commute in sunny South Korea, and my last tour was in Burma in the dry season :-).