the bicycle that traversed the uninhabited zone in 77 days

This year, films themed around Tibetan culture have been quite popular. From 'Paths of the Soul' and 'Soul on a String' to the recently released 'Seventy-Seven Days,' the sacred Tibetan Plateau has become a haven for more and more people who love life and adventure, seeking to cleanse their souls and explore the unknown.

In the film 'Seventy-Seven Days,' Zhao Hantang, who serves as the director, screenwriter, and lead actor, portrays the real-life adventurer Yang Liusong, who experienced the 'seventy-seven days' journey. Together with his red bicycle, they traverse the remote wildernesses of Hoh Xil, Altun Mountains, Kunlun Mountains, Northern Tibet, and Qaidam Basin, places filled with endless beauty and peril.

Friends familiar with Codoon cycling must know what Bass Cat is going to talk about next—yes, today we are going to 'uncover' the origin, configuration, and price of the red bicycle that accompanied the protagonist into the uninhabited area of Qiangtang in 'Seventy-Seven Days.'

The bicycle in 'Seventy-Seven Days' is a 2014 model Charger 7.2 mountain bike from the Canadian brand Norco. It features a Norco Charger 6061 aluminum alloy frame, one of the most widely used materials in bicycle part manufacturing. The design of the curved tubes makes the bike look lighter. With the same frame size, the curved frame compresses more space than traditional straight frames, allowing for more flexibility and better handling during off-road cycling, making it very suitable for the complex terrain of the Tibetan Plateau's uninhabited areas.

However, during road cycling, the riding experience of a curved frame mountain bike is slightly inferior to that of a straight frame. Many modern road bike frames also have curved top tubes, but they curve upwards, allowing airflow to pass more smoothly through the frame and structurally enhancing the frame's rigidity.

This mountain bike's suspension system uses the 2013 XC30 TK suspension fork from the American professional suspension manufacturer RockShox. The suspension travel is 100mm, and the suspension structure is an oil-spring system (spring + hydraulic suspension). The rebound damping can be adjusted to control the rebound speed of the fork and can be locked on paved roads where suspension is not needed.

The blue knob on the right side of the fork crown is used to control the lockout system. When turned backward, the lockout system opens, turning the suspension fork into a 'rigid fork.' When turned forward, the lockout system closes, and the suspension system returns to normal operation.

The bike's shifting system uses the X5 components from the American brand SRAM, positioned as professional entry-level in SRAM's mountain bike components. Its reliable performance and strength make it very suitable for long-distance cycling. Although it is not as light or precise as higher-end components, it is more than sufficient for practical long-distance riding. It is worth mentioning that although the bike's shifting components are SRAM X5, the front derailleur is from the Shimano Deore series. In the past, SRAM's front derailleurs needed improvement, but they have significantly improved in recent years. The bike's shifting system has 3x10 speeds.

The braking system uses Shimano Deore M445 hydraulic disc brakes.

The crankset is from the FSA brand's Gamma Drive, with three chainrings having 42/32/24 teeth. The bottom bracket is also from FSA, model Mega Exo.

The wheelset configuration includes SRAM MTH-406 hubs (front and rear axles) and Alex TD26 rims, paired with Schwalbe Rapid Rob tires.

The handlebar, stem, and seat post are all manufactured by Norco, made of aluminum alloy, with a black/red color scheme that matches the bike very well.

The saddle is also from Norco. Although it is color-matched specifically for the Charger 7.2, it might not be the best choice for long-distance riding if not used for filming. A thicker saddle would be more comfortable for long rides.

In 'Seventy-Seven Days,' this Norco Charger 7.2 was also equipped with front and rear racks for carrying luggage, which is essential for any long-distance touring bike. The luggage and gear carried on the bike for the seventy-seven-day journey can be described as a 'mobile camp.'

The 2014 Norco Charger 7.2 mountain bike was priced at approximately $1045, equivalent to about 6500 RMB (2014 exchange rate). The same model is now discontinued, and if you want to buy one, you can only hope to find it in the second-hand market. The latest Charger models come in both men's and women's versions. In the two pictures below, the gray one is the men's version, and the white one is the women's version.

The images in this article are sourced from the internet and are for exchange and learning purposes only. They have no commercial use. If there is any infringement, please inform us for deletion.