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Essential for adventure

Bicycle touring tools and more...

REPAIR KIT & TOOLS: ESSENTIAL & AUXILIARY

When you are bicycle touring in the backcountry, a mechanical mishap can easily turn a nice ride through the woods in to a miserable hike-a-bike escape. A well thought out repair kit can help you avoid that fate …

Assembling a repair kit can be a bit of a disconcerting task. It’s somewhat of a balancing act between necessity, fear, and space constraints. There are a lot of potential mechanical issues that may arise, and being ready for all of them would require lugging around an 11 pound toolbox. However, a basic assortment of tools and spare parts can get you out of many sticky situations, and keep you rolling through the backcountry instead of pushing out of it.

Here is a detailed repair kit constructed by us from lots of experience , talking with lots people who have stopped by our shop. THE ESSENTIALS

The following list is what we’d consider bare bones. However, it may still be a bit much for a risky gram counter. Some may pack more, while others will pack less and put their inner MacGyver to the test.

TOOL KIT

This group of tools makes up the bulk of the kit and can be carried in a tool roll, dedicated bag, or spread throughout your pack luggage. Items marked with an asterisk are necessary only for certain applications.

MULTI-TOOL (WITH CHAIN BREAKER)

PLIERS

There have been several occasions while out riding when pliers were needed.

Spoke wrench.

You might have to change a broken spoke or you might even have to tune a wheel.

Spokes

As part of the tool kit you will also get a couple of spoke as a ‘ you never know’ type of thing.

A RELIABLE PUMP

A pump is a essential tool, usually on a two week trip it’s not so common to have more than 2 flats and maybe none.

SPARE TUBES

Spares are a necessity. So you will carry along a couple of tubes.

PATCH KIT

After having 6 flats in one day, I never leave without double checking my patch kit. Make sure the cement isn’t dried out and the sandpaper is in good shape.

TIRE LEVER(S)

Some folks carry two. Nylon levers are better than metal ones, but they can break.

For a shorter trip, one or two ounces should do. The Stan’s two ounce bottles are minimal in size and weight. Also, the Nalgene Polyethylene bottles come in 2OZ and 4OZ sizes and seem to be bombproof.

DRY CHAIN LUBE

Keep your drivetrain performing well by cleaning and lubing the chain every couple of days

ZIP TIES

Carry more that you could possibly need. They weigh nothing and can fix almost anything.

QUICK CHAIN LINKS / POWERLINKS

SRAM Powerlinks are a good option. Get 2 or 3 pair for whatever size chain you have, as well as a small spare length of chain.

SPARE PARTS & TOOLS: THE EXTENDED CUT

The following list is based on needs for a longer trip. Some may include a few, if not all, of these items in a standard carry kit.

SPARE PARTS

Every bike is different and requires unique parts, bolts, etc. Some of the items in this list may be applicable to your kit while others may not.

BRAKE PADS

It is worth considering a spare pair of pads. Some brakes, such as mechanical discs, are easier to replace than others. Make sure you have the right tool(s) for the job.

SPARE SPOKES/NIPPLES

Carry a few spokes in your seatpost by stuffing them through a piece of semi-rigid foam to hold them in place. Also carry matching nipples and make sure there is a spoke wrench in your multi-tool Spokes in seat tube - packing for bike touring

SPARE BOLTS

Some bolts worth considering are rack bolts, chainring bolts, rotor bolts, and cleat bolts.

SPARE CABLES

Spare cables can be stashed in your

ADDITIONAL TOOLS

A few other tools to consider.

PIPE CLAMPS (OF VARIOUS SIZES)

One step above a zip tie. Pipe clamps can do anything from replacing a broken seat clamp to holding a damaged bottle cage.

SPECIALIZED TOOLS

A few tools of which you may find yourself in need: bottom bracket tool or socket, Torx drivers of various metrics, crank plug bit, crank extractor (for you old-schoolers), etc.

CLEANING CLOTH

A small rag or cleaning cloth, while not absolutely necessary, is is good to have around to clean the chain.

VARIOUS STRAPS

Always a handy addition. We like Salsa Anything Cage Straps.

-Bicycle touring food

The rule is to get enough food for the days that you won’t find a shop. In Chile you can find a small shop anywhere you , but be prepare to only find pasta , tomato salse and fries¡ a option is to eat lots of pasta ,Quaker and powder milk . this is a good option if you are going to be on a long ride like the north of Chile s desert or crossing los Andes towards Mendoza.

Water

This the essential for surviving , most water in Chile is good for drinking but just in case boil it first or buy bottles a long the way .

Extra

If you are going to carretera austral , make sure you bring a compact fishing gear, restaurant might get expensive and there are lots of salmons to be fished passing Chaiten.

-gear and clothes

Foto de ropas

You can find any climate in Chile, so it’s essential to find out where you are going and at what time of year.

From Arica to La Serena, weather is usually very nice year round, during the day average 20 degree Celsius and thru the desert it can go down to minus 10 Celsius. So during the day you can where something light and warm clothes at late afternoon.

In the central region if its summer, it’s warm, average 29 Celsius during the day and it can go down to 12 Celsius at night.

From Osorno to the south anything can happen, it can be nice and warm and the all the sudden you can get heavy rains and I’m talking summer.

Avoid bring way to much clothes ¡ this a list of my personal gear that I bring

Clothes and gear for 2 to 3 week trip to Patagonia

-rain jacket and pant, bring a good quality equipment , hopefully light

-2 pairs of thik socks

-1 pair of boots

-a setoff first layer (pants and sweat shirt) you can wear them during the day and also sleep with them ones it gets cold at night . they will stink at some point but the great thing is that whe you wash them , they get dry really quick too.

- 1cycling short

-1 short or best zip-off trousers

-2 shirts technical shirts

-1 polar fleece

-1 jacket

-1 pair of sandals (essentials if you sleep at a camp ground and have to share a shower with a hundred other dudes.

-a whool hood

-1 pair of sunglasses

-1 swimming shorts

Camping gear

-1 three season tent ( I carry a 3 people tent for two, sometimes is better to keep the most you can inside the tent)

-1 sleeping bag for minus 5 (depends on where I go)

-sleeping bag liner if travelling Patagonia

-air mattress ( make sure its good , you don’t want to wake up with a rock in your back)

-pots and pans , there some really nice one , its important you get a good size one , not too small (you will go hungry) not so big , except if you are travelling along someone else.

-1 stove , weather you go with a beer can stove or a very nice petrol stove , make sure you can get cartridges or the type of combustion fluid you need ( we have most of them , here)

I found out that the best thing is to make a stove from a beer can , its cheap , reliable and best of all super light . you can check on how to make one yourself checking youtube and maybe order one from aliexpress.

Carry small portions of :

Oil

Salt

Coffee

Tea

Sugar

-a good knife is a must

Forks,spoons etc..

-flash lights (I always forget to bring mine)

How to load your bicycle

Fotos de alforjas y armado de equipo

Loading your bike is not as hard as some people will tell you. Basic rule to remember is to not over load your racks.

Usually our bikes are equipped with aluminum front and back racks, this racks say that they can take 25 kg in the back and 15 kg in front, trust me 15 kg in the back and 10 kg in front is more than enough(check on gear and clothes) remember that if you break your racks , can be the end of the trip.

What I recommend is for you to take your personal gear in the back and the cooking and food in the front.

Organize your panniers well… or the best you can, just remember where everything is .for example if you are pedaling and suddenly starts raining…. You will want to get your rain gear as fast as possible.

A good tip is to bring dry bags for your tent and for sleeping bag (Ortlieb makes a large bag , where you can put lots of stuff)

Another great tip to pack everything in a plastic bag and then panniers at times you can get a huge surprise rain at any time.

IR KIT & TOOLS: ESSENTIAL & AUXILIARY

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