Maintenance
What Tyre Width and Pressure for a Loaded Gravel Bike?
Widths by surface, a pressure starting point that accounts for your kit weight, and why the number on the sidewall is the wrong place to start.
The Bikepacker's Guide to Maintenance
Self-reliance is key.
When you are 50 miles from a shop, you are the mechanic. We compare multi-tools and repair kits on bit coverage, rattle and what owners say broke first.
The Criteria
We value utility and strength:
- Tool Selection: Does it have the bits your specific bike needs?
- Leverage: Are the tools long enough to actually break a rusty bolt?
- Weight: Is it lighter than carrying individual hex keys?
Our curated lists below cover the essentials.
Maintenance reviews
Maintenance
Fixing a Broken Spoke in the Field
What to do when a spoke goes 60 km from anywhere: stop the wheel rubbing, true it roughly by feel, and know when to stop riding it.
Maintenance
Stove Won't Simmer: Fixing Canister Performance in the Cold
Why a gas canister loses power below 5°C, what actually restores it in the field, and which of the popular tricks is a good way to start a fire.
Maintenance
Water That Tastes Like Plastic: Cleaning Bladders and Bottles on Tour
Your water tastes like a shower curtain because something is growing in the hose. Here is the field clean, the deep clean, and how to stop it coming back.
Maintenance
Best Bikepacking Repair Kit: 7 Tools That Get You Home
The multi-tool, pump and spares that turn a ride-ending mechanical into a twenty-minute roadside stop. Five picks we would carry on a remote gravel route.
Maintenance
How to Stop Chain Slap on Rough Gravel
Chain slap chews through paint and carbon on rough gravel. Protection, clutch tension and chain length fixes that silence it for good.
Maintenance
How to Fix Tubeless Punctures on the Trail
Sealant will not close a gash. How to plug a tubeless tyre at the roadside, when to give up and fit a tube, and what to carry for both.
Maintenance
The Broken Chain Reality: Field Repair Basics for Rocky Tech
A broken chain is a mechanical death sentence in the backcountry. Learn the basics of field repair, including how to use a chain tool and master links.
Maintenance
The Rattling Multi-tool Fix: How to Silence Your Cockpit
A rattling bike is a failing bike. Learn how to secure your multi-tools and spares so you can actually hear your tires on the trail.
Products we've scored
All reviews →
Blackburn
Blackburn Plugger Tubeless Tire Repair Kit
Tubeless Repair 4.4
/5
ROCKBROS
ROCKBROS 840D Nylon Waterproof Bike Triangle Bag
Frame Storage 4.4
/5
Crankbrothers
Crankbrothers M19 Multi-Tool
Field Repair 4.3
/5
FLEXTAIL
FLEXTAIL Tiny Pump 2X
Camp Utility 4.3
/5
WINFAVO
WINFAVO Compact Ratchet Bike Tool Kit
Roadside Repairs 4.1
/5
WOTOW
WOTOW 16-in-1 Bike Repair Tool Kit
Basic Repairs 4.0
/5
Frequently Asked Questions
Tubeless repair?
Bring plugs (bacon strips) and sealant. They fix 90% of punctures without removing the wheel. Carry a tube for the other 10%.
Mini-pump or CO2?
CO2 is fast but finite. A high-volume mini-pump is reliable and unlimited. Carry both if racing, pump only if touring.
What chain lube should I use?
Wax-based lubes run cleaner and don't attract dust, perfect for dry gravel. Wet lubes last longer in rain but turn into a grinding paste in dust.
What spares are essential?
Spare tube, quick link for your chain, derailleur hanger (specific to your bike), brake pads, and zip ties. Duct tape wrapped around your pump is a bonus.
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