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Nov
20

What’s in the bag? A beginners guide

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I’m often told that I cart way too much kit around with me and while I may sometimes be guilty of that quite often it’s because I’m the one taking the responsibility for the group. I’m often asked in the shop what the essential bits of kit to take out are. So I’ll take this as an opportunity to show you the stuff I carry and then after that go through what you can get away with as a beginner.

Lets start with the tools:

Tool kit - Essential MTB items

Tool kit

  1. Toothpaste tubes – for split tyre sidewalls
  2. Power links – 8 & 9 speed
  3. 8mm allen key
  4. Puncture kit
  5. Spoke key
  6. Spare bolts
  7. Stan’s top up fluid (for me)
  8. Shock pump
  9. Tyre pump
  10. Zip ties
  11. Rubber gloves
  12. Spare tube
  13. 6″ adjustable spanner
  14. Pliers
  15. Spare brake pads
  16. CO2 inflator & spares
  17. Multi tool
  18. Chain tool
  19. Tyre levers
  20. Super glue & chopped up tyre walls – for tubeless repairs
  21. Tubeless repair kit
  22. Gaffa tape
  23. Mini pliers
  24. Self adhesive patches
  25. Tyre levers
  26. Luxury titanium tyre lever / tea spoon!
First aid - useful first aid and survival gear

First aid

Here’s my first aid stuff. Spare jacket, first aid kit, survival blanket, dressings, gloves, triangular bandages, more brake pads.

Spare food - emergency food

Spare food

Really important this one, I always carry spare food with me, and as the others will tell you I’m always hungry! It varies from week to week what I carry, but the SIS smart gel with caffeine is always present as an emergency measure, it’s got me out of a few tight spots!

Notepad, pen, GPS - essential for emergency situations

Notepad, pen, GPS

Notepad, pen and GPS in waterproof bag. You never know what information you may need in an emergency!

Deuter Transalp - a bit rucksack

And it all gets stuffed in my trusty Deuter Transalp

So it all gets chucked in my bag. Depending on where we are going there are a few other things that can be put in there too, for example if we are doing a big ride somewhere remote I also have an emergency shelter too.

And of course the phone is always present……

So if you’re a beginner what can you get away with? Well first of all none of it is any good if you don’t know how to use it, so it’s important to ask your mates or a shop and get the information you need to help yourself out of any tight spots!

Essential kit:

  • Spare inner tube
  • Tyre levers
  • Pump
  • Multi tool
  • Emergency food

So if you guys out there have any other really useful bits of kit you take with you why not reply in the comments below….

Hummerlicious

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4 comments

  1. bigsi says:

    November 20, 2010 at 10:26 pm (UTC 1)

    I always have a space blanket with me & a mobile phone which i would say EVERYONE should carry with them. Make sure you have the numbers of at least one of the people you are riding with programmed into the phone.

    Also chain tool & powerlinks are a must for me.

  2. Tweets that mention What’s in the bag? A beginners guide » Sussex-MTB -- Topsy.com says:

    November 20, 2010 at 10:47 pm (UTC 1)

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  3. dougal says:

    November 21, 2010 at 3:52 pm (UTC 1)

    a spare UST valve kit
    a presta to schrader valve adaptor
    a little bottle of lube
    whistle
    malt loaf
    some toilet paper
    chain links
    beanie in winter
    cash
    tyre boots
    and when out riding with certain people a can of mace spray.

  4. Hummerlicious says:

    November 21, 2010 at 8:00 pm (UTC 1)

    Good call with the whistle, I recommend the ACME Tornado 2000
    http://bit.ly/a9lPz9

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