Posted: 11/10/2025 12:04:42 AM EDT
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Out on a ride with the wife tonight and I broke my chain. Not too big of a deal as we have cool trails a few minutes from our house, I rode her bike home and got the truck to pick her up. So what tools do you guys carry on the trails and how do you carry them. This goes for mountain bikes and road bikes. |
| I just carry them all in a tool wrap in a frame bag. Granted, that may or may not be typical, I dunno. But some of my rides are >500 miles. Probably overkill but I have a torque wrench, full set of bits (metric hex and torx for all fasteners on my bike), chain breaker, extra links, chain pliers, pump, tubes, needle, thread, and patches for patching tubeless if need be, a Leatherman Wave, a valve core tool (extra valves and cores too of course), and some tire levers, and that might be it. |
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MT, USA
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After you get stranded with a brokedown bike a few times you start to carry everything... And then you wont have a mechanical all season, so you'll get sloppy with your reapair kit, you'll start to believe you're invincible, unsinkable. Riding with no pack, and no tools. Wild, free, unencumbered by a sweat absorbing insulated back sponge. Flying ever higher towards the sun on waxen wings of pride. Then one day, 12 miles out, double flat, or broken chain with no way to repair anything. Your gonna push and drag that bike for the next 3+ hours like a 12 year old Vietnamese kid on the Ho Cho Minh trail. Then you will go back to a backpack full of shit. I try to have a chain tool, tube, pump, plug kit, some sort of allen/torx/screwdriver set--multi tool or individual, some sort of plier, and a derailleur hanger in any bag I ride with, or on the bike in a bag or frame storage. The Park compact chain tool is pretty great for a carry on tool. Most of the chain tools on multi tools are awkward, 2 piece designs that are difficult to manipulate, especially in the woods, when bugs are biting or your fingers are freezing. Attached File |
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I frequently ride where a break down means at least a 6-7 mile walk, minimum, in the middle of absolute nothing, no cell, emergency GPS only, so I go pretty prepared: Multi tool (Lezyne 10 or 11?) Spare tube (ultra light) Hand pump (Lezyne HV) Tire irons/chain tool (2 in 1) Spare chain link Spare battery (Sram AXS) Plug kit (for small holes, but bigger than sealant will seal) A few sections of dollar bill sized Tyvec (cut from a USPS envelope) in case of a large gash. Use the tyvek inside tire+tube. |
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Normally: -Multitool with chain tool -spare master link -Co2 inflator and cartridges -tire levers -bacon strips & tool Depending on what I'm riding that day, they'll be in a bar bag, a camel back, or a SWAT compartment. The bacon strips & tool are inside my handlebar. |
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I used to be a minimalist weight weenie with my road bike but now I carry: Crank Bros multitool with chain tool Tire levers Di2 cable tool Inflator CO2 cartridges Park glueless patches Park tire boot Inner tube Presta-Schraeder adapter Spare chain link On my gravel bike and mountain bikes I carry mostly the same except for a pump instead of C02 and tubeless tire plugs. |
"I don't know if I'm up or down
Whether black is white or blue is brown. The colors of my life are all different somehow.
Little boy blue's a big girl now"
"Killing Yourself To Live" Black Sabbath
Whether black is white or blue is brown. The colors of my life are all different somehow.
Little boy blue's a big girl now"
"Killing Yourself To Live" Black Sabbath
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I use a Mystery Ranch Gunfighter 12 for my rides. Tools: CO2 cartridges and inflators Tire plug kit Fixit Sticks On longer rides, I'll throw in a tube (or zip tie to the frame), tire levers, extra sealant, chain breaker, etc. Since we're on the subject, I also carry Combat gauze ace bandage tourniquet Gu and/or dates Electrolyte mix or two Folding knife iPhone and headphones |
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Trek Pro bits. Comes with tire plugs, Chain breaker, multitool and a place to put a master link. Attached File Attached File Small Trek air compressor Attached File I carry them in a Patagonia hip pack but there is room in my frame storage to put them if I wanted. |
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This plus extra plugs. Sometimes I'll carry a CO2 cartridge or two and move the pump to a jersey pocket. The bag can go anywhere - I attach it to the seat rails.  I'm glad I took a photo just now. I didn't realize I forgot to replace my extra plugs after having a 3-plug flat last fall. |