All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and Now Vans)

It all depends on the ride for me. I have 3 general setups:

1. Bottle on the frame with a CO2 and Dynaplug in my pocket. Generally 1 hour lunch rides where I won't be too caught out if worse comes to worse and I need to call someone for a ride. (I've only had to once, and I had a full multi tool with me - the mechanical wasn't getting fixed without a stand and proper tools)
2. Bottle on the frame, bottle in the hip pack, and tube, tire lever, tool, CO2, Dynaplug, chain link pliers, spare hanger, maybe a snack. Generally rides around 2 hours (as long as it isn't too hot) where I need to be self-sufficient.
3. Full pack w/ a full bladder of water plus a bottle on the frame. For long rides, backcountry, hot days, etc. All of the same tools as #2 transferred over, with the ability to also carry more snacks, a jacket, and so on.

That said, different bikes of mine also have different gear carrying capabilities. My gravel bike has a partial frame bag and/or saddle bag to handle gear. My geared hardtail has a Salsa Anything Pack (or something of that general name) with the basic tube, CO2, plug, etc bolted onto the second bottle cage mount. Both of my hardtails have Specialized SWAT tools built into the Zee cages, so I always have a simple multi tool. I just pay attention to the ride I'm doing and the bike I'm riding and will tailor each setup as needed.

 

For long summer rides, a hydration pack and water bottle (only one cage). Most of the time, just the pack. Also carries tools, spare tubes, pump, food, etc.

 

Osprey savu hip pack (2 bottles) + 1 in frame.

Gets me 78oz water and spot for small tool set, snacks, etc and nothing on my back!

Good for 10-25 miles for me depending on climate and ride profile.

 

I have a bag on my bike which holds tools, a pump and plug kit. I also take a water bottle every ride and fill when needed. I’m usually good with that water on my local rides unless it’sa super hot day.

 

Hit some sweet single track through old growth rain forest today. Beautiful ride but I only got pics at the top of our out and back. Such a killer descent too! Fast flowy with often sketchy trail visibility and random tech to keep it spicy.

 

Thanks everyone. I doubt I’m alone in appreciating the information.

 

Just scored a 2014 spealized enduro frame for a good price. No idea what to do with it lol.

 

Ugh. Wife and I bit off more than we could chew today. Tried to do a 20 mile loop in Cuyamaca CA. Started off fine the first 9 miles, then had a mile or so descent into the Valley and began our climb. Halfway up, heard something large huffing and puffing around and didn’t want to stay and find out what it was.

This detour lead to 2 more detours as we attempted to ascend back to my truck. All in all, probably spent 6 hours pedaling and another hour back home trying not to puke.

ready to go again tomorrow.

Sorry, no pics….. too busy running from whatever mountain lion/bear/cryptid was hiding around that corner.

 

I use Dakine hot laps hip pack with 2l reservoir I keep just water in it. On the bike I mix some bcaa powder in my fidlock bottle.
I prefer the convenience of grabbing the magnetic straw from the hip pack and just getting it back close and the magnet sucks it in effortlessly.

 

Flat Rock ranch in Comfort is probably the best bet for riding in that area. There is a group ride on Wednesday nights with Jimmy, the owner.

 

Awesome, I'll def make a note of that, thank you!

 

For MTB rides, I wear my camel back pack, but I don’t have the hydration pack in it. I keep my tools/tube and phone in there, along with an additional water bottle. But, my wife and kids got me an Osprey Hip pack for Father’s Day this year and I’ll start using that along with the hydration pack in it.

For some of my upcoming gravel bikepacking adventures, I may carry the Osprey on me as well for the additional water. I have various bags and mounts, but if I run my frame bag, I’ll lose the two mounts. So, thinking this osprey will be handy for a few types of rides.

 

I'm in terrible cardio condition. So I run a hydro pack, filled with water, a couple of manderines, some clif bars, and tube repair kit. (Yea, still on tubes) never needed more than a water bottle, back on my BMX, but MTBs? Totally different. Really need to ride more, but ate it pretty harsh, and havent been on the MTB in over a month.

 

For years I carried a 2L then a 3L camelbak w/ small multi tool, tire levers, two spare tubes, two CO2 cylinders, spare link & chain breaker and a couple snacks. Even for a ~2hr ride at a local system. All came to be in the pack for reasons. That said, got a new bike and started losing most of those things. Currently, I'm tubeless but after learning what "burping" sounds like and then stuck walking 3mi, I've got a tube, levers & hand pump in the frame storage and ride with a single water bottle. But also haven't done a seriously long, way out ride. Those I'd grab the pack & load up. It has been seriously freeing to not have a heavy (or any) pack on the back!

 

I'm as minimum as possible for the trail I ride 90% of the time, just a bottle and that's it. Any other trail network is a fannypack and two bottles. If I get a flat im hiking it out, been riding 8 years and never had an issue with tubeless while riding.

 

Hope you knocked on wood after that!

 

Good on your for pushing through (if only because there wasn't any other option). I've had a few of those rides and its so agonizing just wanting to be done.

Glad you didn't get eaten by the Yucca Man.

 

LOL, yeah, a couple of years ago I forgot which lot I parked at when riding the Back 40. In my head it was the central lot and I felt pretty good, so I kept exploring around the northern loops. Then it got later in the morning and started to get hot, and I figured I had just enough gas left to get back to the truck. Unfortunately I was parked at the southern lot, but fortunately there was more downhill on the way back. Turned a 15 mile ride into 22 (that's a lot for me).

 

your shins like this

Those cranks though! I was eyeballing a set of those in purple... How do you like them ?

 

I like them, they're beat. These are 155's, and other than raising the saddle, I do like the shorter cranks. I wish I had the means to test 155, 160, and 165 back to back.
I kept the same gearing that came on the bike with 170 cranks. Just gotta work them legs a little harder, but with a 10-52 cassette it's fine.