Cycling ALONE in a WARZONE – Ukraine

Ohh jeez 🫣🫣🫣
Hopefully you have hurt yourself very much my Angel 🤗❤❤❤

What an adventure! Keep going my man!
Love to find a small channel with a great character on a personal adventure.

locked in with the zyzn btw hell yeah!

Robbie, I have been watching videos from your trip since yesterday. Finally catch up.
I have to say that the challenge you set is huge for someone who does not ride a bike regularly.
I am not a doctor, so I can't help you with your knee, but I know a little bit about bikes and riding.
I am in my mid-40s, own around 20 bikes and never had a driving licence.

A tip for now:
If you have some tools with you, specifically Allan Keys, please tighten the stem bolts and the shifter.
It may save your life.
Most likely, you will need a 5mm Allan Key to do both. If you are less lucky, you may need 4mm and/or 6mm ones.
Stem bolts are visible and easily accessible. To tighten the shifter, you will have to "peel aside" the rubber hood on the outer side of it. Also, check any other bolts on the bike. Road vibrations tend to loosen them over time.

Another tip would be to wear brighter coloured clothes.
The dark ones, especially black, reflect very little sunlight, making you feel hotter than if you were riding in white, for example.

Now, a few other technical issues.
Did you bed in the brakes? Every time you have a new bike, new brake pads or rotors, you should bed them in. If you don't, you will most likely glaze the braking surface of the pads, making them "slide" and rendering your brakes useless. That would explain poor braking performance and the noise.
Fix: Get new brake pads and bed them in.

Another problem you may have over time is the bag straps "chewing" through the frame of your bike.
When little sand and dust particles get underneath, these straps will constantly rub on the frame tube.
If you leave it like this for long enough, you may damage the frame.
Solution: Wrap the frame with some tape under the straps.

The next one (big one) is the attitude.
From my own experience, I can tell you, the more you worry and complain, the worse the journey gets.
It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy. It also works both ways. So, a positive attitude will make your ride easier.
Set yourself short-term goals and enjoy achieving them, instead of counting down the miles to the end of the whole expedition.

And a few notes for the future:
By many accounts, you chose probably the most uncomfortable saddle in the world. I know that some people swear by it, but there are others too, who really dislike this saddle.

For a journey like this, I would probably install pannier racks at the rear. A backpack will "eat" into your shoulders in no time, so I am glad you finally got rid of it.

Food and water are your fuel. Do not underestimate it! Plan your route so you can always top up.

If your bike frame, fork and rims can take wider tyres, I would go for 50mm +, fast-rolling tyres, for a trip like this.
You don't have to use gravel-specific ones. 29" MTB tyres will work just as good. Better grip, puncture resistance, and you can run lower pressure for even more grip and vibration dumping.

I am looking forward to the rest of your adventure. All the best, or as Ryan Van Duzer (aka Duzer) would say, "No crashes, no flatties, no whammies!"

Go boy! You’ve got my sub and like