A lot of you have asked for an update on my injury.
So here it is quick.
My clavicle is still broken but it has healed enough for me to start physical therapy.
So I’m gonna take my sling off, make this video, and try not to overdo it.
With that, on to the matter at hand.
Here we have ten mountain bike and outdoor products that I’ve spent some time with
over the last few months.
In this video, I’m going to give you my thoughts on them starting with this thing.
When you’re traveling to remote places to go mountain biking, having the option of car
camping is always good.
This inflatable mattress turns your entire back seat into a bed, even filling in the
area your feet normally go.
You can also deflate one of the chambers and use it like a normal sleeping pad.
This was $30 on Amazon and it’s worth at least that.
It comes with an electric pump, spare vinyl patches, and even a cushion that keeps the
center console from jabbing into your abdomen.
These inflatable pillows are terribly uncomfortable, but work great as cinderblocks for my taller
bench seat.
This car camping solution isn’t going to work if you’re really tall, and results
may vary depending on the exact shape of your back seat.
But one thing’s for sure, it beats just sleeping on the seat itself.
It gives you way more space and a flatter platform.
While this does provide a workable solution for boondocking, a tent may be a better option
if you have a spot to pitch one.
In a previous video I demonstrated this Fidlock water bottle, which snaps into place with
magnets and stays there with mechanical latches.
I love it.
But they also make this smaller bottle, and this uni base which can be attached anywhere.
Maybe you want to fill your larger bottle with plain water, and this smaller one with
electrolytes on longer rides.
These are sold separately, but I think they work well together for carrying a little bit
of extra hydration.
My only complaint is the $25 price tag on the base.
Sure it’s well made, but that’s pretty steep.
In any case I have been using these together and it’s a surprisingly secure combination.
Next, some stuff from KMC starting with these DLC bike chains.
These are super strong, super lightweight and not cheap—$60 - $80.
That’s a tough sell when good chains can be had for $25, so I can’t personally recommend
these to the budget conscious consumer.
KMC claims that they shift particularly well but to me a brand new chain always feels good.
What I will say is that the look and feel of the DLC chain is absolutely phenomenal..
But objectively, the only thing I can say is that it’s lightweight.
So if you’re looking to add some style points to your bike, trying to pinch grams, or just
have exquisite taste in chains, go with the DLC.
Otherwise, buy a decent chain, replace it often, and you’ll be just fine.
Also from KMC, are the missing link levers.
I like these.
These tire levers are a great addition not only to your bag, but to your home shop because
they double as master link pliers.
Considering they cost the same as normal master link pliers I think they’re a good buy,
and a good gift for literally any mountain biker.
After you’re done using them on your chain they can also be used as forks.
These cold weather handup gloves seem to be touch screen friendly but are hit or miss
when it comes to certain gestures.
I’m sure you’ve seen this move when it’s time to bust out trailforks.
These glove tacts are designed to improve accuracy and response when using a touch screen
with your gloves on.
I put them on my pointer and thumb, and did see a difference.
The response was way better and the accuracy was a little better.
With clean gloves and a little heat, they adhered surprisingly well to the fabric—much
better than you would think.
But I would be concerned how they’d hold up over the course of a season.
If this is a recurring issue for you, Glove tacts or something like them could be the
answer.
Otherwise, a bare finger is totally free.
Storing tools and supplies in and on your bike can help you stay prepared.
This product helps make use of the space in your steerer tube.
It’s called the fork cork, and it comes in a close second for the best named product
I’ve ever reviewed.
The fork cork is really simple, it just expands as you tighten it to secure an aluminum cap
to the bottom of your steerer.
You can use it to stash a tubeless patch kit, tire inflator, or some emergency cash, provided
you find a way to keep it from rattling around.
The fork cork is $30, which is a lot more than an actual cork, but it’s well made
and does what it says.
In many videos you’ve seen me use my Evoc flight bag to pack and fly with my bike.
It’s starting to show signs of wear.
Some TSA inspector must have really struggled to get my wheel back in because they put the
rotor through the fabric, and tore the zipper right off.
So when Scicon, sent me this flight bag, I was hoping it would be a more robust alternative
to Evoc.
It is robust, and it does a great job of protecting your bike, but it’s just not for me.
I’ll try to give you the good and the bad.
The Scicon bag features casters that roll in every direction.
Much easier than an evoc bag considering you’ll also have your other luggage to worry about.
When you arrive at your destination you open the bag up on both sides.
There, your bike is presented to you on a sort of work stand where you can reinstall
the pedals, derailleur, and handlebars.
All your tools and gear are in these pouches that sit under the frame, and your derailleur
is protected in this pouch suspended from the chainstay.
Once you’ve assembled your bike, you roll the bag up and store it in this longer bag
until the end of your trip.
Pretty well thought out actually.
Except that all packed up this bag stands a full foot taller than an Evoc bag.
Evoc bags just clear the headliner of SUVs standing straight up, and in compact cars
they can be pushed between the seats.
The scicon bag with my size small bike in it took a lot of finagling to get into my
wife’s honda civic, and considering it won’t clear the headliner of an SUV, it would need
to be laid down with your other luggage on top of it.
Not ideal, especially if you’re with a friend.
Also the bag has some parts which can get lost, and rest assured you’ll be in a rush
every time you need them.
Given the great build quality of Scicon bags I would be inclined to overlook these flaws,
but they cost more than some bikes.
Even with the large discounts we’re seeing from some sellers, Scicon a ways to go before
they beat out Evoc in terms of value.
I do appreciate these custom storage bags though and like the clever packing process.
When mountain biking with a GoPro, the chest is one of the more preferable angles, except
that it’s quite uncomfortable.
The “chesty” as GoPro names it, is an oddly shaped solid piece of plastic that presses
against your sternum and makes you sweaty.
The latest iteration of the chesty does not resemble this in the least.
It’s symmetrical, fully padded, ventilated, and well engineered.
The proprietary latch is also nice and low profile.
It’s $35, which for a GoPro accessory seems oddly ethical, so I give the newest generation
chesty high marks all around.
This next product is a hand pump which is sort of a floor pump.
It’s made by Pro Bike Tool and is titled Mini Floor Bike Pump - Super Fast Tire Inflation
- Secure Presta and Schrader Valve Connection - High Pressure Bicycle Pump with Stabilizing
Foot Peg for Road & Mountain Bikes.
We’ll just call it the mini floor pump.
This thing is awesome!
The build seems nice all around, it works for presta and shraeder, and in terms of size
it’s just a little longer than my Oneup and Crankbrothers pumps.
The mini floor pump comes with a mount for your bike but with the external tube and all
I’d say just leave it in your bag.
For $30 it’s a good value and is much easier than a typical hand pump.
Finally, the Magura Vyron 150mm wireless dropper post.
This is an older model with serious miles on it.
Still it has become my favorite dropper post, so much so that I swap it between my bikes.
The post itself charges with Micro USB, which needs to be done maybe once per month.
From there, you just pop it in the bike and attach this button to your handlebars.
When you press the button, it engages the post for a full second.
During that second you can let it pop up, push it down, or stop it anywhere in between.
To me, the main advantage of a wireless dropper post is the reduction of cockpit clutter,
but the Vyron is also easier to install, compatible with any bike, and great for bikes with left
shift levers.
If you’re riding park for the day you can also remove the button entirely and just leave
the seat down.
A new Vyron will cost you almost $500, so it’s not gonna be for everyone, but spending
money in the name of clutter reduction is nothing new.
I hope you found some of these reviews useful, or at the very least entertaining.
If you want to know where to get any of these products I’ve provided links in the description.
Thanks for watching, thanks for being patient while I’m off my bike, and thanks for riding
with me today, I’ll see you next time.