Santos
Stories.

Their GPS reads 4994 meters, marking the highest altitude they have reached so far on their trip. Cycling themselves up to almost 5,000 meters fills them with pride and happiness. Danish Santos Riders Martin and Katja are on small dirt roads in the mountains of Peru, following a route known as the Peru Great Divide.

 Martin and Katja
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

Guido and his Santos, named Ziggy, were given an extraordinary opportunity to roam the pristine country of Bhutan for two weeks. They were granted permission, as personal guests to the prime minister, to travel the country without a mandatory guide, government-appointed hotels, sustainable development fees, or even a visa fee. The entrance provided to them was the first of its kind. Truly special and even more so because this story is told by Ziggy!

 Guido & Ziggy
 Santos Travelmaster 2⁺

Santos Rider Kamran is on a journey from the Middle East to Africa. He shares his stunning photographs and inner thoughts along the way. Join him as he reflects on the transformative power of bicycle touring.

 Kamran Ali
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

Guido and his Santos, named Ziggy, were given an extraordinary opportunity to roam the pristine country of Bhutan for two weeks. They were granted permission, as personal guests to the prime minister, to travel the country without a mandatory guide, government-appointed hotels, sustainable development fees, or even a visa fee. The entrance provided to them was the first of its kind. Truly special and even more so because this story is told by Ziggy!

 Ziggy and Guido
 Santos Travelmaster 2⁺

There you are. In Mozambique. With your 13-year-old fully loaded Santos tandem. And a broken rear wheel... This was not the adventure you had in mind. A broken spoke or flat tire perhaps? It turns out to be worse: the flange of the Rohloff hub is broken at one of the spokes. The combined weight of riders, tandem, and baggage is almost 200 kg. Continuing to ride with 31 spokes is not an option.

Santos Rider Guido resigned from his position as a sustainability policy advisor and decided to embark on a study trip to Bhutan, a country with a unique perspective on nature and climate conservation.

In this story, Guido guides you through all the preparations he made before he and his Travelmaster Ziggy took off from the Dutch village of Oud Ade for the Kingdom of Bhutan, positioned on the borders of India and Tibet.

 Guido and Ziggy
 Santos Travelmaster 2⁺

Can you cycle all the way from Holland to Singapore? Santos Riders Audrey and Eloy are giving it a go. After six months and 7000 km they have reached the Central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan. So they are well on their way! Read their inspiring story of heartwarming hospitality from total strangers and the breathtaking natural scenery of Kyrgyzstan.

 Audrey and Eloy
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

Meet 59-year old Patrick van de Walle - a Belgium Santos Rider who took on the challenge of the Atlas Mountain Race. This fixed route, unsupported, single-stage cycling race is not for the faint of heart, as it takes riders through the rugged terrain of Morocco's Atlas and Anti-Atlas mountain ranges. With little tarmac and great distances between resupply points, Patrick's journey was a test of endurance, strength, and determination.

 Patrick van de Walle
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

Today is a big day in my life as I begin my cycling journey across the Middle East & Africa after a gap of almost three years since the last big trip. It feels surreal to hit the road again and leave everything behind despite all the doubts and uncertainties.

 Kamran Ali
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

Early December, Kamran will depart for the Middle East and Africa! Can you help him by connecting with your friends along the route? Kamran would love to meet them. Have you cycled there too? Please leave a comment on his Instagram with your recommendations and things to do.

 Kamran Ali
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

A day before we arrived at the world's largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni, we were invited to sleep at a Bolivian family's house. For the first time in several days, we had access to WiFi. It was slow, but we were able to send Jace, our friend we had cycled with in Argentina, a message with the coordinates of where to meet. Salar de Uyuni covers more than 10.000 square kilometres, so it's not exactly a place where you bump into each other. 

 Martin and Katja
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

Kamran Ali is both a long distance cyclist as well as an outstanding photographer accredited by many including National Geographic. So far, he has covered 50.000 km across 43 countries on four continents. Kamran cycled 10.000 kilometers from Germany to Pakistan and 33.100 kilometers from Ushuaia in Argentina, to Alaska. 

 Kamran Ali
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

Dutch couple Audrey and Eloy have been together for more than 13 years. Not always in the same country though. While Eloy was doing an apprenticeship in South Africa, Audrey was studying in South America. They settled down in Antwerp where Eloy worked as a software consultant and Audrey as a family doctor. Now they have decided to leave everything behind and go on a new adventure, together! Want to find out where they are?

 Audrey and Eloy
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

We have now arrived in Chile and are doing Route 7, Carretera Austral. This is a favorite destination for many travelers because it has beautiful landscapes with mountains, glaciers and many rivers. In the south of Argentina, we dreamed of getting away from the strong headwinds. In Chile, we discover that the grass is greener on the other side of the Andes. The reason? It rains a lot!

 Martin and Katja
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

Easter weekend: three days off instead of two, a recently serviced Santos and sunny weather ahead… Perfect timing for some bikepacking. Going camping for the first time this year. Spending time with friends and family. Being on my bicycle again, spending time outdoors and feeling that sense of freedom!

 Philine Hols
 Santos Cross Lite
3 day trip - 250 km

Tenerife is the 5th island of my Canary trip. After Lanzarote, la Graciosa, Fuerteventura, and Gran Canaria. Could write a story about each individual one since they are so different from each other. But hey, let’s focus a bit. Otherwise this will become a long long story ;)  Some will know Tenerife from the famous long climb to the Volcano of El Teide. Used by many cyclists to train their climbing skills.

 Maud Jansen
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

We knew the wind in Patagonia was going to be strong. Very strong! With nowhere to hide. And the risk of getting blown off our bikes. We also knew it was going to be headwind all the way. So yes, it was going to be quite a battle. Want to know how we survived?  

 Martin and Katja
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

Cycling through countless sunflower fields in France, climbing steep hills in Asturias, eating the best octopus in Galicia and surfing great waves in Ericeira. It was an amazing trip of 2,5 months in which I cycled 3830 kilometers in 44 days from Utrecht to Faro.

 Philine Hols
 Santos Cross Lite

Philine went on her first solo bikepacking trip. From Utrecht to Faro. Check out what she took with her.

 Philine Hols
 Santos Cross Lite

Now at the start! We decided to drastically change our lives and embark on a big cycling adventure: 25.000 km in 20 months. It has taken us almost a year to prepare. Now the big moment is finally here! We have quit our jobs and flown from our home in Denmark to the starting point in Argentina.

Want to know what we had to do to get here? How we decided what to take and what to leave behind? And how we guided our bikes safely through an airline journey with three layovers? 

 Martin and Katja
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

By gravelbike from Portugal to the North Cape. That’s what firefighter and triathlete Serge Fransen is currently doing. Together with his Santos Gravelmaster.

 Serge Fransen
 Santos Gravelmaster

We are Martin (very experienced cyclist) and Katja (cyclist since Summer 2021). Both from Denmark. Both Santos riders. Early 2022 we will embark on a big adventure: we will quit our jobs to cycle from South to North America! 25.000 kilometers in 20 months. In the forthcoming blogs we will tell you all about it. To inspire you and to let you join in the fun!

 Martin and Katja
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

Entrepreneur Bart cycled from Amsterdam to Rome. More than 2300 km in 26 days. He crossed nine very different and beautiful countries. It was Bart’s second long-distance trip. His first on his brand new Santos Travel Lite. His goal was to clear his mind from the strains of daily working life. Want to know if he succeeded? 

 Bart Verleg
 Santos Travel Lite

This past year has been pretty different for most and difficult for some because of Covid. But, the bicycle industry is BOOMING and I see roadbikes and mountainbikes flying by on the road and dirtpath past my tiny cabin all the time. I envy them! I'm not riding by far as much as I'd want to. Wonder why?

 Hera van Willick
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

The new 160W battery charger from Pendix weighs a kilo less than the 200W variant. That sounds attractive, but is it just as good? Ronald Spijkerman tested it for you.

 Ronald Spijkerman
 Travelmaster 3+ PX

Geoff & Agnieszka. Gave it all up and away to live a nomadic life on bicycles in 2017. This is an entry from their journal six weeks and seven countries into their new way of life - as the dream had become their new reality.

 Tracing Horizons
 Santos Travelmaster 2.6

After some pretty cold weeks in the Sierra de Segura, Sierra de Cazorla and the outskirts of the Sierra Nevada I was greeted with more friendly temperatures in the region of Ronda. Despite lovely sunshine during the day, the nights were still chilly (read: freezing) and challenge came in the form of mud and curious pigs. But the nature of southern Spain was still dazzling and at the small cafes in the characteristic villages I was always welcomed with a smile. After 1,5 months of trails in beautiful Andalusia I reached the harbourcity of Cadiz at the Atlantic ocean, the end of the Altravesur route and the first and longest leg of my trip.

 Hera van Willick
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

“You don’t have to cycle around the world for adventure!” – Linda and Dirk are not top athletes or record holders. They are simply enthusiastic touring cyclists from Belgium. For 10 years now, the two of them have been travelling on different routes within Europe.

Linda & Dirk
 Santos 4.29
 Travelmaster 2.9

It was one year ago. When I didn't have to check the 'Foreign Affairs' website to see if Spain had a code yellow, orange or red or worry about mouth masks or lockdowns. I travelled to Spain to go on a 2,5 month off road bikepacking trip in Andalusia and its surrounding regions. My only worries at that time were my rear brake and the weather report. Cause it turned out... it gets pretty cold in southern Spain at this time of year. Much much colder than I'd anticipated....

 Hera van Willick
 Santos Travelmaster 3⁺

After more than 30 years of corporate life, this Dutch-Flemish couple decided to take the plunge and start traveling the American continents.

Spinning South
 Travelmaster 3+

Only when you have been here you would understand what they mean with Patagonian winds. Only when you have been outside when nature is a raging beast you understand when they say the wind can be brutal and can drive you insane.

What a coincidence, being born in ‘65 and turning 54 while Frank turns 65 the next day, being born in ‘54.

How do you know that you still will have to bike quite some steep part up-hill? When oncoming motorcycles have switched their engines off.

I'm making my way up to Canada and go through some of the less populated areas of the U.S. It's noticeable in Montana as they even have cattleguards on the roads connecting to the freeways.

Why is it that when you are in your “nothing box” you come up with the most brilliant ideas, think of the most beautiful sentences and construct a great story, but once you find the time to write them down they have all gone? I can go into my nothing box when biking is not too difficult, not too strenuous and preferably monotone. Bit like getting in a runners high.

We spend the week with Romain from France, and encounter a black bear while cycling from Jeffrey City to Teton National Park Wyoming. We cycle on the Trans American bicycle route.

Planning with the certainty you will have to be flexible to change is a given when you are travelling by bike. We did not reach Molleturo on Saturday evening but for the first time during our biking travels we spent a night at the community center of a 35 people counting community.

'Today was probably the toughest day I had while cycling.'

The do's and dont's of transporting your touring bicycle by aeroplane. By Spinning South.

Instead of going on the highways to Moab I decide to go through parts of The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It will be fun they said, and sure it was :D

I ran out of water on Native American lands....

While cycling through the US I come across many different personalities, one of them being Walker out of Louisiana.

Tag along as I discover The Big Easy; we talk to street artists, dine out, go to the WWII museum, Cafe Du Monde, Bourbon Street, and just hang out with me being me!

I arrive in New Orleans. The city of blues, jazz and Mardi Gras!

I go through a hurricane zone and meet with a christian fanatic.

I cycle and wild camp through Florida! See what I see and join me as I embark on my 13,000 km ride all over the US.

I have arrived in Orlando, Florida, United States, to go on my most adventourus route yet. 13,000 kilometers, 16 states, two countries, 47 national parks.

It was not as easy to depart on my trip as I first thought, haha.

How silence can sooth the nerves. Being at a place without sound pollution, only the crashing of the waves. Think about all the noise pollution our civilization is forcing up on us. When was the last time you did not hear any artificial sound?

This summer we came in contact with the Swedish Youtuber Marcus Perfjell (Bikflow). Last year he cycled to Nepal, now his plan is to go to America.

After three ‘turbulent’ flights I arrived in Calgary in (two) pieces. Stan, who follows my blog, picked me up from the airport. This Polish man opened his home to me and before I put down my head we had a (typical Polish) lovely light meal of bread and butter, different cheeses, meat and pickles. The next morning I left for Banff.

It feels like I’m cycling in Central Asia. The landscape is wide and wavy with brown and green tones and a lake here and there. I’m in Connemara. From Killarney I headed north.

It has only been two weeks since I got on my new bicycle in Tilburg to head south. First into Belgium, then France, England and Wales. Now I’ve arrived to Fishguard, my last stop before getting on the ferry to Ireland.

2 months in the Netherlands after 13 months living as a nomad. What’s that like? First of all, it’s great to talk my native language again. No matter how fluent my English is, it’s still different to express myself in the language I grew up speaking.

If you turn your holiday into your daily life, it’s no longer a holiday. Twelve years ago I got on my bicycle for my first cycling trip. My motivation: independency, to see the world, curiosity, challenge and to grow as a human being.

‘You haven’t been gone that long yet..‘ my brother said to me on the phone this morning, as we casually discussed when I might be in the Netherlands again. Amazing how perception of time can differ.

A trip is like a dish, a combination of ingredients. Sometimes it’s like a three course menu; a memorable starter (where and how I wake up), a sublime main course (the bikeride itself) and a delicious dessert (the arrival and the evening).