Trail Tips - The Ride Essentials

This Blog will be dedicated to some of the basics of mountain biking. I was going to start out with riding tips, but I thought I’d begin out with some tips on “ride essentials” before I get into the nuts and bolts of how to ride.

The Essential Tool

I thought I’d start off by going over the basic tools you’ll need to tighten all the parts on your bike before you head out. Luckily, this isn’t as complicated as it sounds because you really only need one tool and it’s generically called an Allen tool. You can buy one for about $12.00 from your local bike shop and should remember to carry it with you on every ride—I promise you, it’s going to be your best friend, even if your mechanical knowledge is entry-level. The Allen tool consists of a 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, & 8mm little wrenches. Here are the specific needs of each:

2mm – You would use this tool to adjust your brake lever toward or away from the handlebar to compensate for your hand/finger size.

3mm – You would use this tool to loosen the resistance on your clipless pedals (making it easier or more difficult to release from the pedals) Remember, “righty tighty lefty loosey.” (Clipless pedals are the type of pedals that lock onto a small cleat on the bottom of your cycling-specific shoe—step down to engage, twist out to disengage. Toe clips are those pedals with little baskets for your toes in case you don’t want to be attached)

4mm – This wrench can be used to adjust the bolt located in the center of the top cap of your headset/stem. While standing over your bike look down at the top of your stem. This is the component that attaches your stem to the bike fork. The top bolt is the top of your headset and can be tightened or loosened to take-up any “wobble” in the system. Should be tight enough to allow smooth side-to-side movement of your fork. Some bikes might use a 4mm and some might use a 5mm, and all stems will require additional loosening of one or two “pinch” bolts to allow complete adjustment of the headset. Remember to re-tighten these “pinch” bolts once you are done making adjustments.

5mm – This is the most common Allen size, and found all over your bike. You’ll probably use this tool for the bolts located on the side of your stem, to adjust the height of your seatpost, to adjust your brake lever tilt and also your shifters up and down on the handlebar.
6mm – Two different tools can be usually used to remove pedals—a 6mm Allen or job-specific pedal wrench. In a pinch, your Allen tool (wrapped in a towel for added comfort) may be just the ticket to taking off a pair of pedals. If the pedals are on really tight, you’ll need to enlist the help of a pedal wrench. In either case, be careful not to jam your knuckles into the chainrings!

The Essential Kit

In addition to the Allen wrench, I’d also recommend a seat bag to store this tool (along with other trail essentials) so that you’ll be ready to ride every time you grab your bike. A seat bag keeps everything neat and tidy without you having to run around the house trying to remember where you last left your tool or tube.

Now you want to be prepared before you get out on the trail so you’ll want to have some specific things in your seat bag:

1. The proper size tube. Check with your local bike shop if you aren’t sure. For a mountain bike you will want a 26x1.5/ 2.20.

2. A hand pump or a CO2 cartridge/adapter. A CO2 cartridge is just a much faster way of pumping up your tire. If you are interested just ask your local bike shop and I’m sure they will be more than willing to show you how it works.

3. At least two tire levers. Again you can pick them up at your local bike shop and they are little plastic levers with a lip on the end to help pull your tire on and off the rim.

4. A patch kit in case you don’t want to carry a tube (or you get more than one flat). You can just patch the hole and reuse the tube.

5. Your Allen tool. This should take care of any loose bolts on your ride or allow you to straighten or tighten many of your bike’s parts while on the trail.

6. Your ID and some money. You should put it in a little plastic bag and stuff it in your seat bag.

These are just a few things to get you started and out on a fun and enjoyable ride. Please feel free to write in and either comment on how these tips helped you or ask questions about these tips. And remember there are no silly questions!

Happy Trails!

Tara