About to Start - Marlin 6

All water bottle cages will fit your TJ. They are standard size. Just get a good nylon/plastic one that the shop recommends. Shouldn't cost more than $15.

 

The lights are flickering on the site from the loss of open door sustaining revenue. But no big deal...

 

And right on cue:

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/video-7-ways-to-carry-tools-on-your-bike-instead-of-your-body.html

 

I was interested in the one up pump but saw a review by bkxc and he pointed out that it’s not that great in practice for him. Some of his points seemed to make sense.

 

The coup de grace is at the end, when the reviewer admits he prefers cycling cargo technology from the 1800s (a small seat bag) over these fancy insertion "innovations."

I haven't spent any money on the fancy hidden stuff; don't plan on it because my seat and frame bags work dreamily and hold whatever tools and other stuff that I want. Just like the seat bag I bought in the 1970s. But yea, the stuff people design, produce and sell is off the hook – lots of solutions in search of problems.

 

Got my bike. Waiting for my gear to arrive (from list in previous post - beyond excited).

Can someone please shoot me a link to a not too big frame bag or corner bag where I can fit a spare tube, tiny sealant, tubeless repair kit and mini pump? All of these are small so I don’t want a massive bag. Just one that isn’t intrusive.

Thanks guys and gals! Been a great help so far.

 

I have one of these from Bedrock, and like it a lot: https://www.bedrockbags.com/gear/edc-frame-bag

 

@Cyclotourist I went with a very similar bag to that one. Thank you though!

Alright, the bike is set up. Just waiting for my helmet and gloves to arrive (two days) and I'm not even off until Thursday to go riding. Can't wait - feel like a kid getting a new toy haha.

 

Truthfully, you are a kid with a new toy. Sweet!!

Now it's time to let go of this thread and hit some on-topic ones. Starting with a photo of your bike in the New Bike Day thread, please : https://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/new-bike-day.6275/page-31

 

@mike LOL. SOUNDS GOOD!

 

Can someone please tell me what this is?

 

That's your MTB necklace. You need to wear it with a sparkly blue or pink chain every time you ride. It's the rules.

Or

Its a spacer that goes between your brake pads in case you take your wheel off the bike. If there is no rotor between the pads, and you accidentlaly press the brake lever, the pads will close and not reopen. You place the orange spacer in between the brake pads when the wheel is off the bike and you are not wearing it as jewelry.

 

bleed block

 

Negative

 

That's a >POM< Recycler 18, double hole version.

You're welcome!


(But it can also be used to keep your brake pads separated while the space is not occupied by the rotor - like when the wheel is off.)

 

@herzalot @DangerDirtyD Thanks you! @Grego LOL.

 

Dumb questions #500: I bought the Pro Bike Tool Tubeless Bike Tire Repair Kit. I also bought a mini tube of sealant. In my little frame bag, I was able to fit a spare tube, a mini tool, the tubeless repair kit, and the sealant. They are STUFFED and SNUG in there. Question is, do I absolutely need to carry the sealant with me? Or is that more something I can keep at home for when I HAVE to use it. Please and thank you.

 

You don’t have to carry the sealant if you are packing a tube and tubeless repair kit. The 2 oz bottles are more for looooong backcountry treks or 24 hour endurance races in the desert.

Keep in mind, if a bunch of cactus thorns or goatheads pierce your tires, the sealant will plug the holes, and you can continue riding. However, if at some point you get a large puncture or sidewall tear that won’t seal and you have to patch the tire and install a tube, make sure you run your fingers along the inside of the tire to feel for and remove any thorns that remain in your tire from prior rides. Otherwise, you’ll just pierce the new tube, and it will go flat again. It’s usually easier to pull old thorns out from the outside of the tire rather then pull them in through the tire the rest of the way. I use a pocket knife to wedge thorns out from the outside.

 

LOL!!!!!

Be nice to your spare tube. It needs to save you from a jam one day. Don’t underestimate the vibration your bike and everything attached to it sustains. More than one rider has pulled out a damaged tube or other tire repair stuff that doesn’t work.

Tires are by far the most-fixed item in the field. A practice run at home with your trail tools would be illuminating.

16 or 20g CO2 cans IME are not the right tool for 29er and/or big tubeless tires. The 40g cans are actually lighter and have a better chance of resetting a tubeless bead. But they are rarely found in shops for some reason.

 

@Demetrio GQ - I hate to say this for fear of a jinx, but I haven't had a flat tire in 4 years. That coincides with the time I got my first tubeless tire set up. Now mind you, I don't ride areas known to shred sidewalls, nor areas filled with thorns, but I am not subtle on my equipment. I stopped carrying a spare tube three years ago, because all I ever used them for was giving to someone else on the trail to help them. I ride within a 45 minute's walk to my car in most situations. Reasonable, if I have to do so.

I weigh 210 lbs and ride as much rocky terrain as I can find. I smash into said rocks at a reasonably fast rate of speed. I run about 22 psi in the rear tire and 20 psi in front on 2.3" wide Maxxis DHF/DHR II with a standard exo casing (meaning - not the toughest of sidewalls). All this to say - you don't need to carry sealant, and you will probably not use your tire repair kit unless you frequently ride "Shards-O-Glass Trail."

Here is a photo of my bike in the terrain that I ride at "less than safe" speeds:

 

@Demetrio GQ - on the other hand, I don't ride nearly as hard as @herzalot and I've destroyed several tubeless tires, a couple embarassingly.

It's a function of where you ride, really. Get up into the Santa Anas or parts of the Gabes and fire roads could be your doom.

Just ask @DangerDirtyD if you don't believe me.

 

The difference between smooth stationary rocks and sharp jagged rocks... I would much rather crash land on Herzy's rocks than some of the rocks on Motorway. Those suckers are tall, pointy, and razor sharp. Not that I really want to crash at all, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

My first 20 times down Motorway, I went through 5 tires... I'm a slow learner.

 

^ Read everyone's response. Thanks for the info!

 

I agree – with the caveat that it's equal part how you ride.

 

Greeeaaattt... I ride slow and still get a record number of flats.

 

More data points: I have so many goatheads (in the 100s) embedded in my tires, there is zero way for me to use a tube. I don't even bother. I carry a can of Gup which I've never had to use in case I need to re-inflate on the trail. That and a cellphone, which I have had to use twice. Keep your sealant topped off, and refill regularly.

 

Well first, you are not a slow rider. And second, you break frames, too, so don't be hard on yourself about the tires.

 

Yup- sharp, floating shale or jagged lava definitely fits into the “Shards o Glass” trail depiction. The rocks I ride don’t move much, thus my good fortune with tires.

 

They would of you were holding someone’s wheel.