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Some of you guys are completely biscuits.
Death and survival at trail centres, amazing. This forum is sometimes truly awful.
Tis funny isn't it!
To reiterate. people keep telling me the rucsac and all the kit is essential. I maintain a minimalist kit is all that is essential.
I have never wanted for more than the minimalist stuff I carry. Never been cold and wet and wishing for more clothes, never been stuck for the equipment to repair my bike because I carry everything that is needed. I look at the weather forecast and the sky and kit up accordingly.
If you want to carry a rucsac and a huge pile of tools and spares then it is up to you - but please don't tell me that its essential.
You are not participating in some extreme sport where survival is the key - you are going for a cycle ride. Yes sometimes more kit is needed - winter, remote areas, that sort of thing. However for the local riding moist of us do most of the time???
davidrussell - Member
@thesouthernYetiWheelie round the trail?
Exactly. I borrowed someone's camelbak and loaded up with rocks to aid balance.
Death and survival at trail centres, amazing.
I think most of us weren't even talking about trail centres, or did I just filter out those posts? But in the interests of picking an argument - which after all is what this OP was originally trolling for - why is a broken leg on a man-made trail at the top of a cold, wet and windy hill any different from a broken leg on a bridleway on top of a cold, wet, windy hill. A trail is a trail. Not all trail centres - mid-week, crap weather - have cyclists coming past every few minutes. I bet there are many trail centres considerably quieter than the Derwent Valley for example. Also, most cyclists are more likely to push themselves at a trail centre due to that perception of safety, leading to accidents. My mate has not seriously hurt himself biking anywhere - except Innerleithen.
To reiterate. people keep telling me the rucsac and all the kit is essential. I maintain a minimalist kit is all that is essential.
Actually, I think if many of the posts were read again you'd find many of us carry no more than you TJ, we just find it a lot more comfortable and convenient to carry it in a rucsac. I DO need 3 litres of fluid on a hot sunny day that is more than a couple of hours riding tho'
Stilltortoise fair enough. Have you tried riding without a rucsac tho - it really is more comfy not to have one on I would say. Minimalist is fine tho no matter how you carry it. Its the people with 10 kgs of stuff that make me laugh.
I find that refilling water is almost always possible - either in the pub if out all day or if there is no pub then I am remote enough that the water that is just running past is fine.
I went OTB the other week and broke my collar bone. Sat down to wait for the ambulance (I know, I know, I'm soft) and although I'd been toasty warm all day within 20 mins hypothermia had started to set in. I hadn't carried anything extra with me because, well, it wasn't a big ride, 25 mile or so and I wasn't doing anything too scary.
Bloody glad I fell off near houses, a nice old chap brought me a blanket while I sat shivering. Just taken delivery of a camelbak from the STW classifieds and damned right I'm gonna pack a few extra things with me now, even if it's just for a 5 miler.
davidrussell - MemberNo, what stops that is "skillz dat pay da billz" tubless stan's and picking the right line, next.
I cringed for you when i read that...
I guess all the guys puncturing on the fort bill DH runs all year just didn't pick the right line then.
Dont cringe for me honey bunny it gives you crows feet, all the top ten placed riders at "fort bill LOL" this year took the right line as they did not puncture, see what I did there ?
"Bri" Lopes did not puncture, end of discussion.
Have you tried riding without a rucsac tho
Many times and I much prefer it. But it does not outweigh the convenience of a rucsac (see one of my earlier posts if you can be bothered).
Fair enough still tortoise - I did note your earlier posts
😀
This has been a textbook troll. Even knowing it to be a troll it is still fun to partake, but for the troll-hunter it is equally enjoyable to watch from afar. Well done.
of course frame bags are the real solution here
leaving the over-kitted types in my dust on a minimalist rigid SS or weight weeny XC bike is one of my favourite pass-times, wouldnt want that pleasure taken away from me...
JB, I wonder if they care at all if you pass them? I suspect not 🙂
see what I did there ?
Not really, that post was barely understandable.
I was going to try and reason that you cannot eliminate mechanicals with riding skills and bike prep, but I think its already clear [s]you are a troll[/s] we are not going to agree on this.
kingkongsdong
Most of the kit that is carried is due to people not being confident in their bike build/maintenace skills.
If your bikes given TLC and checked over, 99% of the time it will OK.
The majority of it is down to prior bad spannermanship.Yeh but you also neeed the Skills to pay the bills, to cope with the Boom that comes from behind :).
JB, I wonder if they care at all if you pass them? I suspect not
They will if it means being stuck behind [s]a beared one[/s] him on the next descent!
i seldom go out without the right kit and survive, just press on the pedals a bit harder to keep warm
That only works when you're not too tired...
That only works when you're not too tired...
Do you see those guns? Do you think those guns get tired?
Because I just can't ride as fast on technical DH without body armour (and a full face). True, one can do it smoothly and silently in a mellow fashion but when you want to go a bit more flat out, that's when body armour is really worth it.
Having started off always wearing it (as a DHer), I then went for years riding without it, even hardcore in the Alps, until I noticed I was holding back on some corners I knew I could do faster - or even walking sections - because I didn't want to risk the consequences of a wipeout. So on went the body armour and off went the brakes!
I would still wear no body armour on XC/all mountain rides but when the purpose of your day is DH a bit of arm and leg stuff, and a full face with goggles is good. Even on a trail like yoghurt pots (Holmbury), you can get really (really) big air at some points, some big hip jumps, not that I can make the most of them - I wouldn't even consider riding in this fashion without it although I'm sure some can still rip unprotected.
Also, this might be BS, I don't know, but I've always felt a nicely stuffed backpack has been pretty good back armour...!
deleted
Most people I ride with probably don't take enough stuff with them, me included. When I go hillwalking I take plenty of stuff in case of emergency because this is what I've been taught to do but I'm definitely a bit more blase about cycling which is far more likely to land me in bother. I always take an extra layer and a waterproof though so I can keep warm and dry if I have an accident. It's worth taking a light weight survival bag too in winter and for high altitudes.
Interesting thread. I've seen such condensed asshattery since, well, the last one of these that broke out. Well done.
In the interests of balance, I'm one of these 'big rucksack' riders that the OP gets his kicks from by laughing at from his position of obvious superiority.
I have a rucksack that I use for riding, I think it's 35L but could be wrong. It was a cheap one so it doesn't matter if it gets trashed; it's got the trappings for a bladder so I can carry more water on longer rides; it's got my basic kit in there permanently along with acres of space.
If I want to go for a ride, I grab it and go. I don't have to fanny about for half an hour working out the optimum pack size for the distance I'm going to ride, or which one is best colour-coordinated with my bike, and then transfer all my kit from the other pack(s). I don't have to load up my pockets with so much crap that I'm walking like ED-209, and know that if I have an 'off' I'm not going to land with a multitool in my unmentionables. I don't spend four figures on a bike, spend ages cleaning and maintaing it, and then sellotape spare parts randomly about the place.
One stop shop; bag, bike, door. Simples.
The pack itself contains the usual fettling tools; multitool, spare tube and tiny puncture repair outfit, Missing Links and so on, small roll of tape and a few cable ties. I have a first aid kit, usually a flapjack or two, and lightweight bike lights.
Essential? No. But in the relatively short time I've been riding, I've been thankful for most of it at some point. I had a small spill at the weekend, nothing major but having means of cleaning out a gravel rash meant I could carry on and enjoy the rest of the day rather than carrying on and enduring it (or turning back).
The space in the pack means it's versatile; I can throw in full waterproofs, or a fleece, or a picnic, or a change of clothes for the destination all depending what the ride is. I can also carry stuff so that my partner doesn't have to, cos I'm nice like that. And if I'm not carrying all that lot and my pack's three quarters empty, that's what compression straps are for.
And you know what? It's a comfortable pack and not particularly heavy. It'll probably save my spine at some point too. Once it's on, I don't even notice it's there.
So, laugh it up, big boy. One day I might be as L33T as you, till then I'm quite happy with my setup.
Its the people with 10 kgs of stuff that make me laugh.
What camelbak for carrying giant straw men?
I don't have to fanny about for half an hour working out the optimum pack size for the distance I'm going to ride
Funnily enough, neither do I!
I have a camelbak with pump, tubes, puncture kit and multitool ready to go. Grab and go, as you say, but a small pack.
Each to his/her own.
I don't have to fanny about either - the same seat pouch goes on the bike I am taking. It always has the kit in it. Seat pouch on bike, food (waterproofs if its going to rain) in pockets, pump stays on bike all the time, fill bottle and put in cage. go.
🙂
I frigging hate seat pouches - terrible idea.
Why?
They rattle - but that's fixable. However the weight is in the worst place for bike manoeuvrability. The saddle is the bit that moves around the most when being agile on the bike, and so weight there has the biggest difference. Which is why bikes feel really weird if you take 1lb of saddle/seatpost off.
Of course you may not care, but that is why I don't use them 🙂
Got my first camelbak in 93, used them ever since. Their nothing new.
Prefer not to have things on the bike.
Love to cruise the ups at a fair pace and then hammer the downs. In the early days used to lose bottles all the time. They added pockets and I just moved the essentials off the bike and into the pack.
Same weight. Whats the issue here? They are nothing new.
I also like to keep weight off the bike, it aids manoeuvrability I find 🙂
I also need a big backpack. You may jest, but I like to pack a copy of the daily paper, a small radio and a hot flask of English tea. There's no greater pleasure than sitting on top of a mountain, great views all around with a hot cup of tea, a copy of The Times, with The Archers playing on the radio. Sure, you get a few raised eyebrows from the occasional hiker (especially if it's snowing), but who cares? Each to their own. I'm not joking.
....I also go over the bars on a fairly regular basis and if you pack the contents in the right way, it makes for a much softer landing.
I recently bought a bumbag in Halford's for a tenner.
It holds enough for most eventualities, and I can tuck a raincoat into the under-the-seat wedge thing.
Keeps my back from being all sweaty and horrible which is what I find happens to me with a camelbak.
Obviously it makes me look even more of a total wally.
my mates got a large camleback. yet mines smaller, he carries less tools, but more bloody food. hydration packs with some space for tools, money and food are a necessity on a decent long ride. i mean who doesnt take a bag of tang fantastics at the minimum on a long ride? they would annoy me in a pocket.
Did I just read that someone has a 35 litre rucksack for riding WTF. I can only dismiss that as a joke. Agree with TJ. Proper seat pack with velcro straps that doesn't rattle with tube, puncture kit, multitool and tyre levers. Pump on frame, 2 bottles on frame.
I know where KKF rides and its not even gnarley (i.e to warrant shinpads and full face) - and given that manchester is less than 15 miles away I would hardly say its the depths of the wilderness - yet you do see people with rucksacks the size of a sink (even though their cars are a best a 20 minute walk should their frame snap in half).
Bumped into some lads round rivvy the other week at the top of a climb. By the time they had f'ked about lowering their seats and pi55in about feeling how hard their tyres were for the 'downhill' we'd all descended, gone home had a shower and our tea.
My point being that you dont need hydraulic seatposts with bar mounted actuation , 5 tubes (as someone posted - 5!!!!!), 6 inches of travel and a Chris Bonnington rucksack when you are riding along a few fire roads. Stop readin magazines and getting sucked in (why anyone gives a toss what the likes of Fat Loretz says anyway is beyond me).
Would like to pull the thread back on line, too much talk about bags/sacks/pouches and equipment in these storage devices.
My OP had a line in it saying "They are defo missing the point of MTB'ing"
I dont know what the exact point of MTB'ing is but look up repack MTB on youtube, and this gives you an idea, puts you in the right direction.
Take JUST what you need on your ride, not x-ray specs, kitchen sink,solar stills,73 rear hangers, track pump and enough keys to sink a battleship.
Just come back from a 2hr off road night ride round Rivington in Horwich. Had a big drink of water when I set of, stuck one bidon in my cage and pump and mobile in my jersey pocket,
IM BACK ALIVE, NO DEHYDRATION/HYPERTHERMIA !!!!!!
Told my lovely fiance my rough route and that we should eat for 9pm. If im not back by 9.30 and no answer on my phone somerts gone wrong.
Still love ever ride I do no matter the conditions if its on my road bike, TT bike or MTB after 24 years of doing it.
PLEASE LISTEN, JUST ENJOY RIDING YOUR BIKES NO MATTER WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT YOU HAVE GOT ON OR WHAT YOU ARE CARRYING. AMEN 
(I know spelling is bad but im rushing as somert smells reet good, seeya)
I dont know what the exact point of MTB'ing is but look up repack MTB on youtube, and this gives you an idea, puts you in the right direction.
The point of MTBing is downhill racing? And doing so in large enough groups that if you do have an accident or a mechanical there'll be someone there to help you or commiserate?
and pump and mobile in my jersey pocket
so does your mobile convert into a spare tube ? or a patch ? 😆
his tube's on his stem .....read the thread
WTF 6 pages of waffle about big rucksacks! Get a life you lot 😆
You dont need dropper seatposts? You obviously cant jump a bike? And I dnt mean a couple of inches. Oh and if u did drop your seatpost you would find you can descend more in control and faster. Dropper posts allow you to hit jumps, drops etc with out stopping.
People ride for different reasons. Some cruise all day with out a care of time, some are out to race everyone rnd trail centres for their ego boost, and others cruise a climb just for the descent.
We are all different and get what we want out of the sport.
his tube's on his stem .....read the thread
ahaaaa 😆
I would say 'odd place to put it when you could use a rucksack for these things', but maybe I shouldn't... 😛
WTF 6 pages of waffle about big rucksacks! Get a life you lot
+1
I'd been ignoring this thread cause it looked kinda boring, but just started wondering why it could've got to so many pages...
Take JUST what you need on your ride
Well that's exactly it - we disagree on what's needed, clearly.
On the one hand, you are telling us off for doing what we want, then you are telling us to just go out and enjoy ourselves. That's what we were doing, then you started moaning at us! 🙂
I vote we move to grading riding by pack size and forcing people to expand or shrink their riding to fit the size of pack they carry. So if you want to ride around with 25-30L of kit space you have to either:
a) Go to the shops
b) Do stuff that requires body armour
c) Take up laydeebike photography / landscape lurking
d) Go out for more than 24hrs
So there is no such thing as too big a rucksack just the wrong size of riding.