CHILL Expedition – Day 16

Update Description (written by Nils)

Hello dear followers,

I woke up this morning full of excitement, knowing that today was meant to be a big milestone — my approach toward Sydney, one of the major highlights of this journey. After a wonderful night with a kind local family here in Kangy Angy, I was treated to a generous breakfast that gave me plenty of energy for the road ahead. It’s moments like these that remind me how special this adventure is — not just the riding, but the people along the way.

The morning ride itself was beautiful. The Central Coast region has a very different feeling to the open coastal stretches I’ve been riding. Here, the road winds through dense Australian bushland, with towering eucalyptus trees and thick forest that feels ancient. Some sections pass through areas once known for timber harvesting, with massive old-growth trees lining the route. Riding through these quiet forests, hearing only the hum of the trike and the sounds of wildlife, is something I will not forget.

However, not everything went to plan today.

I had been hearing a slight clicking sound coming from the rear left wheel, so I decided to stop into a local bike shop in Gosford to get it checked. Unfortunately, the news was not great — the bearings in the wheel had failed. While this is obviously frustrating, it was also something that made sense considering what we’ve been through over the past days.

The rough bush tracks and uneven terrain I rode earlier in the trip had already caused a bolt in the rear hub to come loose. Even though that issue was addressed at the time, it seems the movement that occurred during those rough sections has now taken its toll on the bearing.

After a quick call with Michael, we came up with a plan. Spare parts are now on their way, but it meant I had to turn back and ask my hosts if I could stay another night. Thankfully, they welcomed me back without hesitation. I even had the chance to help out around the property with some whipper snipping and spent time entertaining the kids — a great reminder that even on difficult days, there are always positives.

In total, I rode about 20 km out to Gosford and back today. While I didn’t make it closer to Sydney, I still feel like the journey continues forward in its own way.

This is all part of long-distance touring — not everything goes perfectly, but every challenge is an experience, and every setback is part of the story.

A Note from Michael

The bearing failure we’re seeing here is directly linked to the earlier issue with the loose bolt in the rear hub. When that bolt loosened on the rough bush tracks, it allowed slight lateral movement in the left rear wheel.

Under normal smooth road conditions, this would have been immediately noticeable. However, because Nils was riding over very rough terrain at the time, the movement was masked by the surface conditions and went undetected.

That small amount of repeated side-to-side movement has effectively “hammered” the outer bearing over time, leading to premature failure.

While this is obviously inconvenient, it is not entirely unexpected given the extreme conditions this trike has been subjected to — long distances, rough bush tracks, and heavy load touring. In many ways, this is a real-world stress test, and it’s highlighting exactly where improvements and reinforcements are most critical.

The important part is that the issue is isolated to the same location as the original fault. With new bearings, proper reassembly, and the correct use of Loctite to secure the system, we fully expect the trike to continue the remainder of the journey without further problems.

Parts are currently on their way via Australia Post. While the bearings are a common item, they were unfortunately not available locally on the Central Coast.

If you would like to see more footage and updates from the journey, you can follow the adventure on Instagram at @beyond.nils.

Key Takeaway: Even the best equipment can be pushed to its limits under extreme conditions — but with preparation, support, and the right mindset, every setback becomes part of the journey and an opportunity to improve.