When you go for a cycle there are a few essential items that you should bring with you, so here is our guide to the perfect mountain biking kit for your smoothest adventure yet.
- A hydration pack or water bottle- Journeys often last over 2 or 3 hours so it’s a good idea to have water with you. Not drinking enough water on long rides can effect your abilities and slow you down. By not drinking enough water when you’re cycling, the chances of you crashing into a tree or falling off of your bike are much higher. It’s always super important to stay hydrated when you want to be on top of your game. I find water bottle cages very handy because they keep you from having to carry extra things in your bag and they take the weight off your shoulders. Or if you find taking your hand off the handlebars tricky, there are hydration packs available. Hydration packs look like small rucksacks that you carry on your back. Some contain storage space for you to be able to carry all you need on your back.
- Food- If you are going out for a few hours it’s always good to have something with you that you can eat while you’re on your bike. Things like cereal bars, bananas or granola bars are great to have with you as they are small and easy to fit in your bag.
- A rucksack- Rucksacks are great for holding everything you need. There are really great rucksacks out there that are super lightweight and can hold all your equipment.
- Puncture repair kit- Repair kits are definitely a must when it comes to putting your mountain bike pack together. They are super handy if you ever get a puncture in one of your tyres. Even if you bring spare tubes, it’s always nice to have a backup in case you get more than one puncture.
- Tubes- Tubes are usually not too expensive so it’s well worth bringing a spare tube or two if you know how to fix them properly. If you are really not mechanically minded there are still some other options. One option is to exchange your tubes for self sealing tubes. These tubes are lined with a gel which seals the hole in the tube as soon as it develops. They are heavier than normal tubes. You can also get sealants which come in a canister and inflate the tube or tyre as they seal it. Ask your local bike shop for more information
- A pump- There is a great range in pumps available now that are only about 8 inches long and clip onto a bracket which attaches to your water bottle cage on the frame, or you can just throw them into a rucksack. These are ideal as they are light, small and can inflate tyres to a reasonably high pressure
- Tools- Tyre levers- You may or may not need tyre levers depending on the types of tyres that you are using. Some mountain bike tyres are a very loose fit and will not necessitate the use of levers. Others require three levers two thumbs and a knee! So it is advisable to bring some with you. Allen Keys- It’s a good idea to bring some allen keys with you when you cycle you will probably only need 3 or 4 different sizes but they are invaluable if you need to adjust something along the way. Link Extractor- It is also handy to have a link extractor with you. These cost about €15 and give you the ability to repair broken chains. Generally chains break if they are not well matched to your chainset and sprockets. However if they are old or if you have a tendency to use gears that put undue stress on the chain, It will eventually snap. An example of a gear that would put undue stress on the chain would be when the chain was on the largest ring of the chainset and the largest sprocket on the cassette. On some chains it is possible to fit a clip on link. Others require a specific pin which is pushed into position using a link extractor tool.