Endurance test performance: 11,302 km / 108,036 altitude metres
A stage race from the equator to the southernmost city in the world. All the way across the Andes. This is certainly one of the toughest bike tests - for riders and equipment. A carefree hardtail is the obvious choice: without many frills, equipped with durable components and the 26-inch size commonly used worldwide. After a 200 kilometre "test ride" on German soil, the Ghost had been run in so far. The starting signal for "The Andes Trail" (www.bike-dreams.com) fell at the Mitad del Mundo, the equatorial monument in Ecuador. From there, the Ghost greedily gobbled up the kilometres and converted every watt of initial euphoria into full propulsion.
The XT equipment did its job without a hitch, and the XT stoppers with 180 mm discs brought me back to zero at any time if necessary. On the dusty roads and gravel tracks in Ecuador and Peru, the stiff chassis caused me back pain on some days. In the Peruvian Andes, the Ghost was operating at its limit: it lay in front of the tent at night at minus 14 degrees and still managed to climb to 4900 metres above zero in the morning without a hitch. On fast descents over rough tracks and rutted creek beds, the Reba fork seemed beyond its capabilities, but never gave up and performed to the very end. A fall into a ditch, derailleur hanger straightened with a pipe wrench: The Ghost seems indestructible.
But then comes the shock: out of the blue, the frame starts to creak like an old wooden staircase. A meticulous search provides certainty: a crack in the seat tube - and almost 8000 kilometres to go! Bolivia brings relief: a tensioning strap is found in a metal goods shop in La Paz. Fitted between the seat clamp and the down tube, it kept the crack in check. Although the braced frame looked modest, it survived the ordeal to the end. Neither the largest salt lake in the world, nor the endless expanses of the Argentinian pampas, nor constant rain on the Carretera Austral could scare the Ghost. A little oil on the chain now and again. That was it.
ConclusionI've never changed the brake pads, bled the brakes or adjusted the gears. However, the crack could have cost me my journey.
Functionality *****
Durability of parts ******
Frame durability -
(max. 6 stars)
Tuning
- 272 km - Tyre change: For the first stages on asphalt, I put on a Marathon Supreme tyre.
- 1941 km - Tyre change: I change to a semi-slick tyre for the long gravel stages through Peru.
- 3429 km - Handlebar support: For long "roller" passages, I fit a comfort handlebar attachment on which I can lean from time to time.
Wear and tear
- 1826 km - Crash: After a crash in Pacasmayo, Peru, the derailleur hanger bends and the rear wheel takes a knock.
- 3346 km - Crack in the frame: First noises in the frame during a gravel stage through Peru. Discover the crack on the seat tube, which continues to grow. 1000 kilometres later, I relieve the strain with a tensioning strap. It looks stupid, but the crack doesn't grow any further.
- 4916 kilometres - rear puncture: On the way to Tahua in Bolivia, I have a puncture at the back. I bite the inner tube and tie it in a knot.
- 4916 km - rear puncture: The chain and cassette are changed in Argentina. I stick with Shimano XT.
- 6017 km - Riding noises again: I swap the seatpost for a longer one.
