I’m excited to announce the all-new 2023 KOGA WorldTraveller touring bikes!
The replace brings clearance for wider tyres (2.8″), suspension fork compatibility, thru-axles, an elevated weight restrict, a better body stiffness, an built-in rack, and a taller and extra secure geometry – amongst different issues.
As normal, there’s a normal construct (lowest price), in addition to highly-customisable customized builds (KOGA Signature program).
On this article, I need to look at the entire particulars of this new design. That is partly to maintain you knowledgeable, but additionally to fulfill my very own curiosity (I can be getting a brand new WorldTraveller shortly!).
Who’s the KOGA WorldTraveller For?
The 2023 KOGA WorldTraveller is a really robust, very succesful, and really low-maintenance touring bike. It’s obtainable in each a typical diamond body in addition to a step-through body design.
The aluminium body and fork are engineered to be significantly stiff so as to carry every part – together with the kitchen sink – and nonetheless obtain a really secure experience. The chosen parts on the mannequin you select are essentially the most dependable at every given value level. This ensures part failure is completely minimised.
The WorldTraveller can experience effectively throughout totally different street surfaces around the globe. It comes with 29″ x 2.2″ tyres (55-622) as normal, which is a perfect width for each pavement and easy filth roads.
However the body can also be able to becoming a smaller diameter 27.5″ wheelset, albeit with wider 2.8″ tyres (584-72). Sand and tough 4×4 tracks needs to be no drawback with a bit of additional quantity.
You can also spec the KOGA WorldTraveller precisely how you want utilizing their on-line bike configurator. It provides price to customized construct a motorbike, however you’ll be able to select the color you actually like, in addition to a Rohloff 14-speed inner gear hub and belt drivetrain (my choice for world touring).
KOGA place a lifetime guarantee on the body for the unique proprietor, which is for much longer than comparable touring bike producers reminiscent of Tout Terrain (5 years) and Idworx (six years).
Who’s the KOGA WorldTraveller NOT For?
The WorldTraveller is a thoroughbred touring bike. In the event you’re not planning to journey with heavy masses, this bike won’t be for you.
This body is taken into account overbuilt for normal commuting or sporty rides. Because of this whenever you experience a WorldTraveller with out baggage, you’ll possible discover the excessive bike weight (18kg/40lb) and excessive body rigidity.
Fortunately, KOGA has different a lot lighter and extra appropriate bikes of their product vary for commuting or leisure.
My Involvement With KOGA
I’ve been a KOGA Ambassador for over 5 years now, so there isn’t any doubt a few of my suggestions has labored its means onto this new bike.
I’ve taken my KOGA WorldTraveller throughout the most popular deserts, into icy snowfields, by dense jungles, alongside seashores, up muddy tracks, and to the highest of the best street on the planet (nearly 6000 metres!). I lately calculated that I’ve cycled over 60,000km on WorldTravellers – totally on filth roads.
The one factor I’ve damaged to this point is one spoke (this doesn’t embrace the time I fell off a cliff with my bike and made a multitude of issues, or when a stick went into my spokes). It’s greatest to watch my video evaluation of the bike to see what has labored for me and what has not.
By way of upkeep, all I do semi-regularly is change my brake pads and hold my belt clear. The Rohloff hub will get an oil change twice a 12 months, and I give my hydraulic brakes new mineral oil yearly. That’s about it.
Proper, let’s take a look at the brand new options.
New Options
Suspension Fork Suitable
The brand new body can use a suspension fork or a inflexible fork, relying in your choice.
The brand new 63mm journey suspension fork will take up greater hits on the street and path offering a smoother and extra confidence-inspiring experience – with additional traction. However it would additionally add weight (800g/1.8lb), price (€250) and require ongoing upkeep.
The inflexible fork is essentially the most reliable setup and is best suited to carrying baggage. It may possibly match a entrance rack, cargo cages, and even a kickstand.
A suspension fork may be bought later within the case of the usual construct (about €400), or you’ll be able to configure the suspension fork from the manufacturing unit with KOGA’s Signature program.
180kg Weight Restrict
The KOGA WorldTraveller is now licensed for 180kg/400lb.
Which means you’ll be able to weigh 100kg/220lb, your bike may be 20kg/44lb and you may nonetheless load it up with 60kg/132lb of substances, meals, and water for crossing the Australian Outback. Your body received’t care one bit.
It’s value noting that whereas the earlier KOGA WorldTraveller was solely licensed for 130kg, it was engineered to exceed this determine by a big margin. The rationale the load score is a lot decrease is just that 130kg was the utmost take a look at score obtainable when the body was in growth.
Extra Tyre Clearance
KOGA has elevated the tyre clearance by a good bit.
The body will now comfortably slot in 2.2″ tyres (29″/700C wheels) or 2.8″ tyres (27.5″/650B) with full fenders. However based mostly on the picture above, the utmost tyre clearance seems to be prefer it may very well be as large as 29 x 2.4″ with the precise tyre and rim mixture.
The 29″ rims have an inside rim diameter of 30mm (a perfect measurement), and the 27.5″ rims bounce as much as 35mm (additionally perfect).
Via Axles
The brand new WorldTraveller now comes with thru-axles.
Whereas it’s exhausting to seek out somebody who has had an issue with quick-release axles, thru-axles enable for an excellent stiffer body and fork, higher suiting the bigger diameter 180mm and 203mm rotor sizes now on provide.
Sliding Rear Dropouts
The rear dropouts are actually sliding. This isn’t a very necessary element for the derailleur model of the bike however will make belt rigidity adjustment a bit simpler for individuals who go for the Rohloff 14-speed hub.
KOGA Entrance Rack
The entrance lowrider rack is made by KOGA particularly for this WorldTraveller. The rack retains your entrance baggage low to the bottom and is rated for 7.5kg on all sides (you actually don’t need any extra).
There’s even an built-in kickstand mount that helps to cease the wheel from flopping when the bike is parked.
KOGA Rear Built-in Rack
KOGA have gone in-house on the rear rack too. This semi-integrated design is a part of the body and thus supplies additional rigidity in comparison with an everyday rack.
The load capability is now as much as 45kg/100lb, which is greater than nearly each rack obtainable (for reference, Surly metal racks are 36kg/80lb).
I feel I might’ve performed with a bit additional rack stiffness once I was carrying 25 litres of water (heavy!) within the distant sections of Australia.
Modular Rail System (MRS)
On the downtube, you’ll discover the MRS or Modular Rail System.
That is really fairly cool as you’ll be able to add mounting factors wherever you want alongside the rail, making it appropriate for a number of water bottles or cargo cages.
Complicated Body Shapes & Tremendous Clean Welds
KOGA have gone for bigger diameter triple-butted aluminium tubes to maximise the body stiffness and power, with out including an excessive amount of weight.
All the pieces is held along with glassy-looking tremendous easy welds. A really spectacular element.
Internally Guided Cables
The KOGA WorldTraveller bikes have had fully-guided cables for a very long time now.
Whereas some bikes simply have an enormous ol’ gap within the aspect of the body for his or her inner routing (cable rattle!), the WorldTraveller frames use inner tubes that information the cables precisely the place they should go. This makes cable adjustments straightforward and ends in zero noise.
You possibly can see a cross-section of the earlier WorldTraveller body HERE.
The 2023 KOGA WorldTraveller Body Geometry
With a brand new body design, additionally comes a barely longer and far more upright body geometry. The steering traits of the bike are only a contact slower than beforehand (<10% extra path).
The entrance peak of the body (stack) is taller by 25-50mm (1-2″) throughout the complete measurement vary. This largely determines how excessive your handlebars may be set; a taller entrance finish will assist riders to get their handlebars to their most popular peak, with out resorting to a compromised adjustable stem or a bunch of headset spacers.
The chainstays (rear centre) have grown however it’s simply 7mm to steadiness out the additional 40mm that has been added to the entrance centre. The ensuing longer wheelbase will make sure the bike is extra secure, even on rougher roads.
You possibly can see the brand new body geometry for the ‘gents’ body HERE and the ‘combined’ body HERE.
KOGA Signature Program
KOGA help you customise a WorldTraveller precisely to your wants.
You’ll have a alternative between the marvellous Rohloff 14-speed inner gear hub with belt drive (that is what I exploit), or a extra widespread Shimano XT 30-speed derailleur drivetrain. You too can improve every part to max (or take away it) in the event you like: dynamo hubs, dynamo lights, USB chargers, saddle, stem, handlebar, tyres and far more.
There are 10 normal paint colors to select from and over 200 customized RAL colors. You possibly can have your title or a message painted on the body. These frames are all painted within the Netherlands, and as soon as the paint is dry, an authorized mechanic constructs your bike from begin to end.
When you’ve chosen every part within the on-line configurator, you’ll see each the load and value of the bike. In the event you prefer it, you’ll be able to order it. After 10-12 weeks, your customized bike can be shipped anyplace on the planet, direct to your door (through DHL). Alternatively, you are able to do this all by a motorbike store that sells KOGA bikes (Europe solely).
I made a movie concerning the KOGA manufacturing unit once I visited; you’ll be able to see how the bikes come collectively HERE.
KOGA WorldTraveller Normal Specification
The usual-spec WorldTraveller is fitted out with a Shimano Deore XT T8000 groupset. This 3×10 derailleur drivetrain has been round for an extended whereas now, however is dependable, and affords a good gear vary, low climbing gear, and small gear steps.
The bike comes with well-known touring parts reminiscent of Busch & Muller dynamo lights, an SP PD-8X dynamo hub, Ursus kickstands, an Axa lock, water bottles, SKS fenders, KOGA racks, and two water bottles.
To complete off the construct, the bike comes with Schwalbe Marathon Effectivity tyres, which have been independently examined to be one of many quickest touring tyres obtainable (they’ve a low rolling resistance plus nice puncture resistance).
How A lot Does The New KOGA WorldTraveller Price?
The worth for the usual bike above is €2749 with all equipment included.
KOGA Signature customized bikes begin at about €3500 with Shimano XT derailleur gears. Anticipate nearer to €5000 for a motorbike with the additional low-maintenance Rohloff 14-speed hub and belt drive.
Abstract
The brand new 2023 KOGA WorldTraveller is a step ahead in some ways.
The taller and extra secure body geometry will help you experience much more comfortably without having an adjustable stem or a number of headset spacers.
The bike is very configurable, suiting each a round-the-world journey on paved roads (inflexible, narrower tyres) or filth roads (suspension, wider tyres). You actually don’t want to fret about your physique weight, water weight, or the gear you’re lugging about – the body is constructed particularly stiff and has a really excessive weight allowance.
You may have a alternative of body design (step-through or common), and thru the Signature program, a alternative of drivetrain, body color, and nearly each part on the bike.
I’m wanting ahead to displaying you my private bike once I get the prospect to choose it up in June.
For extra info, head on over to the KOGA web site.
