I have been biking since I was 4 years old (on 2 wheels that is) and have been mountain biking for the past 20 years and I'm a bit of a gadget hoarder so I've tried just about every gadget that's been made. I made up this hubpage to let you all know from practical experience, which mountain bike accessories, gadgets, gear, equipment, tools, clothing packs etc are essential to your bike enjoyment and which ones are just nice to have's.

For obvious reasons, the first thing I recommend you go get yourself - if you havn't already, is a brain bucket - I've slammed several of them into rocks trees, ravines and cracked them but never cracked my head open yet (knock on wood - no pun intended), but I have been on some rides where I had to take my kamakaze riding buddies to the hospital because they were too cool to wear one - they all wear one now!

Gloves are great especially if you're planning to ride any single-track through forested areas. Gloves will help keep your grip on the handlebars better than sweaty hands but they also reduce hand fatigue and provide protection from branches and endos into the gravel.

Next, go get yourself a small pump (preferably with a built-in pressure guage) and try to get one that has a special mounting frame that mounts to your frame. My pump frame actually mounts just behind the bottle cage frame with the same screws - very compact and very cool.

Make sure you get a small lightweight pack to carry a couple of tools and a spare tube - this is a must have especially if your planning to ride any back-country trails - believe me, I've walked many miles cuz I was either too stupid to pack a tube or I left it on my other bike - don't do that - its not fun - especially when its getting dark out and you dont know the route and the mosquitoes are as big as bears - and sometimes there are bears.

Definately pick yourself up a bike multi-tool - one that has wrenches, screwdrivers, allen keys, knife, chain tool all wrapped up into one like a Swiss Army knife. I've had a Topeak Alien multi-tool in my pack for years and I can't tell you how many chains I've had to fix out on the trails - and not just my own. As a matter of fact, I've even helped a fellow rider fix his chain in the middle of a race (24 Hours of Adreneline at Kelso mountain on the top of the plateau at the end of June and there was hail coming down in buckets and here's this poor guy pushing his bike through a foot of mud with a broken chain and his headlights are fading) - I couldnt leave him there could I.

Stay tuned for future editions where I will give you some tips on how to use some of this newly acquired swag plus some new product recommendations on items like camel backs and back packs and biking apparel.

See ya for now ...Shane