New models, frames and more upgrades
New test riding
Since our last newsletter (August ’24) we have done two test rides. Coordinating with the November US election we toured in Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. Interesting times!
That was the first ride with race gravel tyres, run as tubeless. The roads were all sealed. In January 2025 we kept these G-One R 45mm tyres and, on a wider variety of surfaces, we toured in Victoria and South Australia.
We got a lot of gravel and a few bushfires and in this last ride we also tested the new Barcoo handlebars.
A New model — Barcoo
We define our models by their handlebars. During the January ride with them, I was surprised by how good this wide swept-back bar set-up was. It had been suggested by someone that the top-tube would need to be longer if I had swept-back bars and that I’d be too upright. Coming off drop bars, that was expected to be an issue. But I was not only comfortable, I was very comfortable. The bar itself is welded to an inner bar. This projects everything forward. As I have long arms, I just lowered the stem two spacers.
We named the handlebar, and therefore the new bike model, the Barcoo. They are ready to produce at our Tasmanian factory now. In Australia, with GST, they cost from $7,050.
There’s more information about this handlebar on our site.
The set-up offers more loading options. Especially when paired with the Tubus Grand Expedition front rack as on David’s new bike…
Upgrade for The Gibb
The Gibb handlebars now come standard with Brooks leather tape, wrapped over the foam that they originally came with. The foam was too easily damaged and not easy to replace. We use a rivnut (like a water bottle mount) in the handlebar for the mirror attachment.
V25 supersedes V23
The distinctions are:
- V25 bikes have tubeless rim tape
- V25 are shipped with the Rohloff oil already in the rear hub
- Frame protectors are fitted on the gear cable housings where they cross the headtube
- electric wires are long enough to reach a forward-mounted headlight (eg on a Tubus Grand Expedition front)
- The Hebie steering stabiliser nylon block comes fitted to the underside of the downtube and has the gear cable housings passing through it.
Bike codes start with V25. There are 768 unique bikes that you can easily generate in the code builder.
New frame option
Lower step through in the large frame size
L-R (large regular) or L-DTT (large dropped top-tube)
The two large frames are the same as each other except that, on the DTT version, the intersection of the top tube to the seat tube is 180mm from the top of the seat tube, instead of the normal 50mm. It’s about 5” lower.
Spare steering stabiliser hooks in stock
We had a report of someone wearing through the plate welded to the rear of the fork crown. We have the Hebie replacement bracket here now. Contact us if you ever need one.
Belt life expectancy
For years we have been waiting to find out just how long does the Gates belt last? We have been gradually wearing a belt out. After 33,000 the teeth started to come off. 33,000 is a long way. More than around the planet. But from what we hear, 33,000 is on the low side of life expectancy. We wrote the subject up.
Front hub end caps availability in Europe
Someone reported, during reassembly after a flight, the black plastic rotor protector was pulled off without it being noticed that the left-side hub end-cap was attached to the protector.
Unable to ride, she did an amazing job in tracking an on-line source in Europe down. She had a pair in two days.
Running Travel Bikes Tubeless
Bike travellers are often hesitant about new product ideas. For example, some of us resisted disc brakes, and later, hydraulic discs.
Sometimes there are fads, marketed as improvements. Some new ideas might be intended for other types of bike riding. Examples include carbon forks and dropper seat posts.
We don’t hear many people promoting tubeless in the bike-travel world, but we have been testing it.
In the traditional set-up we use Kevlar belted tyres with tubes inside. There, we carry one or two spare tubes, a repair kit and a pump. In the tubeless set-up we use a lighter, thinner more supple tyre with tubeless solution in it (and no tubes). We don’t carry a spare tube but instead, some plugs. These are used in the unusual case where a puncture is too big for the tubeless solution to seal. And we carry a pump.
Packing videos
Videos explaining how to pack your bike can be very helpful. We have a few on our site but have a new, more detailed and specifically Vivente/Rohloff one in production at the moment.
Vivente Pricing
There will be no price changes through to mid 2026.
The base retail prices now and before freight (AU incl GST) are:
- Drop bar (Swabia) – $6,900
- Trekking bar (The Gibb) – $7,100
- Baramind bar (Diamantina) – $7,050
- Barcoo bar (Barcoo) – $7,050
Any optional extras and their prices are shown in the specifications. The typical shipment time is 7-14 days after orders are received. We can’t produce when we are test riding though.
The Trans Dinarica
A new 5,500km bike trail
Some people are lucky enough to ride in Europe. It may be the river valleys of France, the lowlands in the northwest, Iberia, Italy, Greece and the islands, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the Baltics, Scandinavia, or further east.
Now a corner we mostly miss is being developed for bicycle travel. Linking eight Balkan nations, the new Trans Dinarica cycling trail twists through some of the continent’s most stunning – and least-visited – landscapes.
It looks good and there’s an excellent website to bring it to you.
Test Rides
Which brings us to the subject of more test rides. Later this month we’ll be in Spain and Portugal.
Following that, we’ll ride in South Korea in August and in Maharashtra in November to learn and refine the bikes further. It looks like the USA is out for a few years, so in 2026 we plan to check out the Trans Dinarica.