13 Must Have Items For Every Mountain Bike Ride

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There are certain items that you need to bring on every mountain bike ride. These essentials are light weight and will support most of what can go wrong on the trail while also keeping your body in good riding shape. In an ideal world we wouldn’t have to carry anything. My goal is to carry only exactly what I need. If there was a way to figure out down to the ounce how much water I need on each ride…I would do it.

I have been bringing each of these items on every ride and will adjust the quantity of some of them based off of mileage. No one wants to carry unneeded weight while riding but if you do forget some of these…it can be a long walk back to the car.

Here are my 13 essential items for every ride.

1. Hydration Pack

Outside of the obvious reason to carry a hydration pack…your pack is going to be the easiest way to store all of the essential gear for your ride. There are other options out there like straps, bike bags and other storage options but I find that modern hydration packs have become so comfortable that I ride with one on every ride.

My personal go-to option is the EVOC hip pack. It’s just big enough to hold everything I need on this list along with enough water for rides under 20 miles. For rides that require more hydration, I will put a bottle on the frame. This has allowed me to get away from bulkier packs that can get hot or just end up being unneeded weight.

2. Multi-Tool

Multi-tools have gotten to be pretty light and high on function. If you are going to need to be doing any trail side repairs from shifting issues, chain repair or tightening any loose bolts, a multi-tool can take care of all of that and be small enough to pack away easily.

I use the Topeak Mini Pro and it has just about everything you would need for trail side repairs in a compact design.

3. Wet Wipes

When you have to go…you have to go. Wet wipes have a wide range of uses on the trail from cleaning cuts to having to go to the bathroom. Paper towels are also a good option here. I typically take a couple of wet wipes and put them in a zip lock bag to cut down on space and to keep them fresh. The stock bags tend to get the opening messed up in hydration packs.

4. Tube

I haven’t run tubed setups in years but having a spare tube is great if you get a flat and can’t get the tire sealed back up again. You can also use tubes to stop larger cuts from bleeding if you have to.

It is also just good trail karma to be able to help other riders out on the trail. I can’t tell you how many tubes I have given away over the years to riders out on the trail. It’s an unwritten rule in mountain biking that you keep giving that support forward and never taken anything in return for helping out.

5. Pump

I carry CO2 in my pack as well but those are not always reliable. The only tool that you can be 100% sure will fill your tire with air is a pump. I try to get the smallest version I can because it is a backup to my CO2. It will take longer to pump up the tire but it will also be a lot smaller and lighter in my hydration pack.

6. Patch Kit

One of the easiest fixes for a tubeless tire setup and a hole in the tire is a simple patch kit. They are lightweight and small enough to shove into any pocket in your pack. Larger sidewall cuts can end a day on the trail quickly so these are a must have. Right now I am carrying the Dynaplug repair kit.

7. Nutrition

How much nutrition I bring on a ride varies drastically with what kind of ride I am going on. For most of my rides, I like to keep some shot blocks with me. They contain the right amount of electrolytes and sometimes even some caffeine. I used to not carry any on shorter rides but I have found that when you wreck…your body almost instantly needs something to eat.

For longer rides, I’ll normally do peanut butter and honey sandwiches and something like a Payday bar. You can find more cheap nutrition ideas here.

8. ID Band

Even your best riding friends might not know who to contact if a wreck really goes bad. An ID band like MyID can tell them who to call and give vital information to EMT’s should you not be able to relay that information. It is an easy thing to put on your wrist while riding that can really be life saving…especially if you are riding alone.

9. Phone

Even though it is a lot of added weight (especially my iPhone Pro Max), I see no reason to leave the phone in the car. Yes…it can get damaged in a wreck but it is also a crucial link to the outside world. When I ride alone I tell my wife where I am going and she can track me on find my iPhone. My watch will also detect a crash and call EMS if needed.

Then there is also the added benefit of being able to take photos and videos while out on a ride. Who doesn’t like to stop and take pictures at a feature to share and remember later?

10. PowerLock Chain Connectors

PowerLock Chain Connectors are a lot harder to get on and off these days but they are still the easiest way to repair a chain on the trail. You don’t have to sit there and try to press pins back in perfectly with a small chain tool on a multi-tool. They are cheap, light and pack away easily.

11. Tire Lever

Tubeless tires can be next to impossible to get on and off. If you get a flat you are going to have to use a quality tire lever to do the repair. Tire levers are light and flat so I’ll carry two in my pack since there isn’t much difference in weight or space.

12. Zip Ties

Zip ties have a ton of uses and can help you temporarily fix things out on the trail. Zip ties can also just lay down in the bottom of a pack taking up no room and without any noticeable weight penalty. I’ll drop a couple of several different sizes in there just in case.

13. Super Glue

Super glue can help you with some bike repairs but its best use is to quickly seal up smaller cuts. A quick line of glue and you can be back to riding without needing stiches. For many cuts these days, the emergency room won’t stitch and use glue instead. I put one of the smaller tubes in my pack all of the time.