Not every frame-strapped goodie could fit in our recent Stash-Gadget Mashup, but the gear below was designed with the same goal in mind: riding without a bag. The main bagless bases to cover seem to be tubes and puncture repair, levers to remove tires, and some way to re-inflate a flat. Here’s some clever gear to check off those boxes, along with a few others.
Granite Design Talon
Talon tools from Granite Design combine a chain quick-link separator, a tough set of tire levers, and link storage in a thin and packable setup. Quick links can be exceedingly difficult to separate on the trail when you need to remove a bent section of chain, and having them attached to these extra robust levers is sweet. The Talon can easily be wrapped in a frame strap alongside a tube and CO2 canister or tossed in a pocket.
- MSRP: $11.99, available at Amazon
- Weight: 40g
Muc-Off B.A.M.
If you would rather not pack a pump and tire plugs then Muc-Off B.A.M. might be your ticket to traveling light. Sealing 3-4mm punctures, this 15cm-tall canister shoots air and sealant into the tire together. Muc-Off claims that one B.A.M. can will fill a 29er tire and have you pedaling again in under a minute. Having used Muc-Off sealant for more than a year now, and sprayed plenty of it on frames in rough rock gardens, there’s little doubt that this stuff will do precisely what it’s designed to do.
- €16.95 or two for €22.95, available at Amazon
- Weight: 123g
- Compatible with MTB, gravel, and road tubeless tires
Schwalbe Aerothan tube
Thanks to tougher tire casings, most of us only carry a tube to cover one or two annual punctures these days. That tube should be as durable, lightweight, and packable as possible — in that order. Schwalbe put the work into making a feathery-light option that will hold up well when you do need it.
There was a heavy dose of skepticism around this new Aerothan tube being a copy of the Tubolito tubes when it first came out, and I can confirm that it’s not. This one is far thicker, a smidge less packable, and a touch heavier than the orange Tubolito offerings. It’s also more durable. I have ripped a few Tubolito tubes while inserting them in tires, rendering them useless and me walking. The thicker wall and colorless design of this new model seem like a better way to go.
- €29.90, available at Amazon
- Weight: 87g for a 29″ size
What are some of your tricks and gear bits that keep the bag off your back?
The news stinks. Why not follow Singletracks on Google News to bring more joy to your day?
0 Comments