Mountain Biking

[wintermute]

Make sure the compass you bring has a mirror - good secondary use as a signaling mirror. I wouldn't bother with spoke wrenches and extra spokes. If you're running 36 spokes and you pop a spoke or two, you can just wrap them around the surrounding spoke and it should be good enough to ride on.

Space blanket

Second Skin bandages. Very creepy stuff, since it really does sort of become part of your skin, but the best way to deal with blisters out there. Bring a little bottle of Betadine as well - no need to get infected.

 

[beanbag]

I wouldn't bother with spoke wrenches and extra spokes. If you're running 36 spokes and you pop a spoke or two, you can just wrap them around the surrounding spoke and it should be good enough to ride on.

I agree that extra spokes are unnecessary, but you should have a spoke wrench. If you do pop a spoke, you will need that wrench to lessen the massive wobble that will result. I'm not talking about getting your rim anywhere near true, just rideable.:thumbup:

 

[PayetteRucker]

Uh, that's absolutely not the case. If you pop one spoke, you won't make it 100 yards before the entire wheel is tacoed. I've done it myself on three different occasions. That said, three occasions in 10+ years of diehard mountain and road bike riding make them pretty isolated incidents. Bikes are like any other machine with working parts. The more working parts, the more room for part failure and the more maintenance, tools and spares they will require. That said, for what they do, they are in general extremely simple and reliable. Other than the few basic necessities for trail adjustments and spare tubes, I think you'll find carrying spare components unnecessary. Just don't snap your fork... Sophomore year homecoming dance day, spent in the hospital getting catscanned after biting the trail headfirst. The titanium xizang frame was alright, but my face was not

Or drive through a McDonald's drivethrough or hotel overhang with your 4,000 dollar carbon fiber bike on the roof rack....

 

[beanbag]

If you pop one spoke, you won't make it 100 yards before the entire wheel is tacoed. I've done it myself on three different occasions. That said, three occasions in 10+ years of diehard mountain and road bike riding make them pretty isolated incidents.

I've been road and mountain biking hard for about 20 years and I have broken spokes a lot more than 3 times. Never once has a broken spoke left me stranded. You duct tape the offending spoke to another, rough true the wheel, and gently limp on home. Another good reason to bring the spoke wrench is that if you notice a wheel problem before you have a broken spoke, you might be able to fix it if you know what you're doing.:thumbup:

 

[somber]

Or drive through a McDonald's drivethrough or hotel overhang with your 4,000 dollar carbon fiber bike on the roof rack....

Nice bike! Was... a nice bike, I mean.
At a resort I worked at the valet did the same thing going into the parking garage. Resort had to comp. stay and pay for the $10k for the bikes, but it made a great video.

 

[Patrickknives]

I have broken spokes on many occasions as well and was able to keep going, I think its going to depend on the wheel. The newer wheels are so stiff that even with one broken spoke they dont deform much, I know with my older AL rims they were so tweaked that a broken spoke was alot of trouble but I could get it straight enough to proceed. You can just unscrews the broken spoke. You can carry a spare but what a pain to replace a spoke on the side of the trail!!

The overhang has always been a big fear of mine, no I have the bed of the truck. Ugly

 

[PayetteRucker]

double walled rims do help, especially if they have a welded seam, but even on light offroad trails they became unrideable for me VERY fast. I've taken some nasty hits that warped the front wheel that I've been able to fix with a spoke wrench, but never a busted spoke. I suppose it depends on what you're riding for brakes as well.