One gift every mountain biker needs

Last week was Thanksgiving. What was once a time for togetherness and kinship is now rife with discord and ideological tension. Will we never find common ground? Is unity a thing of the past? … Oh, sorry, I can see how you might have taken this intro the wrong way. I’m not talking politics. Heavens no! I’m talking about mountain biking. 

Cross-country, enduro, downhill, trail, bikepacking, dirt-jumping — our sport is fractured into so many niches it seems there’s nothing we can agree upon. Except this: It is a bummer to carry your spare tube and essentials in a pack or pocket.

That’s right, the one thing every mountain biker wants (and needs!) is a simple, elegant way to take the load off their back. And the Fox Racing Enduro Strap is the perfect solution. 

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If you came from a road background like many of us, you might have tried carrying a tube and CO2 in your jersey pocket. So uncomfortable! Your jersey would sag and bounce around all the time. Those were early days. 

Then, perhaps you went the hydration pack route. Not a bad idea. Easy to drink, plenty of room for spares. But still, doesn’t it seem a little silly to weigh down your bag with a tube. Plus, when you sneak out for a quickie after work, you might forget that tube in your pack, being all blissed out by the naked freedom of a back without a pack. And that is always the one day when you find that sniper rock and have to walk out with a flat. Murphy’s Law, right?

Some might try to jam a spare MTB tube into a saddlebag, but it’s not as svelte as a road or gravel tube. That setup never seems to jive with a dropper post either. And sure, you Specialized riders with your fancy SWAT boxes can fit all manner of spares and snacks in your frames. Congratulations. 

But for the rest of us, the Fox Racing Enduro Strap is the only way forward. A true consensus-builder. Your spare tube, CO2, tire plugs, and levers can live on your bike’s frame. Strap it on any old place. I prefer keeping my tube and spares near the bottom bracket for a lower center of gravity. This frees up space in your pack, cuts the weight carried on your body, and simplifies planning if you like to switch between hydration packs or fanny packs like I do.

Those racing cross-country will revel in the additional pocket-space for energy gels (eww). Trail and enduro riders will be stoked on extra pack space for a cold one or two or three. Even park rats will appreciate the simplicity of keeping the spares with the bike for minimal planning on ride day.

You see, people? There is a way forward. We don’t have to live in a world so cynical and divided. Look to the Fox Racing Enduro Strap. This is a new beginning for us all.