Editorial Feed
Stories from the road, gear notes, and training experiences from our bike life.
Tom’s NC4K cockpit / fit
From tri extensions, light knee pressure and a tighter hip angle to a final NC4K position: crank arms, saddle, video, AI and experience — with no tool deciding on its own.
World trip 2000/2001 archive
What Karin and Tom rode and packed in 2000 — and how bikes, bags and tech differ from today’s NorthCape4000-oriented setup.
A factual comparison of plans and Adaptive Training versus Fitness Signature and MPA — sources linked, not medical advice, from a rider’s perspective.
How to raise performance by ~30% despite a full-time-plus job—notes on AI-guided training, TrainerRoad, and Xert.
Tom’s NC4K setup
NC4K: sleep in a real bed whenever possible (hotel sniper), plus an ultralight backup kit—Vango Neon UL-1 not a bivy, Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Wide, Sea to Summit Spark -1 long; under 1.5 kg in the saddle pack.
Archive: Iceland bikepacking 2023, image 31 in the series
Layering on tour—with real kit from a North Cape 4000 packing list—and why our Iceland bikepacking trip with Karin (travel pace) carried more volume than a lean NC4K pack list.
From the yellow eTrex to a high-tech cockpit: hands-on notes on Garmin, Wahoo, Coros, and Hammerhead for ultra-distance riding.
Hero image: generated with Gemini Nano Banana (deliberate exaggeration)
No hub dynamo: Minix fast charger, Nitecore power bank, Lupine Grano SL StVZO on the extensions, Varia rear—energy planning for NC4K with real beds over full off-grid riding.
Tom’s NC4K setup
After NC4K sign-up: aero BMC, Open WIDE, or something new? Roadmachine size 56: frame storage, Apidura frame bag, BMC downtube storage cover + Blackburn side-release cages, SRAM Force AXS, Profile Design, LEAP Blips, GP5000—no one-piece bar-stem.
Tom’s NC4K setup
NC4K bikepacking: Apidura Racing Long Top Tube Pack, Apidura Expedition Frame Tall (5 L, size 56 Roadmachine), Cyclite aero front & saddle bags—paper templates, set weight; bottles: BMC downtube storage cover + Blackburn.
Tom’s NC4K setup
Berlin to the North Cape: bike, bags, and electronics for NorthCape4000 on the shorter route (~3,000 km).
Image: generated with Gemini Nano Banana
Overview and order: how I prepare for NorthCape4000 (intermediate start from Berlin) — as shorter instalments instead of one long piece.
This year I'm riding NorthCape4000 (intermediate start from Berlin)—with excitement, respect, and structured preparation.
Image: generated with Gemini Nano Banana
NorthCape4000
Tom is riding NorthCape4000 this year—organisers call it an adventure, not a race (intermediate start from Berlin). We keep adding posts here: setup, gear, power, navigation, training, and more.
Pace and efficiency as a self benchmark—not a race against others. New instalments appear over time.