Minimalist mountain biking – Anyone managed it?

Camelbak with 1 litre of water, house keys, mobile phone.

Well maintained hardtail with tubeless tires.

Just riding, keeping it simple.

I ride with sensible minimal kit. Going out in mountains without the right clothing is reckless. Facing a massive walk home half carrying a bike to avoid taking a tool, tube or hanger seems a little odd.

I often want to stop riders and ask what they could possibly be humping around in their MASSIVE backpacks. I find it staggering given that they are so close to civilisation.

LOL you should. Sometimes it’s air as up until recently owning 2 packs was a luxury. Sometimes it’s all sensible and sometimes I’m planning a nice lunch.

I’ve realised that the obsession with gear and bikes has taken some of the fun out of it, and I’m trying to get back to one bike and minimal kit.

I’m on one bike at the moment, have been for a year. It’s really nice to have one bike that I look after well and is always running great. It’s been interesting to learn it really thoroughly and get used to it. It doesn’t take up too much space. You stop thinking “I’m on the wrong bike” and just get on with it, which is very liberating.

For me anyway, there’s a minimum amount of kit required. Bags, tools, clothing, shoes, helmets, lights etc. And having one bike and a fairly narrow spectrum of kit doesn’t automatically mean not carrying a bag on rides (that’s situational).

The main thing though is not looking at the internets/magazines. They are so full of stuff to buy that it’s damnably hard not to!

🙂

Only really have one “proper” MTB (aside from the rigid commuter hack) so it gets used for everything from local XC to trail centres, to the Alps last year. Nice to not have the choice really – 170/150 is a bit much for local flattish XC but it keeps me fit…

Since most of my rides are from the door and sub-2hr I’ve recently taken to just taking a single water bottle, a small multi-tool and my phone. Since I’m never more than 25mins drive from home, anything that can’t be fixed with a hex key I can just call for a ride home. Much nicer than having a pack on my back, or filling Camelbak, etc.

Never understand why people carry so much stuff. A well maintained bike shouldnt go wrong.

I’ve not had a mechanical in the last 30 yrs of riding, and only the odd puncture.

I just take a tube, co2 and tyre levers.

Probably just habit. Around 90% of my rides are on my own on remote natural trails, so I lug a fair bit of stuff around. If I go to a trail centre I won’t bother removing all the unnecessary stuff from my pack as I’d almost certainly forget to put it back in again.

Largely this. My bag is packed for big rides, ‘pocket pouch’ has less. I just grab the one that suits. Very rarely actually move the contents around.

A well maintained bike shouldnt go wrong.

While I applaud your optimism, do you never get sticks jammed in wheels, crashes that spin bars in stems or controls on bars?

Never understand why people carry so much stuff. A well maintained bike shouldnt go wrong.

I’ve not had a mechanical in the last 30 yrs of riding, and only the odd puncture.

good luck on your next ride…

A well maintained bike shouldnt go wrong.

No amount of maintenance is going to stop a root or branch ripping through your mech hanger, or a rock bouncing up and bending a rotor in half.

Or stop you from crashing and bending stuff.

Maybe it’s just that different riders ride differently?

A well maintained bike shouldnt go wrong

Hah.. they do though 🙂

Spontaneous breakages I’ve had that weren’t my fault

Chain (x3, when Sram had a bad quality patch, all were pretty new)
Spokes (bad wheel builds on new bikes)
Pedal spindle (confused everyone as it was so unusual on XTR, got a free one back from Madison)
Frame bending (warranty replacement)
Seat clamp bolt snapped

When the frame bent I had to adjust the adjustable dropouts to continue riding – using a tool
The seat clamp bolt – had to use a multi-tool to whittle a stick to prop it up
Chain snapping – chain tool to fix, of course

Then there’s damage caused by accidents out on the trail too. They happen to the best riders. So saying it’s our own stupid fault for having mechanicals is both wrong and annoying.

good luck on your next ride…

🙂

Indeed. I wrote something yesterday which was promptly modified before hitting the send post button.

Don’t anger the gods…

That croc clip useage is a brilliant idea

Thanks, man.

I was sat around one evening looking for miniature pliers on the web and when my search proved unfruitful I thought about making something small with a grippy tooth-like surface and preferably sprung loaded but small enou…

A croc clip!

I’ve been 1 bike for off road, 1 bike for road for ages. Kit is pretty minimal for both really. Haven’t had a major mechanical in ages.

[scans around for some wood] 😆

I tried it once. It was a long run home.

Save some space and take a Lifeline valve core remover instead of that big Stans thing :

http://www.wiggle.com/lifeline-valve-core-remover/

I kept misplacing my Stans ones so have just bought a few of these so there is one in every bike pack/saddlebag.

Still don’t know why you want to remove valve *cores* mid-ride..?

Still don’t know why you want to remove valve *cores* mid-ride..?

1) top up with stans after fixing a largo hole in your tyre with the tubeless repair kit, or with gel superglue. (I don’t normally carry stans with me but I might take some small bottles on a long ride, like SDW or something).

2) replace a faulty valve core – I have done this.

3) if you are using the co2 to reseat a tyre then you might want to remove the core to maximise the air/co2 flow.

4) tighten a valve core after your lezyne pump adapter has unscrewed it on removal.

both are so light it doesn’t make much odds carrying them, and the lifeline one is also very small.

I’ve just resigned myself to putting in a tube if I get tubeless problems.

I’ve just resigned myself to putting in a tube if I get tubeless problems.

if you get a hole slightly larger than the stans will fill then using a tubeless repair kit is by fair the easiest option – you don’t have to break the tire seal for one thing.

Cut the rubber strip and thread the needle thing, smear with solution, insert into tyre, pull back, cut with scissors, let it dry, swish the wheel around so the stans covers any residual holes, pump up, ride.

Same principle with the gel superglue.

If loads of stans came out then removing the core and refilling from one of those little stans tubes is simple.

tube in is the most faff.

And if you are carrying one tube then best to only use it as a last resort.

I have one commuter, one MTB and one cross bike.

The commuter gets used for my 15-minute commute and for jobbing about town. If it breaks mid-week, I use one of the other bikes. I use the MTB when it snows.

The MTB is SS and rigid, and gets used for MTB rides. It’s used very little since I got…

The cross bike gets used for road rides, local rides, long rides, mixed terrain rides.

I own one helmet, one pair of summer gloves, one pair of winter gloves, one pair of shorts, one pair of bike shoes, one jersey, a base layer, a set of arm warmers, a waterproof jacket, a Camelback. I ride with a multitool, spare tube, tiny pump, puncture repair kit.

This is less minimalist than I’d like. Ideally, all three of my bikes would have matching calipers, rotors, seatpost diameters, pedals, etc. to allow for easy swapping between bikes.

Any links to these tubeless repair kits?

Sounds good to me, I just wedge everything I think I’ll need in an old puncture repair kit tin and wedge it with a rag to stop the rattling, hate carrying a tube, especially 29er.

I’ve got 4 bikes currently, all hardtail mountain bikes, 3 steel, 3 geared, 1 ss, 2 rigid, 1 retro. Really like the idea of going down to one MTB and one road/cx, but I just can’t!

I have the Panaracer one :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panaracer-UST-Repair-Kit/dp/B001CK2DFC

there’s a weldite one as well, and ones with plug looking things instead of cutting off a strip of the rubber in the Panaracer one.

It ends up looking like an extra, small, knob on your tyre.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/panaracer-tubeless-patch-kit/

tube in is the most faff.

If I had to put in a tube I always imagine the tyre internals would be like the inside of an iron maiden and take absolutely ages to clear up.

Probably just paranoia, though…

tube in is the most faff.

Hmm.. maybe.. it’s just such an automatic thing to do, it’s ingrained. But tubes are heavy, esp 29er ones as I’ve found out. I’ll investigate the patches.

I always imagine the tyre internals would be like the inside of an iron maiden

That is a very good point indeed. Probably futile to try and use a tube. I’ll order a kit. I’m glad we had this chat 🙂

🙂

I carry those weldtite repair worms. In theory, if I get a cut/hole that wont seal then I can stick one of these worms in to fill the hole. In practice, as I found out last weekend, when the hole doesn’t seal I forget I’m carrying them and just stick a tube in 😳

I’m half and half I suppose – running only one bike, but I’m a bit “kitchen sink” with what I carry on my back when I ride it.

As someone already said, part of the reason all my **** is in the Camelbak, even on a short local ride, is that I don’t have to remember to put it all in there / find the damn stuff when I set out for a longer one. So I’m the guy commuting (on urban roads) with a compass and distress whistle, among other things, on my back. But I’ve spent too many early mornings over the years waiting for an outdoors shop to open so I can buy yet another compass because I couldn’t find the damn thing when I left the house. I know where it is now – it’s in the Camelbak, because it’s always in the Camelbak…

As for tools and the like, I prefer not to walk. Even a shortish local blast, say 10-12 miles will be a pain in the arse if the second half is a 5-6 mile walk pushing or carrying a broken bike for want of a chain tool in the bag.

On the other hand, I’ve got a full suspension mountain bike. It might not be ideal for all conditions, but it is useable in all conditions (I don’t to jump park shenanigans) including on roads, so it does for me just fine. When it breaks, or gets nicked, I’ll buy another.

I know where it is now – it’s in the Camelbak, because it’s always in the Camelbak…

Whereas my whistle is in one of three camelbaks – still easy to find.

I’ll order a kit.

and a Lifeline core remover ?

🙂

this stuff can be useful as well :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Loctite-Superglue-PowerFlex-Tube-1446875/dp/B001C42IW6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441210418&sr=8-1&keywords=gel+superglue

I use my camelback for nearly every mtb ride – trail centre, local or any where else.

Longer than an hour and I need more than 1 water bottle (can’t get two on the FS that easily), and the 3ltr offered in the camelback is great.

Plus a multi tool, tubeless repair kit, inner tube (mainly for others that I ride with who are not tubeless) and C02/Minipump with two cartridges.

Secure and dry places for phone and car keys.

With a couple of gels on longer rides that’s it.

Did used to manage with a middle sized saddle bag but the ever present rattling of tools and crap in the bag got annoying, especially as the bike with clutch rear mech doesn’t make much noise at all now.

Hell yeah after a complete disaster of a yr racing or non racing brought on by illness (viral infection/CNS fatigue) had to take it right back to basics. No strava no garmin sometimes just a pair of sweat shorts & T shirt ride where ever I want as fast or slow as I want with absolutely no agenda. Gotta say done me world of good (as well as rest & clearing illness) put a completely fresh perspective on everything. Back to fun

Back to fun

🙂

TurnerGuy – That super glue you’ve posted up – are you suggesting using that in place of the stuff in tubeless kits i.e. with anchovies?

are you suggesting using that in place of the stuff in tubeless kits

no, it is just an added option for odd shaped things, like tears.

I had some splits in the side of one of my mudxs I was using for Torq last weekend (probably an aging thing as they had sat unused for a while) so I glued them back up and it seems to have held ok.

Tube is small so I might as well carry it, especially if I ditch the big stans core remover for the lifeline one…

Ah, okay. Kind of like its supposed original intention only for a tyre wound and not a fleshy one.

Think I’ll pop one of those in the saddle bag, then.

especially if I ditch the big stans core remover for the lifeline one…

I hear ya, I hear ya…!

Tube is small so I might as well carry it, especially if I ditch the big stans core remover for the lifeline one…

Funny

ditch the big stans core remover for the lifeline one…

only saying as it helps get everything into a Panaracer tubeless repair kit box for the mountain bike, and helps squeeze everything into the saddlebag on my tripster, where I am really space constrained.