Tell Me About Your Hunting Bike

[Mumbles]

When riding in deep behind the locked gates...what is your bike like?  Suspension type, brakes for the long fast ride out, trailer rig, how much do you haul in (I know what you hope to haul out!).

Trying to make sure that what I've got will get it done and what to not overlook. Thanks.

[steelnducks]

I got the Airbourne Guardian this year. Very smooth riding bike and is built solid. You don't need to spend a lot of money on a hunting bike. Last year me and my two buddies packed out an elk with average bikes six miles and they held up just fine.

[xXLojackXx]

Whatever bike you ride, take a few extra tubes with you and know how to change them 

[WapitiTalk1]

Just an inexpensive Diamondback for me.  A friend recommended putting slime tubes in the tires.. No flats yet

[klikboom]

Like these guys say, anything will work. But if your looking to make things easier, plan for a way to attach rifle, and pack to your bike, for example at least have a rear rack. Its much easier to pedal with a load on the bike vs load on your back. I haven't ridden with a trailer but they would be ideal for carrying an animal.

You don't need rear suspension because you aren't riding fast on a hunting bike, and you will have dramatic weight changes based on your pack and animal weights. Get low gears.  You'll be in boots and pants not spandex and cycling shoes. You want to be able to sit and spin and not have to walk at every hill, and there will be a lot of hills. You can get away with a low knobby, kind of hybrid tire. You won't be riding on muddy trails, just gravel logging roads (though they can get muddy sometime). A steel frame is way more compliant than an aluminum frame and makes for a much more comfortable ride on logging roads. Disc brakes are nice, and not cable actuated (they squeak terrible). Front suspension is per your preference, I would go with a rigid fork before a super squishy suspension fork. A suspension fork that locks out would be ideal.

[pianoman9701]

$15 yard sale special Sherpa. I'd like to have a better one, but it gets me around.

[elkinrutdrivemenuts]

YZ 250f, 1 tooth larger sprocket in the rear for more torque, bark busters, oversized fuel tank, suspension set a little softer and Maxxis tires. 

[JLS]

There are so many bikes on Craigslist nowadays it's not even funny.  If you are just riding logging roads and nothing else, look for a 26" bike with front suspension.  With the advent of 29 and 27.5 wheels, the 26" is going the way of the dinosaur.

For $300 or so (possibly less), you could reasonably expect to find a 26" bike with:

Front suspension
Disc brakes
Shimano Deore or XT components

These will likely have a 9 speed cassette and 3 gears on the crank, which is perfectly fine. There is no need whatsoever for full suspension.

Get a handlebar light for the bike.  NiteRider makes excellent lights and you can find the Minewt 750 on sale for about $150.  Lots of burn time and good illumination. 

Carry at least one spare inner tube, patch kit, tire lever(s), chain tool and power link, and pump and/or CO2 cartridges.  You can convert your tires to tubeless if the wheels will support it.  Stan's tubeless conversion kit will run you about $70 and will do both wheels.  Slime tubes are okay, but you are adding weight to the wheels which will increase the amount of energy expenditure.  Probably not a big deal, but something to keep in mind.

[kentrek]

  I would get the best  tires/tubes/chain & brakes you can afford


Those are things that are gona make or brake your backcountry ride

[chukar hunter]

I've got a middle of the road Trek.  21" Frame, 26" Tires.  Front Suspension, hard tail, with disc brakes(mandatory)

For trailer, I bought a kid trailer, 2 kid Chariott for $50 off of craigslist.  Best investment of my hunting bike setup.  I road the first two years in w/o a trailer with frame pack on my back and that is some tough riding.  The trailer makes traveling much easier as your pulling the weight instead of carrying it, especially when you hit the hill climbs.  The prebuilt trailers, like the chariot come with rated suspension and when stripped down to bare frame offer many tie points for securing gear.  Plus, if you have kids, they double as a kid trailer in the offseason, if your kids don't mind the blood stains!

I recommend training on as much gravel as you can as there is a big difference in street riding and logging roads.  Good luck, just hope I don't see you in my area

[Mumbles]

Exact type of responses I was hoping for, hope others benefit from me asking too. I'm a life long roadie, good mechanic and just want to ensure my logging road adventures are well planned. Keep them coming. Thank you.

[Bofire]

I had a suspension bike and got rid of it, to many parts. I went to REI, they let you ride the bikes around. I got a real basic bike, if some one steals or trashes it in the woods, (when I leave it to hunt or call or ??) I am not out much. About $250 with lots of free services. I have a bad back so I got a bike I sit "up" on rather than bent over.
Carl

[ridgefire]

Old specialized stumpjumper and a Burley kid trailer works great for me.

[TwoShot]

I use a Specialized Rockhopper with thick tubes front and back. As far as cart goes I use a game cart and rigged up a frame that goes around rear bike rack and attaches to seat post. Got tubular aluminum from Home Depot and heated and bent it to make it fit. Works great and only cost $12 for aluminum.

[fly-by]

Fully rigid steel 29er with very low geared 1x9 drivetrain and 2.5" tires.   Simple and comfortable.