Mountain Biking - I bought A bike, need advice on stuff to get...

So i bought a bike, a y26 trek.(i know, I know, i shouldnt have bought it) Whatever, I need to get a helmet, a bag to carry my wallet and keys, a bike lock, and a computer to time myself and stuff. What do i need? whats the best stuff? Help me out guys i really dont know what to get. I have seen a few mags and gone to the bike shops.

You don't need a computer.
If you plan to ride roads at night, buy lights.
A pump can be handy.
A tire patch kit.
A set of hex Allen keys -metric.
Good fitting knapsack.
Light tinted wrap sunglasses.
Bike lube.
Water bottles.
Padded gloves, maybe shorts.

Bare necessities:
Helmet
Mini-Pump
Spare Tube
Patch Kit
Mini-Tool (with 3,4,5,6 mm allen heads, phillips and flat screwdriver)
Chain Tool (some mini-tools have a chain tool as well)
Place to carry it (saddle pack ((Wedge))
4 quarters. (for phone calls). I take clear packing tape and roll the quarters so they dont' clang around.
Strip of duct tape. (I have a black seatpost and use black duct tape and wrap the tube several times around)



Niceities (don't need, but if you've got the room)

Gloves (I like full fingered MX style gloves)
Padded Shorts or padded liner
A Camelback (or hydration pack)
A larger mini-tool (something like Crank Bros - 17)
A bunch of zip ties.
A pocket knife
A mini-flashlight
A first aide kit
Spare crank bolt
Spare derailleur hanger
Spare brake pad (if using vee's)
Spare shifter cable (just the cable)

Upgrades (No need to rush out and get these, but once you've become an accomplished rider, they are nice to have)

Cyclocomputer (I actually don't use one anymore)
Clipless pedals/shoes
More Tires to swap out dependent on trail conditions
Folding Work Stand
Tools. (I buy the necessary tool to install/fix my upgrade. I.e. if I were to upgrade my cranks, I'd buy a crank puller and a bottom bracket tool)

Here is what I carry when I go ride
Helmet: Bell Influx.
Gloves: REI full finger MTB.
Hydration pack: Novara Single track 2L
I like this pack. Can carry 2liters of fluid and the essentials that you need.
Small first aid kit
Leatherman tool. (this thing have saved me more than once)
Allen keys(but just the ones that fit the bolts on my bike. no point in dragging around extra weight)
A small tire pump.
Maglite AA flashlight.(Nice to have if you don't make it back to the car berfore it gets dark)
Spoke wrench
Tire patch kit and the things you use to thet the tire of the rim.

is this bike for commuting? Or dirt?

Wondering why you need a lock.

If you're going to crash, I think a hydration pack is almost as important as a helmet.

A hydration pack should not be looked at as a form of protection like body armour.

You're right, even though they do provide some protection and Camelbak bladders are strong enough for a car to run over when they're full and they wont puncture/explode :D

I do recomend a computer, they come in handy

I've shure been glad I had a hydration pack on some of my crashes... cousions the impact some, and keeps branshes and sharp stones from cutting up your back..

I would recomend a computer.. Although it is not required it is an inspiration to know how far you have ridden, and how fast... Use it to time yourself around your bike route/trail and try to improve with every ride...

yes they do a bit, but they should never be looked at as thought they were designed to be protection, you can still get serious injuries from them and they give you false confidence

Agreed.

...you can still get serious injuries from them...
How does a hydration pack cause injuries?

I would recomend a computer.. Although it is not required it is an inspiration to know how far you have ridden, and how fast... Use it to time yourself around your bike route/trail and try to improve with every ride...

Improving your skills mt^biking has little to do with time unless you race, timing yes.
If I was outfiting an urban\ road\ tourer..yes.
A cyclometer will tell me nothing about the technical riding I just did, or how far the drop was.
If you do a lot of 'mountain biking' not path riding, you'll find they are kinda useless, more to get broken.
A heartrate monitor would be more use in endurance training.
If you race, all the weighty gadget crap gets chucked.
Get weight off the frame, the bike becomes more responsive. REALLY!

If the bike is an weight\ exercise specific purchase, yes.

I'd put fenders on my bike first, way more usefull. (wet part of the world)
Tools are good, gadgets don't really increase my enjoyment of cycling unless they are integral to the bike component systems.
I like chain tensioners :) .

I don't know if the poster is intending to do offroad riding, or just ride a mtb.

I'm sure they are useful in a data way, but cycling has a few smart purchases before bike computers.

Oh, don't skimp out on the helmet, fit, comfort, protection.
And you're s'posed to wear it all the time.
If it feels like crap, you'll likely to go buy a new different one.

Saddle fetish is different, if you cycle lots you just end up with WAY more seats than bikes. :rolleyes:

We need a link to the thread where Khuon posted all the goodies he takes on trips.

I would recomend a computer.. Although it is not required it is an inspiration to know how far you have ridden, and how fast... Use it to time yourself around your bike route/trail and try to improve with every ride...[/QUOTE]

Very true, I use it to train because I am soon going to take up XC racing.

Oh, and if you are going to get a computer I would recomed one by specialized, you don't need to get the $99 and up ones because they only tell you the altitude, heart rate, and grade of a hill (I would never use any of that) the one I have cost me about $30 and it has everything you need.

I do recomend a computer, they come in handy

I would recomend a computer.. Although it is not required it is an inspiration to know how far you have ridden, and how fast... Use it to time yourself around your bike route/trail and try to improve with every ride...


Oh, and if you are going to get a computer I would recomed one by specialized, you don't need to get the $99 and up ones because they only tell you the altitude, heart rate, and grade of a hill (I would never use any of that) the one I have cost me about $30 and it has everything you need.Three posts? I think he gets it. :rolleyes:

Personally I disagree on using a computer on a trail use MTB. They all too often get lost along the trail. Countless times My ridining party and I have been approached by people who lost their comp somewhere out on the trail. It's always "Dude have you seen a (insert brand and model here) out on the trail? I lost it somewhere over by (insert trail name here). I like a computer on my commuter, but it's one more thing to break or lose on the trail.

adeli- Stick with A2psykulnut's list. I'd bump the gloves up to the "need" list as road rash on the hands SUCKS

How would they loose a computer?, they are stuck on pretty tight.

So i bought a bike, a y26 trek.(i know, I know, i shouldnt have bought it) Whatever, I need to get a helmet, a bag to carry my wallet and keys, a bike lock, and a computer to time myself and stuff. What do i need? whats the best stuff? Help me out guys i really dont know what to get. I have seen a few mags and gone to the bike shops.

It is a little hard to tell you what you need until we know how you are going to ride it? Commuting to class? Serious offroad? Long rides? Short Rides?

For me a computer never worked as inspiration. Especially on a mtb. Trails vary so much from really technical to really easy, the numbers were completely pointless. Besides that, I don't really have anything on my mtb. To risky to loose something off the side when on a tech trail.

Ranger has the right idea, before we can say "you need this' we need to know where you plan to ride you bike :)

How would they loose a computer?, they are stuck on pretty tight.

They end up in the washing machine sometimes....

Having mtb makes you a bicyclist, riding extreme terrain is mtbing.
Sometimes done on actual mountains!

Some riders do downhill runs, jumps etc, the bikes are hammered hard.
Little plastic things with small screws are possibly going to dissapear.

Last thing you are looking @ is your cyclometer going downhill, If you do, It's the probably the last thing you saw before crashing.

Don't get me wrong -you like? Fine. They are kinda neat.

It comes after many other purchases, and if you want a good RIDE, spend the money on the bike.
Upgrade some part thats not ergonomic enough or strong enough.

Spend the $$ on a car bike rack so you can carry it to good bike trails or the mountains.
Leave the computers @ home and office, get out into woods the enjoy mtbing for what it is.
Athletic adventure sports.
I've had more use of a compass mtbing than a cyclometer.

I did a fast downhill run when I had a computer.

And of course, that proves how inaccurate they are when they are bouncing around on trails. All I can say is

SMOKING!!!! (jim carrey voice)

And of course, that proves how inaccurate they are when they are bouncing around on trails. All I can say is

SMOKING!!!! (jim carrey voice)

Oh heck, that was not even halfway down. Stupid thing broke!
The fork bouncing made the magnet fall off the spoke, this is the reading just before...The Big Drop.

The resulting sonic boom caused an avalanche, had to out ride it as well.

Park warden was **$$**, Banned from there fer-sure. :p

Hahahaha...So you caused all the trouble on the north shore eh?

It is a little hard to tell you what you need until we know how you are going to ride it? Commuting to class? Serious offroad? Long rides? Short Rides?

What?? You single handedly gonna put the train back on track Jack?

Good luck, i'm dissin 'puters down on the bottom still. :D

a2psyklnut posted a good list. I'm sure the poster got enough info...

Now lets talk trash about something!

I used a PC, I mean computer, when I 1st started the sport back in '93 mainly to be able to follow the mileage outlined in "Off the Beaten Path" I & II. Great books if you're visiting my part of the world. Then after I learned the trails, I used it to race against myself to see if I could beat my own time.... I since haven't had a computer on my last 3 bikes....

I carry/wear:

DH shorts / MX pants (depends on the temp)
Full-finger gloves
My lid
Safety Glasses / Goggles (depends on the temp)
Backpack fluid povider (ie: Blackburn, CamelBack, etc.)
Clipless Mtn.Bike shoes
Elbow / Forearm protectors
Park Chain Breaker tool
SuperFlate CO2
Spare tube
Tire levers
SUV keys
Wallet

How would they loose a computer?, they are stuck on pretty tight.


Hit anything hard enough and it'll fly right off. Happened to me plenty of times. I don't worry about it now that I'm not racing anymore.

To borrow the list idea:

padded shorts/pants (depends on the weather)
half or full-finger gloves/Specialized split mittens for below freezing temps
Helmet
Neoprene face mask(if it's painfully cold)
Prescription Glasses / Oakley Ski Goggles if it's really cold/snowing
Camelbak/water bottle
MTB shoes
Knee pads(occasionally)
Park Chain Breaker tool
multi-tool(2mm-6mm allen keys + straight and phillips head screwdrivers)
leatherman
Small pump(in Camelbak)
Spare tube and patch kit/glueless patches
Crank bros. Tire lever(snaps onto the axle for easy on/off of tire)
car keys
cell phone(just in case)