May 2nd, 2019 by Marie Dershem
Written by Jared Dunham
If you’ve never had the privilege to be in the middle of the rain with a flat tire, and your last CO2 canister just leaked out, then you can’t truly appreciate having the proper tools fix a mechanical issue. Accidents on the trail will happen, and the only way to deal with these is to bring the right tools/supplies with you. The best place to store all the tools needed for your bike to survive hours of singletrack is in a saddlebag. The amount of equipment you bring in the bag is determined by the time/distance your covering. Let’s look over a few things that you should be including in your saddlebag before you go out adventuring.
Before we begin, the 3 durations we’re going to be considering for packing tools are:
Short Rides (Under 2 hour ride)
Medium Rides (2 to 5 hour ride)
Long Rides (5 to 10 hour ride)
Master link
Why should I bring it? They are generally the part of the chain that snaps when it breaks due to pressure.
Recommended Amount
Short Rides: 1
Medium Rides: 2
Long Rides: 3+
Notes
Not all are re-usable, you might be able to take them on and off the bike, but they will not stay strong
Can be easily packed
Multi-tool
Why should I bring it? The Multi-tool exists to do any basic repairs or calibrations you need done on the trail.
Recommended Amount: Any Ride: 1
Notes
Make sure the multi-tool has a chain breaker, it will be one of the only things you can use to get your chain apart on the trail.
Spare Tube
Why should I bring it? In case you get a tire puncture from all sorts of sharp objects.
Recommended Amount
Short Rides: 1
Medium Rides: 1
Long Rides: 2
Notes
You can zip-tie a tube to the back of your seat when racing.
If you have “deep” rims make sure that the valve stem of the spare tube is long.
zip ties, rubber bands, plastic sandwich wrap, or tinfoil to keep the tube wrapped tight.
CO2 Bike Inflator or Mini Pump
Why should I bring it? These devices are used to refill a fresh tube or one that has just been patched.
Recommended Amount
Short Rides: 1 pump or
Medium Rides: 1 pump or 2 CO2 Canisters
Long Rides: 1 pump or 3+ CO2 Canisters
Notes
CO2 Bike inflators have a learning curve.
Some mini-pumps come with mounts that allow them to be attached near a water bottle cage.
If you mount the mini-pump, cover the nozzle from dirt and mud.
Mini-pumps take A LOT longer to fill a tube.
Cash
Why should I bring it? If your exhausted at a gas station it might save you from being forced to pawn off your bike for a ham sandwich.
Recommended Amount
Short Rides: None
Medium Rides: $20
Long Rides: $20
Notes
Can be used to temporarily fill a gash in the sidewall of a tire.
Tire Patch Kit
Why should I bring it? In case all your tubes are punctured.
Recommended Amount
Short Rides: None
Medium Rides: 1
Long Rides: 1
Notes
Get tire patches that require glue for use.
Make sure the patch kit includes tire levers.
Other Ideas for Trail Bag:
Zip Ties
Packaged Rain Poncho
Meat Tenderizer
Fire Starter Kit
Miniature Knife
For the pack itself, I’ve recently been using a Topeak “Aero Wedge Pack w/ Fixer”. The bag is capable of fitting everything you’ll need and more. Something great about it is the “Fixer”, which is a piece that mounts to the bottom of the seat instead of relying on straps to hold the bag. I read on thetrajet.com that, no matter what you’re using to carry tools it’s always important to pack enough for the time you’re riding and the pathway conditions you’re faced with. Hopefully this helps a little bit when you’re considering what to bring with you on your trail travels.
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