What an experience this was. This was a big step forward for my bicycle touring. First time with a road-bike (a charming 90’s steel frame Zullo), incl. tent, a self-made rack construction for aerodynamic and solid mounting of my luggage, and incl. a 25L(!) backpack. 9 days on the bike with daily distances beween 175km and 225km. In between I stayed in Oslo for 1 week.
I visited 4 northern capitals – Berlin, Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm – with exactly 3 days from each capital to the next.
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Equipment – very DIY
This was my first rather efficient trip, as in: no full rack and side panniers, road-bike mode. The bike felt fantastic by my standards back then. Even though in hindsight the brakes were very squishy.
Bike & Luggage
To carry all the things – sleeping gear, civil clothes, etc. – on my steel road bike, I made use of a) a 20-25L backpack, and b) repurposed a seat-post mounted rack. The rack had an adjustable angle that was supposed to set the rack into a level orientation. I however used it, to tilt up the rack behind by seat so that the luggage would be hidden from the airstream behind my back. Under the rack I mounted the tent, on top of it my bulky sleeping bag and a drybag with clothes etc.
The rack solution was amazing because it is rock solid. The rack by Swiss manufacturer Orion held up incredibly well despite such heavy and unusual use. A downside was maybe the very high center of gravity. But I never ran into problems. I used this solution on 3 or 4 more trips, incl. Japan, Helsinki and Barcelona.
I placed one small seat-post bag in the front of the frame triangle to store tools and spare parts.
My cockpit:
I did not have a GPS unit. Only paper maps.
- simple bike computer (with magnet on wheel) for speed and km measurement
- iPhone-mount
- handlebar bag, Ortlieb
- paper map in transparent pouch

Weight
Total weight: 27,1 kg (excl. water and food)
- bike: 10,2 kg
- complete clothing (incl. shoes): 5,9 kg
- other items (tools, locks, phone, etc.): 4,5 kg
- tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag: 2,7 kg
- bags, backpack, rack: 3,7 kg
Daily Stints – 9 travel days, 1750km
Itenary:
- Berlin
- Schwerin
- Fehmarn
- Copenhagen
- Varberg
- Munkedal
- Oslo
- Arvika
- Örebro
- Stockholm

Day 1: Berlin -> Schwerin | 213km




Day 2: Schwerin -> Fehmarn | 158km





Day 3: Fehmarn -> Kopenhagen | 192km




Day 4: Kopenhagen -> Varberg | 216km





Day 5: Varberg -> Munkedal | 176km





Day 6: Munkedal -> Oslo | 220km







When the whole gulf of Oslo and the city suddenly open up in front of you. A picture not to forget while just being in the city.
The tram was the first sign of being back in an urban environment after3 days in mostly rural landscapes.
Day 7: Oslo -> Arnäs | 158km






Day 8: Arnäs -> Örebro | 166km



Day 9: Örebro -> Stockholm | 210km






