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

I've had the same experience as others, where a CO2 canister failed to inflate a tire/tube and I was stuck walking out or begging others for inflation devices. I now only carry a pump because it can't run out of air.

You can carry a bacon strip plug kit in the OneUp EDC too. https://www.oneupcomponents.com/products/edc-plug-pliers-kit


I highly recommend swapping out the bacon for the Stans Dart though! I've seen that thing seal a serious sidewall slice in a buddies tire, where there was no way bacon would've worked.

You could buy an e-bike conversion kit and convert an existing bike if you've got one. I've seen good kits for ~$500...

 

I was at Sam's Club over the weekend and they had a 26" e-bike for $599. Reliable, not sure. Recommended, probably not. But cheap, and may do what you want it to do.

https://www.samsclub.com/p/hyper-mountain-36v-electric-bike/prod26031861?xid=plp_product_21

 

Yeah, I've put bacon strips in a different canister that I have. but my experience with the darts is....lackluster, interestingly enough. it doesn't work for me. Bacon works fine for me. hah!

 

Yea the little gripper thingy. Real estate is limited on those frames. I put mine on the down tube, right above the rubber armor piece. It gets hella dirty there, but oh well.

I have seen some folks run one on the intersection of the seat tube/top tube. The molding of the Following in that area just doesn’t feel ideal for mounting mine there.

 

I've seen a ton of bikes with their dakine bags or tubes jammed up against where the top tube and downtube meet, right at the back of the headtube.

 

Gotcha. I had a tube strapped where your red box is for a while. Found I could cram it above the water bottle though strapped to top tube. Just barely.

Yeah that space isn't too big on the medium Following frame but with a side exit bottle holder I think a small frame bag might fit there. That would be perfect. If only I could sew...

 

haha. or get a side exit bottle holder? I use a side exit on my following.

 

Funny, I had only heard/seen good things about the darts (via personal experience and word of mouth). I just looked up some reviews online and see lots of people having issues. This is why I will always bring a tube with me anyway.

 

their promise/premise is pretty cool! But yes, always have a tube with you. always the best last resort.

 

I always wear a pack and carry a ton of crap. Water, tube, CO2 and pump, bacon strips, food, first aid. Zip ties, tape, jacket, sunblock, Advil. Even spare brake pads. Used tubes 2-3 times in last 7 years. Twice for flats and once as a sling when went OTB and broke my collarbone.

 

Just carrying a tube and pump with you decreases the chance of a flat by 90%. Unless you run tubes. In that case, each tube you carry decreases your chance of a flat by 30%.

 

While being prepared for the worst and bringing everything with you, is clearly the best choice especially if you are way out solo.

I finally decided about a year and a half ago the camelback and hip pack sucked after riding with it for past 10 years or so . So nice not having anything strapped to your back.

So now everything is on or in the bike.

The Stumpjumper EVO SWAT box is pretty key for this... I can keep an extra bottle of water in the boot bladder that came with the bike, toolbag in frame has chainbreaker, tire irons, zip ties, small roll of gorilla tape rolled onto itself, master link, hand pump,Bacon strips. Pepper spray in case I see a big kitty....

Multi Tool is on bottom of waterbottle cage. Tube strapped to the frame.

Then I always have a knife and flashlight on me in my pocket. The phone goes in Bib back pocket.. Keys in zipper front pocket.

‍

 

Science.

 

Man, I ain’t as experienced or knowledgeable enough as some of you here to know those kinds of practical details. I appreciate the technical and practical feedback/info you guys share in this forum. Thanks, @dwphoto!!!

 

Oh I don't know what I'm talking about compared to most these dudes. Not a big tech/detail guy myself.

Just going off of that 30 miler I did with Assegai front and rear a couple weeks ago. All the traction but felt like I had 3 flats on the climbs and straights.... DH2 2.4 outback seemed quite a bit better rolling/ and braking.

But don't overthink it! Go out and have fun riding your new bike! Hopefully, we can hit the trail soon.

Not sure where you are at but I've got a Strava " Club " DMCmtb we do weekly Thursday night rides at 6pm. In Ventura County area ( Thousand Oaks, Agoura, Newbury Park, Simi Valley) you are more than welcome to come shred.

 

@dwphoto you're able to fit the bladder & the tools in the frame?

 

yup. The bladder goes down near the BB and the tool bag sits higher in the downtube
The carbon frame might have more storage than the Aluminum Frame?
I'll snap a few photos night.

 

For those in CA. Copied from an email I received. Good community work.

Mountain Epic Trail Daze Event This Weekend!
If you missed out on our first Mountain Epic of the year, you won’t want to miss out on the next one happening this weekend Friday to Sunday, May 13-15. Join us at the Plumas Sierra County Fairgrounds in Quincy where we will continue building brand new singletrack that we started two weeks ago – as well as completing maintenance on Mount Hough Trail.

It’s so much more than digging in the woods, it’s a weekend party in the woods with food, beverages, entertainment (note: dirt track races are on Friday night at 7pm this time), and fun all provided by SBTS. Bring your family and friends and come on out to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine while doing good things for trails. And if you can’t make it this weekend, we have Epics going every month this summer, so join us for some Good Times with Good People.

 

I carry an older pump and have never used it for the MTB or gravel bikes. But, it did get use this past week in Durango when someone stopped me and asked if I had one. Was happy to let them use it and it worked great, which surprised me. I didn’t think it would work that great but it got her back on the trail in a few minutes.

So, I guess it will stay in the bag as a just in case tool, as I was contemplating even carrying the week prior. And I do carry two CO2 cartridges with me as well.

 

What he said! One only makes that mistake twice.?! I do more than a fair bit of night riding and having redundant air up options is a must or there could be a lot of walking. If I need a pump, no one else is going to come a long with one.