[Closed] Minimalist mountain biking - Anyone managed it?

Just pull yourself together. You don't need to be obsess or give yourself a label. Decide what you need and what you want. You sound a bit obsessive, so you'll go from obsessing over gear to obsessing over minimalism.. am I right? 🙂

I really enjoyed a recent ride where I forgot my backpack, containing Camelbak, snack, first aid kit, repair kit (inc tube and pump), phone and waterproof 😀

Just pull yourself together. You don't need to be obsess or give yourself a label. Decide what you need and what you want. You sound a bit obsessive, so you'll go from obsessing over gear to obsessing over minimalism.. am I right?

No, you are talking out of your arse 😀

I take tube, pump, multi tool, drink, and optionally something to eat and spare layer of clothing. That's all I need, it's all you need too 🙂

I've realised that the obsession with gear and bikes has taken some of the fun out of it

Happened to me a few years ago and I've been on a rigid SS MTB ever since. Clearly not for everyone, but it worked for me.

Rarely take any food or water these days eating and drinking while riding is a massive con ime

Just enough tools and tie wraps to save a walk

Never take any spare clothing

yes get into road biking and suddenly you have less mtbs and more roady stuff. 🙄

Happened to me a few years ago and I've been on a rigid SS MTB ever since. Clearly not for everyone, but it worked for me.

Don't think I could go that far, but one bike for everything is the idea.

For the last years 40 years I've only ever had one bike. No the same bike, but owned only one at a time.
In 2008, mountain biking became my main interest, having spent countless hours in previous years, driving in pursuit of decent windsurfing conditions.
To suit the mix of riding I enjoy, I bought a Trance. It was used for everything from local forest days out, to big epics, with a little trail centre stuff and some mountain mayhem laps chucked in for good measure.
I replaced it this spring, with a newer model of the same bike, bit longer, bit slacker, bit more travel.
Bit more " all marketing" , I suppose, but I like it and it will do everything I need it to.

A fortnight back, I bought a bloody fatbike. A simple steel framed Genesis. I like it.
Sure it might not be the go to choice for some of the places I ride, but it's fun.

That said, the dilemma for later this afternoon, is which bike to take for a couple of hours in the woods ?
Fifteen days ago, there would have been no such issue.
x=n+1 : It's a slippery slope and I'm not certain I want to be on it !
😉 😳

I've been into MTB's for 30 years and only had one bike during my first couple of years of riding. Since then, I've had as many as ten and currently have 5 MTB's and 2 road bikes. There are days when any of the bikes is the most suitable and I love riding them all.

About 4 years ago I started thinking I only needed one and built up a Surly Karate Monkey with a set of MTB wheels, a set of touring wheels and a rear single speed wheel to match the MTB front, rigid and suspension forks, drop bars, risers and a Jones bar for it and it was good at everything I asked of it from long road miles to local (mostly Dark Peak) mountain biking and even a few MTB events. The problem was that every time I wanted to just grab it and head out, it wasn't in the set up I wanted for that ride on that day so it went the way of so many other bikes and got replaced.

One bike will work for people who like to do the same kind of riding for the majority of the time or are happy to compromise on some rides as the bike is perhaps not the ideal one for that day and that ride.

At the end of the day, it's no bad thing to have choice. Unless you're a serial ditherer.

I sold all my bikes once.....that was fairly minimalist.

I really enjoyed a recent ride where I forgot my backpack, containing Camelbak, snack, first aid kit, repair kit (inc tube and pump), phone and waterproof

you put your camelbak inside another backpack ?

molgrips - Member
I take tube, pump, multi tool, drink, and optionally something to eat and spare layer of clothing

Pretty much the same plus a couple of reusable zip ties.

SS Rigid bike - enough clothes to keep me decent - shoe - no lid or anything else

I had to walk home one because of a puncture but otherwise It been plain sailing

Only ever had one MTB at a time. If I want to go mountain biking then that's the one I choose. Likewise, I've one road bike.

I very rarely spend my own money on bike stuff these days, not that I ever really had a massive consumerist habit. I just ask for stuff as presents on birthdays or Christmas.

I've got more than one bike, but the next time one gets knackered (FS MTB most likely) I'll probably just put some suspension forks on the rigid 29er and go down to one.

I like to ride and take just whats needed for the job in hand, so could be described as minimal.

To achieve this I have:
6 sets of cycling clothes for different conditions
4 pairs of cycling shoes
3 different sets of lights
2 helmets
3 pairs of glasses, all with at least 3 lenses
and, um about 6 bikes I think? 😳

Yes - training road bike, sunny sunday road bike, rigid singlespeed, ti hardtail, full susser (another Trance) and a fatbike.

Could still do with a cross bike and a + tyred bike

Yep. Used carry far too much and wear totally inappropriate clothing. Now wear just Lycra carrying this in a small saddle pack...

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Usually carry a bidon on the frame and a phone in the jersey pocket. Food is time and distance dependent but never any extra clothing, just arm or leg warmers.

I used to be much more gnar etc but find this approach more to my liking now I'm not a fat ****.

On a 3 hour road ride I take 2 bottles. One contains water, the other a few spares. Pack about the same into my camelback when I go out.

Changing bikes means I pack for each trip anyway so make an effort not just to accumulate rubbish in my rucksack.

Never ride without at least a tube and pump as I can cycle a lot faster than I can walk home. On big trips out into the moors it is wise to carry enough to be safe but still keep the weight down.

Never ride without at least a tube and pump

Dead right. I forgot to add that they're on my frame, too.

Also forgot to add I don't ride mountains.

Used carry far too much

I still think you're carrying too much. Don't need that CO2, or the wipes, and what's that valve adapter for? Get a pump that does both.

I like CO2 for when it's tipping down, so that's staying. The wipes are for cleaning a wound if I don't fancy turning towards home immediately after an off, so they're staying and that 'valve adapter' fits onto a pump that doesn't have the correct release button jobbie to stop the valve unwinding and I'm not forking out for a new one, so that's staying.

Anything else...?

Aren't you running tubeless?

The wipes are for cleaning a wound if I don't fancy turning towards home immediately after an off

I've never done that!

Anything else...?

Yes - the crocodile clip and the pink thing. Also what are the screwdrivers for?

Aren't you running tubeless?

Yep

I've never done that.

Wounds get infected quicker than you think if there's dirt in them. Seems a picky point considering the lack of weight or space they take up.

...the crocodile clip and the pink thing. Also what are the screwdrivers for?

Crocodile clip is my miniature pliers to help me undo my valves should I need to release them on the trail. They seem to get stuck with sealant so a very big help.

What pink thing and what screwdrivers...? All I see is a valve removal tool - very light and holds everything in place in that plastic case (invaluable for a quiet ride) and the 'screwdrivers' is the anchovy application tools.

Anything else or are you just being a dick...?

that 'valve adapter' fits onto a pump that doesn't have the correct release button jobbie to stop the valve unwinding and I'm not forking out for a new one, so that's staying

You could swap it for [url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lezyne-speed-chuck/ ]this[/url], it's smaller (assuming that's a lezyne pump hose). Mine lives in the bottom of my bag in case my pump decides to be a pain.

My bag is probably over packed because I really dislike walking home/getting a lift. I also ride in groups a lot and it's very useful to be able to keep someone on a ride!

Out locally I have one of those alpkit pouches that fits in a jersey pocket, holds a pump, one C02, multitool, puncture kit, a couple of spare chain links for the singlespeed and some zip ties. Tube goes in saddlebag, bottle on frame.

I'm probably missing something obvious, but what is the croc clip for?

assuming that's a lezyne pump hose

It is and I'll pop down the LBS sometime to see if they have that in stock for further investigation. Thanks.

what is the croc clip for

Pliers. My valves seem to get stuck with sealant and I can't get enough purchase with my fingers to unscrew them. A nice adaption of a needed tool, I thought. I've never had call to use them on the trail yet but they'll do their job well enough. They probably only weight a few grams, not that I care too much about weight.

I only have one fully rigid bike, I don't think of it as minimal though.

double post

Anything else or are you just being a dick...?

Wasn't trying to be a dick, no. You posted it up, you can expect questions about it 🙂

Crocodile clip is a good idea. On epic rides though I bring a multi-tool, as pliers and even a knife have saved the day in the past.

Re the CO2 I puncture so rarely now it's not worth the hassle for me to bring them - pump is enough.

Wasn't trying to be a dick, no. You posted it up, you can expect questions about it

Yep, you're quite right. My apologies.

I'm newish to tubeless (about 18 months in) and I think I'm still a little over cautious about flats but a gander at the rear tyre the other day confirmed a smattering of thorns that would've stopped me. Like I wrote, I carry them for a quick get away if it's raining but haven't actually used them on the MTB, only having cause last winter on an early morning road blast. My only experience of tubeless going slightly shit-shaped was on a group ride which would've been better served (time wise) with a quick blast of CO2, though obviously that'll sod up the sealant.

Maybe I'll leave them at home for a few rides and see how I feel.

Weird you didn't ask about the black object between the box and the inflator - nitrile gloves for dirty trail repairs and greasy chain breakages; I hate putting dirty hands inside my gloves. Again, never had cause to use them aside from a filthy road ride last winter, which was tube related.

**** tubes!

I'm confident enough these days on short rides to carry one tube, but I do use two on epics.

I assumed the black thing was one of those super dinky waterproof/windproofs 🙂

Anchovies.. tubeless tyre repairs? I don't carry anything like that. Listening to other people it seems tyre tears are a thing, but I've *never* had one in over 20 years of riding all over the UK, and I've only seen one - a mate had his brake block (it was 1996) rub his tyre through due to a rim buckle. So maybe I am tempting fate but I don't carry them.

Also never needed to remove a valve core, but what I'm more worried about is the tubeless valve getting stuck in the rim if I need to put a tube in. Or was that what you meant with the croc clip?

Anchovies.. tubeless tyre repairs?

Yeah. I witnessed, or rather, was almost sprayed with sealant from a little nick between the knobbles of the rider in front on one ride (Alx, for those that remember) and the anchovies did a job that nothing else bar a tube would've fixed. Although I was on tubes at the time, since switching to tubeless I've carried them for that reason alone. It's minimal weight or space and adds extra security for me - definitely going to keep those for the foreseeable.

I'm more worried about is the tubeless valve getting stuck in the rim if I need to put a tube in.

Thanks. Now I'm worried about that, too. 🙂

Or was that what you meant with the croc clip?

No. Just for the loosening of the valve stop, or whatever the correct nomenclature is for that bit. Again, not used it yet but you just know I'll need to if I leave it at home. It'd be good for the stuck valve issue you mention, though.

That croc clip useage is a brilliant idea, I have been found swearing by the side of the trails attempting to remove a tubeless valve that has had the collar threadlocked on by some errant sealant before. Will have to try

I'm down to 2 bikes from 5 and now trying to go to one. I have a girlfriend that also rides and it was getting silly. The thing that pushed me over the edge was all the maintenance and a few things all failing on various bikes in a small timeframe. I still have a mega tr 26 and a pinnacle arkose. I'm planning dropping both those and trying a hardtail 29er. The nukeproof scout 29 looks like the one.

For a stuck valve collar out on the trail, try gripping the collar with two parallel tyre levers, squeeze and turn.

I ride with an absolute minimal amount of kit – bottles in cages and the rest in my jersey pockets. I ride quite a bit in the Peaks but also due to a young family and time constraints I ride at Sherwood Pines and Cannock too. As I ride around these trail centres I often want to stop riders and ask what they could possibly be humping around in their MASSIVE backpacks. I find it staggering given that they are so close to civilisation.

As I ride around these trail centres I often want to stop riders and ask what they could possibly be humping around in their MASSIVE backpacks. I find it staggering given that they are so close to civilisation.

Probably just habit. Around 90% of my rides are on my own on remote natural trails, so I lug a fair bit of stuff around. If I go to a trail centre I won't bother removing all the unnecessary stuff from my pack as I'd almost certainly forget to put it back in again.

All I carry on a typical 2 to 32r mtb ride is one canister of co2, an inflator, can of pit stop if riding tubs or a tube if riding tubeless, keys and phone all in my back pocket. I don't need food for a ride shorter than 3 hrs. Water I carry in a bottle. I don't use an backpack just my back pockets. When riding road bikes I carry a similar amount but add food for rides longer than 3 hrs.

cubicboy - Member
I ride with an absolute minimal amount of kit – bottles in cages and the rest in my jersey pockets. I ride quite a bit in the Peaks but also due to a young family and time constraints I ride at Sherwood Pines and Cannock too. As I ride around these trail centres I often want to stop riders and ask what they could possibly be humping around in their MASSIVE backpacks. I find it staggering given that they are so close to civilisation.

Ask away. If its me, I may have been to the supermarket and I'm heading home. The fun way.

Camelbak with 1 litre of water, house keys, mobile phone.

Well maintained hardtail with tubeless tires.

Just riding, keeping it simple.

I ride with sensible minimal kit. Going out in mountains without the right clothing is reckless. Facing a massive walk home half carrying a bike to avoid taking a tool, tube or hanger seems a little odd.

I often want to stop riders and ask what they could possibly be humping around in their MASSIVE backpacks. I find it staggering given that they are so close to civilisation.

LOL you should. Sometimes it's air as up until recently owning 2 packs was a luxury. Sometimes it's all sensible and sometimes I'm planning a nice lunch.

I've realised that the obsession with gear and bikes has taken some of the fun out of it, and I'm trying to get back to one bike and minimal kit.

I'm on one bike at the moment, have been for a year. It's really nice to have one bike that I look after well and is always running great. It's been interesting to learn it really thoroughly and get used to it. It doesn't take up too much space. You stop thinking "I'm on the wrong bike" and just get on with it, which is very liberating.

For me anyway, there's a minimum amount of kit required. Bags, tools, clothing, shoes, helmets, lights etc. And having one bike and a fairly narrow spectrum of kit doesn't automatically mean not carrying a bag on rides (that's situational).

The main thing though is not looking at the internets/magazines. They are so full of stuff to buy that it's damnably hard not to!

🙂

Only really have one "proper" MTB (aside from the rigid commuter hack) so it gets used for everything from local XC to trail centres, to the Alps last year. Nice to not have the choice really - 170/150 is a bit much for local flattish XC but it keeps me fit...

Since most of my rides are from the door and sub-2hr I've recently taken to just taking a single water bottle, a small multi-tool and my phone. Since I'm never more than 25mins drive from home, anything that can't be fixed with a hex key I can just call for a ride home. Much nicer than having a pack on my back, or filling Camelbak, etc.

Never understand why people carry so much stuff. A well maintained bike shouldnt go wrong.

I've not had a mechanical in the last 30 yrs of riding, and only the odd puncture.

I just take a tube, co2 and tyre levers.

Probably just habit. Around 90% of my rides are on my own on remote natural trails, so I lug a fair bit of stuff around. If I go to a trail centre I won't bother removing all the unnecessary stuff from my pack as I'd almost certainly forget to put it back in again.

Largely this. My bag is packed for big rides, 'pocket pouch' has less. I just grab the one that suits. Very rarely actually move the contents around.

A well maintained bike shouldnt go wrong.

While I applaud your optimism, do you never get sticks jammed in wheels, crashes that spin bars in stems or controls on bars?

Never understand why people carry so much stuff. A well maintained bike shouldnt go wrong.

I've not had a mechanical in the last 30 yrs of riding, and only the odd puncture.

good luck on your next ride...

A well maintained bike shouldnt go wrong.

No amount of maintenance is going to stop a root or branch ripping through your mech hanger, or a rock bouncing up and bending a rotor in half.

Or stop you from crashing and bending stuff.

Maybe it's just that different riders ride differently?

A well maintained bike shouldnt go wrong

Hah.. they do though 🙂

Spontaneous breakages I've had that weren't my fault

Chain (x3, when Sram had a bad quality patch, all were pretty new)
Spokes (bad wheel builds on new bikes)
Pedal spindle (confused everyone as it was so unusual on XTR, got a free one back from Madison)
Frame bending (warranty replacement)
Seat clamp bolt snapped

When the frame bent I had to adjust the adjustable dropouts to continue riding - using a tool
The seat clamp bolt - had to use a multi-tool to whittle a stick to prop it up
Chain snapping - chain tool to fix, of course

Then there's damage caused by accidents out on the trail too. They happen to the best riders. So saying it's our own stupid fault for having mechanicals is both wrong and annoying.

good luck on your next ride...

🙂

Indeed. I wrote something yesterday which was promptly modified before hitting the send post button.

Don't anger the gods...

That croc clip useage is a brilliant idea

Thanks, man.

I was sat around one evening looking for miniature pliers on the web and when my search proved unfruitful I thought about making something small with a grippy tooth-like surface and preferably sprung loaded but small enou...

A croc clip!

I've been 1 bike for off road, 1 bike for road for ages. Kit is pretty minimal for both really. Haven't had a major mechanical in ages.

[scans around for some wood] 😆

I tried it once. It was a long run home.

Save some space and take a Lifeline valve core remover instead of that big Stans thing :

[img] [/img]

http://www.wiggle.com/lifeline-valve-core-remover/

I kept misplacing my Stans ones so have just bought a few of these so there is one in every bike pack/saddlebag.

Still don't know why you want to remove valve *cores* mid-ride..?

Still don't know why you want to remove valve *cores* mid-ride..?

1) top up with stans after fixing a largo hole in your tyre with the tubeless repair kit, or with gel superglue. (I don't normally carry stans with me but I might take some small bottles on a long ride, like SDW or something).

2) replace a faulty valve core - I have done this.

3) if you are using the co2 to reseat a tyre then you might want to remove the core to maximise the air/co2 flow.

4) tighten a valve core after your lezyne pump adapter has unscrewed it on removal.

both are so light it doesn't make much odds carrying them, and the lifeline one is also very small.

I've just resigned myself to putting in a tube if I get tubeless problems.

I've just resigned myself to putting in a tube if I get tubeless problems.

if you get a hole slightly larger than the stans will fill then using a tubeless repair kit is by fair the easiest option - you don't have to break the tire seal for one thing.

Cut the rubber strip and thread the needle thing, smear with solution, insert into tyre, pull back, cut with scissors, let it dry, swish the wheel around so the stans covers any residual holes, pump up, ride.

Same principle with the gel superglue.

If loads of stans came out then removing the core and refilling from one of those little stans tubes is simple.

tube in is the most faff.

And if you are carrying one tube then best to only use it as a last resort.

I have one commuter, one MTB and one cross bike.

The commuter gets used for my 15-minute commute and for jobbing about town. If it breaks mid-week, I use one of the other bikes. I use the MTB when it snows.

The MTB is SS and rigid, and gets used for MTB rides. It's used very little since I got...

The cross bike gets used for road rides, local rides, long rides, mixed terrain rides.

I own one helmet, one pair of summer gloves, one pair of winter gloves, one pair of shorts, one pair of bike shoes, one jersey, a base layer, a set of arm warmers, a waterproof jacket, a Camelback. I ride with a multitool, spare tube, tiny pump, puncture repair kit.

This is less minimalist than I'd like. Ideally, all three of my bikes would have matching calipers, rotors, seatpost diameters, pedals, etc. to allow for easy swapping between bikes.

Any links to these tubeless repair kits?

Sounds good to me, I just wedge everything I think I'll need in an old puncture repair kit tin and wedge it with a rag to stop the rattling, hate carrying a tube, especially 29er.

I've got 4 bikes currently, all hardtail mountain bikes, 3 steel, 3 geared, 1 ss, 2 rigid, 1 retro. Really like the idea of going down to one MTB and one road/cx, but I just can't!

I have the Panaracer one :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panaracer-UST-Repair-Kit/dp/B001CK2DFC

there's a weldite one as well, and ones with plug looking things instead of cutting off a strip of the rubber in the Panaracer one.

It ends up looking like an extra, small, knob on your tyre.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/panaracer-tubeless-patch-kit/

tube in is the most faff.

If I had to put in a tube I always imagine the tyre internals would be like the inside of an iron maiden and take absolutely ages to clear up.

Probably just paranoia, though...

tube in is the most faff.

Hmm.. maybe.. it's just such an automatic thing to do, it's ingrained. But tubes are heavy, esp 29er ones as I've found out. I'll investigate the patches.

I always imagine the tyre internals would be like the inside of an iron maiden

That is a very good point indeed. Probably futile to try and use a tube. I'll order a kit. I'm glad we had this chat 🙂

🙂

I carry those weldtite repair worms. In theory, if I get a cut/hole that wont seal then I can stick one of these worms in to fill the hole. In practice, as I found out last weekend, when the hole doesn't seal I forget I'm carrying them and just stick a tube in 😳

I'm half and half I suppose - running only one bike, but I'm a bit "kitchen sink" with what I carry on my back when I ride it.

As someone already said, part of the reason all my **** is in the Camelbak, even on a short local ride, is that I don't have to remember to put it all in there / find the damn stuff when I set out for a longer one. So I'm the guy commuting (on urban roads) with a compass and distress whistle, among other things, on my back. But I've spent too many early mornings over the years waiting for an outdoors shop to open so I can buy yet another compass because I couldn't find the damn thing when I left the house. I know where it is now - it's in the Camelbak, because it's always in the Camelbak...

As for tools and the like, I prefer not to walk. Even a shortish local blast, say 10-12 miles will be a pain in the arse if the second half is a 5-6 mile walk pushing or carrying a broken bike for want of a chain tool in the bag.

On the other hand, I've got a full suspension mountain bike. It might not be ideal for all conditions, but it is useable in all conditions (I don't to jump park shenanigans) including on roads, so it does for me just fine. When it breaks, or gets nicked, I'll buy another.

I know where it is now - it's in the Camelbak, because it's always in the Camelbak...

Whereas my whistle is in one of three camelbaks - still easy to find.

I'll order a kit.

and a Lifeline core remover ?

🙂

this stuff can be useful as well :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Loctite-Superglue-PowerFlex-Tube-1446875/dp/B001C42IW6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441210418&sr=8-1&keywords=gel+superglue

[img] [/img]

I use my camelback for nearly every mtb ride - trail centre, local or any where else.

Longer than an hour and I need more than 1 water bottle (can't get two on the FS that easily), and the 3ltr offered in the camelback is great.

Plus a multi tool, tubeless repair kit, inner tube (mainly for others that I ride with who are not tubeless) and C02/Minipump with two cartridges.

Secure and dry places for phone and car keys.

With a couple of gels on longer rides that's it.

Did used to manage with a middle sized saddle bag but the ever present rattling of tools and crap in the bag got annoying, especially as the bike with clutch rear mech doesn't make much noise at all now.

Hell yeah after a complete disaster of a yr racing or non racing brought on by illness (viral infection/CNS fatigue) had to take it right back to basics. No strava no garmin sometimes just a pair of sweat shorts & T shirt ride where ever I want as fast or slow as I want with absolutely no agenda. Gotta say done me world of good (as well as rest & clearing illness) put a completely fresh perspective on everything. Back to fun

Back to fun

🙂

TurnerGuy - That super glue you've posted up - are you suggesting using that in place of the stuff in tubeless kits i.e. with anchovies?

are you suggesting using that in place of the stuff in tubeless kits

no, it is just an added option for odd shaped things, like tears.

I had some splits in the side of one of my mudxs I was using for Torq last weekend (probably an aging thing as they had sat unused for a while) so I glued them back up and it seems to have held ok.

Tube is small so I might as well carry it, especially if I ditch the big stans core remover for the lifeline one...

Ah, okay. Kind of like its supposed original intention only for a tyre wound and not a fleshy one.

Think I'll pop one of those in the saddle bag, then.

especially if I ditch the big stans core remover for the lifeline one...

I hear ya, I hear ya...!

Tube is small so I might as well carry it, especially if I ditch the big stans core remover for the lifeline one...

Funny

 

ditch the big stans core remover for the lifeline one...

only saying as it helps get everything into a Panaracer tubeless repair kit box for the mountain bike, and helps squeeze everything into the saddlebag on my tripster, where I am really space constrained.