# Should I buy a new bike for just 1 trip?



## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

For my second warm up trip I'm planning to bikepack BR-319, a 600 miles trip (900km) through one of the best preserved areas of the Amazon jungle. This road was abandoned decades ago and was reclaimed by nature&#8230; the locals called it "caminho das Oncas" as it's still one of the few places where it's common to spot the endangered Jaguar.

I know it's not about the bike, but after bikepacking Northern Argentina with my old dirt jumper I know it's not the best option to spend long hours in the saddle. I´ll be riding La Quiaca-Ushuaia with Advocate Cycles' soon to be realized Hayduke 27.5+ hardtail, but unfortunately it won't be ready till August and I'm not sure what to ride through the Amazon .

*Should I spend some of my limited budget in a new bike (to be used only for this trip) or should I ride my old dirt jumper one more time? ANY OTHER IDEAS?

*Thanks,
Federico


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## Cayenne_Pepa (Dec 18, 2007)

You are on your own, with this one, mijo!


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## Singletrackd (May 3, 2015)

I feel like I would have found a gun before I finished 600 miles on a dirt jumper...maybe demo a bike


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## evilbeat (Apr 23, 2015)

I don't have any input, but I just wanted to let you know I reread that first paragraph three times because it was so awesome.


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## JBHD (Apr 9, 2008)

You can't borrow a bike somewhere? I guess cycling position wise, anything is better than doing 600 miles on a dirt jumper. But I have never tried it, so I can't really tell. If you really didn't like it in your first trip, I personally wouldn't be using it on a second trip. So ask yourself the question: did I enjoy riding the dirt jumper enough that I would want to use it again?


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

Singletrackd said:


> I feel like I would have found a gun before I finished 600 miles on a dirt jumper...maybe demo a bike


Hola Singletrackd,

Thanks for your message! Whom & how would you borrow a demo?

Saludos,
Federico


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

evilbeat said:


> I don't have any input, but I just wanted to let you know I reread that first paragraph three times because it was so awesome.


Hola evilbeat,

I'm glad you like it! I know this would be an epic trip... if I could only ride a decent bike 

Saludos,
Federico


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

JBHD said:


> You can't borrow a bike somewhere? I guess cycling position wise, anything is better than doing 600 miles on a dirt jumper. But I have never tried it, so I can't really tell. If you really didn't like it in your first trip, I personally wouldn't be using it on a second trip. So ask yourself the question: did I enjoy riding the dirt jumper enough that I would want to use it again?


Hola Job,

I rode 250+ miles during my 1st warm up trip through Northern Argentina and it wasn't comfortable to spend more than a couple hours on the dirt jumper. 
I thought bike brands would be willing to lend a demo bike in exchange of images of their bikes in the Amazon jungle, but I didn't have much luck (yet)... and now that departure date is getting closer, I'm wondering if I should invest my Project's limited budget in a new bike instead of family portraits' prints.

Saludos,
Federico

PS: Most of my friends are roadies


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## JBHD (Apr 9, 2008)

You are talking about brands, but have you contacted shops as well? Maybe they want to lend you a bike? In return I guess you could give them some coverage on your website or make some nice pictures of their shop to put on their website? Just brainstorming here 

You could also consider doing your main trip to Ushuaia on a different bike? Unless you have some kind of deal with Advocate Cycles of course. If all that doesn't help you then I guess there is no other option than buying a bike for just that trip.


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

Hola Job,

Yes, I only got in touch with brands so far and it's a great idea to get in touch with shops, too! Thanks for the brainstorming 

Have a great weekend!

Saludos,
Federico


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## Mark_BC (Sep 19, 2012)

If you don't like the bike then I think you should get a different one. Will it be wet season? If so, clay mud will cake the tires. I don't know if a fatbike would help since it would just cake up more mud.

Can you just find a frame only somewhere and switch over most of your components to save money?

Cool trip, I have been dreaming of something like that for years.


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

Mark_BC said:


> If you don't like the bike then I think you should get a different one. Will it be wet season? If so, clay mud will cake the tires. I don't know if a fatbike would help since it would just cake up more mud.
> 
> Can you just find a frame only somewhere and switch over most of your components to save money?
> 
> Cool trip, I have been dreaming of something like that for years.


Hola Mark,

The trip is planned for the middle of the dry season because the road is almost impassable during the rainy season.









The terrain (most of the time) should be very soft, some kind of powder made by dry clay & sand... and that's why I thought chubby tires would be a good idea 









It's been in my bucket list for a long time and I hope I can do it as my 2nd warm up trip!

If I'm unable to borrow a demo I'll definitively try to buy a cheap frameset to use my dirt jumper's components... but this trip isn't cheap with the air ticket, the overcharge to carry the bike (I'm only allowed to carry 62 inches linear) and everything else, it would easily be above USD 1500... and that's the reason why I'm trying to be very careful with my budget 

Another option would be to skip this trip till next year and visit one of Argentina's most remote and poor areas to make & print their portraits, as I will not ride through this area in September... and I can make this trip for less than 1/4 of the Amazon trip (plus being 90% gravel, I can ride it almost with any bike).

Saludos,
Federico


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## Val Garou (Mar 12, 2008)

You can sell the frame/bike after this trip, can't you? The ultimate budgetary hit should be relatively small by the time you do that.


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

Val Garou said:


> You can sell the frame/bike after this trip, can't you? The ultimate budgetary hit should be relatively small by the time you do that.


Hola Val,

The problem is that I'll be leaving for my main trip in less than a month after I return from the 2nd warm up trip... and if I'm not able to sell it in that month (and I guess I'm going to be pretty busy during that time) I'll have to wait at least 4 months till I return home and I won't be able to use that money to print family portraits 

Saludos,
Federico


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

Hola, Federico,

A couple of thoughts...worth every penny you pay for them:

- I would regret seeing your portraits mission abandoned. That is something very special.

- You need a proper bike for touring (and general use), right? So it's not like it would be for one ride. You get to keep the bike and ride it as much as you want. Sell your DJ to defray some cost?

- People of all types dream of vacations such as the one (ones!) you have done/are doing. A person with high aspirations can't dirtbag every last aspect of her mission — doing so can endanger success. Get the tools the job requires, with your usual sensibility in mind.

- Something has to give. If you're dead set on doing it all on the absolute cheap, riding your DJ may be the price you pay.

Best wishes,

Mike


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

She&I said:


> Hola, Federico,
> 
> A couple of thoughts...worth every penny you pay for them:
> 
> ...


Hola Mike!

The portrait mission won't be abandoned. If I'm unable to get a decent ride for the Amazon or my budget is too tight I'll ride "El impenetrable" instead (Agentina's most remote & poor area) to make their local's portraits and I'll leave the Amazon for next year.

I'm looking for a "new bike" just for the Amazon warm up trip (July) because I'll get the soon to be released Hayduke 27.5+ hardtail by mid August. I posted my DJ in MercadoLibre (eBay's local version down here) as soon as I returned from Northern Argentina but I wasn't able to sell it, yet.

It isn't that I'm trying to do everything on the absolute cheap, it' s just the budget I'm able to spend right now while keeping the portrait mission afloat 

Saludos,
Federico


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

TheirOnlyPortrait said:


> Another option would be to skip this trip till next year and visit one of Argentina's most remote and poor areas to make & print their portraits, as I will not ride through this area in September... and I can make this trip for less than 1/4 of the Amazon trip (plus being 90% gravel, I can ride it almost with any bike).


Sounds like a good option and do the BR-319 trip at the next opportunity once you have a comfortable appropriate bike.


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## Val Garou (Mar 12, 2008)

TheirOnlyPortrait said:


> I'm looking for a "new bike" just for the Amazon warm up trip (July) because I'll get the soon to be released Hayduke 27.5+ hardtail by mid August. I posted my DJ in MercadoLibre (eBay's local version down here) as soon as I returned from Northern Argentina but I wasn't able to sell it, yet.


That depends, of course, on the Hayduke arriving when it's supposed to arrive. International manufacturing and shipping doesn't always go according to plan. Another way to look at the in-between bike is as insurance for the big trip....


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

vikb said:


> Sounds like a good option and do the BR-319 trip at the next opportunity once you have a comfortable appropriate bike.


Hola Vik,

That's plan B... I still got faith to borrow a demo bike 

Saludos,
Federico


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

Val Garou said:


> That depends, of course, on the Hayduke arriving when it's supposed to arrive. International manufacturing and shipping doesn't always go according to plan. Another way to look at the in-between bike is as insurance for the big trip....


Hola Val,

The back-up rig makes sense, but I'd been talking with Tim Krueger and he's confident with delivery dates (45 days before my departure)... and I'll be able to get a prototype (without eyelets) in case something goes wrong with their 1st production lot 

Saludos,
Federico


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

Hola!

Last week I returned from my 2nd warm up trip! I ended up cycling "El Impenetrable" one of Argentina's most remote & wild areas and decided to ride the Amazon (BR-319) next year with a decent steed... a Hayduke 27.5+ hardtail is being shipped to Miami and will be hand delivered by a friend in 2 weeks 

For this trip I bought a cheap aluminum frame and used my old dirt jumper's parts...





































Saludos,
Federico


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

Nice work...:thumbsup:


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

Very nice, I wasn't sure you could pull it off, congrats!

What photo gear did you take? 

How well did that solar panel work?

I love the portrait!


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

bsieb said:


> Very nice, I wasn't sure you could pull it off, congrats!
> 
> What photo gear did you take?
> 
> ...


Hola Bsieb,

Thanks for your message! I did carry the exact same photo gear as in the previous warm up trip (in the photo I missed a Gopro Hero 3+).









The solar panel (Nomad 13) worked flawlessly but I replaced one of the Goal Zero Guide10+ by the Sherpa 50 as I wasn't sure if I was going to find 220v to charge the Vagabond mini (studio flash's battery) very often. The Sherpa 50 charged the flash's battery, powered the printer for every single portrait I made, and also charge the camera batteries.






Besides the Sherpa 50, I also used a Guide10+ & a flip 10 with the same solar panel mainly to charge the Gopro, GPS (Garmin Edge), the satellite messenger (Delorme inReach), and my smartphone (Samsung Galaxy Note).









Saludos,
Federico

PS: Unfortunately the Studio Flash (Einstein 640) didn't make it to the end of the trip


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

vikb said:


> Nice work...:thumbsup:


Thanks Vikb!


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

Hola,

Last week I got my Hayduke 27.5+ hardtail... and it's AWESOME!!!









Saludos,
Federico


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## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

Thanks for the gear run down. Not being a portrait photographer, I'm curious about the studio lighting gear. I'm assuming it's important to your process or you wouldn't bother carrying it, any thoughts on what you will replace the Einstein with?


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## TheirOnlyPortrait (Dec 30, 2014)

bsieb said:


> Thanks for the gear run down. Not being a portrait photographer, I'm curious about the studio lighting gear. I'm assuming it's important to your process or you wouldn't bother carrying it, any thoughts on what you will replace the Einstein with?


Hola bsieb,

My pleasure! Yes, the Portraits are the most important part of my trip and I want to make them the best I can, even when that means carrying gear that it's not "bike friendly"... for my next trip I might even carry a 7" parabolic umbrella 

I'm in touch with Paul C. Buff's technical service hoping to replace the Einstein with another Einstein  I might not get the replacement at the beginning of my trip (I'll be departing in 2 weeks) so I'm also carrying a cheap/small/pretty good YongNuo 560IV.

Saludos,
Federico
Their Only Portrait


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