1. brute force: eight in the rim
Bam, bam - if you've got such a bad knot in the rim after a crash or riding mistake that the wheel no longer fits through the frame, then only brute force will help. To do this, place the side of the wheel with the biggest problem area on a root or a stone and try to bend out the knot with your body weight. Gradually increase the pressure and keep checking whether the wheel fits through the frame. This only works with aluminium rims. A carbon rim is probably already cracked if it is deformed. Caution! We only recommend this tip in an absolute emergency! If the wheel has a slight knuckle, there is a risk of aggravating the knuckle or even ruining the wheel.
Level of difficulty: 5 out of 6 points
In the video we show six emergency repairs for the trail. Functional or rubbish? We have tried out bike hacks in practice.
2. five + three = eight: crank loose
During our tests in the bike park, bikes take a beating. The frequent result: screws come loose. Usually on the headset or rear triangle. The problem is quickly fixed with a mini-tool. For everything else, we have professional tools in the FREERIDE bus. Not on the trail or on tour, of course. If the crank comes loose, there are long faces. Because you don't usually find an 8 mm Allen key in the mini-tool. Our trick: Combine two tools with each other. To do this, insert the 5 mm of one tool into the crank with the 3 mm of the other tool. This results in an 8. You won't be able to apply the optimum torque, but the crank will stay on the bike - and you can continue your tour.
Difficulty level: 2 out of 6 points
3. iron on iron: Worn brake pads
Just there and it's already gone: the brake pad. And now? If you keep braking, the braking performance will be miserable. Because metal on metal has a nasty coefficient of friction. Even worse: you will eventually destroy the disc. Brake pads are like the MOT on a car: if it's expired, it can be expensive - and you'll need a new MOT (or new brake pads) on top of that. Our tip: If the pads on the front brake are worn out (this is usually the case first), combine a fresher pad from the rear brake with the worn pad on the front. This doesn't brake great, but at least ensures you get home. Better: Always have a pair of spare pads with you for intensive sessions. This is because bike park shredding and long descents literally eat up the pads.
Difficulty level: 3 out of 6 points
4. frayed: torn shift cable
The shift cable connects the trigger on the handlebars to the rear derailleur. This is the only way the chain jumps from sprocket to sprocket at the touch of a thumb. Mud and dust are the natural enemies of the thin wire cable. At some point the derailleur cable breaks. Without the tension of the shift cable, the rear derailleur jumps onto the smallest sprocket. Then pedalling becomes exhausting! To make it easier, turn the stop screw on the rear derailleur (marked "H") all the way in. This will keep the chain in a middle gear and you can pedal without the cables bursting.
Difficulty level: 1 out of 6 points
5. large lever: screw tight
"The power of a locksmith is mighty when he manages with a lever," says the proverb. And anyone who has ever tried to unscrew a fixed pedal with a mini-tool knows how true it is. In our bike tests, we are constantly changing pedals. We usually have the right tool, but if not, we do it like this: To enlarge the lever, we take the front wheel axle out of the fork, put it on the mini-tool - and the lever does the rest. This will get rid of even the tightest pedals. Of course, this works very well for all tight bolts.
Difficulty level: 1 out of 6 points
6. knot tying: hose flat
The classic puncture: the common flat tyre. Thorns, sharp stones, rock edges - dangers lurk everywhere - and inner tubes are real danger seekers. They ride into battle and are only protected by a thin rubber skin. More stable carcasses, tyre inserts, tubeless milk etc. are supposed to make tyres more resistant. This often works, but often it doesn't. And at some point the tyre is flat, the spare tubes are used up, or the spare tube is at home where the tubeless salami is. Our tip for tubeless riders: Stuff as much grass and moss into the tyre as possible. This way you can actually roll home without destroying the rim. Our tip for tubeless riders: Cut out the hole! Yes, that's right! To do this, cut the inner tube where the hole is. If necessary, you can also do this with a sharp stone. Then knot the two ends together and tighten them properly. As tight as you can! Make sure that the protruding ends are as small as possible. Otherwise the inner tube will no longer fit into the tyre.
Difficulty level: 2 out of 6 points
7th spoke drama: torn spoke
Sailing too far into the rock face on a drop or landing completely on the flat - and a spoke breaks. This doesn't mean the tour is over, but the loose ends will hit the frame or fork with every turn. Our tip: Wrap the two loose ends around neighbouring spokes. That way they won't cause any damage and won't rattle when you ride. However, you should not continue to ride with a broken spoke because the lack of tension weakens the wheel. It will wobble more and more, and even more spokes will come loose.
Difficulty level: 2 out of 6 points
8th Brakeforce Wood: Brake lever broken off
Crashes in rough terrain often mean broken bones and material. The brake lever quickly comes off. What do you do when all that's left is a stub? Photos of spoons as brake lever replacements are circulating on the net. A good idea, but who has a spoon with them on the trail? We don't. But sticks are everywhere. Our tip: Lash a stick to the brake lever stub. It works surprisingly well. Even stoppies are no problem for the organic lever. Make sure that the stick is short and stable (not rotten) so that it doesn't break away or hit the grip when braking.
Difficulty level: 2 out of 6 points
