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EB15: Koga goes overland w/ new World Traveler S & Mark Beaumont’s record setting cross-Africa bike packer!

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For a brand from tiny Netherlands, it’s surprising how Koga always has something amazing in their booth. Last year it was a gorgeous anniversary road bike with an era-correct Shimano build…from 40 years ago. The year before, their beach racers, something only few people could love, but those that do love them with a passion.

This year, their booth was headlined by Mark Beaumont’s bike, which he used to set a world record for the fastest ride across Africa. Men’s Journal has a great story on his adventure, but we’ve got the details on his bike. Where most folks choose a metal frame for such back country rides since those can be more easily repaired, the carbon Koga Solacio formed the foundation for the 41 day odyssey.

Check out the details, plus their new WorldTraveler overland bike for anyone looking to take on such travels without the stopwatch looking over their shoulder, plus new road builds, below…

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The bike was outfitted with a suite of Apidura frame, saddle and handlebar bags. Up front is a Pro Vibe handlebar and PRO Missile aerobars, and Kore stem. A Selle SMP Pro saddle rounds out the cockpit.

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Wheels are custom built with a SON dynamo front hub and White Industries rear, Pacenti hubs and Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires. Even so, he suffered a number of flats along the way.

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That’s about 6,718 miles, besting the prior record by 18 days.

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While not nearly as aggressive as Ghost’s full suspension concept overland bike, the new top of the range Koga WorldTraveler S (for Signature) seems up to the task. It builds on past models to add internally geared hub, belt drive and other upgrades.

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A steerer stop prevents the handlebar from flopping to far off center, especially helpful if the bike’s loaded down with bags.

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An internally geared Rohloff hub is turned by a Gates Carbon Belt Drive, which enters the frame through a tightly fitted, two-bolt seatstay break. The replaceable dropouts let you run a traditional derailleur and cassette system, too.

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The front gets a dynamo hub to power…

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…front and rear lights. All cables, hoses and wires are hidden inside the frame, including the wiring all the way along the rack to reach the taillight. Some models get adjustable stems.

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All models have an EBB, which lets them set chain or belt tension depending on the build.

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It’ll also come in a step-through frame. Either frame variant will fit up to 55mm wide tires with fenders. Starting in November, these will be added to their Koga Signature program where you can custom build your own dream version, too. Delivery of those will start in March 2016.

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Bridging the gap between those and the pure racing road bikes is the Durado, an endurance carbon disc brake road bike.

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Koga was among the first to announce a disc road bike with Shimano’s new flat mount standard.

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For racing, the Kimera series carries over with the same frame, which launched last year. The Kimera Road Prestige gets a team paint scheme to match the kit of SEG Racing:

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Note the clear coated head of the beast. Presumably there was only room for one, not three as the model name suggests.

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For 2016, they’ll have a lower level Kimera Pro build that comes in at €4,999, a substantial drop from the special order Anniversary edition with full carbon wheels and complete Fizik cockpit.

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You still get a full Dura-Ace group, including direct mount brakes…

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…FFWD carbon/alloy wheels and a Koga cockpit. Oh, and this:

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Koga.com

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Pette
Pette
9 years ago

that first bike makes me want to f’off for a few years, awesome!

JP
JP
9 years ago

I’m surprised he used di2, would have thought for that application that running out of battery would have been an issue

christobevii3
christobevii3
9 years ago

Also, panceti rims aren’t really know for durability? Why not something stouter like H+Son archetype or Kinlin XR31t?

sd
sd
9 years ago

id go tubeless, “problem solved ;)”
seriously thought id doubt he get one flat on tubeless

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
9 years ago

Pacenti rims are plenty durable. I’ve seen a few H+Sons crack at the spoke hole but never a Pacenti

Greg
Greg
9 years ago

This dude rides across Africa on di2, and people on this site worry about battery life
going to the coffee shop.

Chris L
Chris L
9 years ago

JP: how we would he run out of battery power? Did you miss the part about a dynamo hub?

Christobevii3
Christobevii3
9 years ago

Kernel it is a great lightweight rim, not a loaded touring rim. Also, having owned tubeless through the summer with the kinlin and panceti, the tires suck. They cut too easy to failure and hardly ever seal so far. I’ve cut a Hutchinson, had one fail at beed, and had two schwalbe’s cut. I only got a handful of rides out of each tire before each was killed and at $70 a pop not feasible to continue riding them outside of races.

David R
David R
9 years ago

Seen a few Kogas while touring, under riders from Belgium and Holland mainly. Very stout!

It seems to me that the ultimate benefit of an electronic shift drive train is to have both close-spaced gearing and a very wide range, something that would be especially useful for loaded touring in varied terrain. A triple with some combination of rings and cogs, to give the equivalent low of 22-34 and high of 52-11, with automatic selection of the best gear combination, non-redundant ratios, and of course super-reliable front shifts, compatible with both drop and flat bar shifters.

This is not the way it has gone so far. Perhaps the difficulty in getting reliable front shifting with rings more than 10 teeth apart is limiting? Seems like a solvable problem. Or maybe it is the current “less is more” marketing, pushing single ring systems. Triples are just not fashionable any more.

In my opinion, MORE is more, and with electronic shifting we could have our cake and eat it too.

JP
JP
9 years ago

@Chris L, how is he running di2 on a dynamo….

Kernel Flickitov
Kernel Flickitov
9 years ago

Re: Christobevii3, apparently good enough for a bikepacking record across Africa.

Re: JP – Supernova The Plug III, USB port replaces your top cap. He’s charging anything USB while riding.

Mike T.
Mike T.
9 years ago

I remember reading that Mark had ruined a tire during the first couple or three days of his Africa ride. Plus I guess he had numerous flats on the ride – all with tubeless which are supposed to be the “cure” for flat tires.

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