My name is Oliver, and I’ve been traveling long-distance by bicycle for the past two years.
Before that, I already spent years doing extended trips, often traveling for weeks at a time. What started as shorter adventures gradually turned into a long-term way of moving through the world.
My current journey began in Germany, heading east across multiple countries and regions before continuing from Tokyo to San Francisco and further south overland toward Patagonia.
Over time, long-distance travel changed the way I think about equipment, movement and daily life on the road.
Instead of chasing extreme setups or constantly buying new gear, I became increasingly interested in systems that are simple, reliable, repairable and efficient over long periods of time.
As an electrical engineer with a strong interest in technical systems, I naturally started optimizing almost every part of the setup — from power generation and dynamo charging to tools, luggage weight, repairability and overall efficiency.
Today, my gear setup stays intentionally minimal, usually around 15 kg including bags, while still remaining capable of long-term autonomous travel.
Many of the ideas shared on this site come from years of continuously refining the same long-term setup. The current frame alone has already covered more than 140,000 kilometers.
RoadsAndChains exists to document the practical experience, technical lessons and small details that become important during extended bicycle travel.
The focus of this site is not only bicycles, but the broader systems around long-term movement and self-supported travel:
- bike setups and repairs
- lightweight and efficient gear
- shelters and sleeping systems
- cooking setups
- power management and electronics
- logistics and transportation
- practical realities of life on the road
This website is a place to share the knowledge, adjustments and lessons learned through years of traveling across different conditions, countries and continents.