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I don't ride without my cell phone. Usually have one pannier bag on in case I stop for something along the way. That has a tube, pump, tool, mask, and lock. I don't go anywhere without my cell phone.
If you will be riding in an area with limited or no cell range, I highly recommend using maps.me or something similar (I think alltrails has an app too). These apps allow you to download the map before you go riding and then use the gps function on the phone (no cell or data required) so you can figure out your location, route, etc.. I've avoided getting really lost a few times using maps.me and highly recommend it.
Good stuff. I've never had a chain pop but just replaced one and got a few spare master links so I'll add them to the bag. Just ordered a patch kit as well, have about 3 tubes at home i keep saying I'm going to patch and never do
I've done the Alpe climb and it's a bear, though I did finish it. Not on Zwift now - it's summer. Winter is the time for sitting in a basement!
Phone, CC, cash, tube, levers, CO2 cartidge, micro-inflator, tire boot material. Don't leave home without those. All have come in handy at one time or another.
I've done the Alpe climb 3 times now and the Ventoux climb is tougher IMO. It's not steeper as the Alpe climb regularly hits 12-13% but the Ventoux climb is 9-10% steady with very few breaks. The Alps have a bunch of cutbacks that drop down to 3-4% that give you a little break.Sand said:
Biggest climb I've ever done is a bit over 6,000 feet. That was really hard, even considering it might be one of the most scenic climbs in the world. Doing that in the basement? Ehhh. I'd have to have a big bet riding on me finishing for me to take that on.
As others have mentioned, definitely bring a small bit of kit in a saddle bag or back jersey pocket. My typical for a road ride is as follows:
I've only broken a chain once and it was in a cross race so wasn't a long walk to get back. Can't imagine if I had broken it way out in the middle or nowhere and likely didn't even consider it until now.
Got three, love them all in their own way:
Be careful how you carry your master link if you are also carrying a spare tube. Friend of mine took a 3" screw to the sidewall. Put in the spare and psssssssssst. Master link in his pack wore a hole in his spare tube. :XGood stuff. I've never had a chain pop but just replaced one and got a few spare master links so I'll add them to the bag. Just ordered a patch kit as well, have about 3 tubes at home i keep saying I'm going to patch and never do
Awesome - had no idea you were that into it!
Trek Stache hardtail was my first (circa 2014 I think), then got a Salsa chili con crosso, then got a Pivot 429 Carbon (which is what I normally ride outside, LOVE it), and most recently got a Trek Domane ALR4 disc for the trainer. Wife has a brand new Trek Fuel EX that I can ride as well, but it's heavier than my Pivot. N+1.
Into it might be a stretch
We have a great greenway close by but between wipe outs and just the beating a hard tail can administer I don't go as much as I thought I would. It's also crowded and a lot of single track. I'm not that confident to be able to navigate without either taking someone out or myself. It's fun and a great workout, I'm just looking for less rocks and more fire road type stuff as I get older.
Also have three. An old Specialized hardtail that I need to replace at some point (3x7, ugh).
I've been tempted to grab one. All the super fast mtb'ers around here are setting blistering segment times on them.
Never would have considered this before now. I busted a rear hanger on a ride earlier this year. Was a loooong 8-10 mile hike back to the truck, mostly uphill.
Only have a gravel bike and hardtail these days. Have slicks I can put on the gravel bike if I need to ride with friends who like to go fast. The gravel bike allows me to everything I need to. Bikepacking - has mounts galore and am thinking abouit adding some more myself with some rivnuts. Take it on singletrack so long as it is not too technical. Haul groceries or lots of other stuff. Relaxed enough geometry that I can ride for hours. Big fanSand said:
After 6 years, I lost my multitool today on the trail. I switched to the tiny tool and added a tube. I read a tip online to wrap the tube in tyvek - we had an empty tyvek chicken food bag, so I did that. I’m hoping that keeps it from getting punctured.
Generally a 12 gram is enough for a road tire and 16 is enough for a MTB tire. If you have a fat tire maybe you need a bit more, but those can be run at pretty low pressures.
Thanks, that helps. I just threw a second 12 in, but I'll see if I can find some 16s when these are gone.
This chart has notes for 16 and 20. Basically a 16 is perfect for 26" tires and works good for road tires (maybe stop before you get to 130psi
). At bigger going to 20 or even multiples is needed.
Umm, yeah, some tires can be mega tight. I'll never buy another Michelin Pro tire - OMG if one of those flatted I'd never get it off in the field. Anyway, I use two levers - one hooked to a spoke on one side to block it from the bead creeping away from you and one to slowly jack the tire toward the fixed one. Just have to be careful not to pinch the tube.
BTW, anyone that can roll a right road tire back onto the rim is an ogre in disguise. No effin' way I could do that. MTB tires are much easier to roll on.
Lube it up a little and it'll squirt right on. If I get pissed enough I've got enough sweat to do it, if not a little dishsoap and water does the trick.
New tires are an absolute ##### but can get them if I take some time to stretch them out a bit before mounting. Tires that have been on a rim for at least a little while are usually no problem. Takes a bit of practice though to find the right technique to massage/work it up the rim. But I agree, it also helps if you have these
N+1 is the way....
It was my most favorite bike ever and from then on I have never left a bike out on the street for very long in any place. I found another Masi SS, this one is more of a steel racing bike with sweet matte gray/green custom colors from a semi-pro team. Not as comfortable as those sweet 32mm tires on my Speciale but it's outfitted with vintage Dura Ace and we've come to grow a nice relationship over the years.
My roadie and TT hanging above the TV. Up until just a couple weeks ago I used the carbon wheels on the Tarmac but the bikes are now set up the way they'll be for the next year or so. Put the carbon wheels on the TT bike for the tri-training and the wheels on my Tarmac are a pair of DT Swiss RR511s that I built during quarantine. With 32-spokes and 28mm GP 5000s they are kind of bomb proof. Running an 11-32 cassette but the kicker is the Shutter Precision Dynamo Hub up front to power my electronics. Will use this wheelset for the Transcontinental Race next summer and I hope to give the wheels their maiden voyage on the road this weekend. My first ever wheelset build and hopefully they survive!
Try to keep the rest of the tire that's already on the rim squeezed together so that both sides are in the middle of the rim where it extends towards the hub. This will create some extra slack for the remainder of the tire. Its a lot easier easier if you just use some type of strap/bungee to keep a couple sections squeezed together unless you have 4 arms.
:flex:
I had a period of time last year were it seemed like I went through about a tire a week for a month or two. You get proficient at changing them when looking at the business end of a 6 mile walk home.
My friend who got me back into cycling says the same thing. "What's the proper number of bikes to own? N+1!"
