Saddlebag + Tools?

[joe_papp]

For general, close-to-home riding, wondering what you all would recommend I carry and what brand/model saddle bag to use?

Spare tube (1 size, 26"!)
Tire levers
CO2
Multi-tool (if so, what brand and model and should it include a chain tool?)
$20 bill (for trail-side lap dance?)
???

Seriously...

 

[TexPat]

Joe---a saddle bag will annoy you. They have a funny way of falling off, or just rattling enough to make you wish you'd left the damn thing at home.
Stick the stuff in your jersey pockets.
I use canvas bags that Thomson stems come in for this purpose. They fit nicely in the jersey pocket when filled with the necessities. I use one for the road, and one for the trail. Very handy way to keep your kit organized.
Bring a small length of duct tape, too. It may come in handy if you slash a sidewall, or suffer a gaping flesh wound.
If you aren't bleeding, you're not mountainbiking.
Yes, carry a chain tool, unless you like walking.
Lezyne makes the good stuff, though when your chain is broken in the deep dark woods and the wolves are howling, a couple of neolithic stone tools may do the trick.

 

[paxman]

I use a Specialized Mini Wedge bag. Just enough room for:
Co2 "pump"
spare Co2 cartridge
multi tool
2 tires levers
patch kit

I wrap the Velcro straps very tightly so that it does not bounce around or sway back and forth. It is about the width of the saddle rails, so it is skinny and unobtrusive. I sometimes carry a spare tube rolled up and use the Velcro straps to hold it on.

 

[brianf7]

I do it the way I used to before bum bags were invented.
I use a small rag with tubes alen keys and whatever rolled up
and fastened on with a toe strap. simple and works.
The rag is handy if you need to go into cafe with black hands.
or just to polish the bike.

 

[simo1733]

For general, close-to-home riding, wondering what you all would recommend I carry and what brand/model saddle bag to use?

Spare tube (1 size, 26"!)
Tire levers
CO2
Multi-tool (if so, what brand and model and should it include a chain tool?)
$20 bill (for trail-side lap dance?)
???

Seriously...

I have found topeak tools are very good and minoura tyre levers+ put a few tie wraps in there and some cotton rag to clean your hands

 

[joe_papp]

Thanks, guys.

Anyone have a favorite multi-tool? And should one endeavour to carry a chain tool, and if so, is a spare link required? In 20+ years (Jesus Cristo I can't believe I am that old...), I've broken two chains on MTBs - the first about 20km from the parking lot at Cooper's Rock State Forest, Henry Clay Furnace Road... I didn't have a chain tool there and had to stop three or four times to pound the chain back together with rocks found at trail-side, in the best tradition of Gunnar Shogren's life.

The other incident took place only a couple of miles from my house, on the local trails at South Park, to which I'd driven myself anyway. I met a hot equestrian chick on the walk back along a horse trail and we ended-up hooking up, rutting around like a couple of the deer that frequented the area. So it wasn't all bad - though I'm sure her horse was traumatized (or at least scandalized).

But apart from that, I've never broken a chain that I could then fix trail-side.

Happy New Year...

 

[philcrisp]

Thanks, guys.

And should one endeavour to carry a chain tool, and if so, is a spare link required?

I remind you that s58(4)(b)(xvii) of Murphy's Law states that "the best way to ensure you don't need a tool when riding is to carry it with you".

s58(4)(b)(xviii) states "on the one occasion that you leave it at home, you will need it."

 

[9000ft]

You didn't say how you feel about hydration packs, but the vast majority of MTBers use them to carry trail necessities rather than a seat bag.

In my camelback MULE I carry:

Some basic first aid stuff (antiseptic wipes, anti bacterial goo, moist towelettes, gauze pads, white tape, lighter, etc) in a zip lock
A multi tool hex wrench
a little chain tool
a couple chain links
spoke wrench
tire tools
spare derailleur hanger
a few zip ties of various sizes
a spare derailleur cable
a tube even though I run tubeless
a patch kit
a pump (CO2 cartridges are for races)
a jacket (always, since I live in the high country)
arm warmers/leg warmers when riding in the high country(usually don't carry them when riding in the warm months in the lowlands)
a $10 bill (lap dances are cheaper in the high country)
Always keep a couple jell packs in reserve in addition to whatever food I bring

Sounds like a lot when compared to what you usually carry with you on a road bike, but you tend to break a lot more stuff on a MTB and when you're miles out on some trail, you want to be able to take care of yourself

 

[simo1733]

Thanks, guys.

Anyone have a favorite multi-tool? And should one endeavour to carry a chain tool, and if so, is a spare link required? In 20+ years (Jesus Cristo I can't believe I am that old...), I've broken two chains on MTBs - the first about 20km from the parking lot at Cooper's Rock State Forest, Henry Clay Furnace Road... I didn't have a chain tool there and had to stop three or four times to pound the chain back together with rocks found at trail-side, in the best tradition of Gunnar Shogren's life.

The other incident took place only a couple of miles from my house, on the local trails at South Park, to which I'd driven myself anyway. I met a hot equestrian chick on the walk back along a horse trail and we ended-up hooking up, rutting around like a couple of the deer that frequented the area. So it wasn't all bad - though I'm sure her horse was traumatized (or at least scandalized).

But apart from that, I've never broken a chain that I could then fix trail-side.

Happy New Year...

Topeak Alien II comes with a chain tool and a compartment to store a spare pin.Can't go wrong with topeak tools.

 

[Vegan Dave]

I've also found the Specialized 'Wedge' to be great, locks down nice and don't have to think about it (and now in a sexy black.

I carry:

* 26" tube (riding 29er, Stans'd)
* patch kit
* tire levers
* multi-tool

I carry a small pump in my pocket.

For multi-tools and pumps, i've been pretty darn happy with Lezyne's stuff. If you want a nice, small, out-of-the way pump that hides nicely in your jersey, the one with the internally-stored 'tube/hose' is pretty sweet. It's a bit under-powered if you need to use it, but if you don't flat frequently, it's light and convenient to carry, won't fall out, and leaves lot of pocket-space.

 

[veganrob]

If the loop is less than 8 miles I carry nothing. If longer or particularly gnarly I'll wear a Camelback with appropriate stuff inside. In a race, again nothing but nutrition. anything more slows you down.

 

[joe_papp]

Handlebars??

Thanks, everyone.

Now on to my next question: can I cut-down the width of the handlebars that came with the bike to get a narrower position, or am I supposed to just adapt my physiology to the (to me) very wide bars? This is the first time I've ridden MTB in 10 years and my last bike was a Merlin Ti w/ freakin' Onza Ti bar-ends.

 

[Martin318is]

Add my vote for the Alien II tool. Excellent and has its own bag (and if you like you can mount it directly to your frame independantly)

Also add a vote for putting stuff in a camelback mule. A lot easier to drink than bottles on the trails too

 

[Rip:30]

Thanks, everyone.

Now on to my next question: can I cut-down the width of the handlebars that came with the bike to get a narrower position, or am I supposed to just adapt my physiology to the (to me) very wide bars? This is the first time I've ridden MTB in 10 years and my last bike was a Merlin Ti w/ freakin' Onza Ti bar-ends.

I've cut Easton carbon monkey light bars down with a fine toothed hack saw (manual said it was ok. I don't know if this is universally true for all carbon). I've also used a pipe cutter (cheap from any hardware store) on aluminum bars and seat posts.

 

[AnythingButKestrel]

I use a topeak similar to this:

http://www.topeak.com/products/Bags/wedgedrybag_sp_m?WYSESSID=pnltrhgfede433d4tqkc4vu247

Works great for everyday riding. I like having my normal tools on the bike so I can just jump on and go. Easy on, easy off.

For hard riding, what Texpat said. You do *not* want a bag on the bike.

 

[9000ft]

Some manufacturers don't recommend cutting down their carbon bars - I don't know why. I cut mine down using a fine tooth blade and a cutting guide to make sure the cut is strait. I also wrap the bar w/ masking tape to minimize stray fibers.

On bar width: i wouldn't get too carried away with it at first. I have my bars slightly wider than shoulder width apart. For me, the width that the bars came was too wide and it felt like I was driving a truck, but you don't want to get too narrow and loose leverage either.

 

[dsut4392]

Thanks, everyone.

Now on to my next question: can I cut-down the width of the handlebars that came with the bike to get a narrower position, or am I supposed to just adapt my physiology to the (to me) very wide bars? This is the first time I've ridden MTB in 10 years and my last bike was a Merlin Ti w/ freakin' Onza Ti bar-ends.

If you're doing much technical riding, particularly on rocky or loose terrain, I would try it with the bars uncut for a while. May feel odd at first, but screaming down a trail covered in babyheads you will appreciate the extra width. It gives you both extra leverage to resist wheel deflection, and slows down the steering so accidental inputs from your weight getting thrown around have less effect. You end up riding a smoother arc, and probably getting better traction as a result. If you leave them wide, there's nothing in the rulebooks that says you have to hold the bars at their widest point. I run my grips right at the outside of the bars, but have brakes and shifters set a little inboard to give me more space to choose how wide my grip is. Generally when I'm holding the bars in a narrow stance, it's also a loose enough hold that being slightly off the inside of the grips isn't a problem.

The main reason I have cut down my bars is for narrow singletrack, there are many local trails that weave through trees where the uncut bars were very tricky to fit through. I used an iterative process taking off a few mm from each side until they were just narrow enough to fit a particular gap without stopping.

As for how to cut, fine hacksaw or dremel should be fine.

 

[joe_papp]

Ended up getting a Fizik bag, crank bros. multi-tool, Innovations CO2, standard tube and tire levers.

Now if I could only ride this thing (that the weather would cooperate). Actually heading out today, hopefully. Air temp is radically warmer but hopefully ground is still reasonably frozen so it won't be a total mudbath.

Cheers!

 

[Anonymous]

You didn't say how you feel about hydration packs, but the vast majority of MTBers use them to carry trail necessities rather than a seat bag.

In my camelback MULE I carry:

snip

Sounds like a lot when compared to what you usually carry with you on a road bike, but you tend to break a lot more stuff on a MTB and when you're miles out on some trail, you want to be able to take care of yourself

Was just about to say the same. If im going on a road run i just take a tube, multi tool, and co2 in my pockets (i dont do road rides of more than about 30k anyway).

if im doing more than that which is generally off road, i just take the camelpak. I can comfortably fit in it, keys, two tubes, patches, multitool, co2, wallet, and a few bars etc for the journey. If i really try hard I can just about get a waterproof jacket in there as well at the expense of about 1ltr of water.

Something like the Camelpak XLP is designed to be much lighter, and just has a very small pouch for tools etc.