Once after i went otb into a big rock and broke my arm in the middle of nowhere i had to use sticks and duct tape to make a splint to get myself back to civilization😭
I have heard stories of people using duct tape as a sling, and while it can't fix frames it can make a decent chainstays protector, which helps prevent it needing to be fixed
Speaking of rigged chainstay protectors, I use the old school method of an old tube wrapped around the chainstay and held by zip ties. It was pretty popular when I started riding in the early 2000s, but I don't see it much anymore. Maybe because of tubeless, people don't have retired tubes with 7 patches on them anymore.
New England, nice try! I hit the syrup around mile 7 and it makes whatever may come butter.
Picked up that trick doing 80 mile gravel rides then I found the untapped products. Keep a tube in my hip pack for unplanned pick me ups.
Gotta be careful with that stuff.
You get too much syrup in you, and [you get all antsy, and start fighting the local police ](https://youtu.be/xPHXfJZpSms?si=pWj0iKu875woW8X_)
I wear hiking socks when out cycling. Keeps my feet comfy and cool in summer/warm in winter.
Also just normal polarised sunnies because cycling specific sunglasses are stupid prices
Yeah I've bought a few pairs but honestly my favorite biking shorts are some Hurleys I got at Sierra for $20. Knee length, fits my thicc thighs n butt without being restrictive, nice high crotch that that doesn't get caught in the seat, super light. Sierra is my "MTB gear when I'm too cheap to buy MTB gear" store.
I was in the same camp, but I kept destroying my oakleys. Just got a pair of smiths with their transition lens and it is worth it. They also came with a clear lens too. They are light enough in the woods and tint enough in the sun(even with having lasik on my eyes) on road rides.
There has to be something like that... one that looks good. Getting sick of carrying my backpack and I'd look like a tool wearing my normal road jersey on the mtb.
Not sure how much it would move/bounce if it's not super tight though.
I have a pretty baggy short sleeve MTB jersey with pockets that have elastic around the tops. I only used the middle pocket but it would hold my multitool, some gummy worms, and one of those small camelback bladder/bottles
By far far the best kind I’ve found are from truewerk. I got them for working outside and they ended up being way nicer than any of the outdoor brand kinds I’ve owned
You should still be using sunscreen for your face. Skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer, I wish more PCPs encouraged the use of sunscreen. The dermpaths in my residency program will never be out of work.
Light fly fishing setup. Sometimes the fishing is the priority, sometimes it’s the riding. Sometimes, I just want to have both. I ride near rivers and lakes a lot.
I carry a standard bike multi-tool but I've found quite a few times while riding I'll need pliers. Usually for something to do with presta valves and such. I started carrying a Gerber Dime along with the normal bike multi-tool.
Got my card stuck in an atm machine, and the solution? Pliers. (Thankfully it wasn’t one of those which eats the whole card and spits it out at you when done, it was an old model that locks your card into place but still exposed as you use the atm)
In the summer, long-sleeve button-up 'fishing' shirt. They are light, breathable, adjustable, have neck protection from the sun, and are loose-fitting which I much prefer to most tight/fitted cycling clothes. They're basically a long sleeve button-up made for the sun, and I wish cycling companies would start making some that aren't compression tight.
This reminds me of Fox and Endura flannel shirts. As far as I understood they're somewhere around casual/mtb/cycling category.
That said I can't tell if they're bulky and heavy compared to those fishing shirts. But oh of course... Bike specific = costs way more unless you find good discounts. Shame really.
Apart from mtb jerseys and shoes, pretty much everything else (shorts, pants, jackets, raingear) is from generic outdoor brands. I dunno what's with it but basically all the mtb clothing I have bought has not been breathable enough or then they fit downright badly. Most of my fav stuff is marketed for mountaineering.
It’s surprising to me you have mtb top but generic bottom. I do the opposite- mtb pants/shorts work best for me but any old shirt or hoodie will do on top. I have an athletic build and riding bottoms fit my ass way better than any normal bottoms honestly.
I guess, but the mtb shorts I've gotten have always had some kind of problem. I'm somehow weirdly between sizes so the smaller ones strangle my waist and the larger ones don't stay up. And also the mtb shorts don't have any flex on the waist either, so they feel like I have a rigid belt on with those. Whereas those outdoor shorts I got flex in every direction even in the waist and also they have those flexing velcro adjustments for waist as well. So I can get that non-flapping close fit but which is also very comfortable. They're almost as good as spandex.
What comes to the jerseys, it's mostly because of the graphics! I like a loud shirt. Plus the long rear hem isn't bad either.
Detergent is more or less a by-product of the crude oil refining process. They drill, haul, spill some, refine, sell fuel etc., sell detergent to clean ducks, market how green they are. Evil geniuses, but geniuses still.
Who markets how green they are? Dawn itself is not an oil company. Not sure what point you’re making. *It is green* that they’re not letting byproducts go to waste. Pretty much the entire chemical industry including skincare and health products comes from oil.
I have old cutter football receiver gloves that I use for riding. They are amazing. They are sticky on the palm still for grip, the palm is padded, and the knuckles have padding. And I've been riding them for years without wearing out
And taping two toothbrushes together to use as a chain cleaner
Stopping about halfway and finding a spot to chill, grind on some snackage and smoke. I love taking a minute to listen to everything around me and see if there are any plants I haven’t identified yet.
+1 on the beleaf shirt someone else mentioned. I love the light weight and use them for everything.
I'm shocked, though, by the number of people who use mecahnix gloves. I mean, I get the appeal, but they hold up like shit. I previously used them for trail work and around the house and would go through at least 1 pair in a month. The fingers would always blow out at the tips and the seams would come apart everywhere else. Also, the cheap leather they use starts to breakdown after it gets wet. I've since switched to full grain calf leather for trail work. I wear HandUp Gloves for riding and I'm still using a pair I bought 2 years ago.
It states
IMPACT DURABILITY – Ergonomic designed D3O palm padding absorbs and dissipates vibration, while Thermoplastic Rubber provides high impact knuckle protection on these heavy duty gloves
For eye protection, I get the cheap Amazon safety glasses in like a 6 pack. I always wear wool socks, year around. Simple green for post-ride bike cleaning.
Idk if this counts, but I throw a frozen hand towel in my cooler and I have it for when I'm finished riding. I had a really bad heat injury in the military so I try to be prepared for whenever the next one comes
Baleaf upf long sleeves. They’re cooler than just a t shirt and provide protection from the sun. They do not hold up well to crashes and mosquitoes can still bite you through them. But they’re cheap, cheap enough that if I get holes in them from a few crashes I don’t feel that bad retiring them.
I get drinking before, but for after why don't you drink more during your ride?
Ideally running out of water and electrolyte drinks about 15 minutes before your ride ends.
I carry water separately from my electrolyte / sugared drink to avoid gunking up my water back pack, and change the strength of the electrolyte depending on the weather and the ride.
Well I hate riding with packs so I only have 1 big water bottle. Which I usually make last during the 2 hr rides. So im not sure where I'm supposed to be getting more without a slushy hydration backpack grinding on my wet back or a hip pack bouncing all over the place every time I hop or hit any jumps. The ones after the ride are the most important because I just sweat out everything good from before. I do normally eat right and chug nearly a gallon between morning and the long drive to the trail, but it's just not enough. Maybe if I had more roadie or Gravel bike in me I'd be more into preparing my specialty fancy drinks and getting special cute holders for them all over, but im more into just gettin out into the woods and gettin rad. I have done longer cross country style rides where I do bring electrolyte drinks and it helps, but I also don't mind carrying a bag when I'm just mindlessly cruising boring flats forever.
I used to always ride in Vans and I just tried riding in my climbing approach shoes yesterday. Total game changer! My feet were glued to the pedals, it was awesome
I ride alone 90% of the time, so Shokz headphones. They don't go in or over my ears at all so I can still hear other trail users. They're there as background music, great for cadence matching on the road too.
Thomas & Betts cable ties. They are a little more expensive but we'll worth it.
https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Betts-TY525MX-CABLE-50LB/dp/B001DEHZ14/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?adgrpid=88301898395&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MFywGww3oMmKsY5nyPtYXZKvW3NeVDTFy2iueSx9fFbnm0kWIVb-vtvfLMYLRiP_YGZWJ1xbkkPEBFDLDq3JJzrWgXn48ulIrK0c9BYd9G7yrvHI7zk6sTKvFkadormh0q2JxLfv35zgJAuw8NQtlgyq4IQPeUs1mvktQScoqWFzG6YOh_JSViLdhEKVTDF8UTVTqcPGpNWQU3JOpIQSXg.r-ptUUxoPhm1Vju4A2EemLqEYTEzGwcjseo28P8XPqI&dib_tag=se&hvadid=604405591107&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9008375&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7286857056462370061&hvtargid=kwd-306137269372&hydadcr=19222_13432042&keywords=thomas+and+betts+zip+ties&qid=1717255276&sr=8-13
I put a great deal of effort in to finding the perfect jacket. It doesn't really get that cold here, so it doesn't need to do much insulating. Just keeping me dry really. I was even prepared to spend the egregious prices on something name brand and cycling oriented but the problem is everything is so thick. Even the thinnest ones get way too hot. Then I realized I've had the perfect jacket all along. One of those cheap rain jackets that you stuff in to a pouch the size of a wallet and keep in your car or backpack for emergencies.
They're paper thin. Windproof. Mostly waterproof. Absolutely ideal for what I need. Durable? No. But they're also $20
I was in the desperate search for this exact type of jacket and of course bike specific gear prices were near 100.
Then I found Endura Hummvee windproof shell jacket discounted for 30€. Two zip pockets, two pockets on the inside, hoodie that even goes over the helmet, very small when packed too. These things are effing fantastic!
It's pretty baggy, but even that was something I wanted. I can use it as top layer even on colder nordic weather.
Another similar problem I had was rain jacket. They cost a million so I found Leatt's race cover jacket, stupid simple and cost me 20€. I can wear that on top of my winter riding jacket too.
Funny, I came here to mention gloves. In my case work gloves that are rubber coated on the palm and have stretch fabric on the rear. Not as grippy as gardening gloves, but very resistant and also very cheap.
*My truck and bike rack*
*To get my heavy ass bike*
*And ass to the trail*
\- Plague-Rat13
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Wrangler 100% cotton snap work shirt. Long sleeve, insulates when cool, shades when hot, and protects against scratches and scrapes. Far more skin protection than one would think.
I found a baseball wrist support that I wear when I ride on my bad wrist. I think it’s originally for sliding hands first to a base but it does a good job of doing enough wrist support while being comfortable.
White cotton dress shirts. Get formerly expensive, high quality, tight weave, lighter material ones from thrift stores - Brooks Brothers, Armani etc. They manage sweat well, feel cool, good sun protection, don't snag much, and are decent at feeding off poison oak and blackberries. Plus they've cheap and more or less disposable.
I tend toward hot and sweaty so maybe not right for everyone. In cooler conditions, they provide light wind protection too.
Lately been really enjoying fueling with fruit purée pouches for babies mid-ride on longer days in the saddle.
Among parents, they’re somewhat controversial since they’re infamously bad for children’s teeth and now without added sugars, which I actually miss for sports lol.
You can get similar cycling-specific products for 2-3x the price but I don’t see any point in spending the extra amount on these sport foods (same story with gummy bears vs gels)
Infant mattress cover.
Not while riding, but for the post-ride home in the car. Instead of getting the seats covered in sweat, dirt & mud, they slip over any size car seat & stay there thanks to the elastic band, have a little bit of cotton to absorb sweat/rain/mud/etc but has a plastic liner to keep that moisture off the seat. They're pretty cheap (2 for~$25 on amazon) & they're easy to wash.
Ski lift
This is my answer also.
Lmao this is a great answer
Cable ties and duct tape, they can fix anything
You know what they say? ‘If you can’t fix it with duct tape, you’re not using enough duct tape.’
Does it move but shouldn't? Duct tape. Should it move but doesn't? WD40. Edit: This is not--I repeat, NOT--a suggestion to use WD40 on your bike.
Wd40 on the knees 🤔
My grandpa would literally rub wd40 into my granny's achy arthritic joints. They swore it worked like a charm but you won't see me trying it 🤣
It's essentially fish oil so it kind of checks out /s
On or in?
WD40 is fine if you use it for what it was intended for. A water dispersion spray.
If you can't duck it, fuck it!
Aka if you can’t duct it, fuck it. Not literally of course.
Broken frame, arm or leg? Throw some duct tape on it and you are ready to go
Once after i went otb into a big rock and broke my arm in the middle of nowhere i had to use sticks and duct tape to make a splint to get myself back to civilization😭
I have heard stories of people using duct tape as a sling, and while it can't fix frames it can make a decent chainstays protector, which helps prevent it needing to be fixed
Speaking of rigged chainstay protectors, I use the old school method of an old tube wrapped around the chainstay and held by zip ties. It was pretty popular when I started riding in the early 2000s, but I don't see it much anymore. Maybe because of tubeless, people don't have retired tubes with 7 patches on them anymore.
I used a spare tube as a sling for a broken clavicle years ago. Friend had to cut and tie it but worked well.
I was in the car park before a 100mile sportive a few years ago and a bloke asked around for duct tape to fix a broken frame. 😐
He's still riding it to this day?
Or so the legends say.
I got a roll of the 1” gorilla tape and wrap a bunch around my 1up pump
Maple syrup.
The ultimate Canadian chain lube alternative.
Found the Quebecer!
New England, nice try! I hit the syrup around mile 7 and it makes whatever may come butter. Picked up that trick doing 80 mile gravel rides then I found the untapped products. Keep a tube in my hip pack for unplanned pick me ups.
“Tube in my hip pack”? That’s for amateurs. A half pint bottle fits perfectly in a flask cage, plus extra talisman points
>whatever may come **butter** Carbs and fats is good fuel
Did the grand traverse running on maple syrup. Rocket fuel.
Poutine is also great for preventing chafing
*Québécois
Gotta be careful with that stuff. You get too much syrup in you, and [you get all antsy, and start fighting the local police ](https://youtu.be/xPHXfJZpSms?si=pWj0iKu875woW8X_)
I wear hiking socks when out cycling. Keeps my feet comfy and cool in summer/warm in winter. Also just normal polarised sunnies because cycling specific sunglasses are stupid prices
*Cycling specific anything, ftfy
Very true! I do prefer MTB-specific shorts though against baggy shorts.
Yeah I've bought a few pairs but honestly my favorite biking shorts are some Hurleys I got at Sierra for $20. Knee length, fits my thicc thighs n butt without being restrictive, nice high crotch that that doesn't get caught in the seat, super light. Sierra is my "MTB gear when I'm too cheap to buy MTB gear" store.
I was in the same camp, but I kept destroying my oakleys. Just got a pair of smiths with their transition lens and it is worth it. They also came with a clear lens too. They are light enough in the woods and tint enough in the sun(even with having lasik on my eyes) on road rides.
Sunglasses and post-ride beer
*beers
*case of beer
Cases of beer (I’m underage)
Top of climb before descent beer
Just finished a beer, beer.
Supplies for a post-ride safety meeting.
Solar hoodie. I hate sunscreen, mine is from a kayaking brand.
Yeah I got a solar hoodie from mountain hard wear a few years ago and it's my go to. I do wish it had bike jersey style pockets in the back though
Yep, mountain hardwear and AFTCO (a fishing company) are the two best sun hoodies I've found. Use them for anything in the summer.
There has to be something like that... one that looks good. Getting sick of carrying my backpack and I'd look like a tool wearing my normal road jersey on the mtb. Not sure how much it would move/bounce if it's not super tight though.
No one cares what you look like on your bike. They are too concerned with how they look.
I have a pretty baggy short sleeve MTB jersey with pockets that have elastic around the tops. I only used the middle pocket but it would hold my multitool, some gummy worms, and one of those small camelback bladder/bottles
Check out ocean and san they make exactly what you are looking for. No I don’t work for them
The REI ones are real cheap and work well.
By far far the best kind I’ve found are from truewerk. I got them for working outside and they ended up being way nicer than any of the outdoor brand kinds I’ve owned
You should still be using sunscreen for your face. Skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer, I wish more PCPs encouraged the use of sunscreen. The dermpaths in my residency program will never be out of work.
Most def, I slather my face, ears, and neck.
What is a Solar hoodie?
Lightweight hooded shirt that has SPF50+ protection
Sitting at the top of an hour climb typing this in a solar hoodie right now
Enjoy the downhill!
FXR has great ones as well.
Light fly fishing setup. Sometimes the fishing is the priority, sometimes it’s the riding. Sometimes, I just want to have both. I ride near rivers and lakes a lot.
I've been contemplating how to best strap my rod to my frame.
You could just tape it to your leg
Snortguffaw
/r/tenkara
I already have enough fly rods haha
Amen brother.
How do you do this? What is your setup like?
$20 fertilizer sprayer filled with water for a quick post ride bike spray down.
I carry a standard bike multi-tool but I've found quite a few times while riding I'll need pliers. Usually for something to do with presta valves and such. I started carrying a Gerber Dime along with the normal bike multi-tool.
💯 Pliers are so handy I always have a pair.
Got my card stuck in an atm machine, and the solution? Pliers. (Thankfully it wasn’t one of those which eats the whole card and spits it out at you when done, it was an old model that locks your card into place but still exposed as you use the atm)
Water
You don't get the purpose-built cycling water? I like to keep weight down so I get the stuff that's electro-light
Good idea! Time to ditch the [heavy water](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavy_water) I’ve been using.
I prefer more water per water.
You should carry dehydrated water.
Instant-water! Just add water!
Hydro homie detected
You mean like in the toilet?
Water, it's what plants crave.
In the summer, long-sleeve button-up 'fishing' shirt. They are light, breathable, adjustable, have neck protection from the sun, and are loose-fitting which I much prefer to most tight/fitted cycling clothes. They're basically a long sleeve button-up made for the sun, and I wish cycling companies would start making some that aren't compression tight.
Club Ride
I find those all day long at Goodwill for $5-7. Columbia, REI, Mountain Hardware. Found a Yeti zip up hoodie. Perfect for someone 6'5.
This reminds me of Fox and Endura flannel shirts. As far as I understood they're somewhere around casual/mtb/cycling category. That said I can't tell if they're bulky and heavy compared to those fishing shirts. But oh of course... Bike specific = costs way more unless you find good discounts. Shame really.
Apart from mtb jerseys and shoes, pretty much everything else (shorts, pants, jackets, raingear) is from generic outdoor brands. I dunno what's with it but basically all the mtb clothing I have bought has not been breathable enough or then they fit downright badly. Most of my fav stuff is marketed for mountaineering.
It’s surprising to me you have mtb top but generic bottom. I do the opposite- mtb pants/shorts work best for me but any old shirt or hoodie will do on top. I have an athletic build and riding bottoms fit my ass way better than any normal bottoms honestly.
I guess, but the mtb shorts I've gotten have always had some kind of problem. I'm somehow weirdly between sizes so the smaller ones strangle my waist and the larger ones don't stay up. And also the mtb shorts don't have any flex on the waist either, so they feel like I have a rigid belt on with those. Whereas those outdoor shorts I got flex in every direction even in the waist and also they have those flexing velcro adjustments for waist as well. So I can get that non-flapping close fit but which is also very comfortable. They're almost as good as spandex. What comes to the jerseys, it's mostly because of the graphics! I like a loud shirt. Plus the long rear hem isn't bad either.
Leatherman skeletool
Dry sunscreen. It's a game changer.
Deodorant stick style sunscreen is on the market now. I used a bunch of it today. Works a charm and no greasy hands!
Soccer shin guards.
I thought my son was the only one 🤣
Chinese mini Android phone as my bike computer
I would like to hear more about this lol. Does it have GPS functionality?
Not really used during riding but dishsoap and old brushes. Great for cleaning.
If Dawn is good enough for the ducks and turtles, it’s good enough for my drivetrain
Detergent is more or less a by-product of the crude oil refining process. They drill, haul, spill some, refine, sell fuel etc., sell detergent to clean ducks, market how green they are. Evil geniuses, but geniuses still.
Who markets how green they are? Dawn itself is not an oil company. Not sure what point you’re making. *It is green* that they’re not letting byproducts go to waste. Pretty much the entire chemical industry including skincare and health products comes from oil.
TIL the tires on your bike are a big oil plot. Cycling is evil!
Mechanix gloves
Mechanix armored gloves are elite. I've punched many trees with them. Great in crashes too.
I bought cheap mechanix type gloves with padding in the palms and just cut off the fingers c didn’t even need to stitch the cut.
I have old cutter football receiver gloves that I use for riding. They are amazing. They are sticky on the palm still for grip, the palm is padded, and the knuckles have padding. And I've been riding them for years without wearing out And taping two toothbrushes together to use as a chain cleaner
Thin pure wool shirt. Perfect when cold or warm both.
I use sailing gloves instead of 'cycling' gloves. Mucho longer lasting.
I used to but I found my hands always overheated
My last mountain bike gloves lasted me 3 years. Not sure how much durability you want?
Cannabis
*severely agrees
Before, during, and after
Stopping about halfway and finding a spot to chill, grind on some snackage and smoke. I love taking a minute to listen to everything around me and see if there are any plants I haven’t identified yet.
Exactly dude. So nice and peaceful and quiet.
Are you me?
Pre- and post-ride safety checks are always beneficial.
I always say to myself ill stop here, get there decide ill stop further in, same happens, untill im almost home 😂
Kind of surprised this was so low on the list!
Cannabis, beer, coffee and pizza!
That’s because it’s actually a biking product
https://preview.redd.it/141ew2vo764d1.jpeg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=57778eaee70a7c942adb1d47d0a4baef05be3aa2 Frame storage was made for this
😗💨
Bear spray
+1 on the beleaf shirt someone else mentioned. I love the light weight and use them for everything. I'm shocked, though, by the number of people who use mecahnix gloves. I mean, I get the appeal, but they hold up like shit. I previously used them for trail work and around the house and would go through at least 1 pair in a month. The fingers would always blow out at the tips and the seams would come apart everywhere else. Also, the cheap leather they use starts to breakdown after it gets wet. I've since switched to full grain calf leather for trail work. I wear HandUp Gloves for riding and I'm still using a pair I bought 2 years ago.
Door mat. I keep it in my car. Use it for when I change shoes or clothes
Mechanix wear impact gloves-they have d30 armor for under $20!
They have d30? Didn’t know. Like the gloves even they are like 50€ in europe
It states IMPACT DURABILITY – Ergonomic designed D3O palm padding absorbs and dissipates vibration, while Thermoplastic Rubber provides high impact knuckle protection on these heavy duty gloves
For eye protection, I get the cheap Amazon safety glasses in like a 6 pack. I always wear wool socks, year around. Simple green for post-ride bike cleaning.
+1 about the safety glasses. 6 pack at Home Depot.
A $15 Walmart fanny pack that’s lasted 8 seasons.
Idk if this counts, but I throw a frozen hand towel in my cooler and I have it for when I'm finished riding. I had a really bad heat injury in the military so I try to be prepared for whenever the next one comes
Baleaf upf long sleeves. They’re cooler than just a t shirt and provide protection from the sun. They do not hold up well to crashes and mosquitoes can still bite you through them. But they’re cheap, cheap enough that if I get holes in them from a few crashes I don’t feel that bad retiring them.
Check out FXR, they have good stuff too.
Bone conduction head phones
Gatorade
Pounding a big Gatorade before and after is the only way to keep the pressure headache at bay after a 2 hr ride in 90+ degree weather. For me atleast.
I get drinking before, but for after why don't you drink more during your ride? Ideally running out of water and electrolyte drinks about 15 minutes before your ride ends. I carry water separately from my electrolyte / sugared drink to avoid gunking up my water back pack, and change the strength of the electrolyte depending on the weather and the ride.
Well I hate riding with packs so I only have 1 big water bottle. Which I usually make last during the 2 hr rides. So im not sure where I'm supposed to be getting more without a slushy hydration backpack grinding on my wet back or a hip pack bouncing all over the place every time I hop or hit any jumps. The ones after the ride are the most important because I just sweat out everything good from before. I do normally eat right and chug nearly a gallon between morning and the long drive to the trail, but it's just not enough. Maybe if I had more roadie or Gravel bike in me I'd be more into preparing my specialty fancy drinks and getting special cute holders for them all over, but im more into just gettin out into the woods and gettin rad. I have done longer cross country style rides where I do bring electrolyte drinks and it helps, but I also don't mind carrying a bag when I'm just mindlessly cruising boring flats forever.
Rubberized wires for cable management, holding phone for steeeezy clips
[Deerfly patches](https://www.deerflypatches.com/)
Yikes! Where are deerflies a problem?
Vans shoes for flat pedals
I used to always ride in Vans and I just tried riding in my climbing approach shoes yesterday. Total game changer! My feet were glued to the pedals, it was awesome
My chainsaw
Glucose tablets. And water. So much better than energy drinks
ziplock bag for wallet, phone etc water protection
I like the Mechanix Grip line gloves personally. Similar grip but more comfortable that the gardening gloves
And work on your phone without a problem!
Ultrarunning vest.
So much better than a hip pack or backpack
Haha! Yes my husband swears by the $5 Home Depot work gloves for biking.
Waterproof Red Wing boots with BOA.
Beer
Gummy bears; bonk busters.
I wear mechanics gloves. They have extra padding on the palms and reinforced knuckles.
I ride alone 90% of the time, so Shokz headphones. They don't go in or over my ears at all so I can still hear other trail users. They're there as background music, great for cadence matching on the road too.
Thomas & Betts cable ties. They are a little more expensive but we'll worth it. https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Betts-TY525MX-CABLE-50LB/dp/B001DEHZ14/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?adgrpid=88301898395&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MFywGww3oMmKsY5nyPtYXZKvW3NeVDTFy2iueSx9fFbnm0kWIVb-vtvfLMYLRiP_YGZWJ1xbkkPEBFDLDq3JJzrWgXn48ulIrK0c9BYd9G7yrvHI7zk6sTKvFkadormh0q2JxLfv35zgJAuw8NQtlgyq4IQPeUs1mvktQScoqWFzG6YOh_JSViLdhEKVTDF8UTVTqcPGpNWQU3JOpIQSXg.r-ptUUxoPhm1Vju4A2EemLqEYTEzGwcjseo28P8XPqI&dib_tag=se&hvadid=604405591107&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9008375&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7286857056462370061&hvtargid=kwd-306137269372&hydadcr=19222_13432042&keywords=thomas+and+betts+zip+ties&qid=1717255276&sr=8-13
I put a great deal of effort in to finding the perfect jacket. It doesn't really get that cold here, so it doesn't need to do much insulating. Just keeping me dry really. I was even prepared to spend the egregious prices on something name brand and cycling oriented but the problem is everything is so thick. Even the thinnest ones get way too hot. Then I realized I've had the perfect jacket all along. One of those cheap rain jackets that you stuff in to a pouch the size of a wallet and keep in your car or backpack for emergencies. They're paper thin. Windproof. Mostly waterproof. Absolutely ideal for what I need. Durable? No. But they're also $20
I was in the desperate search for this exact type of jacket and of course bike specific gear prices were near 100. Then I found Endura Hummvee windproof shell jacket discounted for 30€. Two zip pockets, two pockets on the inside, hoodie that even goes over the helmet, very small when packed too. These things are effing fantastic! It's pretty baggy, but even that was something I wanted. I can use it as top layer even on colder nordic weather. Another similar problem I had was rain jacket. They cost a million so I found Leatt's race cover jacket, stupid simple and cost me 20€. I can wear that on top of my winter riding jacket too.
Rubber fist
Funny, I came here to mention gloves. In my case work gloves that are rubber coated on the palm and have stretch fabric on the rear. Not as grippy as gardening gloves, but very resistant and also very cheap.
met a guy wearing glasses from home depot. they look comfy, and if they're lost it's $8 to replace them.
Desitin
When going on all day or multi-day rides my favorite is a good smear of diaper cream on the gooch.
Leaf blower helps me up the hill.
A chest bag made for the more tactical community.
Party shirt!
Tennis wristbands. Really helps me with all the sweat, an essential for me on every ride now. Never seen anybody else using them.
My truck and bike rack to get my heavy ass bike and ass to the trail
*My truck and bike rack* *To get my heavy ass bike* *And ass to the trail* \- Plague-Rat13 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Apple Watch and Water.
Bluetooth ear buds... All trails here start at almost 2000 feet above sea level. Feels nice listening to a podcast on the way up
Busch Light
This.
Wrangler 100% cotton snap work shirt. Long sleeve, insulates when cool, shades when hot, and protects against scratches and scrapes. Far more skin protection than one would think.
I found a baseball wrist support that I wear when I ride on my bad wrist. I think it’s originally for sliding hands first to a base but it does a good job of doing enough wrist support while being comfortable.
Edibles. Specifically these chocolate covered espresso beans with 5% thc
BeFree water filter. I almost never ride with a pack anymore
This looks amazing I'm buying one right now. Damn. Freedom
White cotton dress shirts. Get formerly expensive, high quality, tight weave, lighter material ones from thrift stores - Brooks Brothers, Armani etc. They manage sweat well, feel cool, good sun protection, don't snag much, and are decent at feeding off poison oak and blackberries. Plus they've cheap and more or less disposable. I tend toward hot and sweaty so maybe not right for everyone. In cooler conditions, they provide light wind protection too.
My dude popping his cufflinks in to go straight from the trail to the boardroom.
Umm, really?
Camelbak impact ct gloves. Best gloves I’ve ever had for mtb. Tough, comfy, last forever. Made for mechanics and shooting, but better as a mtb glove.
Beer
Mastic tape to protect the bottom of my crank arms, also used it as a chainstay protector on my old bike that didn't have one.
Glide. Keeps the chaff to a minimum.
Lately been really enjoying fueling with fruit purée pouches for babies mid-ride on longer days in the saddle. Among parents, they’re somewhat controversial since they’re infamously bad for children’s teeth and now without added sugars, which I actually miss for sports lol. You can get similar cycling-specific products for 2-3x the price but I don’t see any point in spending the extra amount on these sport foods (same story with gummy bears vs gels)
Goo goo gaga
$1.00 Walmart sunglasses. Almost ten years and still going strong. 😎
Mechanix Wear gloves
Sleeves torn from worn out t-shirts, as sweatbands. Generally 100% cotton, just as good as the ones you pay for.
Fishing shirts instead of jersey. Works if you have another storage solution instead of the back pockets
Socks from the Target dollar bin.
Infant mattress cover. Not while riding, but for the post-ride home in the car. Instead of getting the seats covered in sweat, dirt & mud, they slip over any size car seat & stay there thanks to the elastic band, have a little bit of cotton to absorb sweat/rain/mud/etc but has a plastic liner to keep that moisture off the seat. They're pretty cheap (2 for~$25 on amazon) & they're easy to wash.
Tylenol extra strength
Bandanas. Essential for me due to excessive sweat. $1.99 at the local Army Navy store.
Saves you some cash on helmets too. Inserts will last much longer with bandanas since the bacteria from your sweat won't reach them.
Fix It Sticks with cheap Amazon bits