The Toolkit Thread

[Lav1200]

Great thread going here. I am in the midst of getting rid of my rack-mounted Pelican and want to carry the tools in a fanny pack. Curious how the fanny pack works when also wearing a small backpack (water, clothes, etc). Do you have any pics to share with you wearing both items while on the bike?

Cheers,
Andy

[KingRat]

I don't think I'd want tools strapped to my body.... horrible potential for injury if you fall off.

My riding is almost exclusively on metalled roads, and this bag of stuff fits in less than half of one pannier [where it lives, permanently]. Loaded, the bag is 12" x 9" x 5".



Toolkit, first aid kit, LED head torch, pump, puncture repair kit, tuffmaps, lightsticks, a spare buff. Wetwipes ... luxury And the ubiquitous repair stuff - WD40, cable ties, duct tape and metal putty. I've got an LED torch, leatherman and cigarette lighter in one of the fairing pockets.

The tool roll is made by Kriega and holds enough bits and bobs to exceed my mechanical capabilities.

[bmwktmbill]

Guys,
Break your tools up into separate kits.
Most used, least used, tire tools.
Wrap rags around them and secure with innertube rubber bands.
Slip the Leatherman or it's like in the tankbag side pocket or some such where it's handy.

Have some nuts and bolts handy also(when you want one you want one).
Don't stress, they sell tools everywhere in the known world.
The language of mechanics is truly universal and spoken anywhere they sell gas, benzene or petrol....
b.

[Lav1200]

Originally Posted by chewie

I don't think I'd want tools strapped to my body.... horrible potential for injury if you fall off.

With the type of riding I'm doing (jeep trails and single track) I want to reduce the weight on the bike as much as possible. A fanny pack is the best way to accomplish this, but not sure if it will work with a backpack as well. Curious as to how the desert racers manage this.

[KingRat]

Originally Posted by Lav1200

With the type of riding I'm doing (jeep trails and single track) I want to reduce the weight on the bike as much as possible. A fanny pack is the best way to accomplish this, but not sure if it will work with a backpack as well. Curious as to how the desert racers manage this.

I understand the desire.... I just don't like having anything more rigid than my spine and pelvis strapped to me on a solo.

YMMV and all that.

[cat]

Originally Posted by chewie

I don't think I'd want tools strapped to my body.... horrible potential for injury if you fall off.

I agree about possibility of serious spine injury, but...

Originally Posted by chewie

My riding is almost exclusively on metalled roads, and this bag of stuff fits in less than half of one pannier

Toolkit, first aid kit, LED head torch, pump, puncture repair kit, tuffmaps, lightsticks, a spare buff. Wetwipes ... luxury And the ubiquitous repair stuff - WD40, cable ties, duct tape and metal putty. I've got an LED torch, leatherman and cigarette lighter in one of the fairing pockets.[/quote]
...Panniers, fairing... BMW, V-Strom,...[?]
The original story was about tools etc for the "adventure"/offroad context. So the problem's still there... bags strapped to the back of the seat or a rack get in the way, and in a waist bag or back pack, the possibility of spine injury is there.

[KingRat]

Originally Posted by cat

I agree about possibility of serious spine injury, but...

...Panniers, fairing... BMW, V-Strom,...[?]
The original story was about tools etc for the "adventure"/offroad context. So the problem's still there... bags strapped to the back of the seat or a rack get in the way, and in a waist bag or back pack, the possibility of spine injury is there.

Agreed. The kit is not dissimilar, it is where you store it then?

I've fallen off plenty of trail bikes. So I'd put up with strapping my stuff to the bike. To each their own, and all that.

[N1ckR]

This what tools I take on day/weekend trips.



My tools wrapped up. The pump and rag goes in the main compartment of my rucksack, the inner tube, tyre levers and bar fit neatly in one of the side pockets, the tape and wire in the other pocket with my leatherman (not pictured) and the black bag goes on the bike.



As you can see I put some spare wire and electrians tape in the roll of duct tape and then cable tie it so compress and save space. With the inner tube I have tyre levers and bar with socket for the wheels, but on the reverse you can see a supply of cable ties and some stiff wire. I keep some gloves wrapped with the pump, but I never use them.

[Speaker]

So, thanks to this thread, I have begun making my kit.

Wolfman Enduro Tool Bag:


Bag open:


Bag laid out:


Inside the Husky Bag:



Husky multi-tool
Blades, Saw, Plug Gapper, Pliers, File, ¼ Drive adaptor
¼ sockets, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Metric Allen combo tool, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10
Mini vice-grips
Mini crescent wrench (in lieu of stubby open end wrenches)

Tim's post inspired me to buy the husky mini ratchet thing with 1/4 drive adaptor. When I was getting that, I found this Husky multi tool with all sorts nifty features for 75 cents less. I can't find it on Husky's website, but I got it at Home Depot. The bag came with it, as did the sockets, adaptors, and driver bits (plus more that I didn't need in the kit)

Gray zipper bag: the "Tube Bag" (also found these zipper bags in a three pack when shopping for the husky thing, $4.50 for all three)


All sorts of patches
4 spare Schrader valve cores (inside one of the blue boxes)
Bunch of rubber cement
Genuine innovations microflate (for threaded Co2)
3 16oz threaded Co2 cartages
Pressure gauge
Core tool

Small black zipper bag: "spare stuff bag"


Ziplock of small metric nuts and bolts, also small hose clamps
Metric grade 12.9 bolts for bar clamp to triple clamp mounting
Long 5/16 bolts for hand guards (these seem to break on every ride.. I fall a lot)
Big hose clamp
Some mechanics wire
Some extra wiring
Length of fuel hose
Also, assorted zip ties go inside the Wolfman bag alone.

Big black zipper bag


Just a spare 21" tube. I want to find a way to mount this bag on the bike, because it takes up way too much room in the tail bag.


Long sock () tire tools


Big cresent wrench, wrapped with duct tape. (I only have this for axles, waiting on Motion pro combo lever.)
Spoon type lever
Small motion pro lever, wrapped with electrical and Gorilla tape (Because I like the spoon type better, this will probably be replaced again by the Combo lever)

Short sock


Crank brothers “Power Pump Ultra” – for Schrader or presta, high-pressure or high volume switch, max 115 PSI. For when Co2 isn’t enough, or when I want to save Co2 for emergency?

Blackhawk Hydrastorm S.T.R.I.K.E. Tsunami:



100oz Hydrastrom water bladder
Adventure Medical Kits “Day Tripper” – added pain killers, gloves, CPR barrier.
Rain/Wind jacket
Cold weather gloves
Cell phone
GPS if not mounted to bike
Snacks, lighter, yada yada.
I try to keep the pack kind of light, no tools.

Here's the Toolbag on the bike. Packs up pretty small huh? Yes, all of that stuff really does fit in the tail bag. The tube takes up most of the room, though. You can also see the zipties in action, holding the handguards on.


Anyway, I think that's it for now. Like I said, I want to mount the tube to the bike, either buy the Wolfman Front fender bag (people say they fall off), or mount the existing zipper bag between the rear shock and seat. See the big empty space there?

Any comments or suggestions?

[PackMule]

Fantastic thread, Tim. Looking at all the stuff you carry, I think I've come across my cosmic twin, in terms of over-preparedness. (Though no one is ever bitching when you're MacGuyver'ing some repair out on the trail. Or towing a Dakar-finisher up a gnarly hill. )

Originally Posted by Gordy

We went out yesterday and rode single all day at Sipapu again ( ) and my loaded back pack combined with my Koerta pressure suit was killin me. If the backpack wasn't strangling me the Koerta was pushing my pants down around my ass. The back protector on the Koerta extends way down towards the tailbone and it gets hung on the top of the pants pushing them down. I think a fanny would make it worse, but I can't take the tools in the backpack any more.

This thread has given me some great ideas for tools/gear, and some for packs as well. I've gotta do something different there.

The Koerta/Leatt/Mongo-backpack combo was getting to me at DVR. Between tools/spares, food, 130oz water and whatever other crap I was carrying, it was just very "intrusive" (I guess the best word I can come up with).




Positioning the pack was an irritation -- if I had the shoulder straps where they were okay, the waist belt was uselessly high (non weight bearing). To put some weight on the hips, the shoulder straps were waayy extended.


I've been looking for a backpack/camelbak that will either accommodate my torso length (6'1", plus a little when you factor the armor in), or possibly some sort of waistpack/backpack combo.


Anyone tried Military style webgear/LBS?

[neduro]

PM- I'm really curious to try one of the Kriega bags I've seen at Aerostich. Just bought a Leatt- haven't tried riding with it yet, but can see that it may cause an issue with how much gear I tend to carry.

[neduro]

Originally Posted by Speaker

Just a spare 21" tube. I want to find a way to mount this bag on the bike, because it takes up way too much room in the tail bag.

How about a front fender bag, with either zip-ties or safety wires securing the hooks to the fender?

I've had reasonable luck with the fender bags if I put just a tube in, but I never stay disciplined for long- I always wind up throwing a few CO2's in there, and then a lever, and then a CO2 thingy, and next thing you know, I'm backtracking trying to find it.

[hilslamer]

Originally Posted by Lav1200

With the type of riding I'm doing (jeep trails and single track) I want to reduce the weight on the bike as much as possible. A fanny pack is the best way to accomplish this, but not sure if it will work with a backpack as well. Curious as to how the desert racers manage this.

I've restrained myself from snapping at all of the people who have replied with how "dangerous" it is to carry tools on your person. Someone even went as far as calling me a "fool" even, which is really not worth adressing considering the following reasonings. I disagree completely, up to a reasonable point. I consider myself a desert racer, and to that end I offer the following insights.

I'm a "little guy"(not to imply I have "little man" syndorme), and I only weigh about 150 lbs. All told, soaking wet, I'm still a skinny white guy(although I'd like to think "fly" for those that get that...)

I typically trailride(read: AA level singletrack and trails, sometimes none at all while scouting for a race loop, etc - think intermediate level trials sections without ribbon in some cases) a 250-275 lb bike. The bike is almost twice as heavy as I am - a little extra mass where my body would carry it(midesction) anyway is not going to hurt my ability to yank it around(I stand almost all the time) a bit - the more inertia I have, the better I can influence the inertia of the bike. Yes, it costs me calories but I'll be glad to burn them on rides where a few hundred calories is not that much on 3000+ burned in a ride.

And as to the safety issue, I clearly state that things should never be pointed AT you, in any condition or at any length. Just like constructing a cage inside of a rallycar, you never point an individual frame member AT anyone. But you would never go without in either case, would you?

That said, I have literally probably hundreds of crashes, from minor tipovers down a hill to major 70+mph get-offs that resulted in inadvertant cartwheels at same speed - and none of them have been without my buttbag on or a small backpack in place. None of which I can attribute any injuries, stabbings, tweakings, prison-shankings or similar to the tools I was carrying on my person. And I ALWAYS carry tools when I ride, period.

Note also that in a later post, I specifically stated in BOLD how heavy my bumbag and backpack were with tools- a grand total of less than 8% of my meager bodyweight. As argued above, this can even be viewed as an advantage in my case.

Furthermore, I clearly stated in my original post what type of riding I do and why, and that this toolkit was really specific to that, and that you should decide what was appropriate accordingly. To quote Neduro, I ride DIRT BIKES with this kit, not "adventure" bikes that outweight even a big man by 2.5:1 and have numerous nooks to store tools in...

If you do some research, even though many of the major Rally winners of the world don't appear to be carrying tools in a pack, they carry enough weight on their person in the pockets of their rally jackets to be condisered "dangerous" by those that have accused me of such here on this thread. And I can assure you that Steve Hengeveld, Quinn Cody and Andy Grider do not race without tools, and specifically do not carry them on the bike.

Allow me to put together short list of very serious(ISDE, BAJA, BITD, etc.) racers that I have personally raced alongside on any variety of bikes and whitnessed carrying a toolkit of some sorts ON THEIR PERSON:

Steve Hengeveld
Kurt Caselli
Ron Schmelze
Ian Blythe
Dave Neumiester
Mark Buckholz
Destry Abbott
Steve Hatch
Quinn Cody
Jeff Fredette
Fred Crossett
David Kamo
Kendall Norman


...to name a few. These guys know what they are doing.

[hilslamer]

Originally Posted by Speaker

So, thanks to this thread, I have begun making my kit.

...

Any comments or suggestions?

BTW, outstanding contributions, thanks for the pics and explanations. Actions/items mean nothing without reasons or confirmation.

[Speaker]

Originally Posted by hilslamer

Allow me to put together short list of very serios(ISDE, BAJA, BITD, etc.) racers that I have personally raced alongside on any variety of bikes and whitnessed carrying a toolkit of some sorts ON THEIR PERSON:

...
Mark Buckholz

Buck made fun of me for my pack being too heavy That is part of the reasoning for me going with a bike mounted solution. The other part is kind of completely opposite of yours.

I also weigh 150 pounds, and ride the singletrack up here in Flag. Peaks loop, upper moto, airport, wing mtn. etc etc . Like you, I'm not too concerned about the saftey of having tools on body; my pack's balistic nylon, the tools are all contained in nylon, I'd wear it outside my pressure suit, and I'm usually not going very fast. However, I feel that when I start getting tired on the single track, I have to start forcing myself to not sit down. With the extra weight on my back, I end up getting really lazy. With the weight on the rear of the bike, I don't have to work as hard and can focus more on the obstacles than on how tired I am. At least, that's how it works for me.

By the way, Tim, you should come ride up here before it snows. I want to ride with you... or at least, way behind you.