The off-road adventure of a lifetime has been planned by Tom Allen (24), of Middleton, and Andrew Welch (24), of Stoke Albany, who will set off to see the world from their Northamptonshire homes on Sunday.

The freelance web designers, who went to school together in Kettering, hope to spend up to four years visiting 50 different countries by pedal power and sleeping in tents.

They plan to travel through Europe from France and over the Alps to the Mediterranean, on to the Balkans and the Middle East, across the Indian Sub Continent to Eastern Asia and then down to Australasia before crossing to South America, the USA and Canada.

Tom, who completed a degree in computer science at Exeter University, said they decided to go travelling while they were studying two years ago. He said: “I had just bought a cycling guide to going around the world and was reading it outside, when I got a text from Andy saying ‘Mate, I’ve decided to travel around the world.

“I sent one back saying, ‘Funny that, I’ve just bought a guide to cycling around the world.’”

They will visit some of the most inhospitable parts of the world – politically and environmentally – and plan to camp wild and buy food where they can.

Their bikes are made from steel and can be soldered and repaired using their own tools as they travel inaccessible ancient trade routes and pilgrim trails.

Both have been training in the ancient Japanese martial art of warfare, Nin Po, and are ready to live by their wits.

They hope to inspire people to adopt a more environmentally sound approach to travelling.

Andy, who has a degree in Environmental Economics and Ecology from York University and has worked in Croatia as a mountain bike guide, said: “We’re going to avoid air travel as much as possible.

“We’re trying to make a statement that you don’t have to get on a plane to enjoy yourself travelling.

“You don’t have to fly somewhere you know nothing about and be cushioned in a hotel.”

Many organisations have shown interest in their travels and they have enough sponsorship to fund their trip and also raise money for conservation charity The Wilderness Foundation.

En route, they will work as ambassadors for charity Wheels4Life, identifying people in need and buying them bikes on the charity’s behalf.