Gear Talk / Re: Tools / parts to carry on tour
« on: October 11, 2024, 06:37:32 pm »Great start on your touring essentials! Consider adding a spare derailleur hanger as they're prone to bending in a crash. An extra cassette might be overkill unless you're planning on riding a lot of tough terrain. Don't forget a chain whip for cassette changes. Happy touring!
There is no need for a chain whip, if a person is that paranoid then they need to carry an extra cassette, and all that does is add weight for you to haul around mile after mile. If you put on a new chain and cassette before you leave that cassette should last at the very least 8,000 miles, and chain at least 3,000 miles and probably closer to 5,000 if you get a good chain. So unless the poster is doing a 12,000 mile expedition trip there's no need for a lot of stuff.
A bare bones minimum you need:
2-3 Tire levers, good ones like a pair of Lezyne XL Power levers, and a Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack if you have very tough to install tires.
Small bottle of chain lube.
Mini bike pump, like the Lezyne Road Drive, but get the large one, it's about 11 inches long but skinny, but that length makes it easier to pump tires with.
If you're tubeless you need a few pluggers and a couple of valve cores, but even with tubeless you'll need tubes and patches.
A couple of Rema Patch kits.
Park tire boots.
1-2 spare tubes.
Spare chain link
Spare spokes (2 rear drive side, 1 rear non-drive side, 1 one front); however there is a product called FIBERFIX Emergency Spoke Replacement Kit, this kit allows you to easily replace spokes without having to take off the cassette so you don't need a chain whip, and these Fiberfix spokes are lighter in weight than steel spokes, and come packed in a very small round canister.
Replacement brake pads.
A mini tool like the Topeak Alien II Multi-Tool that comes with 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 mm allen keys, A chain breaker, Spoke keys, 8, 9, 10, 15 mm wrenches, some might have pedal wrenches, but if you break a pedal...well, you can't carry an entire bike shop on your bike!
4 to 6 Zip ties.
About 2 feet of duct tape.
I don't see a need for a spare chain, you can remove a broken link or two, and put the chain back together, the only problem you'll have doing that is you won't be able to to shift into the smallest or tallest gear, but you can still ride it.
If you have brand new cables put on, and your bike doesn't eat them, there is no reason to carry any spare cabling thus no need for tools for that. You also don't need a spare derailleur hanger unless you'll be riding off road; and the poster was talking about using panniers, if the bike crashes those panniers will protect the derailleur.
Some say to carry a spare tire, but todays tires, especially the Schwalbe line of tires used in touring, are all but indestructible, unless you're going off road a spare tire is an overkill in my opinion; but if you must carry one find the lightest weight folding tire you can get in the correct size, then put the remaining heavier touring tire on the rear and the lighter weight tire on the front.
There are a lot of tools a person can carry, but it comes down to how far and how remote you will be, doing a exhibition trip in the Outback of Australia is vastly different than taking a touring trip in America! There are people doing ultralight trips on trails in America and they carry very little in tools and parts.
Below is a link to a guy who goes ultralight touring off road, look at his bags and tell me if he's carrying a lot of stuff. https://tomsbiketrip.com/ultralight-bikepacking-a-fully-loaded-cycle-tourists-perspective/