Me n Mrs CheeZe are off to Morzine at the end o June.

We are taking our XC bikes.

What spares/tools should I take and more importantly, what shouldn’t I bother taking?

So far, I’ve got a coupla folding Jones’s and I’m thinking of taking a spare front wheel (I’m a clumsy tw4t)

Thanks for any suggestions.

Going that early you’ve got a more limited range of places to ride than later in the season. I assume you’re flying so weight is an issue (if not take everything on earth)? Prices for bits over there are very high so it is worth taking what you can.

Dropouts for each bike
Rear mech
Chain (+ cassette if a new chain wouldn’t work on it)
Brake pads (complete set for each bike)
Personally I’d take bigger stronger tyres, you’ll be letting the lifts do a lot of the work so some heavier, wider, stronger, gripper tyres are less of an issue
Brake fluid/bleed kit
Random collection of bolts

That wouldn’t be a bad start.

All I’ve taken in the past above normal tools is brake pads, spare tubes and a bleed kit, though I did stick heavier rubber and rotors on before I left.

Spares are expensive locally but most bits are available, so it’s a case of can you be bothered taking something you might not need versus if you do need it it will be a bit more expensive. You pays your money and you takes your choice.

just to note, there’s loads of bike shops in morzine\les gets, so you won’t be ‘stranded’. You may, however, be paying rrp vs whatever you pay on CRC.

Take a bunch of spare tubes if you’re running non-dual-ply tyres, dropout is a good call, couple of split links. Wouldn’t bother with a chain as its rarely going to completely die – same with the casette. maybe a couple of inches of spare links.

when I’ve been at the end of june it’s just as open as it is later in the season, but the tracks aren’t *quite* as shagged. they’re still shagged, but they get a lot worse

Thanks Steve,

Yes, we’re flying.
I plan on sticking on my tough-as-old-boots-but-bloody-heavy high rollers, with the folders to carry for emergency.
I’d better get two mechs, as shes on Shimano and I’m on SRAM, I dont think they’re swappable.

i’d not buy new mechs just to take out – just something to last you if you have a bang. In that instance, a sram mech would work in both situations, but only shift over 4 gears on the shimano shifter

Dérailleur hanger * 2 per bike

I had to troop around town in a thunderstorm last year to try and find a Shimano front shifter, the shops are not as well-stocked as you would think. It looked like I was going to get stung €45 for the last SLX shifter in town, then I found a nice shop owner who had split up a pair of Deores from their box and sold me the remaining one for €15.

ditto,
I would take an old rear mech, mech hanger, tubes.

Leave the tire at home.
Track pump is handy but not essential.
Zip ties
Duct tape
No need for loads of tools. Bike shops will lend you the more obscure tools (chain whip, cassette tool…)
Pads
Never bothered bleeding brakes while on holiday. Am usually too drunk at the end of the day.

Dont bother with the front wheel.

Probably worth taking some mud tires though

If you don’t have spare rear mechs at home already then you can buy spares to take, if you don’t need them they come in at some point so it’s not wasted money. If you’re taking big tires already then 1 spare should do it just in case you rip a sidewall if you’re worried.

Random bolts, cable ties and gaffer tape are all useful. The longer trails regularly shake bits loose. Things like disc and caliper mount bolts etc. Lociting stuff before you go is also a good option.

I’d make a pile of stuff that might be useful, pack your bikes and see how much spare weight you end with. More stuff is annoying when dragging bikes through the airport etc but can save a lot of time/hassle while you’re out there.

Exactly the same as any other ride, if going by plane, and mostly non-hardcore XC:
Powerlinks. Tape a pair to each bike, and you’ll never accidentally forget to pack them.
Multitool with a chaintool (only need it to force out any knackered links)
Minipump, Tubes, mini self adhesive puncture kit “just in case”.
Brake Pads.

If going by car, then you can think about other stuff… mechs, wheels, tools.

Great guys, thanks all for your input.

We went to Les Gets last year about the same time and found that bugger all shops were open (The week before the main season gets going)
Thats why I’m concerned that if I break something, its not a matter of paying for a new one at a cost, its a matter of finding what I need in the first place.
As you say, if I buy spare mechs, they’ll at least be there in the future also. We only have 8spd mechs, so they’re reasonably cheap.

not being funny, but went last year and took spare tyres, tubes, mechs & chains, lubes, bolts…..you name it.

was riding the all the big DHs all week…… not one mechanical breakdown/faliure between 4 of us!

dont panic, just treat it as a day out at a UK trail centre… tubes, powerlinks mech hanger, multi tool

as above – brake pads, inner tubes, mech hangers. A basic bleeding kit is very nice to have.

A couple of gear cables trimmed to suit your longest rear mech setup won’t come in wrong, maybe a part length of cable outer and full hydraulic hose. I’d take a rear mech if there were 5 or 6 of us. Bear in mind if you’re close to your weight allowance some things cost too much to carry if they’d tip you into excess baggage charges (DH tubes for instance)

Lets Gets / Morzine is not to bad but if your brakes are poorly bled you will notice it more at higher altitude.

The converse is if you bleed at high altitude it will serve you well once you’re home again.