Project 525 EXC - Spare Tube Bag

Jun. 01, 2004 By Eric Tabb

While making plans for our upcoming dualsport rides I started thinking about things that I should be sure to bring along. One of the first things that popped into my mind was to bring along besides the general tools was a spare tube in case of a flat. To secure a tube and the tools required to make the change we needed a spare tube carrier. Since our rear fender bag has proven functional and extremely durable we decided upon Dirt-Bike-Gear.coms new front fender bag.

The Bag

This bag is made of the same ballistic nylon as our rear bag and is designed to hold a normal tube along with short tire irons and a patch kit. Inside the bag there are two pockets, one main pocket for the tube and a smaller pocket for tools and patches. A

zipper secures both pockets along with a compression strap to help relieve the tension. The bag fastens to the front fender by two straps that wrap around the front forks and then snap back into the bag. Unlike many bags on the market this one uses no hooks that attach to the front fender, which results is much better chance the bag will still be around at the end of a nasty ride.

Upon packing the bag we were actually able to squeeze in a heavy-duty front tube along with two short tire irons and a small patch kit. This did make the bag a little bulky but once the bag is strapped to the bike and tightened down it isn't going anywhere. If your going to put in a Co2 tire inflation kit or other tools you might want to just stick with the normal tube as recommended in the instructions. We carried a hand pump in our hydration pack so the extra room wasn't an issue for us.

Our initial ride turned out only to be around 70 miles but in that time we had no problems with the bag shifting or coming loose. The only concern is that we added some flexible plastic tubing around the brake and odo cable that rubs on the strap on that side of the bag. This tubing helps to keep the aftermarket odo cable in place better and out of the front tire. For future rides we will probably add some electrical tape to the tubing to reduce the edges from rubbing on the strap. If you're looking for a durable spare tube front fender bag that offers room for a tube and tools then consider the Dirt-Bike-Gear.com bag. The bag costs $25; further information and ordering can be found at http://www.dirt-bike-gear.com/front_bags.html

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