Speaker: If you're new to mountain biking, you've got yourself a bike, you've got yourself
a comfy helmet, and you're ready to hit the trails, let's take a look at some of the essentials
you need to take with you.
[music] Speaker: A pack.
While these come in all shapes and sizes, a standard rucksack would be the job, but
mountain bike packs do tend to be a little bit better designed.
Probably got the facilities to carry some water in there as well with a bladder, or
you could use something like a bum bag.
This a bit smaller a bit lighter.
It sits nicer on your lower back.
Of course, bum bags are much cooler than rucksacks and enough space for most rides you should
go on.
Like I said, any rucksack will probably do the trick, but mountain bike packs too have
nice little features, places for putting things you don't want to roll around or even keys
so you don't lose them.
Also they'll probably have the features of different types of straps.
You can get them nice and tight, fitting into your body so they don't move around when you
ride.
[music] Speaker: You're going to want to take some
water with you.
The rule of thumb I've always heard is anything over half an hour exercise-wise, you should
have some fluids.
There's a few options here.
Either a bottle cage on your bike, most bikes will take at least one, some maybe take two
or even three bottles on there or you could use that pack that I've just mentioned.
You could get a bladder that fits in these so you'll have a bladder there you fill in
a tube so you can easily drink or you could even just stuff a water bottle inside your
pack if needs be.
[music] Speaker: A multi-tool, now there's loads of
different options here depending on how prepared you want to be.
From the nice little compact ones, this one's actually come out of the [unintelligible 00:01:48]
on the bottom my bottle cage.
This just mainly has Allen keys, I've got some torque keys and a screw driver.
I'll say that's mainly for tweaking settings on your bike.
Whereas this bigger multi-tool that was actually in my bum bag, gives you more ability to fix
your bike should things go wrong because you need a tool we also need the knowledge of
how to fix things.
Head over to GMBN Tech, our sister channel if you want to learn about some more things,
ways to fix your bike, then you can use your multi-tool to best effect.
Obviously, the bigger you go on a multi-tool, the heavier it's going to be and the bigger
it is you need somewhere to put it.
What I will say is, on rides where I go far enough away from my car or home where I wouldn't
want to walk back, then I would always take one that's got a chain tool on there.
This is actually a Topeak mini tool.
It's got 20 functions on here.
Most things like tire levers, spoke keys.
You might need that for [unintelligible 00:02:44] if a spoke comes loose or breaks, that chain
device, chain tool.
I'm going to be able to fix my chain should it snap out and about.
[music] Speaker: Puncture is the bane of every mountain
biker and there will become a point where you're going to need one.
When you're out in the woods, you get a bit of a puncture and you're going to need a pump.
You're either going to need a spare tube to take with you or a repair kit of which I have
both.
Rather embarrassingly, I've actually not brought a mini pump with me, and about an hour ago,
I've got a puncture.
Fortunately, there was a passing mountain biker who did have a pump.
Don't be like me, try to be self-sufficient.
If you're riding at a spot where there are other mountain bikers, you might get lucky
like I did.
Again, a pump, a tube really is an essential to take with you.
Again, maybe if you're going on just quite a small ride, you're not going far away and
it's walkable, you can think about risking it, but it is always a risk.
Even if you're running tubeless with sealant in there, you might find that you put too
big a hole in that tire and it's just not going to seal, so a tube is then your only
option.
It's definitely worth taking especially on the bigger rides.
[music] Speaker: What else do I have in here?
A banana.
Again, anything over an hour, I'll definitely think about taking some food with me.
You don't want to get into that situation, normally on longer rides, two or three-hours
where you call it bonk.
Basically, you run out of fuel.
You can take normal food with you or if you get a bit more serious you take things like
energy gels and bars.
You basically just want to keep nibbling away, small and often with your food, and that's
going to keep your energy levels high.
Get you around there.
There are some things I would think are pretty essential, but a couple of other things I
would definitely consider is take a phone.
I don't go riding without phone on me.
Just in case you get in a situation where you're going to need it, especially if you're
riding by yourself.
I also keep a small first aid kit in my car.
I have [unintelligible 00:04:54] case, even if it's just for cleaning out little cuts
things like that, but it's well worth having something like that with you out on a bigger
ride.