- Location
- Smithfield Utah
I was cleaning out my pack today and figured I'd share. You wouldn't go hiking all day without one so why ride without?!
You guys please add to this I'm sure some of you have great ideas and items you carry to help you that aren't listed here. None of this is gospel so take it with a grain of salt
My pack is 100% budget minded and anyone can make something similar. There are a lot of new riders here and it seems like after you spend all your hard earned cash on a bike there is no money left for much else, but that shouldn't stop you from putting together something similar. There have been several times where I'm come very close to spending the night on the trail even on rides that were shorter and closer to home and this pack has really saved my butt. I have also rode with a ton of inexperienced riders that for instance fouled a spark plug and had no spare and nothing to change it with Aside from tools and misc. parts you should have a few Energy bars or something to eat along with lots of water to hold you over for a fair amount of time. You never know what will let loose and if you're prepared you can limp your way off of a trail with a little thought ahead of time.
Here are a few things I carry and a reason why I have them. Remember you're also carrying parts for newbie's or unprepared friends (A lot of things I don't have pictured and I'm sure I left some items out)
Valve cores and removers. Ever let the air out of a tire that has a bad/worn out core in it? I did just last week on a friends bike and the core started leaking.
Jets. 2T guy's this is mandatory. You should know how to change them and understand why they are important. Mostly main jets are the important ones because the others can be tuned in for the most part but it doesn't hurt to carry all of them. Make sure you have spare needle clips as well. They are impossible to find when they fall in the sand/soft dirt. Make sure you have the socket and tools you need to remove the main jet!
Tools. I carry enough that I can remove down to the fuel tank and wheels. Anything requiring more work than that (internal engine or suspension failure etc.) and you probably need a helicopter to drag your sorry butt out lol. Sockets and wrenches come in handy here. Multi tools are great and save weight too.
Spark plugs. 2T guy's, you'll only forget these once and you'll never do it again! This is mostly for the 2T owners: Carry at least two because you know a friend will need one at some point I pack a 13/16 plug socket as well as a combination wrench. Most of the older air cooled bikes require a socket and the new bikes take a wrench better. A good rule of thumb is to carry what your bike requires and also have an NGK BR8ES as they are very universal and fit most 2T bikes.
A simple bike pump helps get your tire pressure right where you want it. I don't normally pack tubes in, but if you do I have found a front tube (21") will work in both wheels to get you off the trail and that helps save weight and room.
Compass, map and Fire starters. A little gas from the bike and a spark/flame will make a great fire in an emergency or if you find a nice spot to sit in cold weather. Compass speaks for itself and always have a good map of the area you are riding in.
Flashlights. Reasons are obvious, and if you like to explore mines and caves like me they are a great thing to have!
Master links. We lost a total of 4 masterlinks in our group last year! (crazy huh!) Carry the style your bike takes as well as several misc ones. Different brands of chain take different links so have a few here for your unprepared buddies.
Bolts/screws. Carry odd ones, but remember there are a lot of 4-6m bolts you can salvage from other parts of the bike.
Zip ties. Carry a bunch of different sizes. The last major zip ty repair I made involved holding a rear axle in the swing arm so it would fall out
Fuel line. Ever seen these fail? I have--carry about 1'.
Levers, perches and petals. Riding back with any of these being busted off is no fun at all. I carry the shift lever, front brake, clutch and clutch perch. I can deal without a rear brake if need be.
Windbreaker/water proof jacket. Yes it takes up some room, but nothing brings a smile to my face like throwing that on in an unexpected downpour!
Putting it all together: I have the Camel back "Mule" and it works great for a day pack. There are others like the Ogio "Flight Vest" that are really cool as well. You really want the chest strap as well as the waist strap here to keep it on your back. The little containers that hold my jets are from Nordson and they come with our glue nozzles in them at work. If you'd like some send me your address and I'll get some to you. They are great for small things. A Crown Royal bag also comes in handy to keep all the small things together in one place. And lastly the $0.99 shotgun shell holder fits wrenches, sparkplugs and other things really nice.
Things I don't carry: Always keep a close eye on the condition of your throttle and clutch (brake if applicable) cables, air filter and wheel bearings. If any of these fail during a ride its bad news and I don't see a reason to carry spares as long as you're on top of it.
Pack items below the red line....
You guys please add to this I'm sure some of you have great ideas and items you carry to help you that aren't listed here. None of this is gospel so take it with a grain of salt
My pack is 100% budget minded and anyone can make something similar. There are a lot of new riders here and it seems like after you spend all your hard earned cash on a bike there is no money left for much else, but that shouldn't stop you from putting together something similar. There have been several times where I'm come very close to spending the night on the trail even on rides that were shorter and closer to home and this pack has really saved my butt. I have also rode with a ton of inexperienced riders that for instance fouled a spark plug and had no spare and nothing to change it with
Aside from tools and misc. parts you should have a few Energy bars or something to eat along with lots of water to hold you over for a fair amount of time. You never know what will let loose and if you're prepared you can limp your way off of a trail with a little thought ahead of time. Here are a few things I carry and a reason why I have them. Remember you're also carrying parts for newbie's or unprepared friends
(A lot of things I don't have pictured and I'm sure I left some items out)Valve cores and removers. Ever let the air out of a tire that has a bad/worn out core in it? I did just last week on a friends bike and the core started leaking.
Jets. 2T guy's this is mandatory. You should know how to change them and understand why they are important. Mostly main jets are the important ones because the others can be tuned in for the most part but it doesn't hurt to carry all of them. Make sure you have spare needle clips as well. They are impossible to find when they fall in the sand/soft dirt. Make sure you have the socket and tools you need to remove the main jet!
Tools. I carry enough that I can remove down to the fuel tank and wheels. Anything requiring more work than that (internal engine or suspension failure etc.) and you probably need a helicopter to drag your sorry butt out lol. Sockets and wrenches come in handy here. Multi tools are great and save weight too.
Spark plugs. 2T guy's, you'll only forget these once and you'll never do it again!
This is mostly for the 2T owners: Carry at least two because you know a friend will need one at some point I pack a 13/16 plug socket as well as a combination wrench. Most of the older air cooled bikes require a socket and the new bikes take a wrench better. A good rule of thumb is to carry what your bike requires and also have an NGK BR8ES as they are very universal and fit most 2T bikes.A simple bike pump helps get your tire pressure right where you want it. I don't normally pack tubes in, but if you do I have found a front tube (21") will work in both wheels to get you off the trail and that helps save weight and room.
Compass, map and Fire starters. A little gas from the bike and a spark/flame will make a great fire in an emergency or if you find a nice spot to sit in cold weather. Compass speaks for itself and always have a good map of the area you are riding in.
Flashlights. Reasons are obvious, and if you like to explore mines and caves like me they are a great thing to have!
Master links. We lost a total of 4 masterlinks in our group last year! (crazy huh!) Carry the style your bike takes as well as several misc ones. Different brands of chain take different links so have a few here for your unprepared buddies.
Bolts/screws. Carry odd ones, but remember there are a lot of 4-6m bolts you can salvage from other parts of the bike.
Zip ties. Carry a bunch of different sizes. The last major zip ty repair I made involved holding a rear axle in the swing arm so it would fall out
Fuel line. Ever seen these fail? I have--carry about 1'.
Levers, perches and petals. Riding back with any of these being busted off is no fun at all. I carry the shift lever, front brake, clutch and clutch perch. I can deal without a rear brake if need be.
Windbreaker/water proof jacket. Yes it takes up some room, but nothing brings a smile to my face like throwing that on in an unexpected downpour!
Putting it all together: I have the Camel back "Mule" and it works great for a day pack. There are others like the Ogio "Flight Vest" that are really cool as well. You really want the chest strap as well as the waist strap here to keep it on your back. The little containers that hold my jets are from Nordson and they come with our glue nozzles in them at work. If you'd like some send me your address and I'll get some to you. They are great for small things. A Crown Royal bag also comes in handy to keep all the small things together in one place. And lastly the $0.99 shotgun shell holder fits wrenches, sparkplugs and other things really nice.
Things I don't carry: Always keep a close eye on the condition of your throttle and clutch (brake if applicable) cables, air filter and wheel bearings. If any of these fail during a ride its bad news and I don't see a reason to carry spares as long as you're on top of it.
Pack items below the red line....
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