what to carry when out biking for a day.

alhabet

hi, iam after some advice about what peoplr carry when they go out biking for a few hours. iam after as much advise has i can get. on what to carry, what you think is the best multi tool to carry and does anybody use saddle packs or do you carry everything in your rucksack. iam quite new to mountain biking and find it really good fun. but i get loads of different advice of varies bikeshops and just wanted to hear from people that ride regularlly. thanks

t0pc4t

I carry a rucksack with a hydropack and take the following:

2 x innertubes
1 x multitool (topeak alien)
1 set tyre levers
1 x mini pump
phone
fags
lighter
waterproof jacket

I'm generally out for 2 -3 hours but live right next to the woods I ride in.

weeksy59

t0pc4t wrote:

I carry a rucksack with a hydropack and take the following:

2 x innertubes
1 x multitool (topeak alien)
1 set tyre levers
1 x mini pump
phone
fags
lighter
waterproof jacket

I'm generally out for 2 -3 hours but live right next to the woods I ride in.

Simillar but 1 tube and a Slime patch kit.
I don't worry about a jacket...the ammount i sweat, i'm soaked whether it's raining or not...

cooldad

Pretty much as above, with a few spare powerlinks

ilovedirt

Cable ties

Anonymous

food
spare tube
puncture repair kit
pump
park multitool.
Spoke tool.
Chain tool.
Waterproof jacket if the weather's hit-and-miss.

Sometimes a camera.

.blitz

Inner tube
Lezyne pump
Lezyne multitool
Gerber pliers/knife/saw thing
Lezyne patch kit
Chain link thing
Gaffa tape
Assortment of cable ties
Phone (obv)

Have never failed to get back to base and have fixed a few other people's bikes as well.

alcc@runbox.com

i always carry all of my bits and bobs in my rucksack as this allows you to lower your seat fully when doing steep drops and gets rid of the annoying rattle from items in the saddle pack bashing around on the tracks. don't put your mobile in your saddle pack either - my mate sent me 480 texts he'd sent to his previous evening's conquest as it kept hitting repeat as he rode around his course.
I carry: Hydrapack
Energy / cereal bars - they don't melt.
2 x inner tube
puncture repair kit
mini pump
topeak mini tool kit
allen keys
compressed air pump - this lets you get the solidity in the tyres you can't get with a mini pump and saves loads of energy also.
mobile - in case of emergency
& a St. Christopher on the advice of my mates every time they see my riding style.
hope this helps, best of luck

Anonymous

ooh, just realised that bit.
I avoid saddle packs like the plague. The trouble with them is they seem intent on committing suicude, and since they're below and behind you, you'll never know they've done it, until you stop to fix a puncture, then just go to the bag for your pum.... oh

I've had it happen far too many times, as has my father, and several mates. So, Camelbak all the way for me, for about 15 years now.

alhabet

thanks for the advice, so far...

wobbem

multi tool- does bl**dy everything
pump
spare tube
spare patches, glue
chain quick link
energy bar
phone+cash
spare brake pads (latest addition after lesson learnt a few weeks back)

benpinnick

+1 for spare disc pads!

benpinnick

+1 for spare disc pads!

cooldad

.blitz wrote:

Inner tube
Lezyne pump
Lezyne multitool
Gerber pliers/knife/saw thing
Lezyne patch kit
Chain link thing
Gaffa tape
Assortment of cable ties
Phone (obv)

Have never failed to get back to base and have fixed a few other people's bikes as well.

Obviously a brand whore.

@yeehaa I used a saddle bag for ages until I got sick of the guys mocking me about my knitting needles rattling around. A camelbak type thing is the sensible option.

1mancity2

Same as most above with the addition of a small first aid kit.

Lewis A

mostly as above in my camelbak, but i do use a fox mini saddle pack in which i have a:

1. buff
2. one of my two first aid kits (with different things in each)
3. puncture repair kit (pointless as i don't take a pump with me as i only have one with wrong valve)

its ok but i have found the plastic zip ends rattle against crud guard, so i tied them together. i don't keep anything damageable in the saddle pack as every ride it seems to get wet even with mudguard beneath it!

Kaise

[quote-"yeeha"]I avoid saddle packs like the plague. The trouble with them is they seem intent on committing suicude, [/quote]

with you on this, but i have started using a lucozade drinks bottle as a tool holder

containing
1 Tube
2 tyre levers
2 tywraps
1 multitool (Topeak Mini 20)
2 ish Patches w/Glue/Chalk
Pump is attached to the frame with a clip thing.
£10 emergency cash

This is ok if I am out for 2 hours locally but if heading out for longer or further i stuff it all in my hydrapak and add in another tube, coat, peanut butter and jam sarnie, two knog lights incase i get stuck and the light disappears on me.

Lewis A

mostly as above in my camelbak, but i do use a fox mini saddle pack in which i have a:

1. buff
2. one of my two first aid kits (with different things in each)
3. puncture repair kit (pointless as i don't take a pump with me as i only have one with wrong valve)

its ok but i have found the plastic zip ends rattle against crud guard, so i tied them together. i don't keep anything damageable in the saddle pack as every ride it seems to get wet even with mudguard beneath it!

Tim.s

For less than a couple of hours, a backpack with a tube, pump, patches, tyre levers, multitool (Park tools one not sure which model), powerlnks, water, phone. I always have a couple of odd bolts and a cabletie too. Sometimes a powerbar or a flapjack too.

Ive also got one of those U-Tag things so if im found with my face completely smashed off the hospital can give the missus the good news.

Try and get a multi tool with a decent chain tool and carry some sram powerlinks, that way you can always fix a snapped chain quickly and easily.

Anonymous

1 or 2 tubes
multi tool
chain tool
powerlinks - lots of them
brake pads
tyre levers
basic first aid stuff to patch people up
phone to call the ambulance, GPS essential
combined tyre & shock pump
change of lenses for shades
paracetamol in case I've been on the beers the night before
snack
water
wallet
car keys

and sometimes my SLR camera!

all fits into a Hawg

getonyourbike

I take this all in my Evoc 16l hydration pack:
X3 tubes
Puncture Repair Kit
Topeak Mini 20 Pro Multitool (very good chain tool and also a spoke tool)
Lezyne HVG Micro Floor Drive Pump (none of this tiny little mini pump cr@p)
X3 Tyre Levers
Quite a few KMC Missing Links
Gaffa Tape (ripped sidewalls)
3 or 4 cable ties
Spare Mech Hanger
Universal Mech Hanger
Shock Pump
Little light set
Spare Brake Pads
Gerber Multi Suspension Tool (pliers, knife, scissors, saw, screwdrivers, bottle opener etc)
Water (3l bladder, as much needed depending on weather and ride length)
Waterproof Jacket (If weather is a bit iffy)
Food (crisps, Haribo, flapjack)
Phone
Keys
Bit of money
Some Hayfever tabets
Bottle of isotonic drink like High 5 from my free sample collection (just for long rides)
Full Face if I'm off to the DH track

chiefinspector

Pretty much as above but also take some duct tape. Has come in handy on a few occasions and can give a temporary repair to a great number of things.

snowden_88

Basic Camelbak classic 2l
A fiver (for the pub on the way home)
2 patches
An innertube which I cram into a waterbottle on the bike
A shitty pump, Im better off just getting my mouth around the valve "ooo errr"A choccy bar
A multitool
tyre levers

giblets

Seems some of you take the kitchen sink out with you!!
In several years of riding I have never needed a chain tool, but guess i depends on the riding you do.
I have saddle bag, which contains:
Inner Tube,
Glueless patches,
Multi-tool
Tyre Levers
Pump (on frame)
Keys
Drink (on frame)

Longer Rides (2hrs +)
Phone,
Cash
Cable Ties
Jacket (winter only)
Energy (haribo, energy bar etc)
Tube (+1 over above!)

Not done anything 'epic' so reckon a lot of stuff can wait til you get home (pads, spokes etc), if you don't mind taking it easy for the remaining couple of miles, but guess you should always check them before you head out.

Daz555

Tube
Patches
Duck tape
Zip ties
Powerlink
Multitool
Mini pliers
Mini pump
Mobile
Water
Snacks.

njee20

Never cease to be amazed by the crap some people carry :-)

- tube if I see one as I walk out the door, or it's a really long ride
- CO2 Pump and a couple of cannisters
- Hexus multitool with chain tool
- £10
- Phone

Never had a problem with that lot! If I was riding in the sort of conditions that trashed my brake pads the last thing I'd want to do is stand at the side of the trail changing them, you can still stop, ish, after all!

homers_double

Pump
2 tubes
spare cable
tyre levers
multi tool
powerlinks
phone
random small change
food if I'm out for a while, usually a breakfast bar or something similar

Anonymous

giblets wrote:

In several years of riding I have never needed a chain tool, but guess i depends on the riding you do.

Mine's mostly used to fix other people's chains not mine. Same with the tubes!

Think on group rides it would be better to allocate some mug to carry all the spares so the rest don't have to

cooldad

Err you are the mug, mug.

bails87

I've had to fix a few chains, mine at least once, had to bodge mechs to run properly when a cable has snapped. I carry a spare gear inner, so if it goes at the start of the ride I can spend 5 mins repairing it. And then obviously I've had to repair punctures.

Njee: what's the point of carrying CO2 if you don't always have a tube, and you don't carry a puncture repair kit?

FWIW, I carry:
1 or 2 inner tubes
Puncture repair kit
A few cable ties
Pump
Shock pump at the moment as I'm still playing around with my new forks
Pair of brake pads
Lezyne multitool with chainbreaker
Powerlinks (the chain breaker is pretty useless without these)
Space blanket
Small first aid kit
Phone
£10 note

The multitool, pump and repair kit are essential. Anything else is pretty negligible in terms of weight and space compared to the bag itself and the 2 litres of water inside it.

getonyourbike

I probably carry more than I need but I like being able to get back to base no matter what happens instead of having to call for a pick up.