When do you start?
There are two starting dates. First, I’ll start in Germany at the Special Bikes Show 2007 in Germersheim April 28 + 29. This will mark my kilometer -700 or so. Then I’ll cycle to Paris where I will have my official start of my Paris to Peking trip right under the Eifel tower at 10 May. I’ve chosen this date because it’s in the middle of the dates of the other starters of the great Beijing to Paris 2007 Carfree rallye and because this seemed to give me enough time for both preparation and maybe even reaching Chine before winter.
How did you get involved with Beijing to Paris?
By pure fate! I happend to donate a one year subscription of the Carbusters Magazine to my sister when she got 18 and by that the drivers license. I thought that was a good compensation for her not to get too much into the motorists way of thinking and to open up far better alternatives for her. As we come from an car manufacturing area it’s normal for parents to pay the drivers license to their kids when they get 18 and many even bind their children to their first car by giving it to them to top it all of.
Are you riding solo?
I hope not! There’s one other rider doing the tour in the same direction but starting from Istanbul, as he cycled the Paris-Istanbul trip last year. He wants to start in Istanbul May 15th or so. We wanted to cycle together but don’t know whether the large time lag can be compensated some way.
Besides that I’m alway happy to cycle with others and with locals. So if you want to cycle with me (and are quite fit) or want me to participate in a local race or cycling tour/event that can in some way be combined with my tour, please please get in contact! I want to get to know (cycling) culture and that is cyclists and locals from all around the world!
How long do you plan to take for the whole trip?
I am planning with 100km / day and therefore about 220 days, so about 7 to 8 months. If I get problems with the weather (winter in Himalaya) or with bureaucracy it could take somewhat longer and I would even consider a more southern or northern route.
What do you want to do after the tour?
I’ve thought about continuing with physics at the university even though I’m tending to change to a more environmental study. It would also be great to get involved in environmental or bicycle activism through the tour and continue therewith after the tour. I’m also planing to learn at least French but maybe also some other languages. And of course I will continue touring (hiking, cycling, whatever!) around the planet as long as I can afford – I don’t want to work too much – Henry David Thoreau worked only for 60 days a year in 1850 – so why sould I work more with a tremendously increased productivity and therewith even destroy our beautiful planet further?
How do you finance the tour?
I primarily try to live with less. That is 5-10€ per day in Europe and in developed countries for food, internet, insurance, repair parts and 3-7€ per day in Asia for the same + visa. Many relatives and friends have offered me their help and I will use it if I need to – thanks! Especially my father, mother and sister support me. Thank you very much!
What about the toilets since Turkey?
No big deal! 
When have you decided to continue?
The idea of continuing was already in my head before I actually started – it’s just the perfect time to do that kind of adventure, very likely a ‘once in my life’ chance. And during the tour it got more and more likely that I want to see more of this beautiful planet, this jewel that has been given to us.
Why have you changed to mountainbike?
First: I regret that I have changed! I will change back again. And here the reasons why I have changed:
- the publicity and curiosity of people since Central Asia and all through till Beijing was so big I often felt uncomfortable and annoyed alone on the recumbent – they were touching sensitive parts of the electronics, jumping on the bike while I was away … it was easier when I cycled with someone else
- the StreetMachine GT I had was too heavy – an estimated 20kg is not what an ultralight cyclist traveling at an average of over 100km/day even in bad terrain wants to invest too big proportions of his energy in to get it over steep and high mountains
- city cycling was not as much fun with the recumbent as with a normal bike – but only because of too many cars in the city! So it’s more like a problem with modern cities and the traffic planing in the same ones
- while riding you can’t “stand” like on the normal bike, e.g. when cycling uphill – just a bit less agility
- I planed to go more off-road, leave the main roads and start cycling trails – therefore a mountain bike with 26″ wheels
How many kilometers do you average per day?
That’s in fact a very frequent question. I used to average almost exactly 110km per day of riding with my recumbent, including the long and hard ride through Tibet. But on the new bike I take things a bit more relaxed and average maybe 50 to 70km per day of riding. Contributing to this recent laziness increase is also the new tent I got since New Zealand and the more exhausting position on the upright bicycle.
Do you use a wide angle lens or a wide angle converter lens?
I’m using a 18-200mm lens from Sigma and am so far really happy with it. It’s a really nice lens for traveling as you get a big range including wide angle. I got the tip from a book called “Digital Photography Vol. 2″ by Scott Kelby.
How do you do panorama photos…do use a special software….?
I have a software for Windows called Autopano PRO which automates a lot of processes in stitching a panorama image. I bet you can find a listing of the features online.
Additionally I had been using another free (of price) software called autostitch that also does a pretty good job.
These days I’m using a dirt slow iBook 600MHz with 640 MB of RAM and the stitching software that came with my Canon Digital Rebel XSi camera – the results are not what I’m hoping for and it takes ages to stitch a panorama – a really hard job! That’s probably why I”m not putting a lot of panos online any more, a fast notebook with decent processor would help a lot.
I’ve also read that the professional Adobe Photoshop software stitches panoramas but I’d call it an overkill to buy such a big and mighty software just for stitching panos.
And what camera are u using currently….?
Since San Diego I’ve been using a Canon Digital Rebel XSi. It’s a wonderful camera and allows me to set the theories and the knowledge about digital photography that I acquired through a lot of reading and testing as well as tips from other photographers I’ve met on my tour into practice.
My old 12x optical zoom Sony DSC-H5 is also a great camera but definitely came to its limits. My father is shooting with it these days (since South America).
The lens is the Sigma 18-200 mm with OS (image stabilization) for Canon EOS cameras.
Additionally I’m currently using a circular polarizer filter, a remote control, a pretty cheap travel tripod – that’s about it.
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