Cycling Greece: THERMAL SPRINGS & COUNTLESS TROUBLES

Cycling Greece: THERMAL SPRINGS & COUNTLESS TROUBLES | Bikepacking Europe Ep. 15

Рет қаралды 1,832

Жыл бұрын

These thermal springs in Thermopylae were the perfect thing I encountered after a few tough days of riding. Besides being an amazing place to camp, the warm running water was exactly what I needed for my tired legs.
Cycling this part of Greece is not part of any trail, but here and there you find some less-known gems that are worth exploring and this was only one of them. Cycling from Athens to Thessaloniki was not spectacular in the sense that the landscape was more or less the same and industrial in some places. But the MOST frustrating thing was the number of flat tires that I got. Every day, for the course of a week I had to change my at least once my tubes. It seems Greece doesn’t want to let me go so easily.
It was a roller coaster and a mental game to push every day long distances with not so much distraction on the road, but I was happy to have reached another big highlight of Greece and to finally change my clothes for thicker ones.
#bikepackingeurope #cyclingvlog #bikepackingtrip #bikepackingeurope #untraveledroads
▬ Content of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 In this episode…
01:06 Thessaloniki here I come
03:44 Thermopilae: Leonidas and Hades
06:30 Problem after problem
08:55 New day - new holes
17:20 Stranded in Glyfa
18:48 Trying to reach Volos
19:46 Valley of Tempi
22:19 Thank you for watching!
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If you are curious and want more insights into my #adventure, make sure you follow me on my Instagram account: _untraveledroads_
I have set up a Patreon page where I provide EXCLUSIVE content, insights, and tips about my adventures, so if you want to support me and help me show you parts of even further away lands, check if there is something there for you. www.patreon.com/untraveledroads

Пікірлер: 43

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Hey 👋, hope you enjoyed this episode. In few days I will start the preparation for my next big adventure, if you are curious you can checkout the peaks of europe: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jrOJnpigp8mydIk.html For life updates join me on my instagram: instagram.com/_untraveledroads_/

@DimosVloger Жыл бұрын

Keep cycling file mou!! Enjoy your adventures

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thank you, will do. Same for you! 😊🙌🙏

@stephenpodmore7263 Жыл бұрын

Hi again😊, I’ve read some of the comments on tubes/tubeless and here is my opinion… Tubes are a pain as unless you remove all the needles from the tyre that have broken off the thorns then you’ll just keep getting flat tyres. With tubeless they will seal with the sealant. I also carry Dyna plugs for the troublesome holes that may occur. I also carry Thermoplastic tubes and repair kit as they take up maybe only a third of the space of a rubber tube and same with weight. On tours lasting more than 3 months I top up the sealant either with the 60ml bottles I carry or at a bike shop. When the thorn breaks off leaving the sharp bit in the tyre the sealant stops the flats. Cheers and keep going, keep learning and mostly have fun

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip- Next trip I for sure will go tubeless. I also just checked thermoplastic tubes. Very interesting, did not even know they exist

@JUANORQUIO Жыл бұрын

W❤️W! That’s Incredibly Awesome! Cheers for more exciting and breathtaking globetrotting adventures!🥂❤️✨

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!!

@crinoidia Жыл бұрын

Great episode and kudos for persevering despite the thorns!!

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thank you! 😊🙏

@desmondtiedemann7714 Жыл бұрын

Just come across your videos, I was once young an had a passion for cycling and decided I would cycle around New Zealand, for training I cycled 150-Km a day (1,000-Km / Week). Putting the training in I got to understand both my bike and myself as well as limits. Fortunately the roads were in better shape so riding was reasonably comfortable. Did I mention that I only ever had two flat tires during months of training and the cycle around New Zealand, a couple of things I made sure I had were good brakes and good tires. Spend a little bit extra on quality tires and that would reduce number of punctures, that said we don't have thorns like you got in Albania. Got back on the bike again 6-years ago and first thing I did was invest in good tires although this time I also invested in tire liners to stop glass and nails. They definitely work as I can see cuts on tires with some on side wall by the way these are snow tires for a mountain bike so wider than my foot. Around 2010 I read the book "Cycling Home From Siberia", it almost got me back on the bike. Anyway keep up the amazing journey some days are harder than others, but you will look back in years to come with a lot of pride and satisfaction. In New Zealand we say "Kia Kaha" - "Stay Strong", wishing you all the best for your onward travels and any future endeavours.

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Hey thank you for your nice comment 😊 Wow cycling around New Zealand must be so beautiful, since a long time I always wanted to visit. Yep fully agree with what you say, tires and brakes need to be the finest, I really love my tires from Continental but they are way too prone to anything on the road so would never take them again for touring. Again thank you for the comment and wish you the best - hopefully, we run one time into each other in New Zealand. And thanks for the book tip will check it out Just out of curiosity, how long did it take for the trip around NZ?

@desmondtiedemann7714 Жыл бұрын

@@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Back in the day I used Continental (Kevlar - Semi Slicks) as I was on tar seal so took mountain bike tires off. From Top to bottom you can do in a month, as mine was an express trip Bike, Sleep, Eat, Repeat I targeted 4-weeks. We have cycle tours (races) which take over a month. I trained to cycle 150-Km per day some were less some were longer (Wellington to Whanganui was around 200-Km). I was crazy to go to Whanganui because next 100-Km to Ohakune was all hill, will at least 95 to Rhatehe. It looked easy on the map after biking out of Whanganui the first hill to hope its all downhill only to get to the top and lookout over all the valley's. No GPS in those days so maps only, lucky there were less cars.

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Amazing trip! I hope I can make one in New Zealand too one day!

@Longtack55 Жыл бұрын

@@UntraveledRoadsOfficial We'll be waiting... If you don't go tubeless, try the Schwalbe Kevlar-lined tyres.

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

@@Longtack55 Thanks, will check them out, still not sure wether tubeless or not 🙃

@yortravels Жыл бұрын

Very informative! I did not know that the sea has receded in Thermophylae! Thank you for sharing 🙂

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@InterpretNeznamyBand Жыл бұрын

Change your tyres, and the problem will be solved! ;) Good luck!

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thanks! Yep, I need to say I really loved the feeling of those tires but they were just a pain and also every 2k km’s you need to replace them since they are worn out 🤔

@tunic Жыл бұрын

you can always patch the tubes instead of replacing them

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

yep usually I always patched them, at least twice, the problem here was that I had sometimes 7 holes, and not that many patches with me. It was this annoying dornes

@petegibson007 Жыл бұрын

I’d be buying new tyres as well as tubes. Enjoying the series so far. Keep going 👍

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Yep, also I need to say I am not very happy with my tyres but also this ones are actually already quite worn out.

@RoadDestination Жыл бұрын

Noticed you had quite a few flats before, but this sounds quite ridiculous... What kind of outer tyres do you use? Good quality puncture resistant tyres should be able to handle a few thorns and is cheaper then buying loads of inner tubes. The only disadvantage is you may get so few flats that when you do have one you the glue of the repair kit may have gone bad because of old age.

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Hey, thanks for the comment. I use from Continental the TerraSpeed PROtection they are tubeless ready but I use them with tubes. I really love the feeling of the tires on the street and on gravel but I need to say I was really the wrong choice. Firstly the tires wear out after 2k km - I had to replace them 2 or 3 times on the tour - and secondly, even though they are called Protection they don't really protect, on top of that they are actually quite expensive. So for the next tour, I need to find the right pair and also find out whether I want to go tubeless

@simonroberts8469 Жыл бұрын

Hi, I’m enjoying your trip. That’s a lot of flat tyres....I’m not sure Terra Speed tubeless tyres are the most suitable tyre for your trip, I think they major in speed over reliability. Many travelling cyclists use tubed tyres specifically for their reliability. These tyres often contain more effective puncture protection, (as their manufacturers know they can’t just rely on sealant). Schwalbe’s touring range of tyres are particularly puncture resistant. Their Marathon range contain many such models. I’ve used tubed Marathon Supreme for European touring with great success, they are comfortable and roll easily, punctures are a very rare event indeed! More off-road orientated models are also available.

@dllmrt23 Жыл бұрын

i am running terra speed on my gravel bike and marathon mondial dd on my touring bike (both are 700x40c) and mondials are much better in terms of durability and puncture protection. i didnt have one flat in over 4000km, but with terra speed i've got 3 flats under 2000km.

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Thank you and thanks for the tip. I really like the feeling of the Terra Speed on the road but ye they are really not reliable. For the next tour, I defiantly will switch, I will check the Schwalbe ones, the Marathon looks good since I think the majority is on the street and easy gravel anyways. Do you recommend for touring tubeless or tubes?

@simonroberts8469 Жыл бұрын

@@UntraveledRoadsOfficial I personally recommend tubed over tubeless if you’re using touring specific tyres. They are generally designed to be more intrusion resistant. The Marathon “family” of tyres span “reliable” to “very reliable indeed”. As the various puncture protection layers get thicker the tyres get heavier as well as more reliable. The downside is ride comfort is likely compromised and the rolling resistance may increase. On the Schwalbe site they have comprehensive information regarding their tyres performance characteristics including puncture resistance. Individual riders choice of specific tyres within the Marathon range largely depends on your anticipated riding conditions/environment and your personal appetite for reliability or performance.

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Crazy, as I was researching I actually choose the terra speed because I was reading about their reliability but yes pretty much the same experience as you with them. Did you had problems on gravel with the marathons?

@simonroberts8469 Жыл бұрын

@@UntraveledRoadsOfficial I’ve used various Marathon “family” tyres. Some are optimised for greater percentage off road use than others. My currently favoured Marathon Supreme are a road focused tyre specifically chosen as that’s where I spend most of my riding time. They work very well on smooth/broken roads as well as gravel paths and have particularly good wet weather traction and reliability. I’ve found them ideal for Eurovelo/Sustrans use but they are definitely not a mud tyre. I suspect all Marathon tyres have merit, it’s just a case of picking the most appropriate tyre for your intended use. Bear in mind that very heavily protected tyres with significant sidewall protection are often difficult to remove/fit due to their rigidity, potentially impacting their field serviceability. Tyres with little/no sidewall protection are much easier to remove/fit, (and significantly quicker and more comfortable) but may suffer sidewall issues under specific riding conditions such as sharp flint. Good luck with your selection.

@georgezet.9615 Жыл бұрын

Tja. Die allgegenwärtigen Burzeldorne in Griechenland. Kleiner Tipp. Lerne die Pflanze und nicht die Samen erkennen. Dann kannst du diese vorausschauend ausweichen.

@UntraveledRoadsOfficial Жыл бұрын

Yep das ist ein sehr guter Tipp!!