I bought this bike new sometime in the 1990s and used and abused it as a mountain bike and then as a shopping bike.   I nearly threw it away a few years back but then decided to renovate it yet again and replaced the transmission and bottom bracket.   With full length mudguards it became my winter bike and was treated to a new chain yearly to help keep the cogs in good condition.

I fitted a set of secondhand V brakes and levers - so much better than the original centre pull brakes - but otherwise Giant seemed to have used good components.   The wheels are originals, with bearing regreased - same with the headstock bearings.   Handlebars are steel.  I found that the front bag could make the bike feel a bit unstable so fitted the only wider bars I had.  The saddle is the original little used Giant one as from early on I had a Brooks Conquest fitted.  I am not taking the Brooks to India as I am not sure how it will fare in the heat and because I do not want to leave it there!    That may be a bad decision as the Brooks is very comfortable and has springs!  Tyres and tubes replaced.   I have a 26 x 1.75 on the front and 26 x 1.5 on the rear.  The idea of having a slightly larger front tyre is that it can smooth out some road shocks.  The rack is a Blackburn and the panniers Karrimor ones that were with me in India on my last trip.  The Giant frame has good strong rack mounting lugs but I have used through bolts with nylocs rather than trust just the threads in the frame.

Instead of the bag under the saddle I am taking a larger bag that goes on the rack with a cargo net over the top to hold damp washing.   I will need to wash clothes most nights and I know that sometimes they will not be dry by morning. 

Now everything is packed I have weighed the bike and the gear I am taking: without any water or food about 25kg.  A little approximate as my cycling clothes are packed with the bike and I think the cardboard bike box weighs 2kg….. and there are a few things I will need to add in Mumbai, like a new lungi.

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