5 Essential Tools & Spares You MUST Take On Every Ride!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.ค. 2024
- Five essential tools and spares that you need to take with you when out cycling to make sure that you are not left sat at the road side needing a lift home!
0:00 Intro
0:19 Inner Tube
1:05 Tyre Lever
1:50 Pump
2:39 Multi Tool
3:56 Puncture Repair Kit
4:36 Summary
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What tools do you always carry on your rides? 🤔
InReach satellite communication when cycling out of mobile phone range
you forgot one, some plastic cable ties or as some call them zip ties.
If the handlebar end plugs can be removed on your bicycle then you can put some inside the handlebar I do that on my flat bar hybrid bike.
I have a larger Saddlebag with all the stuff you mentioned plus: Battery lights, zipties and adhesive tape, a small tube of sunscreen, a bunch of stickers from my local riding group and (most importantly) a 20 Euro bill.
@@user-ml8hp3hl3j 🤡
As my bike is tubeless, I carry with me a sealant, a portable compressor, a tyre lever, and multi-tools including Allen keys
A quick link. Completely weightless and can get you out of trouble in no time in case of a chain snap, rear mec disaster, etc.
You also need a chain break press along side with that.
That comes with the multitool Alfred showed.
Quick links are a great shout! Keep them in your saddle bag and you'll never have an issue 🙌
That’s if your chain already uses a a quick link…
@@roydrink You can have more than one.
Key point from personal experience: make sure the valve length on spare inner tubes is appropriate for your rim depth! Or carry valve extenders.
Been there as well 🥲
Yes! Especially if you've got extra deep rims 👀 - You can't always rely of the other friendly riders out there!
or a tube without a loose valve core, if your mini pump has a screw on attachment, been there, not again!!!
I take a headlamp / headtorch with me for nighttime repairs. I also pack a couple of nitrile gloves: they take practically no space and save my hands from getting gunked up during any repairs.
In my area, as part of my Auto Club coverage, I also have Bike coverage so any issues that I can't resolve, I can call for an assist and includes a ride back home if the bike is not rideable. Good to have for sure.
For removing and installing tires, I use a Tyre Glider, made by a company in the U.K. Just a single lever makes it easy to remove and install your tires.
This video pretty much sums up what went wrong on my last ride when I punctured somewhere in a town in the Alps: I had a spare tube but my CO2 pump didn't work because the button to actuate it was broken in the bag. Also, my tire had a cut and I was lucky that it held together enough for the tube to stay in the casing. Also didn't have tire levers in the bag because my Vittoria Corsa went on my rim just fine. However, I've put them back in my saddlebag because there was no way I could get the replacement GP5000s on without later on (at least some lessons learned!). So, all boxed ticked. But, I always put a multitool in my pocket, one day I'll need it, for sure! 😁
Oh dear 😂
I only got a new bike recently and had been lagging on getting those essential bits and pieces. I'm lucky my neighbours have a great set of workshop tools available for work at home, but it meant I'd been lazy in getting a mini pump and spare inner tube! So I've finally got around to getting a mini kit for out on the road. Can't rely on the neighbours all the time!
Don't forget to periodically check the patch kit. I once needed after not needing it for a couple of years. Needless to say, the patches were useless. They don't have an infinite lifetime.
Hahahaha yes! We've all made this mistake 👀
I will always carry a pump over CO2 cartridges. I don’t mind the extra “weight” or space taken up because it at least gives me the assurance that it will work every time or help out more than 1 person. I’ve been on countless rides in which I encountered someone that didn’t have a pump and was completely stranded. That said, be responsible and carry the stuff you need to get yourself out of trouble. It will give you confidence to ride longer distances!
Agree, I like pumps which have reversible end to fit both presta and schrader ☺
If you have electronic SRAM shifters, a replacement battery is really good to have in the saddlebag
For good cycling karma, have a Park 3-way spoke wrench to loosen spokes opposite the broken one. Silca single use gear wipe to clean up if needed, and a compact pump along w/co2 canister. Help more stranded fellow riders than myself.
I also carry quick link pliers. Wolf Tooth do a flat pair which also can hold 2 pairs of quick links.
And a mini Leatherman's folding pliers.
A CO2 pump and cartridge for a quick change and a frame pump for when I have used that or someone else needs a pump. As a heavier rider I need higher pressure in my tyres, a mini pump is difficult to get to a decent pressure, plus a frame pump is quicker (for me).
Pliers are great for those annoying steel radial filaments you can’t pull out.
I always carry a 5 or 10€ bill folded in my phone case. It can save you if you need a second additional inner tube or additional snacks if you're running out of fuel. For short rides I go without a puncture repair kit though. In my experience these trendy miniature light weight repair kits never work as good as intended anyway. Most of the times you can still get home by pumping up a slow puncture repeatedly and it's faster than repairing it on the road. At least if you have a pump that actually works. The really small ligt pumps are a pain in the *ss to use and break after three times pumping up to 4-6 bars anyway.
Finding the perfect pump can be tough! Like you said, it's worth investing in something that will last and do the job well. Ollie did this great video that might help you find the best pump for you 👉th-cam.com/video/QNzFFxIJLyo/w-d-xo.html - What do you think to a frame pump?
I have the exact same rusty topeak multitool, that little chain breaker has saved more rides than I can count
The small Lezyne Smart Patch kits are great IMO, as well as self-adhesive patches they include a small tyre boot. Topeak Hexus X is my multitool of choice, has just about everything in one tool. Never had to use the chain tool, but having it and some spare quick links means I can at least have one gear to get me home.
You can always under pack, we wouldn't worry too much about over packing. You never know when that chain tool might come in handy 🙌
Great Video - to the point. I liked that roll-up TOPEAK kit.. I may update or stocking stuff that one.. really cool.
Great tips Anthony!
Great article Alex! After one learning experience, I now carry those 5 items at every ride. I like a small back pack while riding rather than stuff hanging from the frame or saddle and I found a great little pump that fits easily in the pack and has a flexible tube inside which is mounted on the outside when you use it.
Fantastic Alex! I like that old multi-tool... rusty crusty but still going strong!
A pair of tweezers also comes in very handy for pulling thorns or shards of glass out of the tire (tyre for you Brits). El Cheapo brand from the grocery store does the trick. A sharp pocket knife and zip ties (yes, Si, ZIP TIES) round out my saddle bag.
Some other small tips:
- keeping your multi tool or hex keys and other metallic gear in a plastic baggie will prevent rust and corrosion in moist environments
- traditional patches with vulcanizing fluid work much better than those stick-on patches
- frame pumps look funny and are considered "retro" but they can sling some serious air with each stroke
- spare currency notes or used snack wrappers make good tire boots in a pinch
"...unless you got thumbs like Hulk Hogan." 😆The only thing I disagree with Alex is the self-adhesive patches. They are good in the short term, but after a year of using them they start losing air and need to be reinstalled. I usually take both, the standard patches and the self-adhesive patches in case the glue has dried.
In Germany the national body ADFC has a roadside assistance service.
So in Germany don't forget your adfc membership.
I don't know what the BCF have it's been about 20 years since I lived in the UK.
Don't forget the bike stand. Take a foldable bike stand on every ride, it will come in handy!
Now that would be impressive bikepacking 😂
Or just hang it on a farm gate 👍🏻
Great tip! 😅
Spare mech hanger! Read it on a blog once… thought nah. Then next big trip bent it, tried to straighten it and broke it! Cue a week long wait to get a new one sent to the remote town in Spain that I rode 95km to on a single speed 😬 ALWAYS carry a spare now!
I liked the tip of using a patch inside the tire. I don’t know why I never thought of that, but I’ve had punctures that were actually small cuts. My worry was always getting another flat before I got home to replace the tire.
I've now standardised on Conti Race 28's all round which have removable valve cores. That means whatever wheels I have in, I have spare tubes that will fit, with or without a valve extender (which I always carry as a spare).
I used to use latex but had puckering problems and failures with Michelin and Silca and, looking at web forums, others have had the same issues - and talcing the tubes before mounting doesn't stop the puckering.
TPU looks really great apart from the fact you can't fix them at the road side - my understanding is they need an overnight cure to repair a patch.
If you live in an area with stone walls and no hedges, you'll have a totally different perspective. But I don't - there are lots of thorn hedges near me and we're getting into hedge cutting season!
Those self-adhesive patches are brilliant! I've been told, however, that they don't work on all tube types. TPU, specifically, seems to be difficult for some patches to adhere to. For this, try the Park Tool patches, they'll stick to anything: butyl, latex, AND TPU.
went out for a base ride last weekend and carried nothing but my phone with me. got a puncture towardsathe end of the ride (luckily) and was about 15km away from home and had no choice but to call my parents to pick me up. lesson learnt.
I always carry two tubes with my, just in case. I carry patched tubes that are about half the size of yours (Michelin Air Comps). I also carry a set of three levers that has a Park spoke wrench and a 5mm hex wrench rubber banded to it. Besides that, I carry a CO2 inflator and two extra carts......That's it.
Valve core tool and valve extensions, lots of people with deep rims and with short valves on spare tubes.
I always carry 2 tubes as you never know (plus I'm notorious for not finding the cause of the puncture first time).
That's what pockets are for! Stuff them full of tubes 🙌
@@gcntech I have a comedy large saddlebag.
Yup. I have all five of these in my saddle bag 👍
Did we miss anything? 👀
@@gcntech Snack bar?? 😋
Leatherman with a plyer attachment and a knife etc. And, cable ties of course:)
That's a good list, Alan. I also take an ID, credit card, a small amount of cash, and my public transit card. My watch band also has two emergency phone numbers. Just in case.
If you run tubeless, make sure that you don't tighten the valve stem nut with a pilers, otherwise you may not be able to remove the valve when you need to put in a spare tube.
Over-tightening is a real issue! Well remembered 🙌
2 TPU tubes, patch kit, 2 tyre levers, minitool, chain link, ziptie, mini pump.
Been cycling for 20 years & never had any mechanical or puncture… Not sure how but super pleased as i never take anything with me
I always carry a pair of medical gloves with my kit. They weigh nothing, take up little space and stop you from getting filthy if something goes wrong. They cost around £8 for a box of 50 pairs.
I do this as well. My tools and spares are in a storage bottle so the gloves stop anything from rattling too (E.g. quick links)
Kinda curious about the feeling of Vision 60 sl wheelset on the canyon in the video
Tube, tire levers, small patch kit, CO2, mini pump. I generally don't carry a multi tool. Back in ye olde days, it was a spare tubular under the seat, and a Silca frame pump. Nothing else.
Every ride, unless I’m just going 10 mins down the road to the shops, I’ll have an inner tube, tyre leavers, multi tool and my trusty mini-pump. Really doesn’t take up much space or weight and are essential. Normally I’d have some lights too.
Given that adhesive patches are a last resort and often go underutilised, how often should we replace them given the adhesive will inevitably deteriorate over time (even quicker in extreme climates)?
Yep. I learned that lesson the hard way.
this. tubes are honestly so cheap and lightweight ones take up so little space, I just carry two tubes. if I neeed more that that i'll walk home.
@gcntech Something unrelated but essential to carry on during a bike ride is some cash and a coin, a CR2030 battery if you might have an electric groupset and an energy gel.
Sun screen in a contact lens case. Small and easily fillable.
Of the three types of innertubes, is any one easier to install than the others? I suck at being a bike mechanic.
Good vid. A park tool super patch is always useful, if not a tyre boot. Multi tool definitely needs to have a chain tool, and if you eunntyres tubeless, then a valve core removal tool can be helpful if you need to put an inner tube in event that you run out of sealant.
What's the one tool you use the most? 👀
@@gcntech Crank Bros M17 multitool. An oldie but a goodie.
I got muc-off tubeless valves where one of the caps works as a valve core remover, which is pretty nifty.
You need 25 cm of strong string or wire with which you can open quicklink. It needs to be thin enough to put it between innerplates of your chain. Or get hand operated quicklink - Connex 🤓
Tube, co2, multi tool and a prayer
Thru axle can be an effective make do tyre lever. Be good if they made them with that in mind like. Heck, imagine if they incorporated a ratcheting mech and hex sockets!?!
Carry an empty gel packet. Best tire boot and you can swap it out when you use the next one. Just make sure you consume all the gel.
I'm curious about Airbag Helmet (Hövding 3 for instance) would be intrested in a GCN Tech opinon/test before i hhand out so much cash :)
I need to update my patch kit as they are probably past their use-by date. I liked the little kit you had in the video but I'm guessing they're not a sponsor since you carefully concealed the name. Does anyone know what it is?
Ditch that tire lever with the exposed metal end. That's going to damage your carbon rims. products like Alex's new topeka roll multi-tools, with it's separate bits is great as you can leave the bits your bike doesn't ned at home and lighten the load. Some brands like Wolftooth have these which fit into a quick link tool which are great to have on each ride. Just ask th guy whose broken chain I fixed last Saturday!
I have a disc brake truing tool. It saved my a** after I crashed years ago.
Very good list.
But also don't forget your phone!
Sometimes it's great to head out with no distractions and no screens though. Do you take your phone for safety reasons? 📞
A drawing pin,how many times have people had a puncture straight after, having not got the hole thorn out first time with the plyers, also The app What 3 Words to let your rescuer know where you are.
All those plus a few cable ties and some electrical tape :-)
a quick link: I've had a chain fail on me (well, on a friend) 2 twice...
one resulted in missing out on a bike race, and the second time barely mattered (cause I had the quick link!)
also my friend now knows not to shift under load on a climb xD
1 Bontrager MINIcharger it's no hassle with it you can attached on seat tube buttl cage light wight and it's give lettil aero dynamic in that bosition or behind front wheel down of low tube.
2 nano stick topeak adjustable torque 0-10.02 nm .
3 Bontrager body bag MCMLXXX it's good to carry a lot of tools inside it including 620 ml water bottle .
***** Bontrager MINicharger airboumb I found it the best in our market, Please if any one know better than this in same specifications till me to take a look it's important for every trip *****
More and more of us use tubeless tires; nothing a out that in this video
What do you take to fix a puncture when you’re running tubeless? An innertube will be hard to install because of all the liquid…?
We've made this great video on how to fix tubeless tubeless punctures 👉th-cam.com/video/xZ8HqKPrRXY/w-d-xo.html
@@gcntech merci beaucoup! :)
How to fix a puncture on a TPU inner tube? Can I use the same patches as on a standard butyl tube? #askgcntech
Typically, the patches for TPU inner tubes are TPU patches of the same type as the inner tube. You can't use rubber cement and rubber inner tube patches that rely on vulcanisation to adhere like you would with a butyl inner tube. As for glueless patches, I've never tried this one out.
How does tubeless change the equation?
I think you would additionally carry tire plugs but a spare tube as a last resort would still be a good idea. You might get away easier with a mini pump because tubeless doesn't require as much pressure as tubes....
Tire plugs if you are using tubeless tires
Spoon? No one uses a spoon. It's the all purpose butter knife! Flat head screwdriver, scraper, probe, leaver, spacer, and of course tire repair.
I just fill my saddle bag with zip ties and duct tape. I find I can fix anything with that supply. Also, a phone just incase I get thrown in jail... Alvin said it'll get me out of jail for free.
On-bike pumps are a tradeoff as I see it. I mean small and light is good, but small pumps are hard work. A slightly larger pump moves more air and inflates tires easier, but how large it too large?
Food and water
Do you need different type of patches/glue for different types of inner tubes?
Which is funny because in the intro you're on a bike without a saddlebag to carry your Essential Tools & Spares You MUST Take On Every Ride!
Almost as if rear jersey pockets are not a thing!
Cash, at least 50 CHF / Euro and few coins.
Bank card and phone to order a taxi
Money and/or debit card and don`t forget your house keys.
A kitchen sink...... 🤔🤔🤔
CO2 is a must. Fill your tire in literally 2 seconds, versus several minutes with a tiny hand pump.
There's no reason to waste money just for saving several minutes of pumping your bike. Unless you're a racer in a race, just use tiny pump
@@yukiko_5051 that’s an ignorant way of looking at things.
@@gavinm717gkm Enlighten me
@@yukiko_505110 canisters on Amazon for 7 quid. Hardly the stuff of millionaires
There are also electric pumps that fit in a little saddle bag - reusable/rechargable. The only disadvantage is that it’s heavier but can pump lots of tires or adjust tire pressure for different surfaces while riding
This video is targeted towards those mom's and dumb Dad's that take their kids to the rail trails on the weekend to get outdoors and enjoy a day of riding bikes that never get ridden. I think those that call themselves cyclists don't need to watch this video. I barely watched 23 seconds of it myself.