All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

Hey @abacall you need to add this to your how to transport a bike section on your webpage

 

I do. But it’s weird. Tracking info just shows shipment label made and then only on the delivery day I’m able to actually track the shipment. lol

 

Hell yeah, I went straight to the 34 Fox Factory 140 and I'm super happy with it

Yeah, 27.5+. My intention for this build was to swap it to a 29er pretty much right away but having the 27.5+ on a playful hardtail just feels right, so I won't be making that switch. I really like the extra squish the tires give on the rear end. I like to charge a lot on this bike and I feel much more comfortable and confident doing so on the 27.5+. FWIW, I this is my first 27.5+ ever. And my first non-29er in over 5(?) years now

 

Will do. Going for PB style format, kinda like a self-interview. Stoked to get this going.

Hmmm... Maybe I need to make a how not to transport your bike section. Lol.

 

What about title name? Bike checks and mtb gear reviews? Something like that?

 

Thinking it should just be bike checks. Though gear reviews might be a good addition.

Just started the process of cleaning out the “bike closet.” Looks like I’ll have a few things up for sale if anyone’s interested.
NOX carbon Farlow wheels, Hope pro4 hubs in purple, bladed cx-ray spokes. Boost 110/148.
Shimano Saint brakes, finned metallic pads and xt rotors.
MRP sx-g bash guide.
Cane Creek Helm air, 27.5 boost fork, red uppers
Cane Creek angle set, can’t remember the size...
Shoot me a dm if interested.

 

What does everyone recommend for a basic home tool kit? Don’t need titanium ultralight multi tools that don’t work, also don’t really want to shell out $500 for a Park shop kit.. Anyone have a kit they like? Or a handful of essentials someone could pick up?

 

a set of Allen keys, A set of torq wrenches, tire levers, a multi tool with a chain breaker, and a quick link remover will take care of a vast majority of maintenance needs. A brake bleed kit for your brakes is good to have.

you can progress to a cable cutter, cassette tool and chain whip as you need them. I also have sockets specific to my forks.

edit: and a shock pump

 

DuPont Sunday day trip. On the way home, we stopped by the trout farm to catch some dinner.

 

I got started with this kit: Feedback Sports Team Kit
Though, honestly, I replaced a lot of it. I do like the case though, helps for traveling.

I'd suggest this as a starting point, if you're looking to do most things at home:
A good stand
T handle Hex set (2/2.5/3/4/5/6)
Big 'ol handled 8 and 10 Hex
T handle Torx (25/27/30)
Steel handled tire levers
Valve core tool
Chain breaker
Quick link tool
Cable cutter
Brake line cutter
Bleed kit
Philips screwdriver
Flat head screwdriver
Picks, straight and curved
Needle nose pliers
Torque wrench for light application
Torque wrench for heavy application
Ratchet set
Cassette removal tool
Chain whip
Nipple tool

That list will get you through what you should be able to do at home. I actually use most of these quite often. It'll add up, fast. But it'll also pay for itself way faster than you think. Don't skimp on quality with the hex and Torx bits, you'll strip parts and that really sucks.

Edit: I bolded the tools that are bare minimum to get going on basic projects.

 

Trails were a little muddy yesterday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=112k98hHh4Y

 

saw this on your IG yesterday, fiance and I loved it lol.

 

I'd imagine it's mentioned in one of the 987 pages in this thread, but does anyone know off-hand which bike racks fit the OEM roof rack?


Edit #1: Never mind. I found this post. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/yakima-frontliader-bike-rack-on-oem-roof-rails.563939/

 

Aside from things like ratchets that you might have for truck / home reasons:

quality Allen keys, preferably with a ball end for odd angles
quality torx set
shock pump is a must
A Wolftooth chain plier. Fits well with the multitool in my pack and makes chain repairs super easy.
cassette tool and chain whip ($5 and $25ish respectively) Park or Pedros are good options.

My multitool comes with a chainbreaker attachment that works for the whole one time I've had to break a chain down, but a toolbox one that's a little more usable would be a good idea.

The park cable cutters are an item I'm glad I bought. The pincer style cutter doesnt smash the housing as badly as wirecutters do, so its a lot easier to feed inner cables through.

 

y'all it has legit rained every single day since I got home from North Carolina. Haven't been able to ride at all.

 

@Gunshot-6A those Bronson extras worked out well for my other sleds!

 

Glad they worked for you. Those purple pedals are right at home on that DJ.

 

@vicali to add to what everyone else has said

A lot of the tools don’t need to be bike specific. I have some tekton tools from Amazon that I like. Specifically the Allen key set(metric) and screwdrivers. Same with the cable cutters, I got mine at Home Depot. Just make sure they are that special style so the cable doesn’t fray when it is cut.

I haven’t used them but the cassette pliers looks like a nice addition over the chain whip. Maybe someone else can review how well those work.

someone else mentioned it but a work stand is easily the best investment for working on your bike. I have the feedback sports sport mechanic bike repair stand. It just makes everything about working on a bike easier. Whether it’s lubing my chain or tearing my bike down it goes in the repair stand when I’m working on it at home.

edit: you also don’t need quick link/power link/whatever they are called tools. It makes life easier but a zip tie and pliers will open and close the link. On the trail the wolf tooth tool would be nicer to have though.

 

I bought the park chain whip because the feedback pliers were sold out. I 1000% wish I had waited. I had a wheelset to build up and ride though, so I was impatient.

Bike stand is a super helpful thing, but I wouldn't make that your first priority. You can do a lot of maintenance on a flipped over bike, or leaning against a wall.

 

I have the Wolftooth pliers, they are great, and a great place to store Master Links.