When you're alone on mountain trails, it's good to have a minimal kit with you to handle the most common problems that may arise.
This guide is for riders who have recently decided to take their bike to the mountains and frequently ask us what to bring in their car, what to have with them on the trail.
And because the store's portfolio at https://bikeverse.ro/shop has expanded with equipment, parts, tools, and accessories that, if ordered today by 1 PM, you have a good chance of receiving tomorrow, I will include links to these.
I will only choose what I would take myself; you have the freedom to choose something cheaper, more expensive, lighter, or from elsewhere.
What do we need to have with us to fix a flat?
Whether we have a tube or tubeless, the quickest method is to put in a tube and solve the problem.
The patch option
Flat repair kit with included levers
Flat repair kit without levers
You don't have a tube because you think it's too heavy and bulky; at least have a set of patches with you.
Consider that in this case, the operation can take considerably longer for various reasons:
you can't see where the flat is, you spend a long time looking for it. Two weekends ago, a trail buddy searched for the flat for a good few minutes when I reached him. It was hiding right on the factory seam...
it could be a hole from a nail, it could be a short cut, there could be two cuts or even four on a serious snake bite; you need to search both sides, have small patches but also longer ones with you;
it takes time to sand, apply adhesive, wait for it to dry, put on the patch, and patiently press on it for a while. You rush with the pump, surprise! the patch doesn't hold when you inflate, you start over, do you have more patches? How many did you bring with you?
if it rains, how do you manage with patching? not very well...
The tube option - preferred
VITTORIA Standard Tube 29x2.50/3.0 FV presta 48mm
Or something more exotic, made of TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), a modern material known for its high durability and excellent resistance to failures. Compared to classic butyl tubes, TPU offers a reduced weight and superior resistance to intense use, making it ideal for MTB and All Mountain.
MTB Bike Tube TPU 29" Presta 48 mm – 29 x 1.9–2.5 - 80 grams
Advantages of using a tube in case of a flat:
you fix the flat quickly, take out the broken tube, put it away properly, don’t just throw it on the trail as I often see. I pick up the ones thrown on the trail. Most are new, even branded, I patch them at home and give them to those in need or use them myself. And if it's badly cut and harder to patch, you still have to take a valve from it. How useful it is when your valve is clogged with sealant, has clogged up, and you have nothing to clean it with, or it has just aged, and the rubber seals look terrible. Or you drop it and can't find it in the grass.
works whether you have a tube or tubeless
The string option - for tubeless
This is the kit you must have with you, provided you can see where the hole in the rubber is (if you have enough sealant and rotate the tire, you will see where it is leaking, provided you have something to inflate the tire).
InGrip Mini Tool Kit - mounted in the handlebars
Included tools
▸Hex: 2 / 2.5 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 8 mm
▸Torx: T10 / T25
▸Phillips screwdriver: PH2
▸Flat screwdriver: 3 mm
▸Spoke wrench: 3.2 mm (15G) / 3.4 mm (14G) / 3.5 mm (13G)
▸Chain rivet tool
▸Repair kit
Tubeless Repair Kit Tubeless Fix Aluminum 25 grams
Common necessary tools for the above options
Levers
Set of 3 Levers TB-5566 Metal Insert
Or longer ones also with a metal core (but be very careful with carbon rims and don't pinch the tape!
Long Tire Levers with Metal Core
Mini Infantry Pump
Small pumps have a frame mount if you can do that, I couldn't attach the mount on my electric bike... So the pump ended up in my backpack or saddle bag.
Mini 2-STAGE Aluminum Pump
CO2 Tank with Valve
CO2 Pump + CO2 Cartridge LUFT
Don't think that a CO2 cartridge will inflate your 29 x 2.5 tire to 40 PSI, but it will do 50-80% of the job.
You might ask why levers on a string? Because I had a flat right next to the rim and couldn't insert the string until I removed the tire from the rim.
What do we need to have with us to fix a broken chain?
Does it happen often? Not very often, but it does happen and you need to be prepared. If not for yourself, at least help a friend, a trail buddy. If you rely on others, you might wait a long time, especially if you're on a less traveled trail or on a weekday, not on the weekend.
It happened to me on DN1A, on my way to Cheia. If it weren't for Florin Leonte to help me, I would have taken the first minibus home. So I had lunch in Cheia and climbed the Bratocea Pass, followed by a spectacular descent through Săcele towards Brașov, with 3 rain showers along the way, but it was summer, so it didn't matter much.
It got terribly dirty. He scolded me for not having a chain tool with me, links, wet wipes... Since then, I never go without a chain tool.
Causes?
you shift gears forcefully instead of coasting;
you have an electric bike and don't realize that the motor can amplify your power by up to 8 times, turning you into an extremely powerful athlete. I haven't developed more than 800W with my own legs, tested recently in Bucharest, on flat ground, after proper warm-up. But on a Whistle, I can reach 1300W, right?
pure bad luck: you're in a difficult area on the trail and had to shift forcefully, it can happen to anyone
the derailleur is not properly adjusted or maybe you just fell and the hanger got bent
Tool List for a Broken Chain
Chain Tool or multitool with chain extractor
Mini Chain Tool 9-12v 25 grams
Quick-Link
Wet Wipes (it's a messy job)
Broken or Loose Spokes
In this case, you must stop at any repetitive noise with the wheel's rotation period because a broken spoke can cause much more trouble than an extra noise.
If it's broken near the hub, use a spoke wrench to remove the broken spoke.
If broken near the nipple, wrap it around another spoke somehow until you can get it down to remove it from the hub. You will need to remove the brake disc or the cassette, as applicable.
Multitool with chain tool
There are many types of multitools on the market. From my own experience, the smaller and shorter they are, the more you struggle with them, but they are lighter, right? They take up less space.
I recommend choosing a multitool with a chain extractor and spoke wrench included.
