Our bicycles in details
The frame
We chose Surly 26" Disc Trucker frames. This brand is known for its strong frames and the ability to accommodate large tires. This model is a reference in terms of quality and price, they will take us to the end of our trip, we're sure of that. Small disappointment: the color of the frame varies with the years, this year it is blue/gray. We would have preferred a color a little more neutral to be able to have more freedom on the color of the bags, but fortunately the color is really pretty in real, a little less in photo.
The wheels
As for the wheels, we are going for tailor-made by Töölön Pyörä. I, unfortunately, have no time to lace them myself. The front hubs will be Shutter Precision PD-8 dynamos, a good Taiwanese brand and much cheaper than the German reference Schmidt SON. It's the same hub as Floriane's current bike that has already survived several Finnish winters.
The rear hubs are Shimano Deore XT. They aren't expensive and often equip travel bikes. Because of their "cup and cones" construction, they require a re-greasing every 10000km and the bearings can be changed easily if necessary. I have hesitated for a long time with Hope Pro4 which don't require re-greasing, but they are unfortunately much more expensive.
On the advice of Töölön Pyörä, we go for 32 spokes rather than 36 as it's often the case for travel bikes, the argument being that the 26-inch wheels have a rather small diameter, there is no need for so many spokes. In addition, nowadays spokes are solid and with suitable rims it shouldn't be a problem. We chose enduro MTB rims, Mavic XM 719s. They aren't expensive and designed rough conditions. The spokes are DT Swiss Champion, again a reference, solid but lightweight.
We chose Schwalbe Marathon Mondial for the tires, in 559-50 (26x2.0"). The frame can accommodate the 2.2" wide version, but there would be no more room for mudguards.
The transmission and brakes
Here again we don't get out off the beaten tracks: Shimano Deore 3x9 derailleur, cassette and shifter. This Shimano product line has long been proven, and can be found on many travel bikes. I had doubts about the reliability of the shifters in the long run, but at the bike shop they reassured me. Basically, I even thought to take more retro derailleur shifters like Shimano Dura-Ace thumbshifters or Microshift which are easier to repair but much more expensive.
We didn't take the Deore cranks because there are only 2 sizes and the smaller sizes would have been too long for Floriane. Töölön Pyörä found us inexpensive and stylish Sugino XD600 triple that go perfectly with the other silver elements of the bike. Sugino is a well-known Japanese brand, among others, for their track bike cranksets. The bottom brackets are the usual Shimano UN55.
As for the chain, we preferred to put the price of a KMC which are known for better longevity compared to Shimano or even Sram. In addition, these chains have a connector link that allows one to detach the chain without the need for a chain breaker.
As explained in the previous post, the brakes are Avid BB7 Mountain. The discs are classic 160mm discs. The brake pads are Koolstop KS-D270 recommended by Töölön Pyörä for their longevity. The brake levers are Avid FR5, a reliable classic and cheap. Töölön Pyörä have installed compression-less brake hoses known for a better efficiency and longevity. The braking is really good. I used very efficient hydraulic disc brakes but these BB7s with these "compression-less" hoses are very responsive and easy to adjust.
The cockpit and saddles
The cockpit is very important, with the saddle they will largely determine our comfort on the bike. After several readings on the internet, we found a handlebar that suits us well, it's the Velo Orange Crazy Bar. This unusual handlebar allows several positions for the hands while remaining wide and elegant. As for the grips, we like ergonomic grips, so we opt for a safe and durable choice, Ergons GC1, optimized for curved handlebars like the Crazy Bar. For the final touch, we wrapped the rest of the handlebar with black cotton tape for a nice retro look.
We want leather saddles that fit our butt. For Floriane it's a Rivet Pearl and mine is a Gilles Berthoud Soulor. I was using the Pearl before, but my legs were rubbing against the nose of the saddle, and it was too wide for me. But it is suitable for Floriane. I had the opportunity to test several Gilles Berthoud before deciding on the Soulor.