The bicycle

The most important tool for a cyclist is his/her bicycle; especially when preparing for a long journey. This is the reason I never left the preparation of my bicycles before an expedition to anyone else. For the bicycle named: “Kenzel Long Distance Traveler” I went even further.

The design started around autumn of 2012. The suitable geometry, every angle and every dimension, was drawn by me in AutoCAD. I designed a large frame for the bike to be as comfortable as possible. The drawing was sent to China and at the end of January I got my 28" aluminium frame manufactured.

In the meantime I did get every necessary part. The German company Thun designed and manufactured for me special bottom bracket, which included four industrial ball bearings. On this shaft was the extra durable crank arms mounted from the Miranda company from Portugal. The pedals I had got from the Tioga company from Japan; these are the only prototypes. They are special, as these are the only pedals on the World which have no axle.

The bike got V-brakes also from the Miranda company. The tires I got supplied from the Schwalbe company. The Marathon Mondial tires are extra durable with Kevlar protection.

From Belgium I got custom built black Sapim spokes and from Italy a custom built fixation for my RPZ mudguard. The bases for the wheels are made out of the Shimano LX hubs and the Remerx Panther rims from the Czech Republic. From Taiwan I received the front air suspension fork from SR Suntour and from the Neco company an industrial headset with carbon ring. The gear shifting is sorted out with Shimano SLX and Deore components. The final touch in comfort is given by the Acentia Fortis saddle and the Endorfin grip from the Finnish Herrmans. I will use 100% waterproof bicycle bags from M-Wave. The cycled distance and elevation will be measured by a VDO cyclocomputer, which I got from the bicycle shop PIKO BIKE from Komárno.

Even, after all the components were sorted out, my work was far from over. Two quite important steps where still ahead of me: designing the colours and overall image of the bicycle and also will have to assemble the bike as well.
I choose a combination of black and white colours, into which the logos of my sponsors will fit in nicely. Counting on the year’s long experience of the Kenzel bicycle factory, the paint job was done there with powder coating, and the logos were placed under the protective layer of varnish.
There was nothing left but to assemble the bicycle. Every screw was secured by added thread adhesive, to secure them on the long and bumpy roads.

The assembled bicycle weights 21kg. Additional to it comes my equipment, which weights almost the same, and add to it two liter of water.

Of course, I could have chosen a custom bike from a catalogue, and in that case, if something would go wrong, I could blame the manufacturer. But I do not want to choose the easiest way. I was working for seven years for the Kenzel bicycle manufacturing company. I like to design and to try out different options. I am confident that the bike will take on the terrain and the distance, and in August, on the German EUROBIKE bicycle exhibition I will proudly stand next to my Kenzel Long Distance Traveler bicycle.

In the table below you can find all components and accessories of my bicycle: