I keep learning the hard way and then figuring out what I should have carried with me on >6 hr rides. Doh!

In addition to food + drink, puncture repair kit / spare tubes and a mini tool (alien 2) I take spare pads, cable ties, long nosed pliers, – what essential or slightly quirky kit to you take that might save the long walk back? Cheers

Quick links

tire boot

Yeah toothpaste tube for a tyre boot. Maybe a chain splitter if there’s not one on the tool

Spare pads shouldn’t normally be neccesary, unless you ride somewhere gritty… That’s something better taken care of before the ride. Good preperation is more effective than carrying tons of kit.

Quicklinks, definately. Money- might be obvious but after accidentally going out for a ride with no cash, I stuck a £20 note in with my little bag of tools and spares. Mech hanger as appropriate. And I have a single spare M5 and M6 bolt, in case of falling out.

Some sort of warm garment in case of mechanical disaster in bad weather. Something that doesn’t take up loads of space.

spare legs/lungs

Quick links, do actually have them
Alien tool has handy chain spitter and wee wire to hold the ends together
Never thought of a tyre boot. @ scratch colgate or aquafresh?
Cheers northwind, sage advice re money. Will add a mech hanger to the list and a couple of bolts for good measure
@ g_l, good thinking.
@ bruneep, is that an offer?

Keep them coming!

Some gaffer tape wrapped around your pump. And a couple of zip ties. Good for bodging stuff back together.

Some oil – I use one of those little fishes you get with sushi – good for one chain application and weighs nothing.

Spare cleat bolt. I’ve never needed one but have handed them out twice.

Mind you mine always seem to end up welded into the shoe…

Always have a set of pads in, just easier really.

Spare links and tool for chain

Fizzy Snakes

First aid kit (used again on Sunday)
Space blanket – never used one in 30 years of walking/climbing, but…
Latex gloves
Gel
One gear cable
2 co2 cannisters – run tubeless
Tyre boot (3″x3″ piece cut from an old tyre)

Mech hanger!

Gel or some fast energy stashed somewhere, for when it all goes tits and you need that pick me up to get home.

@b r
Latex gloves & gel?

You’re not from round here, are you, boy? 😉

Map & Compass

Brake pad springs & spare bolt / split pin for when you drop one in the grass.

Small knife.

Nurofen.

My tool kit has:

Pump
Lights (headtorch & rear light)
2 Inner tubes
Emergency Poncho
Alien multi-tool
Leatherman
Spare brake pads
Tyre boots
Gear cable
Random set of bolts inc SPD, chainring bolts, etc
DUCT tape wrapped round pencil
Puncture repair stuff
Cable ties
Mini shock pump

Then my Camelbak always has a First Aid Kit, Space blanket, whistle and compass in it + iPhone booster battery

I’d really suggest a couple of good mates! Most valuable thing you can pack. Failing that a bike mechanic and an A&E Doctor

+1 for gloves. Better than getting covered in dirt/chain gunk when doing repairs.

Love the gaffer/ duct tape idea + oil in sushi fish 😀
Spare bolts..yup should have been on the list

Not sure about the gloves, as a wee bit of dirt/ muck is usually the sign of a good ride 😕

+1 for medical kit – and I’ve not considered a survival blanket previously but will now – AMK heatsheets bivvies seem to get good reviews – will perhaps add emergency distress/ howler whistle to the list too

Map/ compass a great idea and easy to forget when you tend to rely on smartphone gps

Out of interest – can you/ does anyone convert their schrader shock pump valve to presta to negate the need for 2 pumps?

i have used hockey tape as a tyre boot on a road tyre, which obviously runs at much higher pressures, its good because it doesnt stretch.
not sure if it would work so well on a much larger mtb tyre though.
as well as having various tools, knowing how to use them would be good.
boy scout innit, be prepared.

Out of interest – can you/ does anyone convert their schrader shock pump valve to presta to negate the need for 2 pumps?

Simple, take schrader tubes

Inflating tubes with a shock pump takes a while. Do you really consider a shock pump to be an essential? Most of the time, if your shock/fork loses air, it’s knackered.

Latex gloves, gel and Fizzy Snakes?

Cant help but thinking there’s a correlation…

Shock Pumps now. FFS – how far do some of you boys actually ever get from civilization – 4 miles max would be my guess…

Shock Pumps now. FFS – how far do some of you boys actually ever get from civilization – 4 miles max would be my guess…

I recon my form of epic riding goes about as far from civilisation / roads as anyone is likely to be in the UK. I have never taken a shock pump with me. On a multi day trip, where we were remote from cars / lbs each night I think ONE of the group carried a shock pump. None of us used it. I don’t recall anyone ever wanting to tweak shocks mid ride on an “epic”.

I’ve only ever changed break pads ‘in the field’ once and that was laziness for not replacing part worn pads before we left.

The only mechanical failure that ever left me “stuck” (fortunately reasonably local) was a sheared crank bolt. Everything else has been bodgeable with the kit people describe above, although a broken rear mech (not the hanger) effectively ended the ride for me with a single speed back to the car.

Duck tape wrapped around pump.
Credit/Debit card – Had to replace a seatpost mid ride once! (Luck would have it that I was only a 20-25 minute ride from a shop).
Salmon pin boning pliers – small and light.

This shock pump weighs less than 100g.

http://bemufail.info/topeak-pocket-shock-masterblaster-pump.aspx

The only failure I’ve not been able to fix was a sheared freewheel, which happened in the middle of a three week trip in the USA. Luckily a local rider leant me a spare wheel which I posted back to him at the end of the holiday (as we were in another state by then).

>Salmon pin boning pliers<

I never go anywhere without these either. Then there’s the fly rod, reel and portable fish smoker…

Shock Pumps now. FFS – how far do some of you boys actually ever get from civilization – 4 miles max would be my guess…

As far as I want. It’s light and even more use for very long routes where you might want to firm everything up for half the ride.

It is possible to travel a long way with a sensible pack. By the time you add 3l of water and some food everything else is small change. Also after it pisses it down it doesn’t really matter.

Some oil – I use one of those little fishes you get with sushi – good for one chain application and weighs nothing.

You do know thats soy sauce in those, not oil right? 😉

Only one call for a rear mech?

Gloves, i know what you mean about a bit of dirt, but 3 words
puncture, dog, sh*t.

Spare pads, clips ,springs bolts to fit them, never mind wearing them out, i’ve seen the braking material come off the the backing, pads just leave the bike, as if by magic.

tyre boot plastic milk bottle carton, cut a rectangle out if fact cut two, you can enjoy the smiles from random strangers when you give them away then.
I also cut one up once to make spacers to re mount a mates front brake after the bolts came lose. worked well.

My Camelbak normally weighs about 8kg. I pretty much always have an SLR + lens selection, 3l water, tools, food, rain jacket etc. It’s been all over the world with me on various mountain biking trips.

Thanks for all the great tips guys. If I substitute the fishing tackle for the shock pump and take one sushi fish full of soy I may indulge in some sashimi to refuel on the epic. theblackmount – fancy sharing any fishing tips?

After your warm sashimi you may very well need some bog roll. It’s light, small ( you don’t need the whole roll).
It won’t save your life but may save your arse.

Sure.

I’ve always found a Handline and mackeral feathers a very versatile piece of kit.

😉

@ Hugor

Clearly you’re not familiar with the 1 x Rizzla paper technique!

Back to theblackmount’s favourite topic: anyone tried one of these topeak shock n roll pumps and care to give any feedback. V little available online at the mo: http://www.bikerumor.com/2011/09/28/interbike-want-topeak-shock-and-roll-pump/ Cheers