MTB Must-Haves & Must-Knows: The Ultimate Guide [Video]

Oftentimes it can take years of riding, research, and trial and error to figure out everything you need in order to optimize your experience on and off the bike. We're here to bring you all that information in one action packed video. Tune in for all the mountain bike products you need to know about right now!

On Trail Preparedness

You never know what you are going to experience out on the trail, so it pays to be prepared. Whether it's a mechanical issue, medical issue, or lack of nutrition, things can go haywire before you know it. Here's our list of things that we try not to leave home without.

WC Occam Strap with MTB Essentials

  

There's nothing worse than having an awesome ride cut short by a mechanical that could have easily been fixed with a couple of tools and spares. That's why we always carry at least some basic items on our rides like a frame pump, spare tube, tire plugs, a spare master link, and a solid multi-tool. All of these can be easily attached to your bike with the likes of a frame strap, just like our handy dandy BOA equipped Occam x WC strap you see here. It uses a BOA to secure everything to your bike and the BOA also makes it super easy to swap to other bikes or get the strap mounted to hard to reach places.

Water Filters

  

If it's one thing that us humans need, it's water. Super lame, I know. We would be much more efficient as a species if we didn't need things like food, water and sleep. It would be incredible. But alas, we do need these things, and especially so when we're out physically exerting ourselves on the trail. You can only carry so much water, so when you're out there for super long backcountry rides or even multi day rides, it's important to carry a filter so you can obtain water from a myriad of sources. Our favorite filters are ones like the BeFree and the Extract filter. These allow you to filter water from your desired source so it's safe for drinking, and take up minimal space to boot.

Satellite Communication & Medical Kits

  

We've covered what you need in order to be prepared in case of a bicycle emergency, now we will discuss what you should carry to be prepared in case of a human emergency. For minor to moderate injuries that can be handled in the field, you'll want to carry a medical kit like these Adventure Medical Kits. These will provide you with everything you need to take care of a multitude of issues. It's also important to have the knowledge of how to use these things (or have someone around who does). When it comes to emergencies that you cannot manage yourself, it's important to have the ability to call for help, and as you know, many of the best trails are in the backcountry and are far from any sort of reliable cell service. In this case, it's important to carry a satellite communication device like a Garmin inReach or utilize the SOS feature on your iPhone 14/15. Hopefully you never need to use it, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

Latest Tech & Ultra Popular Products

We all love when a super cool and useful product comes out that we've all been waiting for, like when SRAM AXS or even when T-Type was released. Some things that get released sort of fly under the radar, while others have huge press releases and videos dedicated to them. Here we'll go over some of the notable things that riders have been loving as well as some things that have really caught our eye.

Tan Wall Maxxis Assegai

  

What will surely go down as one of the most popular Maxxis tires of all time, the Assegai was co developed with the GOAT, Greg Minnaar. This tire made some serious waves when it was released and it is still one of the best tires on the market to this day. There was just one thing missing - a tan wall version. That is now a thing of the past with this new version which will match your favorite rear tire of the tan wall variety. Tan wall riders, rejoice.

  

DT Swiss 54 Tooth Ratchet Upgrade Kit & 240 DEG Hub

  

DT makes some impressively good hubs, and the only thing that one could really ask for is a little more engagement. For those of you with a 240 or 350 hub (or any ratchet driven DT Swiss hub) you can upgrade the amount of hub engagement on offer with the 54 tooth upgrade kit. This will allow you to easily upgrade your hub and give you all the engagement you need for those technical climbs. If you're after even more engagement, you can go for DT Swiss' newest hub - the 240 DEG. This new hub has an updated ratchet design that's larger, more durable and features 90 points of engagement, the most ever offered in a DT Swiss hub. Now you can have your cake and eat it, too.

Fox Direct Mount Fenders

  

If you have a Fox fork on your MTB, there's a good chance you ride that bike in the dirt. What does dirt do? It flies up off your tire and hits you in the face, gets in your mouth, doesn't taste good, sometimes it's poop. None of this is ideal. What's the best solution to this, you ask? Why, it's a direct mount fender that mounts directly to your fork in a super clean and solid way. No more zip ties (even though those fenders work great) and now you can stay protected from unwanted flying debris in style. 

RideWrap Frame Protection Kits

  

Mountain bikes take some serious abuse. Why not take that extra step to protect your bike and the investment that you made in it? RideWrap is a no brainer these days, fully protecting your bike from rock strikes and other mishaps that occur on the trail. They make kits that cover just the vulnerable areas of your bike all the way up to fully tailored protection kits that are made precisely to fit your bike. After installing these kits on my last two bikes and seeing how well they work, I'd highly recommend them to anyone who wants their bike to look new for years to come.

SRAM Transmission

  

This product will fall under both the "ultra popular" and the "latest tech" because it is ultra popular latest tech. SRAM T-Type Transmission does away with the pesky derailleur hanger and mounts directly to your frame for a perfectly functioning drivetrain that doesn't require constant adjustment like so many others we've become accustomed to. Perhaps the best feature of the T-Type Transmission aside from being fully wireless is the ability to shift under full power and not snap a chain. In fact, it seems to shift even smoother when you are putting the power down. 

SRAM XX1 Eagle Rainbow Chain

  

A few years back, oil slick parts were all the rage. I mean ALL the rage. While some oil slick components have come and gone, the popularity of SRAM's XX1 cassette and chain have weathered the storms of fads. Whether you upgrade your entire drivetrain to the XX1 flavor or just add a little bit of pizzazz with that rainbow chain, it's a great way to add some style and performance to your bike, which is why it's one of the best selling chains out there.

Trail One Top Cap & Spacer Kit

  

It's always refreshing to see a product that combines form and function. Enter the Trail One Top Cap & Spacer Kit. Not only can you mix and match spacers to your stem and bolts, but the top cap also doubles as a spacer so you can minimize the amount of spacers on top of your stem. Did we mention that by purchasing any Trail One product, you are also supporting trail networks around the world? Talk about a win win win.

On Bike Comfortability

Oftentimes it's the little things that can make the biggest difference when it comes to your experience on the bike. Your touch points are arguably the most important things to take into account (grips, pedals, saddle). Here we go over some things that you should keep in mind when upgrading your bike or swapping parts out. 

A Saddle That Fits

  

Several years back we made a video where we went into a great amount of detail when it comes to selecting the perfect saddle for your bike. We even had saddle expert Jonathan Lee on for an interview, explaining all of the things that you should look for in this process. 

Chamois Bib / Chamois Cream

  

If you're spending a lot of time in the saddle, you know things can get real, really fast. Having a good saddle is the first part of the equation, now you need to protect your nether region from all that sitting and spinning. A quality chamois like the KETL Mtn Canyon bib is an integral part of my MTB kit because it just works. If I'm riding for longer than a few hours, I'll also apply some sort of chamois cream to keep the saddle sores at bay. If you're not familiar with these, you're in luck.

Grips

  

I mentioned touch points earlier. Grips are the immediate contact point with the bike, and not all grips are created equal. From super slim to super thick, flanged, wings and everything in between there's truly a grip for all riders out there, and sometimes it can be overwhelming. Thankfully, grips are relatively cheap and you can typically try a few before landing on one that you really like to ride with. The Trail One Hell's Gate grips have been a best seller over the last few years, and for good reason. They combine some thoughtful features with a soft rubber compound and a nice level of cushion to help keep vibration and arm pump at bay. To add to that, each pair of Hell's Gate grips sold contributes $1 to Hell's Gate National Park in Kenya. 

MTB Shoes

  

The first pair of proper MTB shoes I ever got changed my riding experience forever. Slipped pedals and flimsy soles were now a thing of the past. Once you experience the support and grip of a proper MTB shoe while riding, you won't ever go back. If you are a clipless pedal rider, you likely already knew this. However, flat pedal riders have really benefited greatly in recent years by the improved technology found in these mountain biking shoes. If you're out there riding in some subpar shoes, do yourself a favor and get some proper MTB shoes and flat pedals. 

Nifty & Useful Gadgets

Now that we've gone over all of the things that will optimize your experience on the bike, time to address the things that will improve your experience while working on your bike. If you love your bike as much as I do, the next best thing to riding your bike is working on it. 

Shock Pump

  

If your steed is adorned with the incredible technology we know as air suspension, you could use one of these. It's the first place to check when tuning your suspension to make sure it's properly set up for your riding weight, and without this you're basically going in blind. The better your suspension is set up, the better traction you will have and the better you will feel going down the trail. Another no brainer.

Digital Tire Pressure Gauge

  

Everyone has that floor pump where the gauge is +/- 5 PSI off the actual pressure. I know, because I am that person (and I assume everyone has an inaccurate floor pump gauge) and I have been using the Topeak Digital Tire Pressure Gauge for several years now. It's always good to have a consistent way to measure your tire pressure since you never know how accurate or precise that floor pump gauge really is. Just like raviolis, when it comes to tire pressure, you really don't want to be guessing what's in there.

Torque Wrench

  

When your bike gets nicer, so does the materials used in its construction. This goes for your bolts as well. It's always a good idea to use a torque wrench when checking your bolts and installing parts so you don't over tighten them and damage something in the process. It can be easy to strip something out, break the head off a bolt, or completely ruin an expensive part when you are using the good old human torque wrench. Park Tool and Wera make a couple of our favorites.

Grease Gun

  

Applying grease can be a, well, greasy prospect. There are some ways to optimize this and reduce the amount of mess like using a paint brush or something of the sort. However, the best and cleanest way to apply a precise amount of grease is a grease gun or grease injector. The Pedro's Grease Injector shown here allows you to thread any Pedro's Grease onto the injector and apply a very precise amount of grease to anywhere your heart and bike desires.

Derailleur Alignment Gauge

  

This tool is perhaps a lesser known item, yet that doesn't make it any less important. In fact, it's one of the most important tools you can have when it comes to adjusting your drivetrain. This tool attaches to your derailleur hanger and helps you align your derailleur hanger with your wheel, ensuring your derailleur is aligned with your cassette and the rest of your drivetrain. You can make every adjustment in the book and if your hanger is out of alignment, you simply won't be able to get your bike to shift properly. Thus making this tool absolutely invaluable.