Trail Riding Pack Essentials - What Do You Carry While Riding?

I think most of us have that one riding buddy that signs up for a four hour ride and shows up with only a small water bottle. On the other hand, being prepared for whatever the trail throws at you can sometimes seem overrated. Everyone likes to carry different mountain bike tools and accessories with them regardless of how long the ride is. Some riders won't leave the house without a fully loaded pack with everything from a spoke wrench to a Bluetooth speaker. Others wont be seen with anything on their bodies at all. In this article, we are going to go over what we think are some standard trail riding pack essentials. This is what we carry while riding.

Nutritional

Staying fueled up while riding will help prevent cramping and bonking. Hitting the wall while on an endurance ride is something you can avoid with the right nutrition and hydration. Making sure you are supplementing the calories you've burned on the ride will keep your energy levels up and have you back riding the next day.  

You will find all the best cycling nutrition in our complete collection. Everything from hardy ProBar meal bars to Cliff Shot Blocks, finding a riding snack should be a breeze. All of our employees enjoy the entire ProBar lineup along with a classic Bonk Breaker. Who doesn't want a PB&J during their ride? Click below for more snacks! 

Spare Tubes

Getting a flat tire while riding is always a bummer, especially when you are 2 hours away from the car. The fix is easy, carry a spare tube. Most tubes are very similar regardless of brand. Just make sure you get the correct size tube, both wheel size and width, and you will be on your way. Even though most high end mountain bikes are setup tubeless now a days, if you get a flat, a tube will still get you out of the woods. Worldwide Cyclery offers a full range of tubes for both mountain bikes and road bikes, with brands like Maxxis, Continental, Surly, and Michelin. Maxxis has always done a great job with their tubes because they are offered in a variety of weights and thicknesses. Don't let a flat tire keep you from finishing your ride!

CO2 Cartridges

If you are going to carry a spare tube with you, it's best to carry along a Co2 as well. Bringing along a small tire pump could also be an option but Co2 cartridges are smaller, lighter, and easier to fit in your pack. Companies like Genuine Innovations and Lezyne provide some of the best Co2 inflation systems for mountain bike tires at varying price points. Click below to view our entire range of Co2 inflators and spare cartridges. 

Water Bottle

Bringing along a water bottle may seem like a no-brainer but sometimes we forget things. Having a nice water bottle is another way to personalize and spice up your bike. There is no better way to do so than with our own Worldwide Cyclery bottle. Our 21oz. bottles are made by Specialized and are very high quality. You never want to run out of water on the trail, one trick to carrying more with you is tucking another bottle in the back of your shorts. Most mountain bikes only carry one water bottle and for those that prefer not to wear a backpack, this may be a helpful trick. Find all of our drink mixes online to make sure you are riding with all the right nutrients. 

Shock Pump

For those looking for the highest level of performance out of their suspension, carrying a shock pump in your pack isn't a bad idea. It's important to check the pressure in both your fork and shock before every ride because it is natural for the air pressure to vary as the elevation and temperature changes. Our biggest tip on getting a shock pump is to invest the money in a nice one. Thankfully companies like Fox, Rockshox, and Cane Creek provide a digital shock pump depending on what the product is. These digital pressure gauges are very nice and give an accurate reading every time. Carry one in your riding pack to dial in your suspension much quicker.

Multi-Tool

Having a multi tool that is worth using will certainly save you and your friends on more than one occasion. These tools are becoming increasingly compact and are now equipped with just about every tool you could ever need. The latest multi tool from Crank Brothers holds 19 different tools in one! The Park Tool IB-3 is also a great option for those looking for a small multi tool.  More recently, other brands like Industry Nine and OneUp have come with alternative ways to carry tools on the trail. The Industry Nine Matchstix replaces the stock axle on your front fork with an easy to use multi tool system built in. Find our Matchstix review to learn more about how this unique tool functions.