Basic Tools to have on a bike trip

[happyslug]

8. The last time I broke a Spoke, it took me almost a day to figure what had happened.

Now I am using 26 inch mavic wheels A719 Wheels. Something was wrong with the wheel, but I rode it anyway. I had to disengage the brake on that wheel do to excessive rubbing, but it was still ridable. It was a commute from my home to my office so I did no ride it that long, but it was rideable. At home I looked at the wheel and found the broken Spoke, removed it and had no further problem with it (Through I did take the wheel to my local bike shop to replace the spoke).

I have had my wheels almost 20 years and that is the only time I had a spoke break on them. I purchased them new from Peter White Cycles in New Hampshire, for he was selling them with Schmidt's SON Hub generators installed. I ended up buying a second set about ten years ago, when my first Generator went bad (Schmidt has improved their generators since the 1990s, then they had a three year guarantee, my last just under ten years, today they have a five year guarantee and my is still operating more then ten years after I purchased them). Now, I do NOT go off road with my bikes, I stay on the pavement or bike trails, but that is what most people will be doing and thus my comment I had one spoke break in 20 years of extensive riding.

Now, on thinner more racing type wheels any one spoke is much more critical, but on most touring and mountain bikes, with heavier duty wheels and spokes, you be surprise how far you can go with a broken spoke.

I ordered my wheels from Peter White Wheels in New Hampshire. He was and still sell Schmidt's SON generator and lights. I wanted a hub Generator and had him make up a set of wheels for me. There were NOT Cheap but I have NOT had any problems with them, except for one broken spoke.

I see something like a spoke breaking, like either axle going bad, or the bottom bracket going bad, as something you can live with for a short time till you can get to a shop. In the area I live in, the main bike Trail, the Great Allegheny Passage, has two bike shops right on the trail and several others close by. Thus shop based repairs are NOT that hard to find and get a bike to. For that reason I see spokes as something NOT needed for in most cases the bike is still usable (Through you have to be careful, you can NOT pedal like mad with a bad wheel).

As to a Spoke wrench, I have NEVER had to use one on a trip. I know how to use one, but my wheels never go out of trim while on a trip. This may be do to the fact I did opt for heavier then normal duty wheels.

Peter White Cycles:

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/

Now, as to your comment about heavy duty garbage bags, I have found you can more easily carry light duty garbage bags. This permits more bags taking up less room. They are also more flexible not only in being lighter, but can be used for other purposes. This can quickly become which is a better choice, heavy duty, more durable, tougher but at greater weight and space vs light weight, more bags but a greater tendency to tear. Like many debates of this type the best answer is NOT one or the other but both. I would carry one or two heavy duty bags and about four or five light duty bags. Keep the heavy duty bags back till you need them, but when you need them use them. Most times you will end up using the lighter bags but every so often they lighter bags are NOT enough. Thus the best answer to that debate is BOTH.

As to Chain links, I use 9 speed chain and I have had to repair it on long trips on several occasions. Most nine speeds have enough give in them to just eliminate a link and do a quick repair. Such a repair may make the chain to tight, but it is still usable till you get to a bike shop, where proper repairs can be done. Thus like the Emergency Spoke, in my opinion NOT needed if a repair shop is within a day ride of your location. In most places that will be the case. This is true even in the Rural Areas of the east (Much less true of the rural areas out west and I am using the Great Plains as the border of East and West).

After I read you article I realized I did not mention Chapstick, vaseline or Toilet paper. Three things you should have with you on a long trip. You be surprise where and when you may need them and it is better to have then not have.

One last comment, this is the type of discussion I wanted when i posted my first post, people talking about what they need and not need. This often varies depending on the length of the trip and where the trip will occur. We can disagree, but it is more do to experiences we have and that varies from person to person. Lets keep up this good work by concentrating on this subject and commenting about each other choices.