new guy

[thecolt45]

hey all,

I just bought a Trek 6000 for exercise and trail riding. I live in Upstate NY so I still haven't gotten out on any trails yet this year (Just got rid of our snow). I just had a quick question about what essentials are needed for riding? Like extra tubes, tools, etc.

I look forward to contributing on this forum and looking forward to some good weather here in the next couple weeks.

[JerodH]

Welcome to the madness. I am new her too. TONS of knowledge. A buddy of mine just got a 6000, good choice. As far as accessories go, you need an extra tube, a multitool, a portable tire pump,and a water bottle & cage or a cameback. Whatever you prefer. I would call that the basics.

[K-Man]

Welcome to the Forums.

Since you found this Forum, I'm assuming yer smart enough to already have purchased a helmet. On to the next level....

Nothing will turn a great ride into a sucky hike faster than a flat tire. First priority: pump, spare tube, patch kit (in case the spare tube flats too).

After that: a good multi tool.

Got water? Good, I figured that was a given.

Enjoy!

[ogfeez]

quick question, how are you guys carrying these things with you? One of those under the seat bags, or the "inner frame bag", or just in a backpack? Guess that would be something else you would want to add to the list

[mscotch]

quick question, how are you guys carrying these things with you? One of those under the seat bags, or the "inner frame bag", or just in a backpack? Guess that would be something else you would want to add to the list

you'll never have a problem making a Christmas or birthday list again!:)

I prefer to have my riding buddies carry all that "stuff" for me.:D

Short of that, any of the options you mention will work, just a personal choice as to which option you go with.

I'd just recommend that you keep it all together so you're not looking for stuff before a ride or leave some of it at the house and when you get to the trailhead you don't have what you need. might consider 1 or 2 tire/rim tools (to get the tire off and back on) sometimes you don't need them but they come in handy.
knock yourself out! ooops, bad choice of words.;)

[mimbresman]

99% of the time, I carry my "stuff" (mentioned above) in my jersey pockets. I make sure my jerseys have good pockets i.e., MM "jerseys" ;) Did a supported tour across Scotland last summer and I was the only one not using a backpack. Don't like riding with them...but that's just me. I suggest at least one cycling jersey with pockets.

[rockyrider]

I prefer to have my riding buddies carry all that "stuff" for me.:D aaahhhhh, you're that guy in the group ride. :rolleyes: There was one guy in our group years ago like that, one small water bottle and no spares and tools. He got the most flats and broken chains and always ran out of water and tried to mooch from everyone else. We started charging him $10 a tube. :D

[jerman]

quick question, how are you guys carrying these things with you? One of those under the seat bags, or the "inner frame bag", or just in a backpack? Guess that would be something else you would want to add to the list

I've got a Camelback MULE and love it. Carries all the essentials(and non-essentials:p) and all the water you need.

[K-Man]

quick question, how are you guys carrying these things with you? One of those under the seat bags, or the "inner frame bag", or just in a backpack? Guess that would be something else you would want to add to the list

Many mini-pumps come with a bracket for mounting on frame via water bottle bolts. Get one of those types.

I recommend a small seat bags for tube, patch kit and multi tool. It'll always be on your bike, so you'll never forget to bring tools. And the seat bags are inexpensive, and can be moved from bike to bike if/when you expand the fleet..

If you decide later to invest in a hydration pack for longer expeditions and/or commuting, you still keep the tools in the seat bag, and save the room in the pack for other supplies.

[mscotch]

aaahhhhh, you're that guy in the group ride. :rolleyes: There was one guy in our group years ago like that, one small water bottle and no spares and tools. He got the most flats and broken chains and always ran out of water and tried to mooch from everyone else. We started charging him $10 a tube. :D

I ride by myself all the time, so I do have my "stuff" but it's cool in that so many times when I needed something or other the rest of the folks on the trail, whether in my group of not, are willing to jump in.
When I first started riding 5-6 yrs. ago I met my son in PA, he was living in RI at the time. One day we ended up by State College somewhere, could have been RothRocks, I can't remember, and we met up with guy on the trail. He volunteered to show us around and the next thing we know he dropped us over into a double track that had soooo many rocks. I flatted right away and my son and him kept going. Well, all my "stuff" is with my son cause we decided just to take one camelback and I had just thrown my tube in with his "stuff".
I start walking down the hill to meet up with the guy and my son before I get too far the guy comes chugging back up the hill. He jumps off and dives right in changing my tube. I tell him not to worry I'll wait for my son, but he tells me that he flatted as well and that he'll be awhile. He grabs into his "stuff" and whips out a tube and throws it on my bike. I'm protesting all the time but he just tells me to do the same for someone else sometime and off he goes, he had to get home, he said. Never got his name.
That's when I really started to understand the while mtb culture....I've returned the favor a few times myself since.:D

[rockyrider]

One summer I remember feeling like the Roadside Assistance crew of the Auto Assoc. There's an out and back gravel service road in one of the parks here, runs out 13km to the dam. It's a long walk back if you have no spares and tools. I must have helped out at least a half dozen people in a 3 month period: flats, broken chains, ripped off derailleurs, all on bikes that were being walked back somewhere beyond the 8-12km distance. That's when I started carrying 2-3 spare tubes in my Camelback.

Riding with the guys in the Rockies west of Calgary back in the late 80's doing 40km back country loops, we got in the habit of carrying all sorts of spares between us, even spokes, because you could become food for something with teeth if you didn't make it back in a timely fashion.

[Ripp]

A Camelbak is an near necessity for any serious MTBer in my mind. Waterbottles are great on a road bike but on singletrack there are precious few places where there is time to reach down-drink-reach back down. Your tails may differ, but around here a hydration pack of some brand is the way to carry water. If your carrying your water on your back yo may as well put your tools/spares there too.

ogfeez, the Camelbak MULE is the standard MTB pak, big enough to fit everything you will (most likely) ever need, without being overly burdensome. It will last till just short of forever so it's not something you'll replace soon either. Oh, and if you ever need to, if you take out most everything in it, you can fit 10 canned beers too! Which leaves just two left over from a twelve pack, one for my hand and and one for Phils, or uh, oh nevermind. Don't ride and drink, the police don't like it. Drink then ride, or ride then drink, or both. :D

[ogfeez]

well, i just bought one of those under the seat bags, big enough to fit 2 presta tubes (probably gonna carry just one), allen wrenches, wallet, and keys. Not sure if that is the dork thing to do, but seemed efficient enough for me. Not sure how i feel about it yet. I am not a complete serious rider.... yet, but def like doing it. I am mainly into skiing (in the winter obviously) and just want to ride my bike so i have an excuse not to go to the damn gym with the girlfriend in the summer.

[LeeMcGough]

I kind of suprised no one has mentioned a chainbreaker. I find the ones on multitools to be ornamental at best. When I usually carry a couple of Sram quick links, and the extra chain links that get trimmed off a new chain. When I bring this along on a ride, I can count on my chain staying in one piece. Rode without my usual gear earlier this year, just brought water, a tube, and a pump, and Presto! broke my chain less than half an hour into the ride!

[K-Man]

I kind of suprised no one has mentioned a chainbreaker. I find the ones on multitools to be ornamental at best.

Maybe you bought the wrong multi tool?